D.O Christmas Delivery Strategy - RM Directors. Thank You

[The_Wax_Man]

19/11/14

"Our performance remains in line with our expectations for the full year. But, as always, this depends on us delivering another great Christmas, for which we are fully prepared." Commented Moya Greene, Chief Executive Officer.

4/12/14

Today Many DO's across the country still with packets and parcels not delivered. 60% of rounds cutting off due to volume. DOM support, linos and DOMS out doing delivery.

RM is so focused on competition, it's lost the vision of it's own business. Instead of focusing on it's core values, it has allowed those and staff moral to slip to a level that could become unreachable as we go into Christmas pressure. I hate the term 'Royal Fail' but Fail we will.

I asked my DOM today what the D.O Christmas strategy is as nothing has been discussed, on the boards or inherent to anyone on the floor. The answer. "Take out what you can and see how you get on"

After a full summer and autumn lapsing, the staff motivation to do the work included any overtime is pretty much a zero. - There are a few docket chasers, there always is but nowhere enough to clear the floor.

Please explain the state of your D.O today in terms of volume not taken out as Moya has announced to the public that we are 'fully prepared'

Oxford Dictionary:
Prepared: ready, set, all set, equipped, primed, in a fit state; waiting, available, on hand, fixed, poised, in position


I am sorry Moya. We most definitely are not. There has not been enough thought/management project/discussions/assistance gone into this. - 2014 will see the Christmas that Royal Mail failed on. Very sad with what I see.

The entire business revolves around "Take out what you can and see how you get on"

And you wonder why people are choosing competitors ???

It's not hard to work out really. When your back home in Canada during Christmas. Please take time to reflect on what you and your teams are doing to this company.




so.

For the rest of us, please add your answers below


1. What is your delivery office strategy?
2. How have you been informed to work during Christmas Pressure?
3. What 'Best practice' methods are you applying for the Christmas pressure?
4. How are you being advised on daily volumes ?

[glenfiddich]

1 there isn't one
2 christmas pressure hasn't started
3 using my spectacles on these dark and dismal days
4 mails down

[dave72]

1. What is your delivery office strategy? - Do what you can
2. How have you been informed to work during Christmas Pressure? No
3. What 'Best practice' methods are you applying for the Christmas pressure? Play them at their own game and ignore it is happening
4. How are you being advised on daily volumes ?

[WOBBLY]

1) nope, definitely none!
2) We haven't!
3) Praying it won't be busy lol!!
4) We're not!

[Mr_Pink]

Our DO, last year we had 6 LMs 1 DOM and 1 Collections Manager, this year our DOMs off sick, our collection manager & 3 linos took VR, so we've got a floating DOM and 3 linos, 6 of our collections staff left in the summer, but they filled their duties with people doing it from deliveries on SA (recruitment freeze), however as we approach Xmas pressure those SA have gone as they need the extra bodies in deliveries so we're are probably going to be failing on collections over Xmas and none of UTR work will be done. In deliveries we have about 10 people on long term sick (130 walks) all our surrounding offices are short staffed so no spare bodies to lend us.

I've blagged a packet driver duty for the duration so I'm happy with that.

[max power]

my office had 15 more posties last year
all have been given VR or have left for other reasons
no one to replace them
but we have been offered same xmas deal
and we have to keep Absorbing because WAIT FOR IT

WE don't have enough staff

we told our union rep we don't want deal and we will work as normal

[max power]

oh yeah our revision still not in

[wabbithunta]

1. What is your delivery office strategy?
if you mean: ensure the office is cleared before you go out on delivery...

2. How have you been informed to work during Christmas Pressure?
Managers came around, with clipboards at the end of November, to see if people would/will/can come in to work their days off during Xmas Pressure.
I gave them a big fat NO in reply... no will or desire to work this Christmas, considering we're already "worked to death" enough as it is

3. What 'Best practice' methods are you applying for the Christmas pressure?
Working as per normal practice. ie using your noggin - aka "local knowledge" - when taking a delivery out, "if it ain't safe to leave with a neighbour etc, then bring it back."

