My degree may be lost in post

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... st_in_post

Deborah Linton
2/ 5/2008

A STUDENT claims a Royal Mail backlog could cost him a grade in his final exams.

Rob Cooper, a law with politics student at Manchester University, says a text book vital for a crunch essay has been stuck in a sorting office for more than a week.

He also faces paying for a new suit for his department ball on Saturday because the tuxedo his parents posted almost a fortnight ago is also missing.

Rob, 21, believes the parcels are among a backlog which he was told was 'a week long' at the Manchester South sorting office, in Fallowfield, which serves much of Manchester's student population.

Royal Mail said there have been problems caused by unusually high sickness rates and changes in work patterns.

Rob needs the £35 textbook to complete a politics essay for his degree. It was dispatched on April 22 and should have been at his address a week ago.

Farce

He says his parents posted his tuxedo first class on April 21. Rob said: "It's a farce. Friends of mine have also faced delays at that sorting office before and it's frustrating that my packages are probably just sat there. I could see other textbooks waiting to be collected when I went in, so I'm not the only one in this situation.

"I am on the borderline of a first, and just two per cent could make all the difference to my degree."

Other customers are also experiencing delays at the Granville Road office. Pharmacy student Alan Baird-Smith, 23, has waited two weeks for a clothing package from an Australian internet retailer. A 19-year-old history of art student, who asked not to be named, collected a parcel on Wednesday that had been sent first class on April 14.

A Royal Mail spokesman said: "Due to unusually high sick absence and revisions to work patterns which are taking a little time to settle in, a number of parcels are unfortunately being delivered from Manchester South Delivery Office later than they should be.

"We apologize to affected customers for any inconvenience and we're doing all we can to return deliveries to normal."

He added that the sender of an item can claim compensation if it arrives five or more days late.

[Lounge Lizard]

If the text book is so vital he surely could have ordered it earlier, had it sent Special Delivery or spent his time sourcing another copy rather than whingeing to the local rag.
As to the tuxedo, I've managed all my life perfectly well without one and so could he.

[Phantom]

If the text book is so vital he surely could have ordered it earlier, had it sent Special Delivery or spent his time sourcing another copy rather than whingeing to the local rag.
As to the tuxedo, I've managed all my life perfectly well without one and so could he.

Thats not the point, RM should provide a first class service, you and i both know this is down to cost cutting for no reason whatsoever. We are experiencing the same, this week they have removed a driving duty and its causing chaos, there are parcels 4 days old stuck in a backlog now but no manager gives a s**t cos all they think about is their bonus.

Quality of service is disgusting, i failed to specials this week and told both customers to put a claim in. The managers don't give a s**t now as its not a priority.