How Long Do Posties Have to Wait after Knocking on Door

[KatOh9]

Hi

Firstly I did try searching for an answer but after a couple dozen pages of results I realised it was best to ask outright.

The question is for the posties amongst you.

When you knock on a door to deliver a parcel, how long do you wait for an answer before leaving? Are you told during training that there is a specific time? Or is it personal preference?

So here's the reason for my question, I'm in bed, doorbell goes, I hobble out of bed, grabbing my jacket as I go down the stairs, putting jacket on at the same time and i can see the red postie shirt, I unchain and unlock the door, the red shirt has disappeared. I open the door and shout hello, he's not there. I call again after a few seconds and i hear singing and he appears from side of the house as I'm calling hello again. He said he's put the parcel in the parcel box. That's fab but I say, you didn't wait long, that's why we have a notice to say disabled resident please be patient. He said I did wait, as he's reading the printed sticker on the door that I pointed at. Which I take to mean he hasn't seen it before. I said it wasn't even 30secs to which he replies it was longer and walks off.

We've had the parcel box, homemade wooden lock box, for 17 years. Everyone uses it, everyone's over the moon about it, so are we as it means less missed deliveries.
Disabled sticker has been on the door for 10 years, renewed as it fades, this one is a vinyl, printed bought online one. Resident mobility has gotten worse over the years meaning we're slower hence the sticker so delivery peeps know.

My issue here is the length of time allowed for us to answer the door.
I know you posties have a raw deal, rain, cold, dogs, daft hours, pay issues etc. I have a lot of respect for people providing a service for the country.

He would have heard me opening the door but didn't come back, he wouldn't have even reached the parcel box in the time it took for my first call out.

None of this post is meant to offend, I genuinely want to understand why he didn't wait given the household, displayed, circumstances. Thanks in advance for any replies

[BenacreNick]

Personally I get a sixth sense as to whether or not someone will be at home when I'm delivering parcels etc.

I think subconsciously I'm looking at cars on the driveway, lights on, windows open etc.

Obviously it helps to know your customers as well.

I'm not aware of the actual time limit, but I know there aren't enough hours in our duty as well.

If a sticker was displayed asking for more time to answer, then this is a big help for us postmen/women, as is supplying the parcel storage box, it really does make a huge difference.

[yellowbelly]

I don't think there's a specific time, but generally I'm at the door of the property for about a minute.

It goes like this - knock at the door (whilst looking for windows open, car in the drive, lights/TV or radio on to indicate the occupant might be in).

Then after about 30 seconds (that is a long time stood waiting with nothing happening), I'll knock again - and if I know there's no 'safe place' to place the parcel I'll start writing the 'red card' out which takes up the remaining 30 seconds, so a minute in total.

If I know there's a safe place I'll perhaps wait another 15 seconds or so after the second knock, go to the safe place, take the required photo, back to the door and put the red card through the door saying where the parcel is.

I know 30 seconds doesn't seem a long time but we can have many many packets and parcels that don't fit through a letter box. If we were to wait a compulsory minute or two minutes at each door that's a lot of time (especially if it's raining!) during each working day stood waiting. Even if people are in for lets say (very conservative estimate here) 60 packets and parcels and answer within 30s that's 30 minutes waiting.

What's become more annoying (and this is not aimed at you) is that when people order a parcel, they're not in and we leave a red card saying we're going to deliver the next day and then don't make any arrangements (on line) for the delivery of the parcel when they know they're not going to be in the next day either.

People seem to be great at ordering stuff on line but technically woeful when it comes to directing the delivering organisation (whether it's RM, Evri or DPD) about what to do with the parcel when they're not in to receive it.

What you've done with the notice on your door is brilliant and the safe place, I wish more people would do it. I'm sorry that the postie on the day in question seems to have been in a bit of a rush (doesn't sound like he was your regular postie?).

[clashcityrocker]

There is a button on the bottom right of the PDA that informs the postie of any specific delivery requests - safeplaces, parcel boxes, disability issues.
People must have provided the information so any postie on any day can access that information.

