RMCtv: Parcel sortation

[menditsa]

The Agency drivers at our DO either doorstep or fail deliveries as inaccessible.

Can someone explain how inaccessible means parking 20M away legally from a house and walking ?

[kazardaimenu]

State of this! How are they getting the packets in order? Are they just ramming them in the postman’s bag? The smug manager needs put down a peg too lauding it over longer delivery spans.

[yellowbelly]

The Agency drivers at our DO either doorstep or fail deliveries as inaccessible.

Can someone explain how inaccessible means parking 20M away legally from a house and walking ?

Inaccessible in our area is code for 'I couldn't find it' or 'I ran out of time' but to ensure RM is seen as non-blameworthy
to the mega bucks customers who send these tracked items, the delivery failure is put down to a mysterious road closure that none of the local population experience.

[ted_e_bear]

The Agency drivers at our DO either doorstep or fail deliveries as inaccessible.

Can someone explain how inaccessible means parking 20M away legally from a house and walking ?

Inaccessible in our area is code for 'I couldn't find it' or 'I ran out of time' but to ensure RM is seen as non-blameworthy
to the mega bucks customers who send these tracked items, the delivery failure is put down to a mysterious road closure that none of the local population experience.

For our Sunday drivers inaccessible is code for can't be arsed if it's anywhere out of town that's not easily got to.

[TopperGas]

We’re at Preston South Delivery Office who, alongside Morden Delivery Office, are currently trialling a project to change the way parcels are sorted ahead of walks.

Our aim with the Parcel Sortation project is to simplify how we sort and prep different types of parcels and to make the process more efficient for our frontline colleagues.

This will be done by:

• Format 1 (letterbox size) and Format 2 (shoebox size) parcels being sorted into different containers at the primary sort activity.

• Format 1 parcels are then sorted and bundled into the letter mail on the RM2000 frame.

• With Format 2 parcels being sorted directly into mail pouches attached to the Parcel Pyramid’, each pouch corresponds to each ‘Block’ on the delivery walk. Parcels will be scanned on the PDA which will inform the person sorting, which block to sort the parcel to.

• Letter mail, including the Format 1 parcels are then merged into the pouches with the Format 2 parcels ready for delivery. The earlier scans on the parcels will create a manifest on the PDA, so the walk holder can see what parcels they have for each block.

The use of this new equipment together with utilising new PDA software will help reduce the need for local knowledge when sorting parcels, it will provide a dedicated storage space for parcels along with making the process more efficient for our colleagues.

loops are now blocks apparently

When I worked at Amazon before joining RM they did exactly the same thing with parcels, every parcel was scanned and then the sorter was told which box, rather than pouch, to put it into, I assume the boxes were then passed to the relevant delivery drivers.

I don't get how RM are going to fit each loops packets into a red pouch and also what happens with the HCT rounds as you can't fit 6+ so pouches into one of those? It sounds like it's RM intention to take away all the sorting from the PT posties and they'll be expected to start their rounds as soon as they arrive for work,

[Mr Rush]

loops are now blocks apparently

Two explanations, either plausible:

• Someone unfamiliar with the operation has come up with this scheme. No-one running the company corrected them because they're clueless too.
• Someone familiar with the operation has come up with this scheme and they are a megalomaniac who gets off on forcing the little people to call a spade a narwhal.

[Barnacle]

loops are now blocks apparently

Two explanations, either plausible:

• Someone unfamiliar with the operation has come up with this scheme. No-one running the company corrected them because they're clueless too.
• Someone familiar with the operation has come up with this scheme and they are a megalomaniac who gets off on forcing the little people to call a spade a narwhal.

Same person probably suggested PEAK instead of pressure.

