How did you gained speed on your walks? Drives?

Medizart · Post by **Medizart** » 23 Apr 2020, 04:27

Hello everyone,

I'm a new Postie! I've been hired at the beginning of April, and now, I can proudly say I'm part of the RM family!!! I've got lots of questions though...

So many things that seem foggy, things you learn "on the job". I'll be honest, I'm a enthousiast person but I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the tasks (but never giving up!!).

So today my question will be: What are the key factors that made you gain speed on your walks? Drives?

a) Walking pace?
b) Knowledge of the walk, drive? (How to bundle? To go about a block, a street, where to park, the shortcuts?)
c) How you organize you tools? Red cards, PDA, fireman keys etc...
d) Time to pack up your Trolley at the office?
e) The time spent on dropping parcels?
f) Your global vitality, energy levels?
g) Time spent/not spent interacting with customers?

Of course please share anything useful even it doesn't fit into these categories

I'm really looking forward your answers!!

Thank you and Stay safe,

Medizart

Janet Brum · Post by **Janet Brum** » 23 Apr 2020, 21:35

The important question is not how to get faster, but Why?

As you are a new starter, in time you will get to know the walks you deliver on and get faster but that`s not your goal.

Your goal should be to learn the job properly and not to cut corners in order to get faster, you are a part timer, being fast means less overtime.

I`m not saying you should go slow but you don`t have any incentive to rush around and finish one hour before your contracted working hours as you might be sent back to deliver more. This is happening in my office for example.

Of course you might become one of the ghost overtime guys but that`s going to take a toll on your body, sooner or later.

You can find the answers to your questions on this forum, lots and lots of topics with advice, just use the search function.

And also you can always ask your colleagues if you want to know something, the friendly ones I mean :)

Welcome :)

gimba · Post by **gimba** » 23 Apr 2020, 23:14

Medizart wrote:
So today my question will be: What are the key factors that made you gain speed on your walks? Drives?

a) Walking pace?
b) Knowledge of the walk, drive? (How to bundle? To go about a block, a street, where to park, the shortcuts?)
c) How you organize you tools? Red cards, PDA, fireman keys etc...
d) Time to pack up your Trolley at the office?
e) The time spent on dropping parcels?
f) Your global vitality, energy levels?
g) Time spent/not spent interacting with customers?

I'm really looking forward your answers!!

Thank you and Stay safe,

Medizart

Honestly mate there isn't anything really that can be said, you'll have your own techniques, timing etc

I usually do a bag in 30mins ish

Most of the time I have no idea where I'm going, I write down the start of every round and park wherever I can when I get there
All my bags are labelled with numbers, so my first round will be labeled into Bag1, 2nd walk into Bag2 etc, makes it easy when you start your walk, no messing about searching for correct bag
If I've got parcels for them, I usually put parcels in grey boxes and have them one street per box, I don't mix them up in rounds, as in ... Walk 1 might be zig zagging through several streets before you start your 2nd bag, so all my parcels will still be loaded by street only, not by what bag they belonged in

Pens in right trousers pocket
Red cards and post it peg in my left trousers pocket, PDA in right hand, bundle in my left

About 45mins to an hour indoors before I'm on my way

I have standard breakfast cereal
And I'm good for the day, very rarely have anything to eat during, but I do drink a fair bit of water

Time with customers, not long really, but if someone does want to chat I generally give them it, I can't think of when I've ever said I haven't got time

Medizart · Post by **Medizart** » 25 Apr 2020, 14:00

Janet, Gimba, thank you for having taken the tile to answer my questions!

@Janet I would say that if I'm interested in gaining speed it's because I'm starting out and my daily shedule as a part-timer is 5 hours a day. Then if I go over this I have to claim for overtime. But it's kinda incomfortable (though quite normal at the beginning I) to ask for 7 hours for a duty you don't know well because when some seasoned colleagues will complete the same in 3 hours...

@Gimba thank you for your tips and being so transparent. I'm gonna keep that and try to apply to see if it works for me.

Everybody I ask tell me speed comes naturally anyways so I' m not gonna freak out, but I think it's always good to have one's mind set on improvement. Someone also told me that his key factor was his energy levels. He starts way before me, like 7 or so and feels like he can smash it very much more easily. To be continued...

Thanks again!!!

Janet Brum · Post by **Janet Brum** » 25 Apr 2020, 17:04

No one is asking you to have the speed of someone who did the job for years :)
All new starters have up to 6 months time to learn the job and get faster, or not, people are different and not all will be like The Flash :)

So take your time and do the job properly, claim your overtime and don`t forget to take your breaks or claim for them.
Taking your break if you can in the middle of your delivery is very important and will help your body rest and will give you strenght to carry on.

Remember you won`t get any sick pay until you reach one year in the job so be careful not to injure yourself.

And yes, read this forum and also ask your colleagues if you need to :)

h3xusr · Post by **h3xusr** » 05 May 2020, 15:28

a) Walking pace?
Depending if I know the walk I'm on (also part time) I can go anything from a fast walk to a stroll.

b) Knowledge of the walk, drive? (How to bundle? To go about a block, a street, where to park, the shortcuts?)

If you've not done the before ask for how it ties up, most of ours is by the frame but I've been on some really daft ones before that you'd never know unless you've done it before so don't be afraid to ask for assistance.

c) How you organize you tools? Red cards, PDA, fireman keys etc.

I use a PDA sling/shoulder holder which makes like so much easier!
Left lower pocket Red Cards, Left upper pocket Pens, Right lower pocket Left with neighbor card, keys Right upper pocket phone.

d) Time to pack up your Trolley at the office?

You want to be out of the office ASAP, I don't use a trolley I'm a driver so aim to get out of the office by 9:30ish and start on my duty by latest 10am that gives me enough time to do 1 duty of mail and both duties of parcels and be finished early/on time.

e) The time spent on dropping parcels?
As quick as possible!, With the current situation I've not been trying neighbors only for the ones who have a specific request/I already know.

Always have a P739 to hand and ready to fill out to save time.

f) Your global vitality, energy levels?

Get a good night sleep, slow release energy foods such as bananas, energy bars, nuts and try to avoid heavy high carb foods whilst on delivery, boiled eggs is a fave of mine especially now I don't have my partner to offend with the smell lol. Keep hydrated!

g) Time spent/not spent interacting with customers?

No time to speak to customers, most of the time you'll hear the same things too, I usually have at least one head phone in anyway

My tips:
Be organised with parcels, specials, P639s, pens, take a photo of frame or make a note of start/end points to save as much time as possible.

When I first started I checked out where I'd be working on Google maps the night before just to get an idea of where I was going, always have a power bank for your phone too.

Speed is important but accuracy supersedes this, you'll make mistakes and that's fine don't let that bog you down even the old boys make mistakes too especially with how crazy things are at the moment.

Any other questions please ask me I'll be happy to help