Test Letters

[NewPostieUK]

Fisrt of all, I have absolutely no problem with test letters, I do the job properly, delivering everything I'm meant to and emptying boxes when they are due.

However, I overheard a conversation and apparently, there aren't just test letters with a chip inside so they can be followed on their journey, but ordinary letters, such as bank statements, may have this chip.

This seems a bit sneaky! I wouldn't have thought that a letter with Barclays, Swintons, DVLC, Tesco etc on the envelope would be a test letter.

There are often genuine reasons why a letter isn't delivered, not least mis-sorts. I suppose if it is endorsed correctly you have nothing to worry about.

[Postie45]

sneaky would be the point right ? if it came through as "THIS IS TEST LETTER" it would kinda give the game away.
I dont think RM care too much if you mis-sort it, bring it back to the office and it gets delivered next day. Theyre more interested in letters they know you went out with that dont get delivered at all.

[Creditshampoo]

I’m gunna go all out here and say this is a massive untrue rumour.
No way Royal Mail would pay for something like that even if the technology exists

[SpacePhoenix]

I’m gunna go all out here and say this is a massive untrue rumour.
No way Royal Mail would pay for something like that even if the technology exists

It's been in use by RM for a good few years now. Look above anyway doorway where mail goes in/out of the building and you'll see the scanners that detect the rfid tags

[number one]

It’s to check the pipline not individual posties

[TrueBlueTerrier]

I’m gunna go all out here and say this is a massive untrue rumour.
No way Royal Mail would pay for something like that even if the technology exists

Royal Mail doesn't, IIRC it's an independent body that recruits people and business and pays them to send and receive test letters.

There are scanners in all the participant's addresses and in all operational Royal Mail buildings. This has been going on since I started back in 2004, and no doubt before that.

Its a case of move on nothing new here.

[ScottR]

Yeah as above it is just Joe Bloggs on your round who will send and receive test letters to other test letter participants, as well as the independent service Royal Mail do use test letters they send themselves i.e. your manager / selected individuals will insert these into boxes just before the collection time is due and these have the little RFID chips in it *not actually that little probably about the size of your phone screen i.e. 5-6 inches but very thin*

If you are no longer working for Royal Mail and wish to make some stamps on the side - feel free to volunteer for the test service ran by TNS https://www.tnsglobal.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You may often notice the test letters/packets/parcels that are sent directly from TNS as their return address is mostly noted on the front/reverse as only TNS SWAN LANE Industrial or something close to that.

[NewPostieUK]

Lad I spoke to today swears if it hasn't happened yet, it will soon. RFID things stuck to letters. Not normal test letters but normal mail, such as bills. Not sure if the companies concerned know about it or if they have any choice.

[ScottR]

Would cost too much I'd think.

[Celgar]

It’s to check the pipline not individual posties

I don't know about ordinary mail having tags but they are used to check that postboxes are emptied on Saturdays etc. If one of these letters is found to be not passing through the system when RM think it should then they do blame individual posties. I know this for a fact as it coincided once a while back on my walk with a postbox being uprooted and stolen at the same time as a letter with a chip was posted in said box. I was defended by my DOM as a result but if you get caught out on this one you will personally get in trouble.