Guilford - Royal Mail sorry for sub-standard deliveries

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/20925 ... deliveries" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

THE Royal Mail has issued an apology to customers in Guildford affected by changes to staff working practices brought in earlier in the year.

A spokesman admitted there had been problems in the borough as it was one of the first delivery centres in the country to bring in the new systems, which caused disruption to mail delivery in some areas.

He said: “We have undertaken a major change to the way in which we handle and deliver mail in Guildford.

“We apologise for any inconvenience experienced by our customers. However, these issues have since been resolved and services are operating normally.”

The changes are part of a national modernisation programme that has been agreed with the postal workers union, the CWU.

They include getting rid of bicycles and sending staff out in pairs with a van to deliver over larger areas.

New sequencing machines in the delivery centre can read addresses and cut time for staff who previously had to sort the mail by hand.

The changes are intended to make the company more efficient – the sequencing machines save staff at least 25 minutes at the sorting stage – and deal with an expected increase in parcels and decrease in letters.

When the changes were introduced across postcode areas GU2 to GU5 from January, people complained that packets were being left on doorsteps and in some cases mail was not being delivered daily.

Several delivery workers expressed their dissatisfaction with the new system.

The Guildford delivery office responded by opening its doors to the Surrey Advertiser to demonstrate improvements.

Guildford delivery office manager Dravish Hamin said management had learned lessons and he now has daily meetings with the CWU representative to keep lines of communication open.

“We have delayed GU1 to make sure we do not have the same issues. This was meant to change on February 28, but we have delayed it by three months,” he said.

Jon Ward, one of five office line managers, said: “The big things learned in Guildford was to talk with staff, ask for their feedback and move on with training.

“GU2 probably had the biggest impact, but again we learned greatly from that.”

Mr Hamin said eliminating bicycles and heavy bags was an important part of improving health and safety.

He said: “There are people who have had back injuries over the years from sustained carrying and lifting.

“We have given a van between two of them and this is more efficient.”

Jane Girdler, who has worked at the Guildford office for 10 years, said modernisation had proved to be “a drastic change”, but everything had now settled down.

“We care about the public and we care about what we do,” she said.

“It was more involved than they thought it was going to be, but it all makes sense.”

Mrs Girdler will soon be leaving her bicycle behind and teaming up with a colleague in a van when her delivery area, GU1, takes on the changes in a few weeks.

[fishtank]

Jane Girdler, who has worked at the Guildford office for 10 years, said modernisation had proved to be “a drastic change”, but everything had now settled down.

“We care about the public and we care about what we do,” she said.

“It was more involved than they thought it was going to be, but it all makes sense.”

Mrs Girdler will soon be leaving her bicycle behind and teaming up with a colleague in a van when her delivery area, GU1, takes on the changes in a few weeks.

Perhaps Mrs Girder should have waited until she had experienced it herself before commenting....
And you have to ask....why did they choose someone who hadn't started park&loop for a comment?

[Phantom]

It's taken 5 months for things to settle down, 5 f***ing months!!! Obviously the planning of the whole piece of s**t was done correctly then eh?

[Lounge Lizard]

Jane Girdler, who has worked at the Guildford office for 10 years, said modernisation had proved to be “a drastic change”, but everything had now settled down.

“We care about the public and we care about what we do,” she said.

“It was more involved than they thought it was going to be, but it all makes sense.”

Mrs Girdler will soon be leaving her bicycle behind and teaming up with a colleague in a van when her delivery area, GU1, takes on the changes in a few weeks.

Perhaps Mrs Girder should have waited until she had experienced it herself before commenting....
And you have to ask....why did they choose someone who hadn't started park&loop for a comment?

With a name like Girder she's probably got the strength to take on any amount of mail, with or without a bike or a van.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Jane Girdler, who has worked at the Guildford office for 10 years, said modernisation had proved to be “a drastic change”, but everything had now settled down.

“We care about the public and we care about what we do,” she said.

“It was more involved than they thought it was going to be, but it all makes sense.”

Mrs Girdler will soon be leaving her bicycle behind and teaming up with a colleague in a van when her delivery area, GU1, takes on the changes in a few weeks.

Perhaps Mrs Girder should have waited until she had experienced it herself before commenting....
And you have to ask....why did they choose someone who hadn't started park&loop for a comment?

With a name like Girder she's probably got the strength to take on any amount of mail, with or without a bike or a van.

I wonder if they call her Iron Bru at work.

[Lounge Lizard]

Jane Girdler, who has worked at the Guildford office for 10 years, said modernisation had proved to be “a drastic change”, but everything had now settled down.

“We care about the public and we care about what we do,” she said.

“It was more involved than they thought it was going to be, but it all makes sense.”

Mrs Girdler will soon be leaving her bicycle behind and teaming up with a colleague in a van when her delivery area, GU1, takes on the changes in a few weeks.

Perhaps Mrs Girder should have waited until she had experienced it herself before commenting....
And you have to ask....why did they choose someone who hadn't started park&loop for a comment?

With a name like Girder she's probably got the strength to take on any amount of mail, with or without a bike or a van.

I wonder if they call her Iron Bru at work.