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Specials Star Gun

Postal workers discussion forum. Discuss the day to day life in a Blue Shirt.
Tunahowmad
Posts: 22
Joined: 27 Mar 2018, 15:46
Gender: Male

Specials Star Gun

Post by Tunahowmad »

Advice please.

Star Gun for receiving specials into a delivery office have functions that a PDA doesnt have.Receive function for the DUN paperwork plus allocating to a walk duty etc.A RETENTION can be done using the Star Gun but again others say the PDA function does the same. If specials are returned to office, no answer or refused etc then a PDA is used to scan the special into the office as no answer etc. Also if returned to sender for various reasons. If a p739 is left for no answer does each special have to be scanned into the office using the Star Gun before booking in on the SPS or is just using the PDA adequate. Differing opinions at our delivery office with some saying Star Gun must be used to allocate to callers offfice pending booking in on SPS but others state PDA scan into office is all thats needed.
Thanks for any advice on using a Star Gun or PDA regarding scanning specials at a delivery office.
SpacePhoenix
MAIL CENTRES/PROCESSING
Posts: 12194
Joined: 12 Nov 2008, 17:03
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Specials Star Gun

Post by SpacePhoenix »

Not really looked at the delivery options on a PDA, does it have an option to "receive" specials (each scanned in individually)? If it doesn't then they need to be done on the Star gun, i beleieve that if any scans get missed out, some companies will claim back the postage
dennis12
Posts: 37
Joined: 18 Jun 2013, 19:46
Gender: Male

Specials Star Gun

Post by dennis12 »

Ours just get scanned back into the office on a normal pda but on the indoor function.
doorstepped
Posts: 1063
Joined: 10 Oct 2011, 23:17
Gender: Male
Location: Somewhere west of London

Specials Star Gun

Post by doorstepped »

I just scan everything back in using a PDA. all the scans it needs are done out on the road by the OPG's.

I don't even close the walks anymore using the star2 gun and have not done so for over 3 years.

surely they must be able to write some software so we can use the PDA's to scan in the specials using dun notes in the morning and allocate them.

my star2 gun is now so old it should be given VR and be replaced.
Tunahowmad
Posts: 22
Joined: 27 Mar 2018, 15:46
Gender: Male

Specials Star Gun

Post by Tunahowmad »

Thanks for replies
antcpfc
Posts: 629
Joined: 18 Sep 2007, 17:25

Specials Star Gun

Post by antcpfc »

Specials gunned back in to office? Ours get thrown in yorks with all other no answer packets. Dealt with by the part time postie in the callers office thenext day. :crazy:
Slider tool. Lol.
SpacePhoenix
MAIL CENTRES/PROCESSING
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Specials Star Gun

Post by SpacePhoenix »

antcpfc wrote:Specials gunned back in to office? Ours get thrown in yorks with all other no answer packets. Dealt with by the part time postie in the callers office thenext day. :crazy:
Very bad idea, if anything goes wrong then the postie on that walk will end up in the s**t because as far as management would be concerned, that postie didn't return the item when they look at the track and trace
TrueBlueTerrier
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Specials Star Gun

Post by TrueBlueTerrier »

SpacePhoenix wrote:
antcpfc wrote:Specials gunned back in to office? Ours get thrown in yorks with all other no answer packets. Dealt with by the part time postie in the callers office thenext day. :crazy:
Very bad idea, if anything goes wrong then the postie on that walk will end up in the s**t because as far as management would be concerned, that postie didn't return the item when they look at the track and trace
At ours, we had them direct to the booking in bod at the caller's office.
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antcpfc
Posts: 629
Joined: 18 Sep 2007, 17:25

Specials Star Gun

Post by antcpfc »

SpacePhoenix wrote:
antcpfc wrote:Specials gunned back in to office? Ours get thrown in yorks with all other no answer packets. Dealt with by the part time postie in the callers office thenext day. :crazy:
Very bad idea, if anything goes wrong then the postie on that walk will end up in the s**t because as far as management would be concerned, that postie didn't return the item when they look at the track and trace
They may try that but it is not our fault this is the system in place. There is absolutely no record of anything returned after 12.30. Lucky we are an honest lot and nothing has yet gone missing.
Slider tool. Lol.
ScottR
Posts: 27
Joined: 03 Feb 2015, 17:56
Gender: Male
Location: Scotland

Specials Star Gun

Post by ScottR »

We don't have SPS, in the morning star gun is used to receive, then allocate to walks.

When recorded/specials are returned as p739 the star gun is used again to allocate to enquiry office.

Up until a few months ago we were confirming delivery on the star gun when items returned as p739, no answer or gone away etc then also allocate to enquiry office, but someone from up above contacted us and said you don't need to use the confirm delivery, reason, and allocate just allocate to enquiry office and shelve it...
Knowledge is a treasure but practice is the key to it.
Postie45
Posts: 2160
Joined: 21 Aug 2012, 23:05
Gender: Male

Specials Star Gun

Post by Postie45 »

SpacePhoenix wrote:
antcpfc wrote:Specials gunned back in to office? Ours get thrown in yorks with all other no answer packets. Dealt with by the part time postie in the callers office thenext day. :crazy:
Very bad idea, if anything goes wrong then the postie on that walk will end up in the s**t because as far as management would be concerned, that postie didn't return the item when they look at the track and trace
not really, if the system is so haphazard its an easy defense for the rep to say it could have been lost at any point after the postie returned the item and there isnt proper procedure in place for a trail of custody of the items.
SpacePhoenix
MAIL CENTRES/PROCESSING
Posts: 12194
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Specials Star Gun

Post by SpacePhoenix »

Postie45 wrote:
SpacePhoenix wrote:
antcpfc wrote:Specials gunned back in to office? Ours get thrown in yorks with all other no answer packets. Dealt with by the part time postie in the callers office thenext day. :crazy:
Very bad idea, if anything goes wrong then the postie on that walk will end up in the s**t because as far as management would be concerned, that postie didn't return the item when they look at the track and trace
not really, if the system is so haphazard its an easy defense for the rep to say it could have been lost at any point after the postie returned the item and there isnt proper procedure in place for a trail of custody of the items.
What about when the manager inevitably says "Prove that you returned it"?
Postie45
Posts: 2160
Joined: 21 Aug 2012, 23:05
Gender: Male

Specials Star Gun

Post by Postie45 »

thats the whole point, there is no system of proving it has been returned so its kind of a pointless question. Theres huge flaws in the return system where its open to abuse by anyone else. If he wants proof of returns he should implement a system of items being scanned back into the locker. Or giving out receipts that x number of SD items were returned to the locker.
postie1971
Posts: 1
Joined: 29 Jul 2014, 20:31
Gender: Female

Specials Star Gun

Post by postie1971 »

This has happened to me this week. Brought back to recorded letters. Put them the York that was left out. Come Tuesday they can’t find them. We are assuming they might have re entered the system by mistake. But they haven’t turned up yet :sad:
ScottR
Posts: 27
Joined: 03 Feb 2015, 17:56
Gender: Male
Location: Scotland

Specials Star Gun

Post by ScottR »

Our office still operates without SPS, postie's return p739 items specials/signed for/tracked/delivered scanned all get star gun/ PDA scanned as allocated to enquiry office or no answer now available for collection.
If customer comes in with ticket and we can't find it we track it, if the special for example was last scanned as no answer at the doorstep then the blame lies with the postie it seems, even though it could have just not be scanned back in by phg etc
Knowledge is a treasure but practice is the key to it.