How to get faster

Wakewaterblue · Post by **Wakewaterblue** » 18 Oct 2018, 18:30

Hi all

Just in my 1st week on my own. I did 1 light day and got back same time as everyone else and the posties were all really surprised and chuffed for me. However, day 2 and it was a seriously heavy day. My HCT was so full with parcels I could only just get the lids to lock and then I filled up a bag to bursting point.

No one was in on my route so pretty much every parcel went back into the trolley! This really slowed me down as there was no room to find my bundles as everything was getting in the way. Then my parcel order was all wrong so had to spend time trying to find the right parcel for the address.

I finished my last road at the time i was meant to finish my shift. My DO is only 10 mins walk from there so wasn't too late back but felt completely demoralised when there wasn't a single postie in sight as they had all gone home! I just didn't know how to go faster.

I have also been helped out on my first week by being brought in 1 hour earlier to give me time to prepare my frame for my route which has really helped as we have had Door to Door leaflets and all sorts to do and LOTS of Special Deliveries. I have been leaving just about the same time as everyone else, if not a few minutes after.

However I can't imagine getting my frame done any faster when they don't give me that extra hour soon. It's all such a rush and I know the prep is key to my fiddly round of basements and flats etc. Very high density and one that if you prepare well it goes so much better.

Any tips would help?

Seymour Buts · Post by **Seymour Buts** » 18 Oct 2018, 18:47

Don't worry about it, sounds like you're doing well enough to me. Prep is the hardest thing to get your head around, takes about 3 months to get upto speed. You need to explain to management if they take your prep away you'll end up booking extended or leaving stuff.

tommyrep · Post by **tommyrep** » 18 Oct 2018, 18:58

The best advice I can give is, make it clear to your DOM from the very outset you will only work your contracted hours.
Do NOT fall into the trap like many new starts of being a good lad/lass and just complete a duty on the word of getting paid ALL OT, it’s normally a con.
If you don’t stand your ground, no one else will back you in a DO. You will be made to feel inadequate or not flexible, then the intimidation starts if you decide later that you have been exploited - to your own cost.
They obviously will play the “ your on a trial basis, mind “ another form of intimidation.
Join the Union. Explain to your rep and manager you have other commitments outside RM.
I feel your pain !

Post by **hothothot** » 18 Oct 2018, 19:15

Roller skates !

NewPostieUK · Post by **NewPostieUK** » 18 Oct 2018, 22:07

Wakewaterblue wrote: Just in my 1st week on my own.

Wakewaterblue wrote: I finished my last road at the time i was meant to finish my shift.

That's excellent, well done.

Wakewaterblue wrote: felt completely demoralised when there wasn't a single postie in sight as they had all gone home!

What? Why? It's totally irrelevant what time others finish.

You list all the things that went wrong and slowed you down, then finished almost on time. YOU DON'T NEED TO GET FASTER!

All you need to do is make sure you aren't doing someone elses job. For example, prep includes door to doors, it's built into the workload. Who is meant to prep your duty? Why aren't they doing door to doors? Get the manager to sort it out. You are new, so probably part time, you are meant to do very little indoor work.

Wakewaterblue · Post by **Wakewaterblue** » 19 Oct 2018, 07:50

This is true I am focusing on the negatives. I guess I just want to well and find ways of being faster. One day the door to door was done and I think the guy hadn’t quite finished when I came in so I did it.
Took me 2 hours to prep from 8-10. God knows how it takes that long but I wanted to be organised as I had SO many parcels and specials.

Thanks for all the positivity everyone. Maybe I am doing ok :)

I will keep you updated as back in today

postmanzach · Post by **postmanzach** » 19 Oct 2018, 13:41

Just take your time and book it, you won’t feel so bad when you get paid more than Everyone else.
Speed comes with time, getting to know the round, where you can leave parcels. And not using a trolley helps a lot. Just chill and don’t worry about being last back now n then. If you can get done on time or early occasionally you got nothing to worry about.

clashcityrocker · Post by **clashcityrocker** » 19 Oct 2018, 15:44

postmanzach wrote: And not using a trolley helps a lot.

No it doesn't.
This is singularly the worst piece of advice I have ever seen on this forum.
The trolleys were introduced for a reason. A bloody good reason - to take the weight off the postman/woman.
Off the back, the shoulder. the hips. the knees and the feet.

The reason most posties end up with foot problems is not simply because they walk a lot, it is because that weight they are carrying is ultimately supported by the arch of your foot and little by little it puts an excessive strain on the foot and you get problems. Heel spurs/plantar/fallen arches etc etc.
Not using a trolley is a recipe for (more) long term health problems.

robbertwhitton · Post by **robbertwhitton** » 19 Oct 2018, 20:19

??????im confused,do you want to get faster,so you finish on time or so you can finish earlier and then go home?

yellowbelly · Post by **yellowbelly** » 19 Oct 2018, 21:11

robbertwhitton wrote:??????im confused,do you want to get faster,so you finish on time or so you can finish earlier and then go home?

