ANNOUNCEMENT : ALL OF ROYAL MAIL'S EMPLOYMENT POLICIES (AGREEMENTS) AT A GLANCE (Updated 2021)... HERE

ANNOUNCEMENT : PLEASE BE AWARE WE ARE NOT ON FACEBOOK AT ALL!

Does anyone still write “P” on the letter or turn over letter to remember parcels for that house ?

Postal workers discussion forum. Discuss the day to day life in a Blue Shirt.
IAMNOTANUMBER
Posts: 30
Joined: 09 Nov 2022, 07:39
Gender: Female
Location: Cumbria

Re: Does anyone still write “P” on the letter or turn over letter to remember parcels for that house ?

Post by IAMNOTANUMBER »

Aardvark wrote:
26 Aug 2024, 18:37
These days i write L on the packet in case I forget they have mail.
Found this extremely funny
User avatar
Basildon Bond
Posts: 410
Joined: 21 Dec 2022, 19:21
Gender: Male

Re: Does anyone still write “P” on the letter or turn over letter to remember parcels for that house ?

Post by Basildon Bond »

Bounced_Czech wrote:
27 Aug 2024, 17:48
Basildon Bond wrote:
27 Aug 2024, 17:39
I don't think it's as simple as "turn"; "write P"; or pack the pouch right.

Real world you may have something like this:

what-to-turn.jpg

And this isn't even all that complex.

How do you communicate the packets based on the available letters? I bet we all differ slightly.

I think we have to get that biro out and start writing numbers on the letters and include quantities if we want to be clear. :shock:
If it gets that complicated you just put 739s in the bundle with house/flat numbers on them. On most normal walks these days you have 3 or 4 days worth of mail anyway, where just turning a letter and putting the packets in order in the bag is more than adequate
I got told off at one DO years ago for using cards in the bundle because a blank 739 accidentally posted causes a "nightmare of a problem" if it goes through a box blank and there is no packet. Wouldn't be a problem for me though! Still I now don't use cards - equally because they are always running out at my DO so you have to use them sparingly. I've often written on the front of a letter rather than use a 739 because the office was running low and "they are on order" but no sign of them turning up.
User avatar
Basildon Bond
Posts: 410
Joined: 21 Dec 2022, 19:21
Gender: Male

Re: Does anyone still write “P” on the letter or turn over letter to remember parcels for that house ?

Post by Basildon Bond »

Bounced_Czech wrote:
27 Aug 2024, 18:05

Not your fault if the DO runs out of 739s mate. :dance
Agreed. Not my fault. Just my problem to deal with at each house with a packet I safeplace but I have ten cards in my pocket for the day. I thought making the cards national (no local DO details now included) would allow easier printing. Guess I'm just stupid for thinking that! :arrrghhh
TopperGas
Posts: 3460
Joined: 13 Feb 2021, 22:46
Gender: Male

Re: Does anyone still write “P” on the letter or turn over letter to remember parcels for that house ?

Post by TopperGas »

Basildon Bond wrote:
27 Aug 2024, 17:39
I don't think it's as simple as "turn"; "write P"; or pack the pouch right.

Real world you may have something like this:

what-to-turn.jpg

And this isn't even all that complex.

How do you communicate the packets based on the available letters? I bet we all differ slightly.

I think we have to get that biro out and start writing numbers on the letters and include quantities if we want to be clear. :shock:
Just put an elastic band around any parcels for the same property? With so many properties now having parcels/packets writing P is something hardly anybody does in my DO. A few stick cards in the frame but not many even do that.
LouBarlow
Posts: 4709
Joined: 15 Oct 2007, 18:56

Re: Does anyone still write “P” on the letter or turn over letter to remember parcels for that house ?

Post by LouBarlow »

i think how you approach this depends a lot on whether you are in a van on your own or doing a van share. Unless you hate your duty buddy I have no idea why you wouldn’t put a marker in there for parcels on their loops.

On a rural i would have most parcels in my trays anyway.
matthew68
Posts: 516
Joined: 16 Feb 2011, 22:10
Gender: Male

Re: Does anyone still write “P” on the letter or turn over letter to remember parcels for that house ?

