Recorded delivery and 'track and trace'

sarahs999

For anyone who is under the impression that the royal mail 'track and trace' service will be sufficient to track and trace any recorded delivery items that go missing, I would like to share my experiences.

For my father's 70th birthday we decided to make a photobook of pictures from throughout his life. My mother sourced all the pics and sent them recorded delivery to me (next day service). She was told there was no point using special delivery, as the timings were the same. A week later, when they hadn't turned up, I called the helpline with my track and trace number, to be told that they didn't know where the photos were as they hadn't yet been delivered and signed for. WHen I pointed out the total idiocy of having a system that can only trace things when they've already been delivered (thus eliminating the need to be able to trace them, as they are in my hands) I was told that this is the way it has always worked. She couldn't even tell me the route of the post offices along the way, so that I could make my own enquiries about where it might be lurking. She also couldn't explain why there was any point in paying extra for a signed-for, next-day service that appeared to be just as liable to go missing as any other royal mail delivery option, and got quite narky about it.

Seriously, how are they allowed to get away with calling it Track and Trace? The parcel finally turned up two and half weeks later, far too late to get the book done for my father (not that that really matters, it's the preservation of the family photos that was the agonising bit). Won't ever use this service again; not for anything irreplaceable anyway. :mad:

KILL_BILL

yeah its a scam that - becuse all it does it shows wether its been signed for and if it has you can get a copy of the signature of the person that signed for it

if you do reciorded delievery then ytou have to pay extra

Blacksheep1979

It is useful for when you want to know if something has been delivered ie cancelation letter to the gym, complaints letter etc. If you want to make sure something isn't lost then use special delivery (although still no guarantee)

honeypop

Track and Trace isn't used with Recorded Delivery, just for Special Delivery services as they are tracked while en-route to the receipient, but RD is not.

http://track.royalmail.com/portal/rm/jump2?catId=400145&mediaId=15400383

Although the track and trace on the website can be used to see that a RD item has been signed for, the item isn't tracked on the way so its details can't be on the track and trace system. It's very name for the service 'recorded signed for' just means it will be recorded that it was signed for.

I'm not saying that it is acceptable what happened to your photos, but 'recorded delivery' items are never tracked through the postal system. This is why the special delivery service costs extra, plus it is guaranteed to be delivered next day

When you say they were sent next day service, I assume you mean first class as recorded delivery can never be a guaranteed next day service. First class cannot even be guaranteed for the next day, as stated on the Royal Mail website.

You asked the lady on the phone, what was the point in paying extra 'for a signed-for, next-day service that appeared to be just as liable to go missing as any other royal mail delivery option', but your parcel was actually sent as a standard first class item, but to be signed for on delivery. It wasn't sent as a next-day item. This is why you can pay more for Special Delivery, as if it does happen to go astray, it can be traced back to where it was last scanned in the system and it is guaranteed to arrive next day.

I'm sorry to hear your story as it must have been nerve-wracking wondering where the precious photos had got to in the 2 weeks it took them to arrive, and I'm not saying you are wrong to be annoyed, but you are critising the system for not working when the parcel was sent on a different service to the one you wanted to use to trace it.

They are allowed to get away with calling it track and trace, as that's excatly how it works when you send an item using the special delivery service:

"Track & Trace is a Royal Mail service that lets you check the status of a trackable item that you sent through the post. The following services can be tracked for items sent within the UK:

• Special Delivery™ 9am
• Special Delivery™ Next Day
• Royal Mail Tracked™"

It does not say Recorded Signed For can be tracked or traced. You can only check when it was delivered.

custardy

unfortunatly many people seem to think RD is fully tracked.
however the service costs 70p and is called recorded delivery.
it provides proof of delivery and nothing else.

considering you can get RD labels and put the items in a post box yourself how do you think it could be tracked?

for your purposes you chose the wrong service given the rtime sensitive nature.
TBH imo they should drop RD or at least change it to fully tracked without next day delivery and charge 2-2.5 times the price

hollydays

Its annoying,but in most things you have to factor in human error.If something does go "missing", with the best will in the world the Royal Mail cant necessarily find it.,or send Inspector Gadget to find it.The word trace,suggests to me a definite ability to locate it-which they cant really offer.

sarahs999

Thanks for your replies.

The thing is, my mother asked for advice about what service to use at the post office and was obviously misdirected. She said that she had precious items to send that had to get there as soon as possible, and this is what she was told to use.

Whatever the ins and outs, the moniker 'track and trace' implies a security that is simply not there.

KxMx

Since your item took so long to arrive, it falls under Lost or Delayed, so put a compensation claim in.
Don't just put up with it!!

rapido

. .

custardy

unfortunatly its possible for letters to get stuck together.
especially in the case of bulk deliveries like schools/buisinesses

Butterfliesarepretty

I have noticed my postman is signing for my recorded delivery parcels and letters himself!
But my postman if he has any packages he puts them in my shed for me (not recorded delivery of course)