Kantar - Royal Mail Monitoring and Posting Panel

notbritishgas

goldilocks1704 wrote: »

Just got my first posting assignments after a 6 month break. But did do a short 2 week training just before Xmas.
At the start of new assignments I have been sent collectors stamps one at the beginning of the assignment and then another at the end of the 6 month session. This is in addition to the monthly stamps.
But this time no collectors stamps and no mention of these. Do they not do them anymore has anyone received them recently.
Tia

Yes I started a new 6 month stint in December and received the star wars presentation pack with my first live posting pack.
Star wars now sold on ebay and to answer an earlier question I sell the books of stamps I have not used after the 6 months on ebay.

NBLondon

quoia wrote: »

... and probably due to another survey member not sending you a postal item (with an enclosed SMART) on the date they should have done. Possibly a week late like you had to because of the same reason or just a general "don't care / doesn't matter" (how, where or when) attitude that seem to affect so many members

You may well be right - and because I've sent it a week late (as TNS advise) it ripples down to the next person until it runs out of battery.

Only once in over 5 years have I received REAL SMARTs direct from TNS (and this was not at my request - I guess they realised from their posting plan for me that I was going to have none in stock when I actually needed to use one), on every other occasion my SMART stock is supplied via "Received Items" from other members

I reckon I've had direct SMARTs once or twice a cycle - mostly at the beginning. At least once they have sent me a SMART directly and then asked me to send it back before it ever got assigned or used. That's why I usually wait for the website to tell me which SMARTs to use in which items next week and prepare them on Sunday morning.

Now here's a new thought that struck me...

At the weekend I received (went to get) a cube which had an APL on it. The paperwork inside said "Metered" and I when I logged it the website detected the discrepancy and asked me to confirm. SO far, so good. Yesterday I queued up to send a cube with an APL. Had I been at a PO with self-serve machines, I could have used that to speed up the process - but then it would have arrived with a Post & Go label instead of the big square one. Still valid and presumably Royal Mail treat it the same but would it be recognised by the recipient as different or logged as APL? Would TNS care?

quoia

NBLondon wrote: »

<SNIP>

At the weekend I received (went to get) a cube which had an APL on it. The paperwork inside said "Metered" and I when I logged it the website detected the discrepancy and asked me to confirm. SO far, so good. Yesterday I queued up to send a cube with an APL. Had I been at a PO with self-serve machines, I could have used that to speed up the process - but then it would have arrived with a Post & Go label instead of the big square one. Still valid and presumably Royal Mail treat it the same but would it be recognised by the recipient as different or logged as APL? Would TNS care?
</SNIP>

On the 1st point that (to me) would indicate that TNS had asked (presumably) a business user that had a franking machine to send the cube but instead it went "with payment" via the a post office counter.

On the latter, technically it is still an APL I suppose.
Probably worth contacting TNS to ask/advise and suggest the website is updated to have a Post & Go label image added to the page where the APL image is displayed if to be treated the same.

Having said that, I had a conversation with TNS a few months ago about certain valid email address formats that are NOT accepted by their website requiring a similar sort of update.
Apparently they are working on a NEW website that should be up and running in the not too distant future, and any changes of this sort will probably not be implemented before this happens. I'm sure they would be grateful for this kind of feedback so that the new website can include this sort of detail right from the start.

Saetana

So far as I know it is fine to use the self-service machines in the post office if you have to - I've sent a couple of parcels this way with no complaints from TNS (sometimes if the post office is busy then customers are directed to use the machines so can't post over the counter). I'm sure I saw something either in the training manuals or an email from them that it was okay to use these machines if necessary.

NBLondon

quoia wrote: »

On the 1st point that (to me) would indicate that TNS had asked (presumably) a business user that had a franking machine to send the cube but instead it went "with payment" via the a post office counter.

Yep - that was my assumption too.

On the latter, technically it is still an APL I suppose.

That's the nerdy question... If I buy a 1st Class Large Letter Post & Go it's a stamp. Perhaps the difference is whether the item goes into a post box or is handed over a counter to be slung in a mailbag? Which begs the question - if we sent identical Jiffys or DVD boxes by all the ways (stamps in postbox, Post & Go in postbox, APL over counter, Post & Go over counter) would they all get the same service?

Probably worth contacting TNS to ask/advise and suggest the website is updated to have a Post & Go label image added to the page where the APL image is displayed if to be treated the same.

That makes sense - I'm more sanguine as to whether it would be taken notice of...

Saetana wrote: »

So far as I know it is fine to use the self-service machines in the post office if you have to - I've sent a couple of parcels this way with no complaints from TNS (sometimes if the post office is busy then customers are directed to use the machines so can't post over the counter). I'm sure I saw something either in the training manuals or an email from them that it was okay to use these machines if necessary.

Thanks for that. Actually, the early opening PO doesn't have a self-serve and the one that does have them is strictly 9 to 5.30 so it's a theoretical option for me anyway!

littlemoney

Is this a sign of thigs to come in a TNS email.. Asuuming this is a trial run, will it be a permanent addition?

"As part of a short-term addition to the Royal Mail Survey, you may be sent one test item that you will need to sign for. This one-off addition will be delivered to your address sometime between 22nd January and 23rd March.

What‘s in it for you
You will be entered into a prize draw with a chance to win a £1,000 cheque. Only 1,920 panellists have been selected to receive a ‘signed-for‘ item, so if you receive an item like this you have a 1 in 1,920 chance of being the winner.


How to participate
All you need to do is sign for the letter when delivered and then register it online the same as your other test items. If the postman leaves a Delivery Notice because you were out, please pick up the letter at the Sorting Office or arrange re-delivery.


Best regards,


The Kantar TNS Postal Panels Team"

need_an_answer

I had the email too about the signed for delivery.

My understanding is that it is a one off competition and as yet not even something that everyone will be entered into .

well that's 2 panelists out of the 6000 or so that have had it,any others?

m1kjm

need_an_answer wrote: »

I had the email too about the signed for delivery.

My understanding is that it is a one off competition and as yet not even something that everyone will be entered into .

well that's 2 panelists out of the 6000 or so that have had it,any others?

I'm registered on the panel at 2 addresses and only one account has had the email.

littlemoney

The email says you may be sent a signed for item. I assumed that all panelists would get the email but only 1,920 panelists would be sent a signed for item. Will be interesting to see how many others get the email.

Snap-ant

Email received too

(admittedly I read it wrong as 22 - 23 January.. )