Mis-selling 9am Special

Spedley · Post by **Spedley** » 16 Oct 2007, 19:19

I (a postman) often find that we get 9am Special Deliveries and very often the recipient is not even aware it has been sent.
Today for example I had one (I got there at 11am) which was a normal magazine size and cost Â£10.85 to post and the person is in Peru for 2 weeks.

Do the PO counters benefit from selling 9am specials instead of the standard specials? Do you have instructions to try and sell a 9am before you offer an alternative and perhaps more appropriate product?

This isn't a telling you how to do your job topic but a genuine interest. :)

axeman · Post by **axeman** » 16 Oct 2007, 19:24

i'm sure primark will sell you anything (as he rubs his hands at yet more profit for his masters)..... so i guess the answer is most probably they are indeed being missold to unsuspecting members of the public

armani · Post by **armani** » 16 Oct 2007, 19:29

There is no priority given to 9am over 1pm Specials.

All that we ask at the counter is if they'd like it guaranteed tomorrow and give them the price and when it will arrive. This usually goes for the 1pm one and not the 9am unless customer specifically says they want it earlier.

If the customer doesn't need it guaranteed and there is no value over Â£34 we offer 1st + 2nd.

We offer the Special first for 2 reasons.
1, It is measured in our focus products.
2, Its amazing how many customers think 1st class is next day guaranteed and they think putting cash, jewellery etc is safe and insured. You then get them back in moaning that ''YOU'' advised them to do it that way. So basically it also covers your back by making them aware of whats available should they need it.

9am or 1pm makes no difference to office income. The only place I can see it having a financial gain is at the the RM side. The office gets the same revenue regardless of which is sold.

We also always make sure the customer is sure that there will be someone there prior to 9am to sign for it. Especially with Business posting or job applications as otherwise it is a waste of money to them and a waste of time for posties to try and deliver

armani · Post by **armani** » 16 Oct 2007, 19:30

axeman wrote:i'm sure primark will sell you anything (as he rubs his hands at yet more profit for his masters)..... so i guess the answer is most probably they are indeed being missold to unsuspecting members of the public

Axeman how about I sell you a new axe as surely by now you have ground that one out that you have trying to sharpen it for me.

ulster postie · Post by **ulster postie** » 16 Oct 2007, 19:33

SO HOW THE FCUK DO YOU DELIVER A 9AM SPECIAL WHEN YOU DONT LEAVE THE OFFICE UNTILL 9-45/10.00

axeman · Post by **axeman** » 16 Oct 2007, 19:40

my axe is sharper than your witt primark

armani · Post by **armani** » 16 Oct 2007, 19:43

axeman wrote:my axe is sharper than your witt primark

Watch you don't cut yourself on it then. Big boy

Post by **POSTMAN** » 16 Oct 2007, 20:26

ulster postie wrote:SO HOW THE FCUK DO YOU DELIVER A 9AM SPECIAL WHEN YOU DONT LEAVE THE OFFICE UNTILL 9-45/10.00

At our place,and it should be elsewhere,when the rare occasion happens that we get 1 the drivers take em out sharpish.

Post by **bigjames** » 16 Oct 2007, 21:51

Spedley wrote:I (a postman) often find that we get 9am Special Deliveries and very often the recipient is not even aware it has been sent.
Today for example I had one (I got there at 11am) which was a normal magazine size and cost Â£10.85 to post and the person is in Peru for 2 weeks.

Do the PO counters benefit from selling 9am specials instead of the standard specials? Do you have instructions to try and sell a 9am before you offer an alternative and perhaps more appropriate product?

This isn't a telling you how to do your job topic but a genuine interest. :)

As far as I am aware, Armani is correct, we get a fixed income for each Special Delivery item, regardless of whether it is a 9am or a 1pm. What should happen at the counter is that the clerk should be asking the customer if there will definitely be someone there to receive it before 9am, otherwise what is the point. This is similar to the Â£2 extra for the Saturday guarantee, there is no point in taking the extra money if there is no-one in.

However it is possible that the items were posted at a sub-office, their renumeration is different to Crown Offices, so maybe they do get extra money for selling the extra service, and it would not be a surprise to here of a subby doing anything and everything just to get a bit of extra cash. You could start a complete new thread on some of the horror stories and strokes that sub-offices have reportedly ppulled over the years. It is just a possibility, and I have no idea how they get paid for their work.

Spedley · Post by **Spedley** » 16 Oct 2007, 22:36

Thanks for your replies, I've learned a lot. It is suprising how little I know about a job so close to my own.

The people in our secuirty locker tell us that about 50% of the 9am specials are mis-sold (i.e. to business that open at 9am or people who only want it to be there tomorrow). I never quite believed it but still there has to be a reason for the number of 9am's that I leave dockets for. I'm only a rediential walker and even if i am (was) there before 9am, less than half of the people are in.

Edit: changed you to I and your to my, it sounded a bit rude.

dbvern · Post by **dbvern** » 16 Oct 2007, 23:03

Spedley wrote:Thanks for your replies, I've learned a lot. It is suprising how little you know about a job so close to your own.

The people in our secuirty locker tell us that about 50% of the 9am specials are mis-sold (i.e. to business that open at 9am or people who only want it to be there tomorrow). I never quite believed it but still there has to be a reason for the number of 9am's that I leave dockets for. I'm only a rediential walker and even if i am (was) there before 9am, less than half of the people are in.

All 9am specials should go out with the driver .This has always been the case in my office and should be everywhere else as,just as you state, you will not be there by 9.am

armani · Post by **armani** » 16 Oct 2007, 23:10

Its certainly a product/service that will cause a lot of problems at the delivering stage.
Most residential customers will either be off to work or in bed. Most Business places do not open until 9. The only place I can see it being really sucessful is in big built up city business areas where you have receptionists working prior to this time.

10am would have been better from a Business point of view as most will have people in by then.

But, you get some customers that ''just want it there asap'' so as long as you make them aware that RM will attemp to deliver BEFORE 9am and you give them the conditions of the service then thats as far as you can go with them.

After that you sting them for a 5 year saver, as they clearly have too much money

ROYALMAILCHAT

Mis-selling 9am Special

Mis-selling 9am Special

Re: Mis-selling 9am Special