Post by matthew68 »

Just put them in order of that loop and remember which one is next, if not put a card in as less letters nowadays means lots of people who have a packet don’t have a letter!
glass joe
Posts: 171
Joined: 11 Mar 2013, 16:59
Gender: Male

Re: Does anyone still write “P” on the letter or turn over letter to remember parcels for that house ?

Post by glass joe »

I just memorize mine. If I'm doing it in a HCT trolley, I put the loop bundles and packages together and then put a parcel grey bag in-between the loops so they don't mix together.
Jen1
Posts: 231
Joined: 31 Oct 2018, 12:00
Gender: Female

Re: Does anyone still write “P” on the letter or turn over letter to remember parcels for that house ?

Post by Jen1 »

People who turn for parcels are absolute gods in my eyes

Thank you to anybody who turns, writes or puts 739s in the bundle where there’s a parcel

I religiously turn for everything, I also put my parcels in order in my bag and I write the house number and the initial of the street on the top of the parcels so I can see where they’re for at a glance in my bag

Unfortunately my brain can’t be trusted to remember that I’ve got a parcel for that house as I have difficulties with working memory due to having ADHD

So anything that stops me from having to walk back on myself or drive back round to drop the parcels I’ve forgotten is an absolute godsend to me

So thank you everyone that turns for parcels you have no idea how much of a difference you make to people like me :thumbup
yellowbelly
Posts: 3713
Joined: 23 Jun 2015, 15:51
Gender: Male

Re: Does anyone still write “P” on the letter or turn over letter to remember parcels for that house ?

Post by yellowbelly »

If I'm on 'my' walk I manage without turning or 739's but if I've been chosen from a select crowd
of one - 'you've done that rural about 5 years ago haven't you, just give it a go' - then I have to
put a card in as i'll never remember if I've got a parcel/packet for 'Oak Tree Farm' three quarters of the way through the walk.
SpacePhoenix
MAIL CENTRES/PROCESSING
Posts: 12137
Joined: 12 Nov 2008, 17:03
Gender: Male

Re: Does anyone still write “P” on the letter or turn over letter to remember parcels for that house ?

Post by SpacePhoenix »

yellowbelly wrote:
30 Aug 2024, 10:31
If I'm on 'my' walk I manage without turning or 739's but if I've been chosen from a select crowd
of one - 'you've done that rural about 5 years ago haven't you, just give it a go' - then I have to
put a card in as i'll never remember if I've got a parcel/packet for 'Oak Tree Farm' three quarters of the way through the walk.
As RM get more and more packets sorted by machine I wouldn't put it past them to have the PDAs store a list of all packets for the walk, in the sequencing order
Jen1
Posts: 231
Joined: 31 Oct 2018, 12:00
Gender: Female

Re: Does anyone still write “P” on the letter or turn over letter to remember parcels for that house ?

Post by Jen1 »

SpacePhoenix wrote:
30 Aug 2024, 10:44
yellowbelly wrote:
30 Aug 2024, 10:31
If I'm on 'my' walk I manage without turning or 739's but if I've been chosen from a select crowd
of one - 'you've done that rural about 5 years ago haven't you, just give it a go' - then I have to
put a card in as i'll never remember if I've got a parcel/packet for 'Oak Tree Farm' three quarters of the way through the walk.
As RM get more and more packets sorted by machine I wouldn't put it past them to have the PDAs store a list of all packets for the walk, in the sequencing order
That won’t really be helpful coz you don’t walk around looking at your PDA, you don’t even get your PDA out of your pocket until you’re scanning a parcel
SpacePhoenix
MAIL CENTRES/PROCESSING
Posts: 12137
Joined: 12 Nov 2008, 17:03
Gender: Male

Re: Does anyone still write “P” on the letter or turn over letter to remember parcels for that house ?

