Thief in Royal Mail. Reporting process seems unhelpful and maybe even obstructive.

[Deleted User]

An empty envelope arrived (correctly addressed and hand written) and, on close inspection, it had been slit all the way down one side. The envelope was completely empty.

The envelope had contained a £20 gift voucher which was missing.  I tried to email Royal Mail Customer Services and received this reply:  "This email address isn't monitored and any replies sent to it will not be read."  The reference was to go on line. Customer Services?

After then going on line, and completing the on line contact form, it was rejected at the end because there was no tracking number.  It was not possible to send the on line form without a tracking number.  Unfortunately the person who posted the letter (post box outside a main Post Office) did not know that tracking was necessary and had only asked about the size.  Was told that a second class stamp was enough for the size of envelope.

I telephoned Royal Mail the next day when the telephone line opened.  I received an unsympathetic response.  It was a waste of time - Royal Mail's system for contacting them seems to be unhelpful and may even be obstructive.

I'm sad that, when Royal Mail is intercepted and tampered with, the process for trying to get help is so difficult.  I have given up.  The thief is rewarded and Royal Mail seem to be interested only if there is a tracking number.  

The person I spoke to at Royal Mail even suggested that the person who posted it may have forgotten to put something in the envelope.  She totally ignored the fact that I explained that the envelope had, very cleverly and neatly, been slit all down one side.  

Without relaying the whole conversation I would say that I was being fobbed off with inappropriate excuses.  My regular postman is a lovely man and very reliable.  It was even put to me that I could complain and he would be admonished for not putting the intercepted envelope in a special bag.  He would have needed a magnifying class to see the cleverly concealed slit!

Sorry that Royal Mail has come to this and a thief is rewarded.  There was no verbal indication  of apology and no interest in there being a thief at work.  (Royal Mail say that their calls are recorded.)  

The Gift Voucher will almost certainly have been used straight away.  

Devongardener

Anything of value should be sent tracked and signed for, it doesn’t cost a lot more that standard postage.   The envelope would have been through many locations during postal processing so it would be impossible for RM to trace where any theft might have occurred.  Without any proof it’s unlikely that you will be compensated.

[Deleted User]

Thank you for replying, Devongardener.  The person who posted it did not know that tracking was necessary.  When asking about postage inside was only told that a second class stamp was all right for that size of envelope.   

When I telephoned I made it clear to the person at Royal Mail that I was not interested in compensation - I was more concerned that the item had been intercepted making it likely that a thief was at work.

Even without proof the procedure, and the 'reception' I received were really unsatisfactory.  Customer Services email address which is not monitored (after taking time to compose an email) and after going on line and getting to the very end of the form to submit then told it cannot be sent without a tracking number.

Then the telephone call, as explained above, was uncaring and upsetting in that information I was providing was bing ignored.  The person talked so much that I could hardly get a word in to "correct" her assumptions. 

Of course we now realize (too late) that tracking was essential.

kinger101

You could report to the police.  They won't do anything as there is too remote a chance of catching the culprit   but it will give you a crime number which you can hand to RM.

I'd ask to speak to someone more senior. If the last call was recorded, ask for s copy.  When you make a complaint, always take the name of the person you are speaking to.

I wouldn't expect them to find the thief, who is most likely casual staff, but they can certainly reprimand the individual you some to on the phone. They've tarnished the reputation of the brand by making stuff up. 

[Deleted User]

Thank you kinger101.  When I did my best to explain to the lady who took my call that I also found the process of getting in touch time consuming and really quite difficult, she said it was an operational issue and I could complain about that.  No underestanding and no real concern was shown.

I reallly had lost all confidence by then and felt that it would be futile to try any harder.  I am sorry for the person who so generously spent their hard earned money on a Gift Voucher for me only for it to be stolen.  I agree that the police are not likely to be able to do anything. They already  have their hands full.

You are right in saying that the reputation of Royal Mail has  been tarnished. The lady at Royal Mail who took the call (I have her name) knew that the call was recorded and obviously was not concerned if Royal Mail's reputation was being tarnished.

I'm pleased to have such a good local postman where I live - he deserves praise.

I am grateful to have been able to "say it all" in this forum and I appreciate the helpful input.  I think the person who posted the Gift Voucher to me would have to be the formal complainant but they really are not well at present.  In the circumstances the loss is accepted - just not with a favourable impression of Royal Mail.

Thank you for taking time to reply, kinger101.