[Pidleypoo]

Watching that video and knowing how many bags I have each day it would mean I would need at least 2 York’s worth ( some days 3 ) of those bags

[Basildon Bond]

The problem with the video is that:

- it shows a tiny bit of what is suggested as "a better way" without explaining the process. Sort of a "trust us; we know best" - I don't because the whole video looks staged. Why not get a bright yellow packet and follow it from the lorry to the pouch and van/doorstep?
- show a plan view layout of where the parcels are, where you get them from, and how they move to the pouch. The video just shows a guy holding a packet in his hand next to the frame and leaving the frame to put it in the bag. Surely being near the frame is not required for this process now? So why show it? Is Delivery 2.0 a pre-requisite of this method? Why? Could you not keep the existing frame and have these York "Trees" somewhere else? Then just carry a couple of bundles of mail (of mainly D2Ds some days) over to the trees and pop them in - hoping there is still space and you don't have to kick out a few larger packets to become oversize now.
- don't use brand new bags (I've never seen a new pouch). Doesn't look real world.
- don't use a DO that looks big enough to cope. I've bounced around several DOs and I cannot see it working in many because of the space needed.

I will say I think the RM2000 frame is completely outdated for the amount of packets. The space at the top of the frame is way too small. I would love to see a "better" way to do it. I won't say, from just this video, that it looks like a non-starter. However, it has me scratching my chin as to whether it's better. Personally I prefer to pack my own bag so the packets are organised and orientated the way I want them for speed when walking the loop (it's still a loop! "Block" made me think this was just for inter-city high-rise apartments or something).

I don't want to just rush out the door in the morning and get out of the office 10-20 minutes or so earlier at the expense of being frustrated when stood at someone's doorstep searching for the right packet and whether there is more than one in the freezing raining. I'd prefer to take a few extra minutes indoor, in the warm and dry office getting myself setup for a more "efficient" day outdoor where the weather and terrain is hammering me. I just want to reach into the bag and my hand grips the next parcel automatically.

I've watched all three videos on the topic: https://www.myroyalmail.com/indoor-transformation - none of them go into any depth so we can understand the flow, what is required, nor how it saves time.

The real winning buy-in video would be showing a real-time prep with the existing method next to the new method. Showing the guy or gal rolling out of the yard 60, 40, 30 minutes quicker...AND no issues while out on delivery would be good. However, leaving earlier (shorter indoor) and longer outdoor (both requirements for a "better future") just because the parcels are thrown in bags randomly and the person on the loop often has to backtrack to deliver a missed packet isn't what is needed for the company.

[Dexydog]

Excellent take on the subject.
The fact remains the walk man knows what's best for him and that particular walk and office environment.
But then they don't want people on fixed walks, that much is obvious.
What's also obvious is this is not the answer.

[SpacePhoenix]

Excellent take on the subject.
The fact remains the walk man knows what's best for him and that particular walk and office environment.
But then they don't want people on fixed walks, that much is obvious.
What's also obvious is this is not the answer.

Long term if they bring in Delivery 2.0 will there even be such a thing as a fixed walk?

[Dexydog]

Like I said, they don't want fixed walks.
I'm out soon, they can do whatever, couldn't really care less.
Except I've been here long enough to know it's not ending well for people that are left, and I feel sorry for them.

[SpacePhoenix]

When you think about it, it's just manual letters and flats which don't get scanned at every office they pass through. In some MCs however they've got flat sorting machines (which can probably scan the 2D barcode) so RM isn't too far off having literally every last item scanned. With the 2D barcode info, very soon on any given day they're going to know exactly what each walk has got for each mail stream

[eggraidonmojo]

I sometimes sort my packets directly into my bags which are under the frame. Sort of like this but less complicated (and the sorter/deliverer is the same person), but it reduces handling the packets (once from the yorkie up to the top of the frame, once again into the bag when it comes to bagging up). It is slightly quicker.

[norris9]

Maybe something small, but some posties prefer their own bags to be a certain strap length. I understand you can simply just hang your bags up at the end of the day, but typically - if you don't lock your bags up they get taken.

If the bags you get are the ones randomly hang on your pyramid frame - then you could end up with bags with holes in them, straps too long or too short.... broken bags etc...