Royal Mail operates like a 3rd world country

[deniser]

We get a lot of parcels.

Delivery is usually attempted in the late afternoon after we have closed. Often there are several sackloads so they send the van driver out specially with them.

We rang the depot and said there's no point sending the van driver out with sackloads of parcels in the late afternoon when we aren't there. We told them what time we go. Their only reply was that if we want timed delivery then we have to pay several thousand pounds per year.

When I complained to higher authorities they told me that they aren't actually allowed to deliver them this later and that they would recruit 15 new staff so that deliveries would be made earlier. But that was months ago and nothing has changed.

Today we told them that we are closed next week so don't bother sending the van driver every day with his sacks. Their only reply was, you need to use the keepsake service and pay for it.

So as a result they are going to come and try to deliver every day next week when we won't be there. I would be interested to see how many cards they are going to fill in and push through the letterbox and there will be hundreds of parcels.

I understand that this would be necessary for individuals as they can't hold each person's post but for a large business with a large quantity of post this is an absolute joke. No wonder they are in difficulty!

We are only trying to help them.

 

[Andy Walpole]

They only deliver late in the afternoon? I wouldn't stand for that... aren't there guidelines about Royal Mail delivery times or can they just deliver any time of the day and when they feel like it?

 

[PMSToys]

Royal Mail is a joke. I've sent out many deliveries via recorded delivery and about 75% of them are not traceable on the RM website. Yes, it says that information is only available online AFTER delivery has been made but you'd think that the info would be there 4 weeks later....

I find it hard to sympathise when Royal Mail go on strike. It's one of the few times I've held the belief that privatisation is a good thing and would result in a more efficient and customer orientated service.

 

[Chris H]

Why blame the people who do the deliveries? Policy is set by the RM management, it's them that people need to moan at.

 

[PMSToys]

Chris,

That's a fine idea but and in and ideal world, we'd have the phone numbers of the people at the top readily available but in reality, calls from customers are generally handled at a lowest level possible.

I guess you could write to the big cheese and voice your opinions and constructive criticism but I suspect the chances of said letter being intercepted and "redirected" are a lot higher than the person at the top getting to see what the customers really think.

Having said that, my father wrote to the chairman of the city council because of some trouble he was having with a certain department and the situation was resolved within 24 hrs with a phone call of apology from the chairman himself to say that he had no idea that this sort of thing was happening and he was glad it was bought to his attention.

I guess you can only try....however with a big beast like RM, I'd be rather pessimistic!