Are PDA's always rubbish and slow you down?

[fly-catchers]

Tried out a PDA for the first time today after having 5 minutes training in the office! First call unlocked it and got internet signel (?) and pressed delivery. Scanned item and got barcode not recognised message. After fiddling with it the PDA still refused to work and came up with various other messages. So got out my book stuck on the label and got it signed! After a couple more attempts at other addresses gave up! And even if it had worked it is obvious it takes longer and I would have had to "stream" more mail to get back on time. So apart from making life for the guy in the cage easier- what benefits are there for you? It just slows you down!

[TrueBlueTerrier]

The PDA isn't designed to benefit the postie. Its to cut down on claims, and make it easier for the senders. Sorry but that's the way it is.

[clashcityrocker]

Barcode not recognised means you probably weren't in delivery mode.

Currently I have approx. 20 signed for items daily. It is far easier than fiddling with bits of paper.
But the mandatory use of a PDA isn't about us, it is about the customer. They don't have to wait for confirmation of delivery, (or put up with the whole confirmation by default scenario) and the use of technology almost makes it look as though RM has crawled into the 20th century.

[k979aaa]

No kidding ours are f****d as is the whole of royalmail but she MOYA her who must be obeyed has said we should deliver every packet first time has she ever delivered anything but the sale of royalmail on the cheep!

[k979aaa]

Barcode not recognised means you probably weren't in delivery mode.

Currently I have approx. 20 signed for items daily. It is far easier than fiddling with bits of paper.
But the mandatory use of a PDA isn't about us, it is about the customer. They don't have to wait for confirmation of delivery, (or put up with the whole confirmation by default scenario) and the use of technology almost makes it look as though RM has crawled into the 20th century.

They do if the damn thing has no battery left in it no comms no signal and they start playing up at 0% they are shite just like the management!

[Chelseablue]

The constant writing of notice lefts, specials, tracked are out of door, packets are mental ,none of this seems to have bin really factored into you're duty. It's so undo able in you're allocated time it's a f kin joke,,,on us.

[wacko74]

The PDA isn't designed to benefit the postie. Its to cut down on claims, and make it easier for the senders. Sorry but that's the way it is.

They don't even cut down on claims... a woman claimed she'd never received a special which I gave her and she signed for, DOM showed her a scan of her signature taken from the PDA, she still denied all knowledge and claimed the signature wasn't hers, they believed her compensated her for her 'loss'

[cweg]

I had to use the PoD forms today and yesterday because the duty PDA was lost (over two months ago!), and although the PDAs are s**t, they are much better than messing about with a flimsy piece of paper, especially in this weather!

[ashadd]

The constant writing of notice lefts, specials, tracked are out of door, packets are mental ,none of this seems to have bin really factored into you're duty. It's so undo able in you're allocated time it's a f kin joke,,,on us.

And ????????

[joeyuk]

I don't mind the PDA, it has crashed twice which slows me down about 5 mins each time. Found the lock device the other day so now do that before i place it in the bag otherwise it can come up with some weird menus when i next take it out the bag. The thing is crap for signing though, not met anyone who can sign it with any with anything like their really signature but with GPS i guess royal mail can prove it was signed outside the address.

[freelunch]

We Love the PDAs, almost as much as we love parcels
It's like a postman's ipad

[robbertwhitton]

yes I have to say the pdas aren't the best on the market,dispite what the bosses think.always having to re connect them on collection,which we havnt got time for,and they don't charge well in the van,if at all.and if they fail to scan on collections its our fault not the scanners and we get threatened with being taken off s/as,and as for the reminders to get the special done my 1,someones got too much time to play at sending them out me thinks.the other couriers must look at ours and piss themselves!!!

[OnAFlyer]

We Love the PDAs, almost as much as we love parcels
It's like a postman's ipad

[Straight4ward]

What Clash and cweg said - - -
I’d hate to go back to crappy little sheets of paper.

My only real complaints about the PDA are firstly that it’s like carrying a house brick around in your pocket and secondly (and most importantly) the lack of battery power.
I’ve no charger in the van and towards the end of the duty am sometimes forced to warm the thing on the heater to extract a little more juice from the battery.

Oh, and one further thought, when the power drops right down you keep getting messages telling you that the battery level is critical (which you already know, thank you very much!).
Does anyone know how to turn those effing messages off short of lobbing the thing out of the window at a passing courier’s van?

[Lounge Lizard]

What Clash and cweg said - - -
I’d hate to go back to crappy little sheets of paper.

My only real complaints about the PDA are firstly that it’s like carrying a house brick around in your pocket and secondly (and most importantly) the lack of battery power.
I’ve no charger in the van and towards the end of the duty am sometimes forced to warm the thing on the heater to extract a little more juice from the battery.

Oh, and one further thought, when the power drops right down you keep getting messages telling you that the battery level is critical (which you already know, thank you very much!).
Does anyone know how to turn those effing messages off short of lobbing the thing out of the window at a passing courier’s van?

We've still got "crappy little sheets of paper", loved equally by ourselves and those we deliver to.
but I don't expect it to be long before those new-fangled electronic devices spoil it all.