How many neighbours do you knock?

miles_peters · Post by **miles_peters** » 16 May 2019, 17:07

Trail wrote:
norris9 wrote:Unless I knew who was happy to take in parcels, I would rarely knock a neighbours door.

So RM prefer you to knock other people's doors?...

Personally, I don't think it's fair to try to lump parcels on neighbours. RM think this is good customer service because the addressee doesn't have to drive to the depot?....ok.....but it's not good to interrupt neighbours who may be ill, nightshift workers, a parent trying to look after their baby.....just to do a favour for Royal Mail and a neighbour they may not know.

The few people I have asked to take in parcels have reluctantly said yes. One saying "this online nonsense of people ordering stuff, but not being home". I have had one refuse as they clearly didn't like their neighbours.

I'd personally rather go to the depot to collect my parcel than it be delivered to the neighbour, I always feel bad knocking on their door and interrupting their evening to get my parcel.

Don't Royal Mail offer any options to leave parcels at some kind of collection point closer to people's homes? I know some parcel companies will drop your parcel to places like local shops, Homebase etc...
None.

F*ck running around the neighbourhood trying to shift parcels. They go back in the van and they get a card. You'd spend so much of your shift going from one door to another. I've got to be 98% sure a neighbour is in and willing to take a parcel before I go running around like an idiot.

Parcels often go in a blue bin if I've been told prior to this that they'll let me do that, other than this they go back to the post office.

I made the mistake of pressing one of those 'RING' doorbells. customer wasn't in, but answered the doorbell, told me to leave it next door, and guess what they wasn't home, so had to go back to the 'RING' doorbell where the customer was still on it, they told me to try another neighbour, not in, and then another, not in, they had me running all over the place, and back and forth. I wasn't happy. I wont be doing that again.

Celgar · Post by **Celgar** » 16 May 2019, 17:59

I didn't know about those RING doorbells until they were mentioned on this forum. Since then quite a few doors have them but I never ever press them. Either use the door knocker or knock the door.

yellowbelly · Post by **yellowbelly** » 16 May 2019, 18:02

Celgar wrote:I didn't know about those RING doorbells until they were mentioned on this forum. Since then quite a few doors have them but I never ever press them. Either use the door knocker or knock the door.

Spot on Celgar, I'm not going to stand there having a discussion about why I can't deliver to the daughter in law, who lives three streets away......

norris9 · Post by **norris9** » 16 May 2019, 19:01

Celgar wrote:I didn't know about those RING doorbells until they were mentioned on this forum. Since then quite a few doors have them but I never ever press them. Either use the door knocker or knock the door.

Ahh man. I had one the other day....

I ring and after 30 seconds someone answers who is out the house and says their mum is in the house so they would ring her.... I was like FFS this could take a while....

So started writing out the docket........just as I have completed writing it, 2 minutes after originally ringing the bell the mum comes to the door.

It's hard not to have a pissed off look on my face when someone answers the door just as I've finished writing out a docket.

Do those camera ringer things only go through to the owners mobile phone?.... do they not actually set off a bell inside the house?

Ren Hoëk · Post by **Ren Hoëk** » 16 May 2019, 19:11

I just don't use them. End of.

Postie45 · Post by **Postie45** » 16 May 2019, 19:16

my view, if they arent in to hear a knock or the actual doorbell then they arent in to receive their parcel. I dont need to wait for a fancy doorbell to call the customer so they can tell me how they arent in and if i can break RM rules by leaving it somewhere.

gary1975 · Post by **gary1975** » 16 May 2019, 20:32

None the time has not been built in to my duty

dougfunny892 · Post by **dougfunny892** » 17 May 2019, 17:31

0 as i hate customers and have no time to leave with neighbors. Still go an hour over with my trolley to slow me down nicely.

twoloops · Post by **twoloops** » 24 Jun 2019, 16:15

I had a note on a door today "Postman can you ring me on 0708???????? when you deliver my parcel" yeah right 739

Post by **fb1969** » 24 Jun 2019, 16:27

The only time I have ever rung a number with a packet was at a place that lets me use their loo, and then I put 141 in front so they didn't get my number. I didn't mind doing a favour for a favour, but I won't use my phone for RM purposes otherwise.

steve1873 · Post by **steve1873** » 24 Jun 2019, 18:03

If I can reach the neighbours door without moving (leaning over a fence) then I knock it. If I can't, the item is p739'd. End of story.

If I am ever pulled up for it, then I will be asking what they want me to do with rest of delivery that I am unable to complete as result of knocking on neighbours.

par4mrl · Post by **par4mrl** » 02 Jul 2019, 19:25

Absolutely none !

twoloops · Post by **twoloops** » 02 Jul 2019, 20:36

I hate it when a neighbor comes out & offers to take a parcel in, if you ain't in it's going back teach you a lesson.

Sir Henry · Post by **Sir Henry** » 02 Jul 2019, 22:04

Very few to none unless it's to my advantage. I'm a cover so I have a duty to make customers appreciate their regular postie by ignoring any notes etc asking me to stand on my hands and s**t Mars bars for them.

cpsteve · Post by **cpsteve** » 03 Jul 2019, 14:23

Its harder for RDC or new posties but those of us who have been on the same walk for a few years get to know who is in and happy to take packets it is quicker then 739ing. If i finish early on my way back i go back to any undelivered packets on my route where people are normally in.