Does anyone use the Royal Mail "Fast Drop" Service?

Sally22_2

supersaver09 wrote: »

My local PO is on the "Fast Drop" list but only has a regular hatch which is un-manned. (usually only 1 or 2 counter-staff available).
So basically, i'd still have to wait for a Member of Staff to come to me to have the proof of postings stamped [for them to be valid]? Do they still have to check how many packages i have etc. before stamping the P.O.P?
With only 1 or 2 staff on-hand, not sure how that'd work if there's 20 people waiting in the queue.

Yes we check how many items you have against how many are on the POP. You can get POP emailled to you, I think by us stamping your paper copy is just proof you have handed them over to the Post Office, to cover both of ours backs in case there was a problem.

There are 3 types of PO in this case.
1.Offices which DONT offer Fast Drop.
2.Offices which DO offer Fast Drop.
3.Offices which DO offer Fast Drop AND have a dedicated position for the service.

Check your nearest office here http://www.postofficefastdrop.co.uk/

This is what I have just taken from the RM website

The Fast Drop service is only available when you buy postage using Royal Mail Online Postage. Using Fast Drop, you can save time by dropping off items at a dedicated Fast Drop counter in selected Post Office branches . You will receive email notification of posting which can also be automatically sent to the recipient so there is no need to keep paper copies of Certificate of Posting.

patman99

Both my local PO's offer FD, funny thing is, one only has one counter, the other has two, but even with FD they still insist on each parcel being weighed before accepting them.

supersaver09

Sally22 wrote: »

This is what I have just taken from the RM website

The Fast Drop service is only available when you buy postage using Royal Mail Online Postage. Using Fast Drop, you can save time by dropping off items at a dedicated Fast Drop counter in selected Post Office branches . You will receive email notification of posting which can also be automatically sent to the recipient so there is no need to keep paper copies of Certificate of Posting.

By this, i'm guessing the emailed/unstamped printed POP is proof enough that the items have been sent........along with the fact the items are Barcoded (?)
If you still have to wait at the counter for your your packages to be processed & the P.O.P stamped, it kind of defeats the object.

Sally22_2

We do have to weigh the items before we scan them in, but we do it after the customer has gone in our office, as we have a set of the digital scales on our side of the counter by the FD Position/Parcel Hatch that were put in for the service!!

supersaver09

Just tried to purchase online postage with Fast drop and it doesn't seem to offer regular 1st class as an option. (?)

soolin

I've just looked for my nearest fast drop PO and it is my local one but it doesn't have a dedicated counter so I would still need to queue according to the blurb. In fact I don't appear to have one with a dedicated counter anywhere convenient at all.

It is a shame as this bit appealed to me:

As part of the standard service you will automatically receive electronic notification of posting, which can also be sent to a nominated person eg the person you are posting the item to.

soolin

supersaver09 wrote: »

Just tried to purchase online postage with Fast drop and it doesn't seem to offer regular 1st class as an option. (?)

The page i have offers both 1st and 2nd class:

http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/olpui?catId=97200765&service=FirstAndSecondClass&pageId=olpui_rm_service_finder&tagId=olp_fastdrop&createNewPostage=3&olpuiJourneyType=knowMyServiceJourney&off=off&on=on&gear=olpui

supersaver09

soolin wrote: »

The page i have offers both 1st and 2nd class:

http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/olpui?catId=97200765&service=FirstAndSecondClass&pageId=olpui_rm_service_finder&tagId=olp_fastdrop&createNewPostage=3&olpuiJourneyType=knowMyServiceJourney&off=off&on=on&gear=olpui

Oh OK.
Dunno what went wrong there,.....i try again in the morning.

supersaver09

Well, i posted a couple of things earlier this morning using Fast drop.
No sign of any email confirmation (electronic certificate of posting) yet though. :-/

custardy

supersaver09 wrote: »

Well, i posted a couple of things earlier this morning using Fast drop.
No sign of any email confirmation (electronic certificate of posting) yet though. :-/

did they scan in the fast drop items?