How Royal Mail fiddles the figures

[F0zziebear]

Chunk

you are absolutely right and it is for these reasons amongst others that I decided to leave. You see when you work in HQ or some other office it is easier to cut costs elsewhere than in your own backyard.

So for example it is easy to look at the cycle mechanics and say will other companies only send them out once a month so by doing this 'benchmarking' we should be doing the same. So you get rid of a few mechanics on VR and everything is fine initially and even your bonus (the whole company as well) looks good as you are reaching the financial targets / cost cutting that was required. The problem is that these cuts eventually begin to take their toll as you mentioned.

Another fine example has been stationary. A small area you might think but RM spends tens of millions actually more than that in the total amount buy anyway. The point is that the downgrade of staplers, pens etc. saves pens up front the problem comes when the things start to break more easily and rather than repairing them they have to be replaced.

Remember the one about the shoes. Someone went with Doc Martins instead of Clarks. Leighton went nuts. All very well getting a more competitive contract but if the things are rubbish then it will take its toll.

This has been the approach of business for over a decade now. Always looking to improve the short term share price rather than the longer term well being of the business.

The bicycles you mention are probably taking heavier loads than ever and with the deterioration of the roads in the UK they are probably breaking down more frequently than before.

I actually know the people in the Vehicle division within RM and they are a good bunch and well led, but it seems that cost-cutting has come their way. Do you hang around and implement something you do not believe in or leave. I know what I did as I didn't feel able to change the culture successfully. Maybe that is a weak approach, but I feel happier than contributing to the continuing cutting round the edges of this service.

[OnAFlyer]

Another fine example has been stationary. A small area you might think but RM spends tens of millions actually more than that in the total amount buy anyway. The point is that the downgrade of staplers, pens etc. saves pens up front the problem comes when the things start to break more easily and rather than repairing them they have to be replaced.

Remember the one about the shoes. Someone went with Doc Martins instead of Clarks. Leighton went nuts. All very well getting a more competitive contract but if the things are rubbish then it will take its toll.

In the past couple of years I've noticed just about everything has become cheaply made.

Redirection/Damage bags are a lot thinner and you often end up ripping the whole top section off whilst trying to pull off the sticky bit.

The Red bands are such poor quality I don't even attempt to use them more than once now, they just snap - often whilst trying to get a bundle out of your bag and the mail ends up everywhere.

739 cards are thinner, on a hot (or wet) day the bundle in my back pocket ends up a faded mess (because of my sweaty backside on a hot day ) and I have to throw half of them away.

Delivery pouches are smaller, they also fall apart at the seams and the stitching gives way on the handles - i've had 2 handles snap this year and 2 bags fall apart - my first pouch lasted about 6 years!

I wonder how much cheaper these newer pouches are, and if it actually works out more expensive in the long run as they have to keep replacing them?

The trousers turn a nice bluey purple when washed a couple of times.

And the Magnum shoes/boots were just a total fiasco. The day a pair of boots arrived I put them on in the office, tried to zip them up and the zip broke in my hand. I tried another pair that were introduced without the zips, and nearly killed myself slipping on a wet patterned concrete driveway - I never wore a pair again.

From others that wear them I have been told that the cheap 'fake leather' peels and falls apart within a couple of months. I see they had several revisions and 'improvements' made to the Magnums, yet they've now re-introduced DM's and also made Cat boots and shoes available.

I wonder what the figure is for how much those Magnums have actually cost RM, and all for trying to save a few quid on equipment that is absolutely essential to it's workforce

Our office also ordered some new Large flat frames 5 months ago, due to the amount of flats we now have to do on IPS - they haven't turned up yet and probably never will.

[IWW Fellow Worker]

Another fine example has been stationary. A small area you might think but RM spends tens of millions actually more than that in the total amount buy anyway. The point is that the downgrade of staplers, pens etc. saves pens up front the problem comes when the things start to break more easily and rather than repairing them they have to be replaced.

Remember the one about the shoes. Someone went with Doc Martins instead of Clarks. Leighton went nuts. All very well getting a more competitive contract but if the things are rubbish then it will take its toll.

In the past couple of years I've noticed just about everything has become cheaply made.

Redirection/Damage bags are a lot thinner and you often end up ripping the whole top section off whilst trying to pull off the sticky bit.

The Red bands are such poor quality I don't even attempt to use them more than once now, they just snap - often whilst trying to get a bundle out of your bag and the mail ends up everywhere.

739 cards are thinner, on a hot (or wet) day the bundle in my back pocket ends up a faded mess (because of my sweaty backside on a hot day ) and I have to throw half of them away.

Delivery pouches are smaller, they also fall apart at the seams and the stitching gives way on the handles - i've had 2 handles snap this year and 2 bags fall apart - my first pouch lasted about 6 years!

I wonder how much cheaper these newer pouches are, and if it actually works out more expensive in the long run as they have to keep replacing them?

The trousers turn a nice bluey purple when washed a couple of times.

And the Magnum shoes/boots were just a total fiasco. The day a pair of boots arrived I put them on in the office, tried to zip them up and the zip broke in my hand. I tried another pair that were introduced without the zips, and nearly killed myself slipping on a wet patterned concrete driveway - I never wore a pair again.

From others that wear them I have been told that the cheap 'fake leather' peels and falls apart within a couple of months. I see they had several revisions and 'improvements' made to the Magnums, yet they've now re-introduced DM's and also made Cat boots and shoes available.

I wonder what the figure is for how much those Magnums have actually cost RM, and all for trying to save a few quid on equipment that is absolutely essential to it's workforce

Our office also ordered some new Large flat frames 5 months ago, due to the amount of flats we now have to do on IPS - they haven't turned up yet and probably never will.

Well said. The Magnum boots cause infected toe nails because they material doesn't allow the feet to 'breathe' and are also the cause of plantar fasciitis which causes fallen arches.

[brothermagrew]

Well said. The Magnum boots cause infected toe nails because they material doesn't allow the feet to 'breathe' and are also the cause of plantar fasciitis which causes fallen arches.

With regards to plantar fascitis:

http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKEAT/20 ... _2707.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and

http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKEAT/20 ... _1405.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[andy2007]

At least you have the option of ordering DMs again, or CATs. Neither of them are available (from RM) as Safety Boots, so those of us who work indoors, are still stuck with the cheap rubbish (Magnums). I've had 2 pairs, in less than a year. And I'm going to have to order another pair soon, as my current ones are starting to split! The soles on both pairs, still have loads of tread left on them (the ones I threw away, when they fell apart, and the ones I'm wearing now). What a waste of money!

Aparently. The excuse for not providing any alternatives to the Magnum Safety Boots, is that there's already one type available. And we can have £30 towards buying our own Safety Boots, if we want to. Yeh, right! Have you seen the price of DM Safety Boots?
They're £46.55! http://www.safetybootsuk.co.uk/martens- ... 89154.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Why should indoor staff have to pay £16.55 towards their PPE, when Delivery Posties, can get their boots for free?

[Big Daz]

The mark 2 magnums cost a extra £10 a pair

[dvbuk55]

Why should indoor staff have to pay £16.55 towards their PPE, when Delivery Posties, can get their boots for free?

Simply because Delivery Posties are real men and indoor staff are wimps, like those lumberjacks who are ok It's none of your business where I work.

[not me]

Why should indoor staff have to pay £16.55 towards their PPE, when Delivery Posties, can get their boots for free?

Simply because Delivery Posties are real men and indoor staff are wimps, like those lumberjacks who are ok It's none of your business where I work.

[El-Bandito]

Are they still diddling these figures?

[Big Daz]

Well Moya says profits are down significantly