Bad service in post offices

[JoeyJoeC]

I keep getting bad service from post offices. Some are completely fine, but in particular, the one around the corner to me where I work is terrible.

 

I sell an item in particular on eBay which is 50g, and comes under the 'Large Letter' size.

 

I either post them 1st class, or 1st class signed for, depending on which version is sold.

 

This is the dialog that happened last time, but usually have to deal with it every time, no matter how many times I say 1st class signed for. Some times they don't tell me they have decided to send it using a special service and bill me for it anyway.

 

Another time my girlfriend went for me, and they actually wouldn't let her send it using signed for, they pushed her to send it using the next day by 9AM service costing something like £9!

 

Me: "Hello, could I send this one 1st class signed for please?"

 

Them: "Yes, when do you want it to arrive by?"

 

Me: "Tomorrow."

 

Them: "That will be £7.68"

 

Me: "1st class signed for is usually £2.34"

 

Them: "Yes I know that sir [sarcastically], but next day is £7.68".

 

Me: "I said I wanted it 1st class signed for."

 

Them: "That is not next day."

 

Me: "I just want it 1st class signed for."

 

Them: "Ok fine, that is £2.34"

 

Me: "Thanks, how long does 1st class take then?"

 

Them: "It's between 3 and 4 working days."

 

I have never had a single parcel sent first class arrive more than 2 working days after posting.

 

Are these idiots trained into pushing people to pay the higher prices??

[2ltr16valve]

I think they are correct in that first class is no longer expected the next day. At least 1st class things take on average 3 days to get to me in my area (outskirts London/Essex)

[JoeyJoeC]

I've never had one take that long (Essex also), also the hundreds I have sent, I advertise as next day delivery, never had a complaint yet.

 

Still, I have to tell them several times I want first class signed for. The ones in London really need English speaking people working there.

[JoeyJoeC]

Royal mail aims to post 93% of 1st class mail the next day.

[2ltr16valve]

Royal mail aims to post 93% of 1st class mail the next day.

 

Aims to lol. They aim to do a lot but fail miserably.

[JoeyJoeC]

Well they do a good enough job for me.

 

You say they fail miserably, can you give numbers?

[2ltr16valve]

We could give stats an figures but so they actually mean anything ? Can make stats say what you want them too

 

I just know from personal experience. Lots of lost letters and parcels. Letters taking an age to get here.

In fact. I got a pair of ice skates from the United States quicker than I got a letter from Birmingham lol ... Go figure.

[JoeyJoeC]

Likely to be down to your local depot.

[obiter dictum]

16th May 2014

 

Royal Mail reported today that the company is exceeding its first and second class mail quality of service targets. Out of 118 postcode areas, 114 met or surpassed their annual targets.

The results, published today, come the week before Royal Mail is set to publish its prelimary financial results for the year.

 

 

Royal Mail's first class mail target of 93 per cent was beaten with 93.2 per cent of mail being delivered the next working day. Its second class mail target of 98.5 per cent was also exceeded, with 98.9 per cent of mail being delivered within three working days.

[Mr.P]

Full set of Quality of Service reports here: http://www.royalmailgroup.com/customers/quality-service/quality-service-reports

 

Each report gives the headline figures as well as a breakdown of how each area performed.

 

Boot note: Whilst second class mail is typically a three to five day service, I have had stuff delivered the next working day on more than one occasion.

[maroondevo52]

Well they do a good enough job for me.

 

I've always found them better than most

[rebel11]

Post Offices in the past simply used to provide a service, you would go in and say you want to send this, fine the service was provided, these days you go in wanting the same service, they offer 'X' number of differences, they sell like there's no tomorrow.

 

The best bit is the thickness of the letter you want to send. When they try and push it through the plastic template it won't go through, when you push it through it goes through easily.

[JoeyJoeC]

I use a few different post offices in London, one of them near liverpool street kept telling me my parcel was not large letter sized, I put it through and it fit fine, they then argued that it wasn't a "letter" as it was in a padded envelope and was clearly a small parcel.

 

Another one I'm about to head to now is one of those with self checkouts. But you still have to wait there for someone to come past, check everything you done was correct and then they have to scan their pass to print out the labels and stick them on themselves.... Complete waste of time!

 

Slowly deciding to scrap using signed for all together.

[maroondevo52]

People often forget Royal Mail and the Post Office are separate companies with independent Boards.

Royal Mail is the company that delivers parcels and letters, the provider of the universal postal service.

The Post Office is the nationwide network of branches offering a range of postal, Government and financial services.

 

Royal Mail and the Post Office are natural partners and the Chief Executive of Royal Mail has said it would be unthinkable" that there would not always be a strong commercial relationship between the two companies. A long term commercial agreement between the Post Office and Royal Mail for the continued supply of services was signed in 2012.