Are we misselling Tracked products?

[Spedley]

I seem to deliver 3 times as many tracked (mostly from Amazon) than I do Specials but except for the 1pm deadline I have to treat them almost the same way.
It's great if something fits through the letterbox but that rarely happens. Surely the big advantage to RM is that they can be posted through the letterbox?

Wouldn't we be better off improving the "call and collect" service?
I would find it very handy to be sent an email or text when my package is at the sorting office/post office. Perhaps via a unquie id in the email which is also printed on the package label I could collect the package on my way home.
It would make much more sense than the postie carrying my fragile package around the streets, knocking on my door and leaving a P739. Then I have to go home, get the card and then go to the sorting office.
Items would be just as trackable but it would be a preferable service for many customers and hell of a lot cheaper to implement.

[fishtank]

Spedley...why do you want me to lose my job?....what have i done to you?
We are delivery officers....if there is nothing to deliver...we're screwed.
It's a good idea though....just not from our point of view.

[janitor]

Spedley...why do you want me to lose my job?....what have i done to you?
We are delivery officers....if there is nothing to deliver...we're screwed.
It's a good idea though....just not from our point of view.

Ok so lets alter it a little, all trackeds in our office go out in the vans, so once the drive has clicked on no answer on the pda, then the customer gets an email telling them they can pick it up from the office, so can do so on the way home. Can imagine though some people come rushing out the house waving a copy of the email, as you jump back in the van, as they were so busy on ebay didn't hear the door.

[Spedley]

Or look at it another way, just put it in the callers office and don't attempt to deliver to a house that is empty.

[Bazman]

That last suggestion comes with a small problem.

You need to be psychic to know someone's not in before you attempt delivery :P

[Spedley]

Are you serious?

[smokerjim]

Are you serious?

I think he is, and I can back him up, I had a packet yesterday afternoon ( out extended due to snow / ice as well as the backlog ), got to the house & from the van, it looked totally dark, no sign of life inside, so I scanned it as no answer, wrote up a 739, and when I went to the door, I glanced through the window, and saw a tv on! The house had window blinds & they blocked all the light from escaping - so what I assumed to be an empty property was anything but, and I did not know until I went to the door, so yes, to make the call of leaving packets behind, you do need to be psychic, otherwise, you have to try every house with a packet, every time.

[Spedley]

Example Amazon order:

Code: Select all

Please Choose Delivery Method:
1) 1st Class Recorded
2) Special Delivery
4) Tracked Collection: We will track the item and text you when it is at the sorting office so you can come and collect it.  We will not deliver it to your house so we couldn't care if you are in or not!  It's cheaper for Royal Mail and you can collect it on your way home form work.

[POSTMAN]

Spedders,you been drinking mate.

[krussel]

At least with TRACKED you can leave the non sig ones in a safe place and scan them as delivered. I actually prefer them to a normal packet in that respect. What seperates us from the likes of UPS is that we will cont to try and redeliver a parcel any number of times if requested to do so. Its a pain but is better than anyone else can match at the moment

[BELIAL]

Classic example of a nice idea with no forethought . Our office don't have the space to keep tracked separate and walk sorted from the packets that won't be delivered today and the packets that weren't delivered the day before the day before yesterday despite Sunday delivery and daily OT

[fishtank]

Classic example of a nice idea with no forethought .

Guaranteed to be rolled out in 6 months then...
I look forward to the inevitable Courier "trial office" photo-opportunity.

[BELIAL]

Trial office












Trial office jpeg courtesy of "the Courier"

[krussel]

"And its a big thumbs up from the boys and girls at RMC" blah blah blah

[Spedley]

Our office isn't allowed to leave tracked items anywhere and we have been instructed to ignore any leave with a neighbour unless it specifies a number.
Only recorded letters and special items are segregated from other packets in our office - tracked items are bundled with normal packets.