Sue

Penguin68 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I doubt very much whether the sample size will be > sufficient to identify delivery problems in just > one postcode area. I am happy to stand corrected. > You will know, although I understand you may not > be able to tell me, but is the sample taken > sufficient to be statistically significant at the > SE22 level? And is it reported in that way, to > that level of detail? It is a long time since I worked for Royal Mail, and even longer since I had anything directly to do with their Market Research. I'm afraid I have no idea either how large a sample is taken from each postcode area (though there were others apart from me doing it in this area relatively recently) nor whether it is analysed down to SE22, SE23 etc or whether some postcode areas are combined. All I did as regards this survey was post items and receive items posted from people like me elsewhere in the UK. You would need to ask Royal Mail, and I guess they would be obliged to tell you. I can't see much point in doing it unless they were able to get statistically significant results over a reasonably small area. However in the present case, it must be quite clear to them that there are issues in SE22 irrespective of the results of that delivery research! Though I have no idea how much liaison there is between various departments these days. ETA: In case of misunderstanding, the research I was involved in recently had nothing directly to do with me apart from that I volunteered to do it. That was nothing to do with my having once worked for Royal Mail - any member of the public could apply. All I did was post stuff and receive stuff and record times etc.. I am no longer privy to what goes on in their Market Research department, and in my day so far as I recall this research using volunteers was not carried out.

Penguin68 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Has any reader of this forum been approached by a > researcher on behalf of Royal Mail about this > change? I would be happy to stand corrected... But that's not how things work now, is it? My comments were mainly because you were talking about the situation prior to privatisation. There was no consultation with customers about this change beforehand, so it's hardly likely that customers are going to be consulted afterwards. Given that, Royal Mail "researchers" are not going to approach customers individually about service changes in one area. Going down the routes already suggested seems to me the only viable route to get any change implemented. ETA: But btw, the "mystery shopping" as you describe it should precisely be picking up problems in SE22, because items posted from different parts of the country and delivered to SE22 postcodes are likely being delayed. I don't know exactly how the data is analysed, but if it was not picking up delivery delays then there would be little point in doing it.

I worked for the Post Office, and subsequently Royal Mail, from the late seventies to the early nineties, ie long before privatisation. At one time I was a manager in their Market Research department. I can assure you that customer satisfaction was taken very seriously. More recently, Royal Mail has set up a system whereby "fake" but apparently genuine letters and packets are tracked. They are posted and received by people in various parts of the country, to check on delivery times etc.. God knows what the results are like in this area at the moment !!!! I did this for a time, but it got to be too much of a hassle (The volunteers were paid in stamps. I have enough stamps to last many years, as I rarely use them except at Christmas :)) ) It is true that the Post Office had to pay money to the government. I can't now remember the exact details, but I do remember that despite this millstone round its neck, it generally did very well. But then, it didn't have to satisfy shareholders by selling off its assets, did it? ETA: And I can't speak for BT, but in my experience the Royal Mail managers who were making policy and strategic decisions at Headquarters level were generally very good indeed. At local level the management was not necessarily always so good, but I'm sure that is the same in any organisation.

Penguin68 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- I would be happy for Royal > Mail to be instructed to remedy this situation, > and to be fined the value of any profit they have > made from the sale of Sylvester Road, as an > encouragement not to act so stupidly again. I would be happy for Royal Mail to be unprivatised. If that is a word.

I came downstairs today to find a postie I've never seen before unsuccessfully attempting to jam a very large packet through my quite small letter box. I opened the door to get it, and he handed me the packet and a couple of other letters. Around ten minutes later, he rang the bell and handed me another smaller packet (this one would have easily fitted through the letter box) and two more letters. He looked through his bundle and went off. Around another ten minutes later, I found yet another letter on my doormat, which presumably he had returned to deliver. No wonder deliveries are all over the place. One letter was time-critical, from a bank relating to a switch of accounts. It was apparently posted nine days ago, and the switch took place yesterday so most of the information contained in the letter was completely useless to me. GRRRRRRRRRR. ETA: Surely it is common sense, even if you are a casual and have had no or little training, to bundle up items for the same house before you leave the delivery office? Or at least put them in house order?!

I found loads of useful stuff online, depends on what search words you use, but this might be helpful: https://homeguides.sfgate.com/hang-newspaper-walls-27060.html I'm interested because I want to use decoupage on some old furniture I have - never tried before. So let me know how you get on with the newspapers on walls!

