Post Office & Royal Mail - outdated, incompetent and cutting corners

mattyprice4004

Not often I post here - but here we go! 
I use Royal Mail for sending small items, receiving goods and also at work for dispatch of between 20 and 50 items a day - and it seems lately they're just cutting corners and costs to the extreme. 

From the perspective of a business, there's so many old processes that could be improved - we're still issued with the same size (the only size they'll provide) mail bags which will only hold two parcels in some cases; using larger bags or just loading directly into the van like our other courier partners do would save so much time and effort of manually sorting parcels at their end. 
Re-arranging collections for a different time has to be done manually and involves speaking to about 30 different people, some days they show up far too early without warning and then moan when they're asked to re-attend later as we've not finished getting things together for them. 
Tracking for parcels is basic, and even with the fully 'signed for' service half the time they don't bother (even before COVID). 
Tracking for international parcels doesn't exist unless you pay for it, unlike any other service out there - you just have to hope and pray it'll somehow get there. 

As an end user, sending smaller items isn't so much of an issue, but our local Post Office closed in 2016 - to be replaced by one in a chemist up the road. This has now closed and our closest is about 3 miles away - and the new 'collection' service doesn't happen half the time when booked and getting a refund is near-impossible. 
Not to mention how big the queue is at the one remaining Post Office, how moody the staff are and how little they know about the products and services they offer...! 

Deliveries have always been hit and miss, we have temporary staff on our round who frequently delivery neighbour's mail to us by accident, won't leave parcels that don't need a signature with neighbours or in our parcel locker (which is clearly noted on the door) and then they expect us to travel 5 miles to the delivery office to collect. 
We caught the postman popping a 'we missed you' card through the door, he then admitted he didn't actually have the parcel as his van was full but had to show he'd attempted to deliver it! He then had the gall to beg me not to report it.

Finally, contacting them is nearly impossible - they need a couple of staff sat at a desk in each delivery office fielding calls from local people who need assistance - after the above incident I found it incredibly hard to actually reach out to anyone for help. I had the choice between a 50+ minute wait on the phone to their main number, a 5 mile drive to the delivery office or their online contact form which promises a reply in 14 days (last time I checked). 

Rant over, but I feel I'm not alone in this - and it's only getting worse. 
Never thought I'd say it, but I miss the days they were publicly owned. 

molerat

turnitround said:

Clearly a post by someone who had no idea how Royal Mail or the Post Office counters (2 separate companies) operate.

I am sure op does understand the differences and the post is clearly a vent about both organisations who, although separate entities, are somewhat intertwined.

Murphybear

molerat said:

turnitround said:

Clearly a post by someone who had no idea how Royal Mail or the Post Office counters (2 separate companies) operate.

I am sure op does understand the differences and the post is clearly a vent about both organisations who, although separate entities, are somewhat intertwined.

molerat said:

turnitround said:

Clearly a post by someone who had no idea how Royal Mail or the Post Office counters (2 separate companies) operate.

I am sure op does understand the differences and the post is clearly a vent about both organisations who, although separate entities, are somewhat intertwined.

I worked for Post Office Counters years ago.  My pension is from Royal Mail. 

marlot

Murphybear said:

molerat said:

turnitround said:

Clearly a post by someone who had no idea how Royal Mail or the Post Office counters (2 separate companies) operate.

I am sure op does understand the differences and the post is clearly a vent about both organisations who, although separate entities, are somewhat intertwined.

molerat said:

turnitround said:

Clearly a post by someone who had no idea how Royal Mail or the Post Office counters (2 separate companies) operate.

I am sure op does understand the differences and the post is clearly a vent about both organisations who, although separate entities, are somewhat intertwined.

I worked for Post Office Counters years ago.  My pension is from Royal Mail. 

Actually, it's from the government.  The historic pensions were absorbed by the state when Royal Mail was privatised.  Royal Mail do the admin though.

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn04940/

dosh37

In my experience, the Post Office & Royal Mail may not be perfect but they are a damn sight better than many couriers such as Herm(p)es.

ThumbRemote

turnitround said:

Clearly a post by someone who had no idea how Royal Mail or the Post Office counters (2 separate companies) operate.

In what way do they not understand? They even list both in the title

Undervalued

mattyprice4004 said:

Not often I post here - but here we go! 
I use Royal Mail for sending small items, receiving goods and also at work for dispatch of between 20 and 50 items a day - and it seems lately they're just cutting corners and costs to the extreme. 

From the perspective of a business, there's so many old processes that could be improved - we're still issued with the same size (the only size they'll provide) mail bags which will only hold two parcels in some cases; using larger bags or just loading directly into the van like our other courier partners do would save so much time and effort of manually sorting parcels at their end. 
Re-arranging collections for a different time has to be done manually and involves speaking to about 30 different people, some days they show up far too early without warning and then moan when they're asked to re-attend later as we've not finished getting things together for them. 
Tracking for parcels is basic, and even with the fully 'signed for' service half the time they don't bother (even before COVID). 
Tracking for international parcels doesn't exist unless you pay for it, unlike any other service out there - you just have to hope and pray it'll somehow get there. 

As an end user, sending smaller items isn't so much of an issue, but our local Post Office closed in 2016 - to be replaced by one in a chemist up the road. This has now closed and our closest is about 3 miles away - and the new 'collection' service doesn't happen half the time when booked and getting a refund is near-impossible. 
Not to mention how big the queue is at the one remaining Post Office, how moody the staff are and how little they know about the products and services they offer...! 

Deliveries have always been hit and miss, we have temporary staff on our round who frequently delivery neighbour's mail to us by accident, won't leave parcels that don't need a signature with neighbours or in our parcel locker (which is clearly noted on the door) and then they expect us to travel 5 miles to the delivery office to collect. 
We caught the postman popping a 'we missed you' card through the door, he then admitted he didn't actually have the parcel as his van was full but had to show he'd attempted to deliver it! He then had the gall to beg me not to report it.

Finally, contacting them is nearly impossible - they need a couple of staff sat at a desk in each delivery office fielding calls from local people who need assistance - after the above incident I found it incredibly hard to actually reach out to anyone for help. I had the choice between a 50+ minute wait on the phone to their main number, a 5 mile drive to the delivery office or their online contact form which promises a reply in 14 days (last time I checked). 

Rant over, but I feel I'm not alone in this - and it's only getting worse. 
Never thought I'd say it, but I miss the days they were publicly owned. 

So, would you be willing to pay the full economic cost of providing the level of service you expect?

molerat

Undervalued said:

mattyprice4004 said:

Not often I post here - but here we go! 
I use Royal Mail for sending small items, receiving goods and also at work for dispatch of between 20 and 50 items a day - and it seems lately they're just cutting corners and costs to the extreme. 

From the perspective of a business, there's so many old processes that could be improved - we're still issued with the same size (the only size they'll provide) mail bags which will only hold two parcels in some cases; using larger bags or just loading directly into the van like our other courier partners do would save so much time and effort of manually sorting parcels at their end. 
Re-arranging collections for a different time has to be done manually and involves speaking to about 30 different people, some days they show up far too early without warning and then moan when they're asked to re-attend later as we've not finished getting things together for them. 
Tracking for parcels is basic, and even with the fully 'signed for' service half the time they don't bother (even before COVID). 
Tracking for international parcels doesn't exist unless you pay for it, unlike any other service out there - you just have to hope and pray it'll somehow get there. 

As an end user, sending smaller items isn't so much of an issue, but our local Post Office closed in 2016 - to be replaced by one in a chemist up the road. This has now closed and our closest is about 3 miles away - and the new 'collection' service doesn't happen half the time when booked and getting a refund is near-impossible. 
Not to mention how big the queue is at the one remaining Post Office, how moody the staff are and how little they know about the products and services they offer...! 

Deliveries have always been hit and miss, we have temporary staff on our round who frequently delivery neighbour's mail to us by accident, won't leave parcels that don't need a signature with neighbours or in our parcel locker (which is clearly noted on the door) and then they expect us to travel 5 miles to the delivery office to collect. 
We caught the postman popping a 'we missed you' card through the door, he then admitted he didn't actually have the parcel as his van was full but had to show he'd attempted to deliver it! He then had the gall to beg me not to report it.

Finally, contacting them is nearly impossible - they need a couple of staff sat at a desk in each delivery office fielding calls from local people who need assistance - after the above incident I found it incredibly hard to actually reach out to anyone for help. I had the choice between a 50+ minute wait on the phone to their main number, a 5 mile drive to the delivery office or their online contact form which promises a reply in 14 days (last time I checked). 

Rant over, but I feel I'm not alone in this - and it's only getting worse. 
Never thought I'd say it, but I miss the days they were publicly owned. 

So, would you be willing to pay the full economic cost of providing the level of service you expect?

They are willing to pay the asked price for the service that POC/RM  advertise they provide.