4. How are you being advised on daily volumes ?
During Team Briefs at the start of the week. Cue the same propaganda videos and missives from above about "cascading down" whatever the current "news" is that they wish to bestow on us.. mail volumes down, targets not being met, need to improve, first time delivery, deliver to neighbour etc etc
Another tactic employed here is to block vehicles in with "parked vehicles" so you can't leave or have to get a manager to move their car so you can leave. This annoys the bulk of drivers too (apart from the ones that managed to park on the roads outside the office).

[pinstripe]

1. Same as usual, if we are failing one delivery, then we may as well fail four.

2. Sheets put up for staff to volunteer for 'Christmas duties', names no later than November 20th

3. We have extra night sorters (3 duties), extra CSS operator (1 duty), Packet delivery duties (4 duties), Callers Office (1 extra duty), Early start IPS Sorters, Day off overtime, Extended Delivery overtime.

4. We're not. It's a case of come in and see how many yorks of packets are still packed on the dock as there's no room inside.

[mad leveller]

1. What is your delivery office strategy?
if you mean: ensure the office is cleared before you go out on delivery...

2. How have you been informed to work during Christmas Pressure?
Managers came around, with clipboards at the end of November, to see if people would/will/can come in to work their days off during Xmas Pressure.
I gave them a big fat NO in reply... no will or desire to work this Christmas, considering we're already "worked to death" enough as it is

3. What 'Best practice' methods are you applying for the Christmas pressure?
Working as per normal practice. ie using your noggin - aka "local knowledge" - when taking a delivery out, "if it ain't safe to leave with a neighbour etc, then bring it back."

4. How are you being advised on daily volumes ?
During Team Briefs at the start of the week. Cue the same propaganda videos and missives from above about "cascading down" whatever the current "news" is that they wish to bestow on us.. mail volumes down, targets not being met, need to improve, first time delivery, deliver to neighbour etc etc
Another tactic employed here is to block vehicles in with "parked vehicles" so you can't leave or have to get a manager to move their car so you can leave. This annoys the bulk of drivers too (apart from the ones that managed to park on the roads outside the office).

What's a team brief ?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

1. What is your delivery office strategy?
2. How have you been informed to work during Christmas Pressure?
3. What 'Best practice' methods are you applying for the Christmas pressure?
4. How are you being advised on daily volumes ?

[miles_peters]

1. What is your delivery office strategy?
2. How have you been informed to work during Christmas Pressure?
3. What 'Best practice' methods are you applying for the Christmas pressure?
4. How are you being advised on daily volumes ?

1. complete your delivery everyday no matter what because we have no one else to help with cut offs
2. we havent
3. how many parcels and pouches is possible to squeeze into a van
4. no advice

[maninred]

1. What is your delivery office strategy? "Take out what you can and see how you get on"
2. How have you been informed to work during Christmas Pressure? "Take out what you can and see how you get on"
3. What 'Best practice' methods are you applying for the Christmas pressure? "Take out what you can and see how you get on"
4. How are you being advised on daily volumes ? "There are lots of packets but don't forget the decline in mail"

[OnAFlyer]

1) No extra staff yet, we have 1 driver who is on light duties between 30-odd walks in our action. 'Do what you can' seems to be a reoccurring theme.

2) Do what you can.

3) probably none.

4) We're not being advised of anything, we can see the mountains of packets.

There are some packets in our office now that have been there since Wednesday, our pair of walks has around 80 packets left that have zero chance of being cleared up tomorrow because there aren't enough staff again.

Moya is shouting in every single issue of Courier that we need to deliver first time every time, yet her offices are full of packets that aren't even going out. Does she even know that it's the same every year?

[WOBBLY]

1. What is your delivery office strategy? "Take out what you can and see how you get on"
2. How have you been informed to work during Christmas Pressure? "Take out what you can and see how you get on"
3. What 'Best practice' methods are you applying for the Christmas pressure? "Take out what you can and see how you get on"
4. How are you being advised on daily volumes ? "There are lots of packets but don't forget the decline in mail"

I laughed at this, coz its so on the money