Elphinstone's Army Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Yes Sue, we would. I have attempted pasting over > different surfaces then sealing after which the > paper turns brown. I don't know if this is seeping > through or the polyurethane coating. > What a mess, then had to scrape it all off. > Sometimes, these conceits are just not worth the > effort. Have you tried googling decoupage techniques? I imagine this is much the same?

rendelharris Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- nobody has put forward fox attacks on live cats as an explanation. It seems that regardless of this fact, people will still interpret what has been said or written to suit their own agenda.

singalto Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I was putting cash into my Barclays account > yesterday and the person in front of me was > putting cash into his account.. I wasn't saying nobody needs to put cash into an account. I sometimes do myself. But I think the need to do so must be very much less than it used to be, surely?

Presumably you would have to seal them with something.

singalto Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > How do you put cash in online? You don't. You go to a Post Office. But surely rarely needed these days?

If you bank online you can get an up to date current account balance at any time, without having to go to a bank!

James, are you aware of this apparently proposed CPZ? http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,1970938 I live in one of the roads affected, and this is news to me. Unwelcome news.

rendelharris Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > kford Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Nothing on that link about Cpzs > > On the "Barry Road Map" link at the bottom of the > page: > https://consultations.southwark.gov.uk/environment > -leisure/barryroad/supporting_documents/BarryRoad2 > 0mph_V7.pdf This proposed CPZ includes my road, and I have heard nothing recently about it. I am still opposed to it, I normally have no problems parking, and I hope they are not just going to enforce it without further consultation.

I reported them to admin.

m.rbsn Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > They know of our proposal from the start but > council waited to make their decision until > everything has been finished. Were you aware that the work needed a decision from the council? Were the council aware of the timetable for the work to be carried out?

jimbo1964 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Sue Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Bic Basher Wrote: > > > -------------------------------------------------- > > > ----- > > > I would have thought the most immediate > action > > is > > > for the Royal Mail to hire three more postmen > > for > > > the SE22 postcode area. > > > > > > Just to note that postal workers aren't > > necessarily men!!! > > I believe the Americans now refer to their non > gender specific postal operatives as 'Letter > Carriers'. Which sounds shit. Many moons ago I was in a position to influence this. Sadly the union rejected my suggestion of "posties" on the grounds it sounded like a breakfast cereal :)) :)) :))

Thank you from me too :)

trinidad Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > so as the infomation is quite good, what type of > plastics can be recycled? black plastic? It normally states on plastic whether or not it can be recycled, but if in doubt I just put it in the recycling bin anyway. I had a guided tour of the recycling centre, which was extremely interesting and I recommend it if you get the chance. Basically anything which isn't recyclable is removed and dealt with appropriately anyway during the processing at the centre. There are people employed specifically to do that.

DulwichFox Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > Bikes are expensive. People do not give them away > for FREE. > Yes people do. I gave away a bike some years back.

DovertheRoad Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- >couldn't the facility be > reconfigured? If "Edwardian standards" means > decent toilets, heating an open plan space why did > they not explore that option? The Sylvester Road office was no longer fit for purpose because it wasn't large enough, given the increase in mail order deliveries etc. However I believe options to extend it in some way weren't really investigated because Royal Mail just wanted to sell it off at a profit.

Bic Basher Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I would have thought the most immediate action is > for the Royal Mail to hire three more postmen for > the SE22 postcode area. Just to note that postal workers aren't necessarily men!!!

I am still quite bemused as to why admin has taken to altering people's posts in this way.

Southwark/Veolia quite often send out reminders as to what goes in what bin. I have the latest on my fridge. If people don't read them, that is hardly the council's fault. I don't find the recycling system confusing at all, though I'm not sure what I'm going to do with food waste when I run out of green bags. Use newspaper I guess. But I don't have much food waste for the brown bin because my veggie waste goes into a compost bin. ETA: Btw the compost which is sold at the recycling centre is extremely expensive. As even the people who work there admit. You can buy it far cheaper from a garden centre or somewhere like B and Q.

jimbo1964 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------ I wonder if either the Lordship Lane or > FH Road PO's have enough storage capacity? I doubt it very much. Why would they? They have never previously needed it. Also, queues are bad enough at Lordship Lane at some times now, without adding additional pressure. Excellent post Penguin btw.