Smartstamp - Online Postage - Royal Mail

[TRP67]

Whilst I usually use PPI, Sometimes I still use smartstamp for odd items and Im totally amazed at the lack of knowledge from a lot of the post office counter staff..

Occasionally, I get a picky member of staff - the products I send are loose and most items go through the Large Letter sizing guide, however if they all roll to one end its tight - thats fine I understand that, and sometimes I have to pay the extra charge to upgrade to a packet from Large Letter

When I started running my business 6 years ago I was told you couldnt do this, and thought it was a little strange and paid the entire postage again, but thought I would phone the helpline to confirm.

I have done this several times and have been told that this is nonsense and you can add the extra - I had this argument so many times at out local PO that when they checked it they confirmed it to all staff at their saturday morning brief and put a memo on the wall. I believe if you buy through paypal postage you cannot do this, however if buying directly from Royal Mail you can.

Having just gone to a different post office and having the same discussion I thought it would just be so much easier if I could obtain something from Royal Mail confirming this - however having just emailed their customer services they now say you cannot do this!!!!!

Am I the only one who is going round in circles?

Vince

 

[profscooter]

Yes I have experienced that problem in the past, all my small stuff goes Smartstamp and a couple of years ago they would not take an item where they disagreed with the price, but now they just charge any extra and there is a receipt for me to pay for the next day, so either some sort of policy change or just a new staff awareness drive. The number of business users who still queue in the PO for parcel weighing and stamps though is remarkable though, perhaps they should promote Smartstamp more. These days I try and prevent loose-rolling inside a large letter by taping smaller items to a piece of card and have not had much of this sort of trouble as a result.

 

[TRP67]

Thanks for that - Ive been trying to find (with no joy) confirmation in writing of whether you can or cannot so that I know for sure to stop this hassle every time

My products are all very small loose items and if someone (like the lady yesterday) hold the item vertical it does all shift and it will go through with the tiniest of pushes - although jobsworths state thats not how it works

 

[websnail]

Sadly I'm all too familiar with how little post office staff and Royal Mail communicate... actually, let me back up a little, I see just how little communication goes on within Royal Mail itself too... It's a never ending saga.

The best approach sadly is to arm yourself with a thorough understanding or what is and isn't allowed based on the rule of Royal Mail... Keep a written record of the conversation, time, date, person, etc... and then apply it to the counter staff. Assume you will experience at least 2 weeks (usually 2+ months) of occasional jobby style "You can't do it like that!" from counter staff. Along the way, you provide your contact at Royal Mail with the details of the problem and ask them to contact the Post Office in question.

Granted it's a lot easier if you have a business account with RM as they actually do get assigned to you and strangely enough, do want to help but it can take a while before someone phones and has "words" to sort things out properly.

Most of the time it comes down to staff not having information passed on, RM not informing the PO properly as to what new tariffs do, don't do, etc... and you find yourself this unwitting middle man between the equivalent of two squabbling toddlers.

It's a mess but you do get through it as you appear to have found...

Just wait till the new tariffs and product types go through again though... Expect chaos and confusion while they try to figure out their derrier from elbow joints all over again..