[KatOh9]

Personally I get a sixth sense as to whether or not someone will be at home when I'm delivering parcels etc.

I think subconsciously I'm looking at cars on the driveway, lights on, windows open etc.

Obviously it helps to know your customers as well.

I'm not aware of the actual time limit, but I know there aren't enough hours in our duty as well.

If a sticker was displayed asking for more time to answer, then this is a big help for us postmen/women, as is supplying the parcel storage box, it really does make a huge difference.

Thank you for your answer. We've always felt the box would help all deliveries and the sticker be information. So it seems that maybe on this occasion waiting wasn't an option, he wasn't our usually postie and it was raining. Thank you again and for all your hard work

[KatOh9]

I don't think there's a specific time, but generally I'm at the door of the property for about a minute.

It goes like this - knock at the door (whilst looking for windows open, car in the drive, lights/TV or radio on to indicate the occupant might be in).

Then after about 30 seconds (that is a long time stood waiting with nothing happening), I'll knock again - and if I know there's no 'safe place' to place the parcel I'll start writing the 'red card' out which takes up the remaining 30 seconds, so a minute in total.

If I know there's a safe place I'll perhaps wait another 15 seconds or so after the second knock, go to the safe place, take the required photo, back to the door and put the red card through the door saying where the parcel is.

I know 30 seconds doesn't seem a long time but we can have many many packets and parcels that don't fit through a letter box. If we were to wait a compulsory minute or two minutes at each door that's a lot of time (especially if it's raining!) during each working day stood waiting. Even if people are in for lets say (very conservative estimate here) 60 packets and parcels and answer within 30s that's 30 minutes waiting.

What's become more annoying (and this is not aimed at you) is that when people order a parcel, they're not in and we leave a red card saying we're going to deliver the next day and then don't make any arrangements (on line) for the delivery of the parcel when they know they're not going to be in the next day either.

People seem to be great at ordering stuff on line but technically woeful when it comes to directing the delivering organisation (whether it's RM, Evri or DPD) about what to do with the parcel when they're not in to receive it.

What you've done with the notice on your door is brilliant and the safe place, I wish more people would do it. I'm sorry that the postie on the day in question seems to have been in a bit of a rush (doesn't sound like he was your regular postie?).

Thank you for replying. A minute is definitely a long time. Even 30secs. I actually did a test run and timed it to 18secs. In my younger days I could do two flights of stairs and get to the door in 9 seconds but my feet don't play well these days lol
I did think this morning about the amount of waiting time and how it adds up.

I totally get what your saying about scheduling, some people just don't think ahead, I do think courtesy has gone downhill over the years. Common sense doesn't prevail these days.

No he wasn't our regular, maybe he was standing in due to the weather. Thank you again and for the service you provide us all x

[KatOh9]

There is a button on the bottom right of the PDA that informs the postie of any specific delivery requests - safeplaces, parcel boxes, disability issues.
People must have provided the information so any postie on any day can access that information.

Hi can I ask how we would inform of this. The parcel today for instance was sent by our Internet provider, we didn't order it. The notice on the door informs of the disability and the parcel box safe place.

If I were to order something and there was a box saying special instruction then I would enter the info, but I've only ever seen that on amazon.

Is there a way to inform this as a standard on royal mail?

[tgm_999]

If there's a parcel box I'm starting to put it in there within the first 10 to 15 seconds if I'm not hearing or seeing any signs of life especially on a heavy day or a big duty as 9 times out of 10 I'd hear something within that time if someone is going to answer.

[tgm_999]

There is a button on the bottom right of the PDA that informs the postie of any specific delivery requests - safeplaces, parcel boxes, disability issues.
People must have provided the information so any postie on any day can access that information.

If I were to order something and there was a box saying special instruction then I would enter the info, but I've only ever seen that on amazon.

Is there a way to inform this as a standard on royal mail?

