Spectos/Royal Mail Monitoring and Posting Panel

Saetana

So far as I know, it is not possible to opt out of posting parcels with Spectos - remember the main reason we were allowed to opt out with Kantar was because of covid related issues.  I am getting 1-2 sacks per month to post, which is exactly how it should be - anyone who is getting more than 2 a month should complain because that ain't what we signed up for.  Oh, and apparently it is okay to take the parcels out of the sack and post them in a normal post box - if they will fit - someone confirmed this with Spectos recently.

Graceglow

SkyyeBlue said:

Can't answer the parcel question, but my app looks identical for the UA items, been checking regularly this morning and no change.

I would email them about the issues with the UM App. They seem to be prioritising their responses to emails/tickets.
I emailed this afternoon & got a detailed response after less than an hour.

Yorkie006

Oh, and apparently it is okay to take the parcels out of the sack and post them in a normal post box - if they will fit - someone confirmed this with Spectos recently.

That's all fine and dandy, assuming the parcel box is not full to the brim. Last time I had 2 parcels to post (I could not get to a post office during opening hours) so went to take them do a parcel box, only to find out it was so full, I could only post 1 parcel. It was a 1 hour round trip on foot at 4.30am and basically for nothing as I could not complete the task. The other nearest parcel box was 5 miles away and I was not willing to walk there and back just to drop of 1 box, not to mention I did not have the time anyway as I had to be at work at 6am for a 12hr shift...
Clearly, posting parcels is a lot of hassle for me so I'd prefer not having to do it. Letters are fine, I just pop them in the post box on my way to work, but parcels are a pain as all post offices I could get to close between 17:30 and 18:00 and the only nearby parcel box is a long walk out of my way and no guarantee it won't be full when I get there.
Looks like I'll be quitting the panel in the very near future, it's clearly not meant for people working the hours I do.

HonestJohn

Yorkie006 said:

Oh, and apparently it is okay to take the parcels out of the sack and post them in a normal post box - if they will fit - someone confirmed this with Spectos recently.

That's all fine and dandy, assuming the parcel box is not full to the brim. Last time I had 2 parcels to post (I could not get to a post office during opening hours) so went to take them do a parcel box, only to find out it was so full, I could only post 1 parcel. It was a 1 hour round trip on foot at 4.30am and basically for nothing as I could not complete the task. The other nearest parcel box was 5 miles away and I was not willing to walk there and back just to drop of 1 box, not to mention I did not have the time anyway as I had to be at work at 6am for a 12hr shift...
Clearly, posting parcels is a lot of hassle for me so I'd prefer not having to do it. Letters are fine, I just pop them in the post box on my way to work, but parcels are a pain as all post offices I could get to close between 17:30 and 18:00 and the only nearby parcel box is a long walk out of my way and no guarantee it won't be full when I get there.
Looks like I'll be quitting the panel in the very near future, it's clearly not meant for people working the hours I do.

I must admit it was because of situations like this that I decided only to join Kantar when I retired. I never got a parcel with them though. Have had a few with Spectos though.

Yorkie006

Yes, clearly this panel is aimed at stay at home parents, pensioners, unemployed or people working part time/flexible hours. Most people with full time jobs will struggle to get stuff posted when required (especially if you live in a small-ish town with not many post offices/parcel boxes around)... I never had a parcel to post while I was with Kantar so never had issue with posting items before. Like I said already, posting letters is fine, but parcels are a major pain in the... Spectos need to have a rethink on this, I can't be the only one with no viable posting options (or Royal Mail need to get more parcel boxes out so they're not too far away and not so full).

HonestJohn

I think people will vote with their feet unless there is an opt out. My issue with parcels is that we don't get much for them. The 60 points we receive (25+35) now hardly pays for the petrol and time spent queueing in some POs. My local parcel boxes are on industrial estates. Maybe they are all in high usage areas meaning you have to get there early.

Yorkie006

I'm not so bothered about the reward, it's the fact that I have nowhere to post them without having to go out of my way. I did a bit of research and there are 3 parcel boxes within a 5 mile radius of where I live. The closest one is on the edge of town centre a mile away (so often full) and the 2 others are 5 miles away (each in different direction) on (you guessed it) out of town industrial estates. I do not drive so walking 5 miles to a parcel box and 5 miles back is simply not practical and bus tickets are expensive (assuming the bus actually turns up). In the past year, 2 local post offices closed down (one was 5 mins walk away and every time I went there, it was busy) so if I want to go to a post office now, it's 20 min walk each way (and then it's a 10min+ queue to get served). We need post offices with longer opening hours and/or more parcel boxes in more accessible locations (and emptied more often). Sorry for the long rant, I could go on for quite a while still...

bdark2755

Yorkie006 said:

I'm not so bothered about the reward, it's the fact that I have nowhere to post them without having to go out of my way. I did a bit of research and there are 3 parcel boxes within a 5 mile radius of where I live. The closest one is on the edge of town centre a mile away (so often full) and the 2 others are 5 miles away (each in different direction) on (you guessed it) out of town industrial estates. I do not drive so walking 5 miles to a parcel box and 5 miles back is simply not practical and bus tickets are expensive (assuming the bus actually turns up). In the past year, 2 local post offices closed down (one was 5 mins walk away and every time I went there, it was busy) so if I want to go to a post office now, it's 20 min walk each way (and then it's a 10min+ queue to get served). We need post offices with longer opening hours and/or more parcel boxes in more accessible locations (and emptied more often). Sorry for the long rant, I could go on for quite a while still...

It won’t hurt emailing them to ask for an opt out of parcels. There must be lots of people like me that can post extra to cover those that can’t. I work full time on an Industrial Estate with a parcel box I drive past twice a day. I’m more than happy to have extra parcels as it’s not out of my way. 

gt94sss2

Royal Mail is facing an investigation by the industry watchdog after it failed to meet its delivery targets over the past year.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-65601117

Hollie_

Yorkie006 said:

I'm currently doing the Unaddressed survey, but have no idea what items I'm supposed to receive because the app isn't showing them. The one photo showing was already displayed last week but the 2 others appeared this morning. Trying to enlarge them doesn't show anything either. Anyone else having similar problem? I got a leaflet delivered today but no idea if it's one of those pictured... From my experience raising a ticket is pointless, I opened a couple a while back and the soonest response was 3 weeks... Hardly good if you have a problem that needs resolving quickly.

I’m getting the exact same thing happening with mine too. The same images as you. I’ve logged a ticket but not expecting a reply before the UA survey ends..

I did receive 2 UA mail items last week so I wonder if it’s those..