MRM.COM : Driving our business forward with technology : RMtv video you should watch

Post by **POSTMAN** » 06 Jun 2018, 22:47

https://www.myroyalmail.com/news/2018/0 ... e-operator" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

All companies invest in technology to deliver a better service for their customers and we are no exception.

We are making a significant investment in technology and changes to our pipeline. The market is changing rapidly, and if we are to maintain our position as the number one mail operator, we must change too.

There are some exciting changes currently in progress, and we’re working with the CWU to drive these forward. Below are some highlights:

PDA Outdoor Actuals

We have invested significantly in our PDA technology, and Royal Mail and the CWU have agreed to the rollout of PDA Outdoor Actuals (PDA OA) data reporting to all units in Collection and Delivery.

PDA OA will support colleagues in Collections and Delivery by enabling balanced decision making around operational challenges. It will also enable a fair and balanced workload across duties, while helping improve customer service and increase our competitive advantage.

The rollout has begun across the Delivery and Collection units. Your manager will inform you when it’s due in your unit.

Resource Scheduler

We will introduce new software into our operation to help us plan our staffing base better than we currently do.

The software will help us create better rosters, which means we can be fairer in the way we allocate overtime and be more flexible with how we handle short-term annual leave requests. The software should enable us to be much better at maximising our colleagues’ skills.

Software development is largely complete now, subject to some final modifications and testing. We are planning on piloting the software at eight trial sites in August and September.

Later acceptance times (LAT)

We’re in final preparations for the launch of LAT. This will enable mail to enter some distribution centres up to 1.30am for delivery later that day.

Around 180 Delivery sites have been identified and we’re advertising for colleagues to volunteer to take on additional hours that will allow deliveries up to around 7pm.

At the same time, our sales teams are talking to both new and existing customers about the service, to increase parcel volumes into our network.

Delivery revisions

We have been in discussions with the CWU about which units will go through revisions this year. Delivery leaders and CWU divisional representatives have now produced a list of around 170 offices, where we will assess both the indoor and outdoor workload and identify areas for improvement.

The first phase of revisions for this year will begin shortly and run until October.

Post by **POSTMAN** » 06 Jun 2018, 22:49

Strongly suggest you watch the video as well.

scoobymunster · Post by **scoobymunster** » 07 Jun 2018, 18:25

At 4.35 in the video, is that a manager prepping a frame? That last guy mentions short term annual leave requests - Is there any office or MC in the country that currently doesn't survive on OT to cover duties? RM culture has to change, the emphasis on cuts/understaffing just means Line Managers/DOMs have to fudge somewhere else to meet their targets. Anton Harding says PDA actuals will take emotion out of any manager/employee conversation re. customer disputes. A correct GPS scan on the PDA doesn't really hold much weight against a denial of receipt claim in most offices. Utilising technology to improve the company is great in theory, but as with most things RM does, it'll be executed woefully.

dohnut · Post by **dohnut** » 07 Jun 2018, 18:31

Has anyone got the list of offices that are going for a revision, we had one 4 years ago and have had major change in our office so i expect they will be revising it.

Creditshampoo · Post by **Creditshampoo** » 07 Jun 2018, 18:35

Take the emotion out lol sorry you can’t cut off you finished early 3 weeks ago bring any back and we will do you

Post by **SpacePhoenix** » 07 Jun 2018, 19:47

scoobymunster wrote:Is there any office or MC in the country that currently doesn't survive on OT to cover duties?

And casuals/agency. It seems like resourcing id always done to budget and not to workload

houseoflords · Post by **houseoflords** » 07 Jun 2018, 19:48

Sue Whalley has the Charisma of Theresa May

Celgar · Post by **Celgar** » 07 Jun 2018, 20:16

scoobymunster wrote:At 4.35 in the video, is that a manager prepping a frame? That last guy mentions short term annual leave requests - Is there any office or MC in the country that currently doesn't survive on OT to cover duties? RM culture has to change, the emphasis on cuts/understaffing just means Line Managers/DOMs have to fudge somewhere else to meet their targets. Anton Harding says PDA actuals will take emotion out of any manager/employee conversation re. customer disputes. A correct GPS scan on the PDA doesn't really hold much weight against a denial of receipt claim in most offices. Utilising technology to improve the company is great in theory, but as with most things RM does, it'll be executed woefully.

DO staff will get very emotional when walks are lost due to some staff not taking their full break time, coming in early, & not delivering 'properly'. Certainly in our DO currently if there is a denial of receipt and the GPS points to an item being delivered correctly then we do not get in trouble. The RM complaints system has always been and still is broken in that the relevant standard compensation is paid out for all errors such as damage, lateness or denial of receipt etc without question. So the, hopefully small, percentage of customers can exploit the system at will without question.

postslippete · Post by **postslippete** » 07 Jun 2018, 20:25

As previously suggested, one thing that changes the estimated time slots of deliveries according to PDA data is when lapsing happens because some guys do it at the end of their duty, whereas others may do their lapsing at the beginning. Others don't do it all and it may end up being undelivered.

As for fairness and making all the duties balanced....well thats an impossibility. What ususally happens is that you get one or two lazy guys who could quite easily spend 30 minutes on the toilet or 15 minutes trying to deliver just one parcel, will probably end up with duties with just 4 loops on it; whilst other bonkers guys who come in early, skip breakfast and leap over fences could quite easily do a duty with 8 loops on it, and still have time to spare! I'm not advocating either, I'm just saying it as it is. The slower guys will be complaining about their joints and about the guys that are spoiling the job by rushing round, whilst the quicker guys who just want to get home complain about the slower guys not pulling their weight.

On a positive note though, I am glad that PDA actuals will take the emotion out of a manager/employee conversation and short term annual leave requests. Maximising colleagues skills?? Well, I must admit I have dreaming about working indoors in the office or in a cosy mail centre for some time now.

Celgar · Post by **Celgar** » 07 Jun 2018, 20:27

dohnut wrote:Has anyone got the list of offices that are going for a revision, we had one 4 years ago and have had major change in our office so i expect they will be revising it.

I don't think there is a list available yet. We only heard about the existence of this news a few days ago in the Courier and details on all the other changes were notable by their absence. We had a full revision & resign last year which took us to the point where there is no more space to make additional cuts or more absorption. Even so our DOM is coming under extreme pressure to cut the office budget. Make no mistake - we are now at war!

Celgar · Post by **Celgar** » 07 Jun 2018, 21:01

I just watched the linked video from RMTV. Other than the bit about being able to book annual leave at shorter notice there wasn't anything on there we haven't already heard about. This shorter notice AL proposal reminds me of the proposal from the previous pay agreement to enable staff to have more Saturdays off if they wanted or needed them. Needless to say we knew it wasn't feasible and it never happened. I will say on balance that if you have a good DOM and the staff in an office are willing to work together it is currently possible to organise or change AL closer to time or at shorter notice. So this 'new' news is likely just a little artificial sweetener to go with the bitter pill.