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Ring Doorbell

Postal workers discussion forum. Discuss the day to day life in a Blue Shirt.
sorefeet17
Posts: 299
Joined: 11 May 2015, 17:10
Gender: Male

Ring Doorbell

Post by sorefeet17 »

Ring Doorbell and any other remote doorbells question, I used one today for a signed for letter and no-one was in but it got me wondering what's RM position on the customer asking remotely for it to be delivered as signed? at the moment customers obviously don't physically sign anyway. I mean I can guess the answer, but we have never had any RM information on these devices.
Oh and I get that there's a lot of posties that won't use these type of bells out of principle
Woody Guthrie
Posts: 5166
Joined: 29 Sep 2018, 20:47
Gender: Male

Ring Doorbell

Post by Woody Guthrie »

It's a grey area because there isn't a specific rule that applies to a virtual presence as opposed to a physical presence.

If a customer asks you in person to sign for an item because they are unable to you can, even if a customer refuses to sign for an item you are supposed to give them it but both of those scenarios presume that the customer is present.
Only dead fish follow the current
sorefeet17
Posts: 299
Joined: 11 May 2015, 17:10
Gender: Male

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Post by sorefeet17 »

" even if a customer refuses to sign for an item you are supposed to give them it but both of those scenarios presume that the customer is present."
I never knew that, I would put it down as refused and return it to sender.
theargyspy
Posts: 252
Joined: 23 Apr 2007, 17:02
Gender: Male
Location: UK

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Post by theargyspy »

Woody Guthrie wrote:It's a grey area because there isn't a specific rule that applies to a virtual presence as opposed to a physical presence.

If a customer asks you in person to sign for an item because they are unable to you can, even if a customer refuses to sign for an item you are supposed to give them it but both of those scenarios presume that the customer is present.
I remember being trained 35+ years ago that if a customer refused to sign for a recorded delivery, what's now known as a 'Signed for' then you were supposed to hand it over if requested, but speaking to newer colleagues none had ever heard of this so I supposed that this wasn't the case anymore.
But no-one has ever told me that this doesn't now apply! be interesting if I ever got into trouble for handing over a signed for without getting a signature and my defense was that I was trained to do so :crazy:
"Never have I known an employee so keen to employ you, then so eager to get rid of you!"
Woody Guthrie
Posts: 5166
Joined: 29 Sep 2018, 20:47
Gender: Male

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Post by Woody Guthrie »

That was how we were trained.
Mark it as refused to sign and hand it over.
If it's changed which it might have they haven't bothered to tell us which is also sadly possible.
Only dead fish follow the current
Grumpyoldmailman
Posts: 810
Joined: 24 Nov 2019, 22:29
Gender: Male

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Post by Grumpyoldmailman »

Why did you need to ring it if it was only a letter, scan it on the doorstep and stick it through. That’s what we have been told to do.
Woody Guthrie
Posts: 5166
Joined: 29 Sep 2018, 20:47
Gender: Male

Ring Doorbell

Post by Woody Guthrie »

Grumpyoldmailman wrote:Why did you need to ring it if it was only a letter, scan it on the doorstep and stick it through. That’s what we have been told to do.
It might be what you've been told to do but it's not what you're supposed to do.
Only dead fish follow the current
grchpo
Posts: 488
Joined: 16 Mar 2019, 13:59
Gender: Male

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Post by grchpo »

If it fits through the letterbox then post it, they aren't signing for it anyway we are
postieblueshirt
Posts: 1241
Joined: 01 Oct 2019, 22:05
Gender: Male

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Post by postieblueshirt »

Great advice so if it's a load of currency you sign it put it through they say they never received it goodbye job.dont give them ammunition to fire you..that's what they want all that service gone...
Janet Brum
Posts: 886
Joined: 28 Sep 2016, 19:52
Gender: Female

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Post by Janet Brum »

If it`s scanned on the door step they can clam what they want, they have no claim as the outdoors actuals will show where it`s been scanned/submitted.

Also ring camera has proof that it has been posted through the door.
postieblueshirt
Posts: 1241
Joined: 01 Oct 2019, 22:05
Gender: Male

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Post by postieblueshirt »

Janet Brum wrote:If it`s scanned on the door step they can clam what they want, they have no claim as the outdoors actuals will show where it`s been scanned/submitted.

Also ring camera has proof that it has been posted through the door.
Pda can say what it likes just because it was scanned at the door doesn't give cast iron proof you put it through and you have no way of knowing if the bell is filming you at that moment in time.all I'm saying if you have nearly 30 years service they will look to get rid to save them money,I wouldn't take the risk.
Woody Guthrie
Posts: 5166
Joined: 29 Sep 2018, 20:47
Gender: Male

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Post by Woody Guthrie »

Nothing gives cast iron proof.
A signature is not cast iron proof.
If a customer decides to lie they'll deny the signature is theirs, they'll deny you handed them the item, they'll say they've never seen your face before.
I've been there and the PDA scan was better proof of delivery than the scrawl on the PDA.
Only dead fish follow the current
ripio
Posts: 233
Joined: 06 Sep 2008, 23:32
Gender: Male

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Post by ripio »

grchpo wrote:If it fits through the letterbox then post it, they aren't signing for it anyway we are
But you have to check the name of the person receiving the item and enter it on the pda, how can you do that if no one is in and you just post it through the letterbox?
redneck
Posts: 788
Joined: 04 Jan 2010, 20:28
Gender: Male

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Post by redneck »

I never touch a Ring doorbell, as soon as you do you are making your life far more complicated than it was seconds before. If they don't answer the knock on the door or an ordinary bell ring, take it to a neighbour or leave a card for them to pick up at the office. The Ring doorbell is sold to people on the false pretence that we will leave it on the step or round the back. Whereas we can't do that and can be disciplined for it if it goes wrong, don't put yourself at risk
k979aaa
Posts: 12578
Joined: 03 Sep 2007, 19:14
Gender: Male
Location: THE NORTH

Ring Doorbell

Post by k979aaa »

redneck wrote:I never touch a Ring doorbell, as soon as you do you are making your life far more complicated than it was seconds before. If they don't answer the knock on the door or an ordinary bell ring, take it to a neighbour or leave a card for them to pick up at the office. The Ring doorbell is sold to people on the false pretence that we will leave it on the step or round the back. Whereas we can't do that and can be disciplined for it if it goes wrong, don't put yourself at risk
Top Marks knock instead if the the house owner says anything as we don't use door bells as most of the time the batteries are flat. You will always get one who will make a point of pressing it in front of you saying see it does work my reply is it is for security reasons we are not allowed to touch them. None have got further than this with me so far!