Think the OP just wants to start and finish on time - she is currently starting an hour earlier to be able to finish approx on what should
be the correct finish time.

Wakewaterblue · Post by **Wakewaterblue** » 20 Oct 2018, 07:25

I guess I just want to aim to finish on time. I don’t mind if I work overtime as I don’t have to rush back home but it’s really to understand how you get faster as I seem to be the last back each day looking at the signing out sheet.

I was way off finish time yesterday. I just didn’t get my parcels correct and missed a few so I did choose to complete them and go back a road just for the sake of trying in case the customer was in and needed it quick.

Usually we place a docket card in a bundle where there is a parcel but I seemed to have missed a few?!

I take the parcels down from the top of the frame and then add the cards in the address slots and then put it back up the top for when I get them down again to pack into my HCT

This seems inefficient as I’m taking them down twice and I’m spending so much time fiddling about as there are so many parcels going back up.

I clearly missed a few so that really messed up my day and extended it by I think nearly an hour messing about looking for things in the HCT or double double checking or going back a road.

Learning every day.

No one has said anything about coming back later so I will just carry on trying to figure out ways of being more efficient.

Never worked a Saturday before but I do hope people are actually in for once to take the parcels and that the route is a lighter one because all I do is put them back in the trolley!

Post by **greengiant** » 20 Oct 2018, 07:50

When I was a new start I ended up on an HCT round.

A few things I picked up which helped.

When it comes to loading the HCT, load it up "backwards", so that the bundle and packets for the end of the walk are at the back and bottom of the HCT, and the bundles you need first are at the front and top.

Do you know that if parcels are bigger than a shoe box, they shouldn't be delivered by HCT?

Another good tip is to number the bundles, which makes it easier to quickly identify the next bundle to deliver. Also if you are still not familiar with the route, tie up the first few calls of the next street to the end of the current street. I found that was easier as it helped me follow the mail.

Look on the bright side, at least being on a solo HCT duty means you won't have a van share partner urging you to hurry up!

Also try not to worry about the times other posties have finished at.

Good luck!

robbertwhitton · Post by **robbertwhitton** » 20 Oct 2018, 08:21

Wakewaterblue wrote:I guess I just want to aim to finish on time. I don’t mind if I work overtime as I don’t have to rush back home but it’s really to understand how you get faster as I seem to be the last back each day looking at the signing out sheet.

I was way off finish time yesterday. I just didn’t get my parcels correct and missed a few so I did choose to complete them and go back a road just for the sake of trying in case the customer was in and needed it quick.

Usually we place a docket card in a bundle where there is a parcel but I seemed to have missed a few?!

I take the parcels down from the top of the frame and then add the cards in the address slots and then put it back up the top for when I get them down again to pack into my HCT

This seems inefficient as I’m taking them down twice and I’m spending so much time fiddling about as there are so many parcels going back up.

I clearly missed a few so that really messed up my day and extended it by I think nearly an hour messing about looking for things in the HCT or double double checking or going back a road.

Learning every day.

No one has said anything about coming back later so I will just carry on trying to figure out ways of being more efficient.

Never worked a Saturday before but I do hope people are actually in for once to take the parcels and that the route is a lighter one because all I do is put them back in the trolley!

well I’m always the last back after 37 years,signing out in a deserted office with the tumble weed blowing across the office,but hay ho that’s the time I’m paid till,and in the morning it will be god that was a busy day! Mmmmmmm clearly not for some,the start early finish early,start on time finish on time etc debate will rumble on forever,and I wish you well in sorting it

postmanzach · Post by **postmanzach** » 20 Oct 2018, 08:23

clashcityrocker wrote:
postmanzach wrote: And not using a trolley helps a lot.
No it doesn't.
This is singularly the worst piece of advice I have ever seen on this forum.
The trolleys were introduced for a reason. A bloody good reason - to take the weight off the postman/woman.
Off the back, the shoulder. the hips. the knees and the feet.

The reason most posties end up with foot problems is not simply because they walk a lot, it is because that weight they are carrying is ultimately supported by the arch of your foot and little by little it puts an excessive strain on the foot and you get problems. Heel spurs/plantar/fallen arches etc etc.
Not using a trolley is a recipe for (more) long term health problems.

FairPlay each to their own. I personally have had no back or feet troubles in 12 years as a postie. I carry bags every day. I found the trolleys extremely heavy to push up hills. I believe the problems with backs in down to lack of core strength, little bit of training outside of work and the physical side of the job is easy.

NewPostieUK · Post by **NewPostieUK** » 20 Oct 2018, 17:59

Wakewaterblue wrote: I take the parcels down from the top of the frame and then add the cards in the address slots and then put it back up the top for when I get them down again to pack into my HCT

This seems inefficient as I’m taking them down twice and I’m spending so much time fiddling about as there are so many parcels going back up.

Who puts the parcels on the shelf?

Get a parcel out of the york, look at it, turn the corresponding letter round (and/or put a 'P' on it or slip a card into the slot), put the parcel on the shelf. Don't touch it again until loading the trolley.