How many neighbours do you knock?

Celgar · Post by **Celgar** » 23 Nov 2018, 12:27

postmanzach wrote:Idiots, hope your joking.
With nearly every parcel ,when they are in, ask if they have a safe place or neighbour that’s usually in incase they are our.
Taking stuff back is a pain the ass for everyone.

Obviously the way to do the job is how you describe above. Another way of putting it would be to 'use your initiative' - I won't explain this in any detail but we all know how the job has to be done. One aspect to bear in mind is that RM is intent on merging DO into other nearby DO or other RM buildings to make cost savings. If no or very few items are docketed and returned to a DO for collection or redelivery this provides ammunition for RM to shut down more of our infrastructure.
Another piece of good advice is to be wary of delivering to neighbours on a walk you don't usually deliver on and don't know the customers. I had one instance of a neighbour denying they had received a parcel so the recipient was angry and never received the item. Some people are dishonest - probably not many - but they are about and you should be aware of that.

Post by **azza30** » 23 Nov 2018, 17:40

Reading all these comments are so interesting. But what comes across is that posties tend not to want to try neighbours. Varying reasons but mostly time and security.

But maybe as I'm not an old school postie yet old enough to remember relaxed postmen with a second delivery i haven't got that tie to a round.

But as is said many times on this site the job is not old schools any more.

Managers don't care about anything but saving their own bacon.

Royal mail is no longer a public service. It is an organisation that wants profit above all else.

It is in this edition of the courier that we should be trying neighbours so we deliver first time.

Everyone knows that if every postie tried every time to deliver to the neighbours, walks would fail left right and centre.

But that will mean walks will have to be shorter. It is their policy so let them deal with the consequences. Security is not an issue if the pda is used properly. Actuals prove where you've been.why worry about dodgy neighbours? We aren't paid to vet them.

If the dom doesn't like you cutting off or claiming loads of overtime because it takes forever to try and deliver first time just say you are following direct instructions from Geoff braden, he's the top of the tree, and they should query it with him.

Problem gone.

Blinkboy44 · Post by **Blinkboy44** » 26 Nov 2018, 17:16

I never knock on neighbours doors. There simply isn’t time. Even if they have a jumbo sized list stuck to the door contantly with a list of house numbers to leave parcels with (unless its literally the house next door)

Only exception is if it’s a heavy or big beast and it’s the begginging of the loop and I’m desperate to get rid of it

Celgar · Post by **Celgar** » 26 Nov 2018, 17:49

Because it's embarrassing if a customer says they haven't received an item and the neighbour you know has been left the item denies any knowledge.
It's only happened to me once and not on 'my' walk but it is something that can happen. I do try neighbours where practical and especially where I know the people are almost living in each others pockets in terms of being friendly. I'm just saying if it isn't your usual walk then maybe think first before trying it.

WOBBLY · Post by **WOBBLY** » 27 Nov 2018, 14:30

Only if I know the neighbour is in. I've been on my duty long enough to have a good idea who's in and who's not - otherwise its p729 time!

Had a few neighbours, who were offering to take parcels in, now refusing - because they're fed up of the sheer amount of parcels arriving!!
It opened my eyes to how many people don't get on with their neighbours though!!

Post by **azza30** » 27 Nov 2018, 14:44

Celgar wrote:Because it's embarrassing if a customer says they haven't received an item and the neighbour you know has been left the item denies any knowledge.
It's only happened to me once and not on 'my' walk but it is something that can happen. I do try neighbours where practical and especially where I know the people are almost living in each others pockets in terms of being friendly. I'm just saying if it isn't your usual walk then maybe think first before trying it.

Why would you be embarrassed? When you leave with a neighbour you take there name and house number on the PDA and sometimes they sign, but also your PDA actual will show where you walked and stopped very acurately. You also leave a card with customer. Your PDA will show all of this to-ing and fro-ing. If stuff happens as you described it's RM's fault and as long as you followed the correct way of doing it you cannot be culpable.

This also goes for needing to cut off because of the time taken. RM make these stupid process's up on top of enlarging walks - so let them suffer. They are not Posties problems or customers.

DiamondSmiles · Post by **DiamondSmiles** » 27 Nov 2018, 16:11

I am finding more people refusing to take packets in for their neighbours now. Hopefully they still get on with each other but are just fed up with the amount they get asked to take for them which is fair enough if they don't go round to collect them pronto when they get home.

Post by **HTPostman** » 27 Nov 2018, 17:56

I only leave parcels with neighbours who I know for sure get on. The grand total of neighbours I know is 2 on 1 round. I've been on 12 rounds since I returned to Royal Mail 7 weeks ago, I don't know who gets on with who on those other rounds, already been told off by management for leaving a parcel with a neighbour they didn't get on with (I didn't actually leave it, so it must've been someone else). I've been called a jobs worth because a neighbour came out and didn't believe me when I said the Special Delivery couldn't be left with them.

