blog! “Ways in which Royal Mail could save its business”
With the news that Royal Mail wants to end Saturday delivery, I got to thinking about how I'd try to innovate a way out of the mess they're in. The facts are that the critical mass of letter delivery has gone. It isn't coming back. Yes, I know your grandad likes receiving his bank statements […
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#innovation #postoffice #RoyalMail
@Edent they're never ever ever shredding junk mail - it's one of their profit centres.
@Geeklawyer True, but they do let you opt-out of receiving it https://personal.help.royalmail.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/293/~/how-do-i-opt-out-of-receiving-any-leaflets-or-unaddressed-promotional-material%3F
@Geeklawyer @Edent
“If you still wish to opt out of receiving Door to Door mail items please print a copy of our Opt out form. Complete and sign it, then send it to the address shown on the form.
We'll action your request within six weeks of receiving your completed form. Your opt out will last for a period of two years. During this time every effort will be made to prevent the delivery of Door to Door items by Royal Mail.
At the end of the two year period, in order to continue with your opt out, you will simply need to repeat this process and complete a new application form to confirm that you are still resident at the address and wish to continue opting out of Door to Door deliveries.”
It’s almost as if they don’t want to make it easy to unsubscribe
@barsteward @Geeklawyer during lockdown, I convinced them to accept an emailed copy.
@Edent Great article! Having a virtual address is definitely something I could consider paying for (having moving out a few weeks ago...). Especially if this address could be shared with other parcel delivery services to reduce fragmentation.
@Edent I’d pay for a competently run email system that isn’t Google or otherwise American
Though I don’t think anyone would get my mail
@Edent and hell to the yes for my RM email address being valid for deliveries too it’s always a little unnerving chucking my address at random PRs on the internet
@Edent
Mid 2010s we had competing postmen - Whistl (formally TNT Post) branched out into last-mile deliveries, doing the daily post in a few areas, including here.
They abandoned it after less than three years as being unprofitable..
@Edent I still ask for physical bank statements because some organisations still accept them as proof of address (and won't accept online bank statements). Things like DBS checks can be a bit strict with things like this.
@jamescrakemerani I'm not saying you're wrong - but have you actually checked to see if they do want the physical ones?
I switched to online banking 20 years ago, and I can't remember ever having to show an "original" bank statement.
Everyone has been perfectly content with PDFs, print-outs, or seeing it on my phone when I've told them I don't do post.
Last time I had a DBS check, I was asked for physical documents. I also just looked up the government guidance on https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-identity-checking-guidelines/id-checking-guidelines-for-standardenhanced-dbs-check-applications-from-1-july-2021 and it states:
'You must not accept documentation printed from the internet e.g. internet bank statements'
@jamescrakemerani Fair enough. But why put yourself through getting a paper statement every month?
On the rare occasion you need it, just ask for one to be sent.
@Edent Do banks offer them on request as a one-off? If so I will actually consider doing that instead.
The first time I had a DBS check, it was for a volunteering position at my sixth form. I had just started university so it completely escaped my mind that I would need to have a DBS check as the students I was working with (even though they were merely 1-2 years younger than me at the time) were all classed as children whereas I was an adult.
@jamescrakemerani yeah, every bank I'm with (and utility companies etc) will do a one-off printed statement on request.
I've not had a DBS in years. Hopefully they'll get their act together before I next need one
@jamescrakemerani @Edent Very similar for GRC applications. I get physical bank statements, energy bills and payslips to maximise the amount of evidence I have that I am using my name. They will use any excuse to reject it.
@Edent Postal system is wild when you look under the hood…
Over a decade ago I worked for a mail consolidator… we helped companies find cheapest way to send post / ship items. Sometimes was bulk mail within UK sometimes UK retailers sending products overseas.
Remember a retailer sending us a couple of pallets of brochures which we printed the addresses on, the pallettes were then shipped to Poland and handed over to the Polish post office who then delt with shipping them to the Royal Mail