Customer denies receipt - Royal Mail says they delivered

[kevin555]

I sent an order out recently which appeared to be delivered ok. However, the customer (CUSTNAME) is denying having received the package.

It was sent recorded and the RM website shows the signatory - I wrote to them and today received an email stating that Our records show that this item was delivered on DATE, and as well as obtaining a signature, we also have a printed surname of CUSTNAME.

I had emailed the customer a couple of times prior to this latest email and was all set to send a compensation claim to RM - more so that they could investigate if the postie was up to something. As there was a signature it meant that someone was lying - the package wasn't 'lost'.

Now I don't know where I stand.

What would be good is if there was some way to check the customer's credentials - see if they've done this before etc.

Any advice as to what I should do. I don't just want to let this go as I reckon if it is fraud it sometimes lets the floodgates open once the 1st dodgy claim gets through.

 

[Mister B]

You're caught between the devil and the deep blue sea I'm afraid.

I used to send a fair amount by recorded but a couple of months ago, I had one signed for but not by the customer. Having spent a while talking to the customer, it became obvious that she was not "guilty" and accordingly I put a claim in with the RM.

The RM basically stuck two fingers up at me saying that as it had been "signed" for, it had obviously been delivered and that I could not claim. Makes the whole system nonsensical really.

Dependent on the value, I would let the customer have the benefit of the doubt and put a compensation claim in. Don't hold your breath though

Mister B

 

[vvaannmmaann]

I have recently had two different parcels delivered.Both were sent as "Signed For"
I signed for neither,and the postie left them in my letter box.Just as well I am so honest.

 

[gibby]

We have just had a similar issue with a courier firm.
They claim the goods were delivered although to a neighbours house but the customer is claiming she hasn't had the goods.

Although the value is £50.00 I have dropped it, refunded the customer in full.
The customer has been awkward since day one with the order so I think that is where the problem is & we will decline any further orders for the customer.

I suppose your best bet is to take the customers word for it, although it may cost you & monitor any future orders.

G

 

[groovyjon]

Have you seen the actual signature on the POD? Does it look like the customer's name or is it just a squiggle?

We find that when the delivery driver leaves the package elsewhere, he will often enter the customer's surname (or maybe he just has to select it by default) and then signs his illegible squiggle. So just because RM has a surname and a signature doesn't always mean the customer signed for it.

We've had this problem before and we have given the benefit of the doubt to the customer and refunded/replaced. But we do have a little form we have knocked up to send them that gets them to confirm that they have not signed for it, noone at their premises has signed for it, they have checked all around the house in case it has been left, etc. They then sign the bottom of the form for us to supposedly pass on to RM for them to investigate further (although we never do). You also have a copy of their signature to compare to the POD then.

Probably doesn't achieve much, but might just put off a customer who was trying it on. If you want a copy of our form, send me a PM.

 

[Geoff T]

Have you seen the actual signature on the POD? Does it look like the customer's name or is it just a squiggle?

We find that when the delivery driver leaves the package elsewhere, he will often enter the customer's surname (or maybe he just has to select it by default) and then signs his illegible squiggle. So just because RM has a surname and a signature doesn't always mean the customer signed for it.

We've had this problem before and we have given the benefit of the doubt to the customer and refunded/replaced. But we do have a little form we have knocked up to send them that gets them to confirm that they have not signed for it, noone at their premises has signed for it, they have checked all around the house in case it has been left, etc. They then sign the bottom of the form for us to supposedly pass on to RM for them to investigate further (although we never do). You also have a copy of their signature to compare to the POD then.

Probably doesn't achieve much, but might just put off a customer who was trying it on. If you want a copy of our form, send me a PM.

this is a good idea BTW!

 

[penguin-chrissie]

Have you seen the actual signature on the POD? Does it look like the customer's name or is it just a squiggle?

We find that when the delivery driver leaves the package elsewhere, he will often enter the customer's surname (or maybe he just has to select it by default) and then signs his illegible squiggle. So just because RM has a surname and a signature doesn't always mean the customer signed for it.