Yes there is a way you need an account as far as I know and you do it on the royal mail app under manage account then "Address and delivery preferences".
Parcelforce, DPD, Evri, Yodel and DHL all have similar settings in their apps as well not sure about the others

[KatOh9]

If there's a parcel box I'm starting to put it in there within the first 10 to 15 seconds if I'm not hearing or seeing any signs of life especially on a heavy day or a big duty as 9 times out of 10 I'd hear something within that time if someone is going to answer.

But if there is a notice on the door that says disabled resident, please be patient. 15seconds might be how long it takes to get out of a chair and that means they've missed them. Yes the parcel box in our case is a plus. But I would imagine that would only speak to 1% of residents if that.

I just felt that he hadn't allowed enough time despite the notice, however I will admit that the above mentioned about it not being our normal postie and the rain are mitigating circumstances.

It doesn't, however, make up for the dozens of times in the past. It really feels like there was no consideration for less abled residents to speed answer the door. I do acknowledge however, that every postie is different and we've had some amazing people over the years and we're always sad when they suddenly disappear.

The week after we moved in to this house (19yrs ago) our postie knocked on the door and introduced himself and apologised for not having been able to knock the previous week, our first week. He had been on holiday. His name was Andy and he delivered for 3 years until he went traveling abroad.

[KatOh9]

There is a button on the bottom right of the PDA that informs the postie of any specific delivery requests - safeplaces, parcel boxes, disability issues.
People must have provided the information so any postie on any day can access that information.

If I were to order something and there was a box saying special instruction then I would enter the info, but I've only ever seen that on amazon.

Is there a way to inform this as a standard on royal mail?

Yes there is a way you need an account as far as I know and you do it on the royal mail app under manage account then "Address and delivery preferences".
Parcelforce, DPD, Evri, Yodel and DHL all have similar settings in their apps as well not sure about the others

Further question, sorry, does using the RM App 'important information' mean that every parcel delivered to our house via RM show that info on the PDA. If I place an order somewhere but I'm not given the opportunity to input delivery information and they just post it. Postie arrives at our door and scans the code, will it automatically say the info we have given, like put in safe place.

I'm thinking that it's not really going to work that way unless the info is tied to our post code or something, it would only be showing the info the sender put on the tracking label. If it does work that way I'm off to download immediately 🫣 , it would save so much hassle for everyone.

[clashcityrocker]

Further question, sorry, does using the RM App 'important information' mean that every parcel delivered to our house via RM show that info on the PDA.

Yes.

[tgm_999]

But if there is a notice on the door that says disabled resident, please be patient. 15 seconds might be how long it takes to get out of a chair and that means they've missed them. Yes the parcel box in our case is a plus. But I would imagine that would only speak to 1% of residents if that.

Like I said that's if they have a parcel box or other safeplace if the recipient has deemed it safe to be left there when they are out it can stay there a few minutes while they get to the door, so they still get their parcel I'm able to get on with the rest of my work quicker resulting more likely to finish the round before running out of time (a lot of the old timers I work with won't do a minute of overtime) everyone wins.

Further question, sorry, does using the RM App 'important information' mean that every parcel delivered to our house via RM show that info on the PDA. If I place an order somewhere but I'm not given the opportunity to input delivery information and they just post it. Postie arrives at our door and scans the code, will it automatically say the info we have given, like put in safe place.

Yes, you put in your address on the app with your preferences and when we download the route before we leave the DO all the addresses with reported accessibility and delivery preferences are downloaded onto the PDA in a list and when we scan any RM tracked item or other item with a 2d barcode it will say on the PDA saying if you've requested us to knock louder or wait longer and your preferred safe place.

[menditsa]

Further question, sorry, does using the RM App 'important information' mean that every parcel delivered to our house via RM show that info on the PDA.

Yes.

I have a blind lady on a DPR route I cover every now and then and she has a warning for disabled and to not safeplace but the last few times I went to her these warnings did not pop up on the PDA.

[kazardaimenu]

30 seconds is probably the upper limit when it comes to satisfying the number crunchers.