The fact is there's a big security issue here, even if your PDA shows you delivered it to a neighbour (who then says they never had it), do managers really have time to go through the PDA actuals just to 'get you off the hook'...I doubt it.

End of the day I'm still in my probation period, it's quicker for me to write a P739 than try neighbours and it ensures the parcel is returned safely, my back is covered and they can get their parcel from the DO or arrange re delivery.

Obviously if ever I get my own round I'll soon learn which neighbours get on. Till then I'm covering my back.

Post by **postiewhite** » 27 Nov 2018, 18:33

My official start time is 8.45am, I have to still take a break, prep D2Ds and do any lapsing. If we get out for 9.30am then on a busy day I can complete everything but im rarely out before 9.45am if im on a late start which means I do not go to neighbours. If RM were not so tight with morning hours then i'd have the time to get rid of more parcels. They can't have their cake and eat it!!

jd9442 · Post by **jd9442** » 27 Nov 2018, 21:25

To all these people that refuse to try a neighbour and do the job properly, I’m guessing you don’t use trolleys either and run around with bags on your back?

Try neighbours for every parcel, do less work, easy.

Sir Henry · Post by **Sir Henry** » 27 Nov 2018, 22:18

Normally one, sometimes none, occasionally more than one if it suits me.

Celgar · Post by **Celgar** » 27 Nov 2018, 23:38

azza30 wrote:
Celgar wrote:Because it's embarrassing if a customer says they haven't received an item and the neighbour you know has been left the item denies any knowledge.
It's only happened to me once and not on 'my' walk but it is something that can happen. I do try neighbours where practical and especially where I know the people are almost living in each others pockets in terms of being friendly. I'm just saying if it isn't your usual walk then maybe think first before trying it.
Why would you be embarrassed? When you leave with a neighbour you take there name and house number on the PDA and sometimes they sign, but also your PDA actual will show where you walked and stopped very acurately. You also leave a card with customer. Your PDA will show all of this to-ing and fro-ing. If stuff happens as you described it's RM's fault and as long as you followed the correct way of doing it you cannot be culpable.

This also goes for needing to cut off because of the time taken. RM make these stupid process's up on top of enlarging walks - so let them suffer. They are not Posties problems or customers.

This was before that particular software update and before PDA actuals was a big thing. I actually knew the neighbours were 'a bit rough' so I should gone with that and 739d the item. An example of me not following my own advice. It wasn't my usual walk but was in the village I live in.

Ginger123 · Post by **Ginger123** » 28 Nov 2018, 09:47

Azza, you are sooooo right but it's falling on deaf ears here. Banging your head against a brick wall!

Post by **azza30** » 28 Nov 2018, 10:29

jd9442 wrote:To all these people that refuse to try a neighbour and do the job properly, I’m guessing you don’t use trolleys either and run around with bags on your back?

Try neighbours for every parcel, do less work, easy.

Exactly.

Post by **azza30** » 28 Nov 2018, 10:55

postiewhite wrote:My official start time is 8.45am, I have to still take a break, prep D2Ds and do any lapsing. If we get out for 9.30am then on a busy day I can complete everything but im rarely out before 9.45am if im on a late start which means I do not go to neighbours. If RM were not so tight with morning hours then i'd have the time to get rid of more parcels. They can't have their cake and eat it!!

THAT IS THE POINT! DO YOUR JOB AS THEY WANT IT DONE! Then they have to realise it is simple mathematics and does not add up!

Shift = 5 hours
Break - 30 mins
Collect keys, specials, remove oversize parcels from HCT, Set up PDA, go for a pee etc -15 mins
Argue with DUMb and Dumber over cutting off -15 mins, especially on any day bar tuesday.
Walk back to DO, unload hct, keys etc 20 mins

That leaves around around 3.5 - 4 hours, to do walk.

I push hct to each point unless i can carry small bundle in hand and lock up for 10 minutes only, which is hardly ever.

For each packet to go to neighbours, giving time to get to doors and write out card can be 5 minutes (1.5 minute first door wait + walk to next, wait and take details 2.5 minutes, walk back to original door, fill in docket 1 minute)

10 packets 50 minutes, 20 packets 1.5 hours.

So choice is simple. It is either or, not both. But RM want 1st time deliveries, so give it to them! managing time is for managers!

I can't wait for the courier interview- headline will be '1st time, everytime' and when they ask how i manage to never take parcels back I'll say " because i cut off half the walk everyday and take it back to DO! yeah baby!