We've had this problem before and we have given the benefit of the doubt to the customer and refunded/replaced. But we do have a little form we have knocked up to send them that gets them to confirm that they have not signed for it, noone at their premises has signed for it, they have checked all around the house in case it has been left, etc. They then sign the bottom of the form for us to supposedly pass on to RM for them to investigate further (although we never do). You also have a copy of their signature to compare to the POD then.

Probably doesn't achieve much, but might just put off a customer who was trying it on. If you want a copy of our form, send me a PM.

Sounds like a great idea! Filters out any customers trying to pull a fast one and displays to the customer that you believe them and have the facility to follow it up (even if you don't actually do anything about it)

You could still use this to follow up a complaint with RM - surely it would be down to them to follow it up if there were a claim that the postman had not actually delivered this?

 

[kevin555]

Geoff, I think so. I just PMd for a copy of groovyjon's form.

I have seen the signature and it looks reasonably like the name.

Crikey, if they're using those handheld electronic gadgets then they are never like the real signature. Vary rare when I sign on one of those does anything except a few lines come out.

 

[Annoying Twit]

No legal eagle here, but could you get a written statement from the customer saying that the signature given is not his/hers? Certainly if I was a customer of a business, someone stole my item, and the business was going to refund or replace, I'd be very happy to provide a signed statement saying that I didn't receive it and the signature was fake.

 

[Mister B]

Meant to add earlier that as the goods have been "signed" for, officially they are not lost. You are therefore unable to claim the compensation which you would have been entitled to had you used the standard delivery service...

Mister B

 

[gibby]

thats a great idea & also gives us time to investigate - as our last customer was pushing for a refund very quickly

thanks for that - very useful.

Thanks

G

 

[kevin555]

Ok, so I did my Sherlock Holmes and sent off a copy of groovyjon's form to capture the signature - I also sent it recorded so that I could compare sigs - the customer wouldn't know it was from us so might be caught off guard.

So today I receive back the form - different sig from original POD. Aah, I thought let's check the recorded sig.

Guess what - the code on the receipt is not right! As it was a letter I took it to a local PO to get it done and the tracking code says my item was delivered to Liverpool not CUSTADDRESS! What a freakin mess.

Anyway I might take it up with Royal Mail as at least I have the customer's signed note that they never received it.

 

[iArtist]

Just to throw a spanner in the works

Once upon a time I sent some jewellry special delivery

It was rec'd by the delivery office as I called them to see as my pal wasn't in when it was due to be delivered and no note had been put through her door.

As the package was a very odd shape, the woman in the office located it and confirmed it was there.

It then disappeared - became lost

The records at the office showed after 48hrs it had been 'returned to sender'

That is despite the fact theya re meant to hold it for 14 days

3 months later

I hadn't given up

I sent my pal to the office to put the staff through to me on her mobile phone as they'd long given up answering their office phone

(This is after phoning RM a million times at various other depts and getting no where)

When the chappie was on the phone I told him this

'I want the name of the person who wrote in the book the item was RTS as I intend to sue them personally, as I can now do'

5 mins later

My package was retrieved and given to my pal

It had been

"found in the managers safe along with numerous other undelivered special delivery items"

And I quote verbatum

That was 3 months after it became lost

Your guess is as good as mine as to what was going on.

I complained more to RM who were blatantly disinterested and never took any action despite that being as far as I was concerned a criminal offence.

Never again will I use Rm to post anything of value.

Leah

 

[MH1]

Just to add to this thread, I send everything recorded delivery and only get 1% problems at most, and I always ask the client to email a statement which we inform them will be passed onto the Royal Mail investigation team currently reviewing a few lost orders, and that it will provide the basis of any police action.

Normally 80% of the clients find the missing mail within two days, a neighbour is usually blamed even after having been claimed to have been asked several times earlier in previous correspondence.