Chester fire-hit firms' Royal Mail demo over post

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-me ... e-11970259" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The fire destroyed 50 businesses and is still under investigation

Business owners who lost their premises in a huge fire have been protesting outside a Royal Mail office in Chester.

They claim the delivery service has refused to give them at least five days worth of mail since the fire ripped through their premises at Chester Enterprise Centre.

Travel agent, Gaynor Davies, said she has spent 14 hours on the phone to Royal Mail trying to retrieve her post.

Royal Mail said it "sympathised" and advised them to call customer services.

Ms Davies is among 200 people who have been affected by the blaze.

Many have been stood outside the sorting office, just outside the city centre in Hoole, for several hours.

They say that Royal Mail has told them they must have a business address to deliver to.

Many, however, no longer have business premises, and are having to run their business from home.

Ms Davies, who owns Chester Travel Connection, said: "We are still up and running, but Royal Mail are not making things any easier for us.

"I have hundreds of plane tickets waiting for me in the post - I can re-order them but why should I need to when they are sitting there in the sorting office just metres away from my business?"

Helen Conway, who owns a yoga and pilates studio at the centre, said £30,000 of equipment went up in flames.

"I have more than 100 clients coming through my doors each week, at the same time as trying to find places to teach them I am having to continually contact Royal Mail to get try and get my post."

They say Royal Mail has told them they need identification to call and collect their post - however many of them have lost passports, bills, driving licences in the blaze.

[andy2007]

Why hasn't Customer Services had the sense to suggest that they set up redirections, so that their Business post goes to their Home address, until their premises are fit to be used again. Such incompetance!

[Biker Mouse]

Why hasn't Customer Services had the sense to suggest that they set up redirections, so that their Business post goes to their Home address, until their premises are fit to be used again. Such incompetance!

Because the authorisation letter has to go to the original address?

[andy2007]

Even if the original address doesn't exist/is uninhabitable, at the time?
Surely proof that someone is the registered owner, director, or whatever of the company, should be sufficient, to have the mail redirected to them, isn't it?

[Biker Mouse]

Even if the original address doesn't exist/is uninhabitable, at the time?
Surely proof that someone is the registered owner, director, or whatever of the company, should be sufficient, to have the mail redirected to them, isn't it?

Don't know! It was just a suggestion! Anyone any ideas?

[andy2007]

I hope you are wrong. Because if not, then it's bureocracy gone mad!

[Biker Mouse]

I hope you are wrong. Because if not, then it's bureocracy gone mad!

I've delivered the confirmation letters and it says on them..."do not redirect"!

[andy2007]

Unbelieveable! The sheer stupidity of a system which says that if an address is destroyed, or even left uninhabitable. The owners/occupiers, can't get any mail, until it's been rebuilt/brought back to habitable condition!

[dvbuk55]

Unbelieveable? Not really, christ only knows the thought processes that drive this organisation now. In times like these, recession, banks failing to support small businesses who rely on cash flow to survive, Royal Mail withold their mail................TBH, the local manager should take the bull by the horns and say to the business owners, "Please come in and we will discuss how we can help you"..........that's exactly what I would do and if it went tits up I'd hold my hand up, put the case as I saw it on the table and ask those who question the decision what exactly they would have done to HELP not hinder.

[Big Daz]

Wouldnt OPG's be able to indentify staff?

[fishtank]

Unbelieveable? Not really, christ only knows the thought processes that drive this organisation now. In times like these, recession, banks failing to support small businesses who rely on cash flow to survive, Royal Mail withold their mail................TBH, the local manager should take the bull by the horns and say to the business owners, "Please come in and we will discuss how we can help you"..........that's exactly what I would do and if it went tits up I'd hold my hand up, put the case as I saw it on the table and ask those who question the decision what exactly they would have done to HELP not hinder.

Well said DV...sometimes you wonder if they are sitting in an office thinking up ways to be more awkward and less customer friendly...probably the biggest change in this business has been the rapid deterioration in the quality of managers..i've never met such a bunch of spineless yes-men as the current crop.
Most of them wouldn't last two minutes in the real world and they know it.

There are too many...and too many layers...and that has bred non-managers who cannot make a decision without 4 conference calls and 6 emails to their boss and so on etc.....

[Broxi51]

Wouldnt OPG's be able to indentify staff?

Maybe they've had a revision and the OPG isnt getting there until after 5pm

[dvbuk55]

I think we have both commented before ft on what it is to stand up and make a decision.....right or wrong in the end......you would fight the case on its merit and stand your corner.........I am sure we have both done that in the past.............I've never been backward in saying and doing what I think is right and if it doesn't suit then I am more than prepared to take the consequences.

The management structure at RM has bred a middle management incapable of a decision other than the day to day tasks, which doesn't really need a manager does it? You are right to say that the daily conference call and emails runs the office.............they would rather obey instructions than say .........feck off you idiot.