Post by SpacePhoenix »

Jen1 wrote:
30 Aug 2024, 15:54
SpacePhoenix wrote:
30 Aug 2024, 10:44
yellowbelly wrote:
30 Aug 2024, 10:31
If I'm on 'my' walk I manage without turning or 739's but if I've been chosen from a select crowd
of one - 'you've done that rural about 5 years ago haven't you, just give it a go' - then I have to
put a card in as i'll never remember if I've got a parcel/packet for 'Oak Tree Farm' three quarters of the way through the walk.
As RM get more and more packets sorted by machine I wouldn't put it past them to have the PDAs store a list of all packets for the walk, in the sequencing order
That won’t really be helpful coz you don’t walk around looking at your PDA, you don’t even get your PDA out of your pocket until you’re scanning a parcel
Don't think it's going to be too much longer until absolutely everything has a barcode on it. Packets are already getting towards that
Jen1
Posts: 231
Joined: 31 Oct 2018, 12:00
Gender: Female

Re: Does anyone still write “P” on the letter or turn over letter to remember parcels for that house ?

Post by Jen1 »

SpacePhoenix wrote:
30 Aug 2024, 15:59
Jen1 wrote:
30 Aug 2024, 15:54
SpacePhoenix wrote:
30 Aug 2024, 10:44
yellowbelly wrote:
30 Aug 2024, 10:31
If I'm on 'my' walk I manage without turning or 739's but if I've been chosen from a select crowd
of one - 'you've done that rural about 5 years ago haven't you, just give it a go' - then I have to
put a card in as i'll never remember if I've got a parcel/packet for 'Oak Tree Farm' three quarters of the way through the walk.
As RM get more and more packets sorted by machine I wouldn't put it past them to have the PDAs store a list of all packets for the walk, in the sequencing order
That won’t really be helpful coz you don’t walk around looking at your PDA, you don’t even get your PDA out of your pocket until you’re scanning a parcel
Don't think it's going to be too much longer until absolutely everything has a barcode on it. Packets are already getting towards that
I think everything already has a barcode on it but barcodes don’t help me to remember there’s a parcel for the house I’ve just walked past unless the PDA is going to beep or something when I get to the house :hmmmm
SpacePhoenix
MAIL CENTRES/PROCESSING
Posts: 12137
Joined: 12 Nov 2008, 17:03
Gender: Male

Re: Does anyone still write “P” on the letter or turn over letter to remember parcels for that house ?

Post by SpacePhoenix »

Jen1 wrote:
30 Aug 2024, 16:10
SpacePhoenix wrote:
30 Aug 2024, 15:59
Jen1 wrote:
30 Aug 2024, 15:54
SpacePhoenix wrote:
30 Aug 2024, 10:44
yellowbelly wrote:
30 Aug 2024, 10:31
If I'm on 'my' walk I manage without turning or 739's but if I've been chosen from a select crowd
of one - 'you've done that rural about 5 years ago haven't you, just give it a go' - then I have to
put a card in as i'll never remember if I've got a parcel/packet for 'Oak Tree Farm' three quarters of the way through the walk.
As RM get more and more packets sorted by machine I wouldn't put it past them to have the PDAs store a list of all packets for the walk, in the sequencing order
That won’t really be helpful coz you don’t walk around looking at your PDA, you don’t even get your PDA out of your pocket until you’re scanning a parcel
Don't think it's going to be too much longer until absolutely everything has a barcode on it. Packets are already getting towards that
I think everything already has a barcode on it but barcodes don’t help me to remember there’s a parcel for the house I’ve just walked past unless the PDA is going to beep or something when I get to the house :hmmmm
I think eventually RM will have absolutely everything scanned at each stage of it's journey. Once each for the outward and inward MC. Arrival at DO and then when it's physically delivered (or delivery attempted)
world class male
Posts: 903
Joined: 03 Jul 2013, 15:29
Gender: Male

Re: Does anyone still write “P” on the letter or turn over letter to remember parcels for that house ?

Post by world class male »

Custard Jelly wrote:
26 Aug 2024, 18:33
When I started 10-15 years ago. I got trained to write “p” on letter for parcels. I remember I used write “p” in a small size. One work colleague saw me write “p” in small size one day. He then came over to me said put in a big size “p”. He gave me a example. He wrote a massive “p” on the letter lol.

If that parcel didn’t have a letter. I wrote on the letter nearest to that parcel. For example “P 22”

I done this for the next few years.

After few years. I stopped using the “p” trick.

Now I remember which houses have parcels without the “p”

Nowadays it will be hard to hold pda/pen in the same hand lol
i had a person who regulaly got pkts, if no mail i'd write p155 on the letter before, took me ages to realise what i'd wrote :left: