Royal Mail Now Hiring Extra Royal Snails! (Royal Mail)

Member Name: katykicker

Product:	Royal Mail
Date:	13/08/09 (196 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Reasonably priced letters.

Disadvantages: Not all items arrive on time, larger packages can cost a LOT!

Royal Mail is one of those services that you use on a regular basis or receive the benefits of on a regular basis yet never think about it much (at least I don't).

You may use their post offices to take out insurance, cash your benefits or simply to post letters or packages. Their service may bring letters and parcels to you on a regular basis. The only time some people really notice just how much Royal Mail does is when they have one of their famous strikes over pay or working conditions and the mail dries up.

Royal Mail have lots of services including:

Special Delivery: This is when your package is guaranteed to arrive before a set time to around 90% of the country. This is quite expensive (£7.00 and up I believe now) but it's worth paying extra sometimes to try and guarantee that your documents will arrive. If they don't arrive the next day then you can claim your money back, also, these packages or documents are signed for so you have proof that they arrived.

Recorded Signed For: This is when your package or letter requires a signature. This is very useful when you are sending something and want to ensure it has been received and who by. This is only around 70p on top of the cost of sending your package or letter and it can be tracked online.

Normal Post: From around 25p and up you can send letters either first or second class. Around 92% of first class letters currently arrive the next day (except Sundays) and around 80% of second class (on average). I usually just send things second class unless it's a package or letter that I'm late sending and want it to arrive, almost definitely, the following day.

In addition to these services you can also obtain a 'proof of postage' which will show that you have at least sent something to a specific address. This is useful when selling items on Ebay and such like.

Royal Mail 'promise' to have all mail delivered by 12pm but in the four properties that I have lived in, in this town, I've never had a postman who regularly arrived before 1 or 2pm. Yesterday is a prime example of this as my post didn't arrive until 2:15pm. I believe this is because a postpersons work gets harder and harder over time. They have to sort the mail, prepare their mailbags and then do a round of a couple of miles normally (at least here they do!). It's still a little frustrating when I'm waiting in for something, give up on it coming today, get ready & go out and then when I get back I've missed the package or the post and I'm angry.

Royal Mail has increased it's prices over time (like everything!) so I usually only send etters when necessary. I have found, in the past, that I can send packages cheaper with local couriers so I would always recommend shopping around before deciding who to use.

The service, overall, is quite good and I have never had to put in a claim for anything of value as my packages have always arrived, albeit a little late sometimes!

Royal Mail may be a little more expensive than some other companies but they ARE quite reliable.

In recent years there has been fairly frequent strikes over pay but I have never really noticed must disruption to my post and how long it takes to arrive.

I would rate Royal Mail 3/5 as it may not be as efficient as it could be but for the price I pay per letter it's perfectly reasonable.

Summary: A reasonable mail provider.