Depot Focus - Lincoln

Focus and hard work saw Lincoln receiving our Golden Welcome Depot Award this year, and the East Midlands site going from strength to strength.

Winning the award for seeing the most improved performance in contacting new costumers and checking parcels are well packaged, Lincoln’s 51 colleagues work hard to ensure customer service is at the forefront of their minds.

Acting Operations Manager Phil Moore joined the team in 2012, after spending 11 years at Leicester as a driver. He was delighted with the win. “It was a great achievement for us all. We made sure we were focused and actioned everything we needed to. We’re already a very productive Depot and we just want to keep offering the same fantastic quality of service.

Previously the Collections and Delivery Manager at Lincoln, Phil loves working with the team on the shop floor every day and feels his background as a driver helps him understand what the customer wants. He explains “Some days are more difficult than others, and it’s important we all understand how to react in unique or unexpected scenarios. We’re a small but great team.”

As well as delivering and collecting thousands of parcels a day, one of the depot's most prominent customers is Plum Play. Based just outside of Lincoln, the company sells a variety of products for children to use outside. From trampolines to climbing frames, the team collect the unusual everyday ready to be distributed across the UK.

And alongside Christmas parties and summer get-togethers, Lincoln has been working hard to raise money for Parcelforce’s corporate charity, Action for Children, as part of the Ops Challenge. Phil cooked everyone bacon and sausage baps one morning, with the admin team selling cakes for £1 each. Phil adds: “We want to play our part, raising money for our corporate charity and also making sure we deliver the best possible service for all our customers.”

Post to Parcel

Having spent six months as a post man, the move to Parcelforce 26 years ago was an easy decision for Iain Williams, especially when his dad already worked for the business. Today, he’s a reserve driver with the Lincoln team. Iain, who’s from the city, says: “I know the countryside pretty well by now, and I love working outside and meeting new people.”

A Change of Scenery 

Grant Hinchliffe first began his career with Parcelforce and Royal Mail as a telegram boy 35 years ago, which is a long way from his role as a driver with the Lincoln depot. He explains: “We used to deliver wedding and death telegrams, so we had to not look too happy in case we were delivering a death. It was very difficult back then. Being with Parcelforce has been great, and I’m lucky because my route is in the Lincolnshire Wolds (an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) so it’s beautiful.

In the Driving Seat

After knowing a few friends at the Lincoln depot, Steve Woods was delighted to join as a Reserve Driver eight years ago. In his role, he covers lots of routes across the country and enjoys seeing new sights every day.  Steve says: “I knew Parcelforce was a good company and I was friends with people like Iain Williams already. Its great to meet new people all the time and I really enjoy my job.

If you'd like to find out more about a career at Parcelforce, please click here.