Royal Mail not delivering the goods! (Royal Mail)

Member Name: Graham Wright

Product:	Royal Mail
Date:	29/04/09 (22 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The cheapest and most easily available service.

Disadvantages: Unreliable, slow and often incompetent to the extreme.

I can't understand what has gone so terrible wrong with Royal Mail! This year they have so far 'lost' at least three of my expected deliveries. The first, a package from the major supplier Amazon (who they should be nurturing) was eventually returned to them - a month after they had reimbursed me for the non-receipt. I suspect another expected delivery from a pharmaceutical company has gone adrift, having waited nine days for it to arrive, and after I've had to meanwhile purchase the needed supplies from a shop. I also worry for another delivery from Amazon that Royal Mail has now had for five days. A recent lost credit card statement causes some concern mainly because it contains somewhat delicate information. However, without the advantage of online banking, there could have been other, more costly repurcussions.

I've now made a habit of examining the terms and conditions of online suppliers who make exclusive use of Royal Mail. It's amazing how many merchants who, by the very nature of their business, totally rely on a delivery service but then subsequently expect to negate any responsibility for items lost by their courier. Needless to say, they don't get my business - I purchase something, I expect to receive it! When available, I often pay the extra to have goods sent by a reliable courier service. They deliver all day, not just in the mornings, and items are reliably trackable!

If I have to send anything important - even letters - I'll generally fork out for 'special delivery' - just in the vague hope of some extra guarantee. I had previously used Royal Mail's 'recorded' service until an important letter continually failed to appear as delivered on their 'track and trace' website. A telephone call to Royal Mail revealed that, in fact, it had been delivered but due to the volume of recorded items to that address, no signatures had been sought (apparently!). So what exactly did I pay the extra for?

If they need to increase the prices in order to achieve a half-decent, reliable, guaranteed service then do it. At the moment, it's worse than some third-world countries and next to useless! Thank heavens for email, at least, and that it doesn't rely in any way on Royal Mail.

Summary: Seems that, despite the technological advances, they still pretty much dwell in the 19th century.