We want to hear what works, what doesn't work and how we can improve our PDAs

[POSTMAN]

https://www.myroyalmail.com/news/2020/1 ... fingertips

Our PDA renewal team is calling on colleagues to share feedback on the best and worst aspects of their devices as part of a project to review and refresh these essential tools.

Click https://forms.office.com/Pages/Response ... rcode=true to share your feedback via a short PDA survey to complete before 21 January.

From their most effective features to frustrations around functionality – the views of our people will highlight the benefits along with the limitations preventing us delivering exceptional customer service.

PDA renewal programme manager, Raj Tailor, said: ‘As we begin preparations to replace our PDAs, we want frontline colleagues to share their experiences as part of our survey.

‘Their feedback is an important part of the process. PDAs will play a key role on our Transformation Journey, so we need to make sure they’re designed with users in mind and fit for the future.’

[POSTMAN]

2.Which office do you currently work from?* ??

[Parmyarmy25]

A dog at property alert would be good

[1560loopsayear]

Faster response and make them a little more rain resistant.

[Schiff]

A dog at property alert would be good

And a heavier PDA to throw at the dog?

[woofwoof]

Stop f***ing spying on us with the f****r

[Dlareg]

How about a pda that makes the dog vanish instead of the barcode you’ve already scanned.

[Yamr1]

Give us an allowance like Amazon , buy an old mobile phone and pocket the £30 quid a month and download a new designed app that works like Amazon app

Problem sorted

[fatmike]

Definitely agree with the rain issue. It starts doing its own thing if the screen gets at all wet.

[EdRush]

I feel that using a PDA is ONE of the most fustrating things about being a Postie. They are too unwieldy and awkward to use when delivering both letters and packets from a pouch on your shoulder.

Normally a hand is ALWAYS tied up holding the bundle of letters and letter for the call, so that leaves only ONE hand to do the following

A) Open the gate
B) Knock/ring the doorbell
C) Find the packet in the pouch and either hold it in the same hand as the bundle of letters or place it somewhere, usually bending down and placing it on the doormat
D) Stand back up, and find the PDA in the pouch (this is often harder than it sounds)
E) Turn on the screen using the push button
F) Swipe the touchscreen to unlock the screen (often the screen is unresponsive so the user has to turn the screen off and on multiple times until it functions correctly)
G) Scan the barcode (often this does not work the first time, or the barcode is creased or there are multiple barcodes on the label which confuses the PDA) and if there's a bundle of little packets all tied together with a band then, well it's hopeless, you're f****d. Put everything down
H) Cover offending incorrect barcode/s or uncrease the barcode/s with a spare hand, and Rescan. Again easier said than done...
I) Wait for an answer, if the is no answer (which is 50/50) put the PDA and letter bundle down, preferably in the pouch, and either write out a 739 or try a neighbour (go to back to step A!)
J) Occasionally the turn off screen button does not function, so you risk accidentally touching the screen and pressing buttons erroneously (go back to step G)
k) Deliver! Press submit, or follow the long winded procedure of selecting a safe place and taking a photo etc.
OR
L) Post the 739 and letters then reorganize your pouch to make room for the packet to take back to the office.
L.a) Just as youre posting the 739 card, expect the customer to answer and exchange an awkward stare, whilst you curse under your breath. Then ask for the 739 back
M) Bend down and pick up the packet, forgetting your PDA is placed precariously in the pouch and watch it fall screen down on to a plant pot
N) Repeat for the next call taking care not to slice open your finger on the cracked touch screen for the rest of the day

*Covid19 Has changed the sequence to some of these steps

In heavy rain this becomes significantly more difficult, and all of these tasks are usually carried out with only one hand as putting bundle down is not always possible or easy to do as the pouch is either full, or there are no surfaces near by

Perhaps having a device that you do not need to handle, such as a remote unit for the main device which can be attached to the hand may be a better solution. Apparently these are already available in mail centres?

The time wasted faffing around with BEEPING barcodes is BEEPING ridiculous

[clashcityrocker]

Why are you carrying a full pouch?
HCT
LWT.
It might save you a lot of time.

[deltaforce]

Would be nice if what you scanned could be retained on some review page to check for mis scans and errors. And of course better weather proofing

[EdRush]

Straying off topic... Unfortunately LWTs do not always save time, and HCTs are not available at my DO. Agreed using a LWT trolly frees up your hands, and makes packets easier to deal with. However LWTs come with their own set of problems i.e. steep inclines, narrow and broken pavements, dangerous on crossing fast busy roads, unsafe to leave outside blocks of flats where you can't take the trolly inside etc

Some duties (like mine) are designed around van share 'micro loops' shouldering bags, and using a LWT actually does take longer, increase walking distance, and is overall less productive.

The fact is, pouches have a shoulder strap and weight limit, and so do LWTs. So you have to pick the right tool for the job

Why are you carrying a full pouch?
HCT
LWT.
It might save you a lot of time.

[sindba]

Don't think they are too bad to be honest.

Certainly better than the breeze blocks we had a few years back.

Agree with EdRush above though. Our work is so bloody stessful because of that and other crap like managment or time pressure. "Oh it must be a nice stress free job, strolling around in the fresh air keeping healthy" my mates say. Ha!

[postslippete]

Prefer these PDAs to the old brick ones. Why do RM feel the need to keep updating it?? All we need is for it to be able to scan barcodes in real time for the benefit of our customers. All the rest of it on there, memos,driving licence info etc i tend not to bother with.

Biggest issue though is that there is not enough of them