Christmas Rush

Cmcf96 · Post by **Cmcf96** » 05 Dec 2017, 18:52

Hello this is my first xmas in Royal Mail and I'm just wondering when the madness actually starts or has it started, the parcels have went up big time but I'm still finishing around 3/4 and don't find the mail to be that bad, is it too early or will the next two weeks be chaos ?

Post by **Pathfinder** » 05 Dec 2017, 19:09

The past few days emptying boxes have yielded piles of Christmas cards, it’s coming!

Cmcf96 · Post by **Cmcf96** » 05 Dec 2017, 19:19

Feels like Christmas cards aren't as common as they use do to be, more a thing for the older generation..I'll maybe eat my words in the coming weeks haha

k979aaa · Post by **k979aaa** » 05 Dec 2017, 19:36

Cmcf96 wrote:Feels like Christmas cards aren't as common as they use do to be, more a thing for the older generation..I'll maybe eat my words in the coming weeks haha

Most young ones send e card's or use Facebook or other social media these days.

t3mcIUQWE2 · Post by **t3mcIUQWE2** » 05 Dec 2017, 19:49

Cmcf96 wrote:Feels like Christmas cards aren't as common as they use do to be, more a thing for the older generation..I'll maybe eat my words in the coming weeks haha

Yep, mail is at summer levels. Packets though.

hans solo · Post by **hans solo** » 05 Dec 2017, 22:28

managers counting packets we brought back today 739
must be a bonus related thing for them
ps i dont do deliver to neighbour

Post by **Judgee** » 05 Dec 2017, 23:00

Xmas seems to start a lot earlier now with November being particularly bad for parcels due to Black Fri, Cyber Monday and all the other money making schemes the traders come up with. The only real benefit this gives us on deliveries is that December now seems to be a bit quieter than before, although still busy. The mad December rush was indeed a sight to behold not so long ago but now it's not quite so horrific!

scoobymunster · Post by **scoobymunster** » 06 Dec 2017, 04:27

hans solo wrote:managers counting packets we brought back today 739
must be a bonus related thing for them
ps i dont do deliver to neighbour

Have you been near your callers office? I bet they've run out of storage that's why they hate p739s being brought back

cpsteve · Post by **cpsteve** » 07 Dec 2017, 14:43

Judgee wrote:Xmas seems to start a lot earlier now with November being particularly bad for parcels due to Black Fri, Cyber Monday and all the other money making schemes the traders come up with. The only real benefit this gives us on deliveries is that December now seems to be a bit quieter than before, although still busy. The mad December rush was indeed a sight to behold not so long ago but now it's not quite so horrific!

Its started very late so I expect the next two weeks to be very hard. I never used to do five hours outside four would have been a very tough day even at Christmas, now four is the norm Wednesday it was just over five hours. The drop in cards has been more then offset by the packets reg D2Ds and understaffing.

twoloops · Post by **twoloops** » 07 Dec 2017, 14:59

It's fantastic being spare took a van full of packets & 6 loops between 2 of us finished just after 1 everyday this week that's after we've been to look for postman still out to wind them up

crimson king · Post by **crimson king** » 07 Dec 2017, 18:45

cpsteve wrote:
Judgee wrote:Xmas seems to start a lot earlier now with November being particularly bad for parcels due to Black Fri, Cyber Monday and all the other money making schemes the traders come up with. The only real benefit this gives us on deliveries is that December now seems to be a bit quieter than before, although still busy. The mad December rush was indeed a sight to behold not so long ago but now it's not quite so horrific!
Its started very late so I expect the next two weeks to be very hard. I never used to do five hours outside four would have been a very tough day even at Christmas, now four is the norm Wednesday it was just over five hours. The drop in cards has been more then offset by the packets reg D2Ds and understaffing.

Our duty is taking six hours at the moment and that's with me going in early to do the overweights. It's like a week of Wednesdays at the moment, but I'm okay with it as long as the overtime keeps getting paid. Had it questioned at the beginning of the week by the DOM and put him straight, but if it happens again might just start cutting off.

Celgar · Post by **Celgar** » 10 Dec 2017, 11:33

The madness as you put it started earlier this year. I noticed some people putting up outside lights and Christmas decorations & trees in late November this year. Delivery time excluding prep is taking more than six hours. Prep is taking about an hour longer than usual with four instead of two Postie's doing an hours extra early sorting. Our office officially has the longest walks in our area/quarter of the RM network. Probably our fault for working our arses off over many years. There is a moral to that story.

Usually we get two really bad days at some point before Christmas where the mail peaks and then you start to get slight decline in mail volumes. We haven't had those two bad days yet. Our deliveries our much larger than last year though so the effect will be compounded. Good luck everyone.