Tracked Parcels & Delivery Window

[Foxel]

I've never had this mentioned or been given any training on the subject but...

Two customers have mentioned two me that a parcel I was delivering to them was outside of their delivery window. The first found me on my round and nicely complained that he shouldn't have missed his parcel as it wasn't supposed to be there before 10am. And another politely again told me the parcel should have been there before one, 'according to the tracking email'.

The early complaint was on the first loop of a round and the late complaint was on the last loop of a round. I told the customers that I have no idea of any delivery window and am really just stuck to how the round works.

I don't think there is a way to check this, and even if I could there isn't a lot I could do to meet these windows. But it would be nice to have been told about them and what the expectations are around them.

[yellowbelly]

I've never had this mentioned or been given any training on the subject but...

Two customers have mentioned two me that a parcel I was delivering to them was outside of their delivery window. The first found me on my round and nicely complained that he shouldn't have missed his parcel as it wasn't supposed to be there before 10am. And another politely again told me the parcel should have been there before one, 'according to the tracking email'.

The early complaint was on the first loop of a round and the late complaint was on the last loop of a round. I told the customers that I have no idea of any delivery window and am really just stuck to how the round works.

I don't think there is a way to check this, and even if I could there isn't a lot I could do to meet these windows. But it would be nice to have been told about them and what the expectations are around them.

If they look in the small print (but they never do) they will find that it's an 'estimated time of delivery' and not guaranteed
(unless the 'before one' that you're referring to was a 1PM Special).

[ssdd]

They've had this 'expected delivery window' in for some time now. It's a bit of a bugbear of mine also. To be fair I've not had many complaints - a few comments perhaps. I always refer them to the small print which says this isn't a guaranteed time.

We're under no obligation to get parcels to customers within designated time frames - yet! How can we, when we don't even know what the deliver window is! And then you have managers at the morning briefing rhyming off stats like 'so many late'. It's laughable. Well, you have to laugh, else get annoyed.

I haven't heard of a delivery window before 10am, I thought most we're generic times that fell roughly in line with when the Postie would normally arrive eg. Between 10.30am - 2.30pm.

[ArtG]

I’ve had this a few times. I tell the customers that the postie isn’t informed about the times given and, as RM don’t know what time I’ll start the duty, which route I’ll take or how busy it is, the estimate is no better than a guess and is worse than useless for helping them to plan their time. No one’s ever asked twice.

[blacov]

They are pushing a new way of delivering parcels. Similar system that all the main courier companies are using, where you scan your load into a manifest and it geo plan creates a route for you. It's very flawed system in my opinion. Still you have no idea what customer sees in terms of delivery window. Route it gives makes no sense to a postie with very good local knowledge.

[goneaway]

So, do we know how the time window is generated? I have seen in it in texts/emails before for tracked items I have received and the time slot seems random and precise, say "between 7.43 and 11.43am" (as if anyone at our place would have reached their job by 7.43am, fat chance). Is the time slot fixed on some historical values, or does the clock on the time slot start ticking only when you scan the route barcode and press "download" on the PDA? If the latter is the case, it would be best to only download your route just before leaving the office, instead of earlier, say when you arrive before anything has been prepped.

Whatever the case, it would be helpful to have some visibility of what this seemingly arbitary time window is.

Despite the get-out clause that the time slot is "estimated", it doesn't stop recipients complaining, "the text text said it should've been here by twelve", "I stayed in all morning 'specially, now it's gone two", etc. Why does Royal Mail see fit to give false hope and raise customers' expectations like this? It must generate a lot of unnecessary complaints.

And what job can now be completed within a 4 hour time slot on a "busy Wednesday" now, after the revisions? Again, fat chance! Why not just do away with the time window (except for Special Delivery) and just say "will be delivered "today" in the delivery advice text or email? There would be far less complaints.

[iHateD2Ds]

The time framed window has been going for some time and is inconvenient for posties and customers
It usually goes in walk order and is outdated pre Covid.
So say your first loop parcels would be 0900 to 1200 and so on .

They Should suspend the timing because realistically we are winging it.

[cpsteve]

I only knew about this when a guy said wow thats a great service you are 15mins into the time slot, i was actually much earlier then i should have been because i was out alone on one walk the other one did not go out lol. Also had someone thank me by name i thought how does she know my name then realised the new opt out thing that i did not do.

[Foxel]

So its only use seems to be incorrectly setting customer expectations while leaving us exposed to complaints.

Can't always do a round in loop order, I had 27 specials the other week.

They are pushing a new way of delivering parcels. Similar system that all the main courier companies are using, where you scan your load into a manifest and it geo plan creates a route for you. It's very flawed system in my opinion. Still you have no idea what customer sees in terms of delivery window. Route it gives makes no sense to a postie with very good local knowledge.

RON? Some have been using that for a long time (LATs, etc), it's practically useless in rural areas. And the route it generates doesn't take into account these times. Normally it'll be based on the furthest point first, then work it's way back to the depo.

[world class male]

think they use historical times when if everything running smoothly you would be inside that window.
however if like someone posted earlier and i have a 1pm in a late loop, then mostly i'd also deliver the loop whilst breaking to do the 1pm, saves the extra travel (and fuel if our ceo reads this )
what's also not factored in now is the revision, a street that was 1st loop last week may now be last loop next week
it's just someone up in the clouds thinking RM are up there with the rest of the parcel companies who usually can stick to a route that's planned before they set off in a morning

[claretandblue]

It sets a four hour window, 2 hours either side of the normal time you get there, as others have said it's no good if we don't know about it, I will regularly catch a parcel that is at the end of the second round as we finish back where we start.

[Clappedoutpostie]

everything running smoothly

[HTPostman]

I get about one complaint a week about this, I used to try and explain to them but the general public don’t really understand (or care) about start times, what time you leave the office, what order you do your round in. Most probably think you get given a handful of letters and a couple of parcels then you’re in the pub by midday.

Nowadays when they complain I just say ‘oh right’ or ‘that’s a shame’ then direct them to the website to complain. I just don’t have the time, energy or motivation to explain or reason with people anymore.

[Mr Rush]

Most probably think you get given a handful of letters and a couple of parcels then you’re in the pub by midday.

Based on the rude awakening many new starts get, that would be exactly the public's perception.

[wazer]

Said to our Dom about this. His reply .This is wot all the other firms do RM are trying to do the same as other firms. YES BUT THEY DONT DELIVER F**KING LETTERS. Get it to there heads.