First time, every timeFirst-time delivery is crucial to the success of our business. It is extremely important for our customers, our business and our people.

THE ROYAL MAIL NEWSPAPER AUGUST 2014

Special

More information

Follow the five point Delivery to Neighbour checklist, on display in your office soon.

Check out the national guideline we’ve agreed with the CWU, available on myroyalmail.com and watch RMTV.

Frequently asked questions Can a neighbour sign for a recorded item?Yes, Royal Mail Signed For (RMSF) items can be delivered to a neighbour and they can sign for it.* What about Tracked items?Tracked items, including Ticketmaster Tracked items, with a ‘Do not Deliver to Neighbour’ instruction must not be delivered to a neighbour. For all other Tracked items, please do use Delivery to Neighbour.

*In Scotland, if your RMSF item displays the message: 'If addressee is not resident at this address or if undelivered DO NOT FORWARD but return IMMEDIATELY to the sheriff clerk’, do not attempt Delivery to Neighbour.

Delivery to Neighbour – five steps We’ve agreed a national guideline with the CWU that Delivery to Neighbour is now a Royal Mail standard.Where no opt out exists and it’s safe and secure, Delivery to Neighbour needs to be attempted every time your customer is not in.*

Follow these five steps: 1. Leave enough time for the customer to answer the door. Ring the bell and knock on the door2. Observe – does it look like anyone is home? Is a light on, is there a car in the driveway, can you hear a noise from inside?3. Knock again. Look to see if a Delivery to Neighbour opt-out sticker is on display4. If the customer is not at home, assess which neighbour is conveniently close by. Look for signs

as in checklist point 25. If the neighbour has not opted out and is happy to take the parcel, give it to them. Return to the actual delivery address and complete a P739 Something For You card indicating where the item has been left.

*Remember, Special Deliveries and Inbound International Signed For cannot be left with a neighbour.

myroyalmail.com

* Percentage improvement in delivering Tracked 24/48 products first time, six months Jan to June 2013, compared to the same period in 2014.

Most improved delivery offices for first-time delivery Tracked 24/48 products*

TOP 5

Portsmouth 9.38.1

6.86.4

6.2

Swan House

Tunbridge Wells

Plymouth (2-3)

Delivery office Improvement* (%)

Plymouth 1

W1 Mount Pleasant

Norwich

Cambridge

Swansea

Colchester

Best performing delivery offices for first-time delivery Tracked 24/48 products*

TOP 5

* Based on highest total item volumes for Tracked 24/48 products and achieving over 90% first-time delivery, Jan to June 2014.

We need to boost our first-time delivery rate

Delivery to Neighbour To help improve our first-time delivery rates, we’ve agreed with the CWU that Delivery to Neighbour is now a Royal Mail standard.

• 94% of customers like Delivery to Neighbour. • It helps to reduce complaints and keep customers happy. • It makes it easier for you and your colleagues because parcels are not returned to your office.

* Where no opt-out exists and it’s safe and secure to do so. Special Delivery Guaranteed and Inbound International Signed For products are exempt from Delivery to Neighbour.

Our first-time delivery rates vary from office to office. We cannot overestimate the importance of consistency in raising our standards. The best companies are consistent.To stay number one, we must improve.

First time, every time

Four ways to deliver first time, every time

• We believe the best first-time delivery rate in the market – including delivering to a neighbour – is 99%. We’re some way below this.

• We must improve to stay number one in the parcels market.

Do Don'tLeave enough time for the customer to come to the door. Knock twice

Leave any mail where it’s not safe and secure – do not 'doorstep'

Leave mail or a parcel sticking out of a letterbox

Deliver to a customer or neighbour who is displaying an opt-out sticker

Attempt Delivery to Neighbour for Special Delivery Guaranteed and Inbound International Signed For items

Attempt Delivery to Neighbour every time your customer is not in

Use local knowledge, look for signs that a neighbour is in – e.g. music playing, windows open, car in the driveway

Follow any SafeplaceTM instructions on RM Tracked 24/48 items

Complete a P739 Something For You card to let your customer know where their parcel is and ensure you PDA scan as delivered

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Delivery to customer

• Once you’ve knocked, give the customer time to come to the door.

• If they don’t respond, try again.

Delivery to Neighbour• Delivery to Neighbour needs to be

attempted every time your customer is not in*.

• Look for signs a neighbour is home – music playing, open window, car in the drive.

• Remember to complete a P739 Something For You card to let your customer know where their parcel is.

SafeplaceTM

• Used on some RM Tracked 24/48 items.• Follow the instruction if the customer is not in.• Leave the parcel in the designated place, if it

is safe and secure.• No SafeplaceTM instruction? Use Delivery to

Neighbour.

Local Collect • Local Collect is the UK’s largest click and

collect network, using Post Office branches across the UK.

• 99% of the population lives within three miles of a Post Office.

• Delivering a Local Collect parcel to a Post Office counts as first-time delivery.

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