8mm Forum: Poor Royal Mail service

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Posted by Barry Attwood (Member # 100) on January 29, 2015, 10:12 AM:

I sent fellow Forum member Maurice Leakey a film out first thing last Saturday morning, 1st class recorded, and he received it this morning (Thursday 29th). What's the point of paying the extra for first class delivery when a parcel from London to Bristol takes 4 working days! Where has it been?

No wonder there are now many popular alternatives to Royal Mail like 'My Hermes' making strides into the small parcel delivery services here in the U.K.

Posted by Paul Browning (Member # 2715) on January 29, 2015, 10:24 AM:

Hello Barry, yes I sympathise with you, just not good enough from such a company as royal mail. I think I can match your frustration on time taken, a parcel posted less than a mile from me took 5 days to arrive, where was that in all that time?, gord only knows.

Posted by David Ollerearnshaw (Member # 3296) on January 29, 2015, 12:50 PM:

What I amazing with the UK post. Had two small jiffy bags one came from China the other from Gibralter both got to me before one posted in the UK 1 day earlier.

Posted by Brian Fretwell (Member # 4302) on January 29, 2015, 03:53 PM:

But strangely I have had things from the BBC shop (Rugby) arrive in 2 days from ordering when large enough for them to use Royal Mail and a week when smaller and sent by a rival.
I suspect it depends on how often they do pick-ups from sites and how near you are to a local distribution hub each end.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on January 30, 2015, 02:27 AM:

The padded envelope that Barry used for the 400' film was clearly addressed to me, his address on the back, contained the "Signed For" sticker, and carried a printed stamp marked 1LG (First Class Large) and was dated 24/1/15 with code of EN8.

There were no extra markings or comments to indicate any possible delay.

I received the film five days later on Thursday 29 January.

Posted by Mark Todd (Member # 96) on January 30, 2015, 06:07 AM:

I Just had a large letter 1st class take 5 days to a friend if you include sunday.

Thurs to Tuesday.

Funny as before Christams it was much better ???

Sent a another 1st class Tusday and it wasn`t there Wednesday.

Best Mark.

Posted by Rob Young. (Member # 131) on January 31, 2015, 06:08 AM:

It's pretty poor isn't it, Barry.

Royal Mail managed to lose my postal order for the Indy 8 subs.

Of course, it is just as easy to use a debit card, but as I was posting Barry a Christmas Card I thought I'd pay a bit extra for a postal order and send it all off together...that'll teach me!

Only last week I posted two birthday cards off to my Dad, both 1st class, one arrived next day as intended, the other arrived four days later???

If you can't trust them, what are we paying for?

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on January 31, 2015, 10:24 AM:

It seems that since Post services deal with other matters than mail (in Belgium, you can use the post office as a bank, as gaz company point, as a transfert money bureau...), the basic business (letters and parcells transport) is neglicted. Anyway, I noticed this in Belgium and in France (if I may say that).

Posted by David Ollerearnshaw (Member # 3296) on January 31, 2015, 01:07 PM:

On the other side, this morning I had some ABC Film Review magazines and a 16mm trailer arrive. The mags took 2 days, but the films arrived next day.

Posted by David Guest (Member # 2791) on January 31, 2015, 01:23 PM:

file a claim with royal mail for a refund and never use my hermes

Posted by Mark Todd (Member # 96) on January 31, 2015, 03:09 PM:

There have been some very funny backroom fiddly handshake goings on with Royal mail and other shadey figures surely.

For instance being forced to do the end delivery for other companies in competition to them for less than it costs RM to deliver them, a a huge amount less than the other companies could do it for, if they even could.

Also what crackpot from some other behind the scenes going on decided to throw away all of the business above 2KG. Absolutely bonkers and a gift to the competeting couriers. Surely up to 5KG even would be better. Must be in the multiple 10,s of millions given away maybe 100,s even. !!!

But gawd help us in the UK in about 19/20 months or so once the 3 year obligations on RM are finished.

But lets hope they still are not forced to deliver other couiers mail to end destinations at a loss !!! etc or it will all go to the dogs.

Best Mark.

Posted by Ken Finch (Member # 2768) on February 01, 2015, 09:38 AM:

It all started going down the drain after parts of it were sold off to couriers and the lead up to privatisation with closures of sorting office, computerised sorting systems, reduction of work forces and changes of methods of delivery. Ken Finch.

Posted by Barry Attwood (Member # 100) on February 02, 2015, 03:19 AM:

Well let's see how my latest batch of parcels go as I sent a load out on Saturday, all 1st calss or Parcel Force 48 (in the U.K.) and a few AirMail ones too!

I can only hope all arrive safely, and on TIME!

Posted by Mark Todd (Member # 96) on February 02, 2015, 04:08 AM:

I think the feeling is that on the quiet they have done away with the differecne between 1st and 2nd class, but oddly a lot of 1st is taking longer than 2nd used to at the moment.

There is definately something afoot at the since the new year.

I really value the RM as a lot of people do and nearly everyone didn`t want it privatising as everyone knew what would happen as well.

Our local postie is 60 soon and is jumping ship and retiring while his terms are still good.

Best Mark.

Posted by Simon McConway (Member # 219) on February 02, 2015, 12:32 PM:

Barry posted my film (200') out on Saturday, under 1st class large letter. Received the film this morning. So, for me, very good service.

When companies like DPD can offer exceptional tracking, even telling you what time the courier will knock on your door, this shows Royal Mail up in a very poor light.

Posted by Paul Barker (Member # 4318) on February 03, 2015, 05:31 AM:

the problem i find is that when sending recorded delivery which is supposed to be signed for,it is just put through letter box by postmen who just cannot be bothered. then when you try to track it you just get a message saying WE HAVE YOUR ITEM WHICH IS IN OUR NETWORK FOR DELIVERY. very very poor.

Posted by Brian Fretwell (Member # 4302) on February 03, 2015, 06:29 AM:

Yes, wasn't one of the "reasons" for privatisation given as to allow more investment in technology?
Of course, as usual, the type of corporate investors buying just wanted a profit in the short term then sell on.

Posted by Mark Todd (Member # 96) on February 03, 2015, 08:20 AM:

They sold a huge amount of it to their city chums at the super low price, on the understanding !!! just verbal you understand,!!! that they would,nt sell them on at the inevitable huge profit quickly.

Shock and horror they did just that !!!

Stitch up or what, and Royal Mail were in decent profit when they sold it !!! even with the under the counter fiddlings to benifit the courier companies.

Best Mark.

Posted by David Ollerearnshaw (Member # 3296) on February 03, 2015, 02:51 PM:

Yes the CONS have done it again. A great value service going to the dogs.

We no have two postmen or to be PC post persons. in one van they park up and each does one side of the street.

Posted by Barry Attwood (Member # 100) on February 06, 2015, 05:50 AM:

I'm even more confused with Royal Mail, I've had a parcel of films turn up this morning, posted yesterday 2nd CLASS Small Parcel , what is going on? I'm glad I've received it early, but where's the continuity in service!

Posted by Clinton Hunt (Member # 2072) on February 14, 2015, 08:17 PM:

That all sounds a bit like New Zealand's NZPost service, I can receive a parcel from the great e-bay sellers in your country into my letterbox in just over a week - excellent - oddly enough it can take almost the same amount of time within New Zealand.
Might also be the fact that we are all dying to get our films....the quicker the better [Smile]

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