Delivery Days

[Whiskey]

Hello, thanks for taking the time to have a look at my question. I hope someone can help me with a solution. I know there have been lots of changes recently and that postal workers are having a lot of problems. I've talked to my new postie about all the changes and I really like him and I feel for his situation but I'd like to resolve this.

I haven't received any post at all for over 3 weeks on Mondays and Tuesdays and only very occassionally on Saturdays. I asked my postie about this and he told me that things have changed within the Royal Mail and because of the way mail is sent out from companies (not royal mail first class) then it is not prioritised to be delivered. For 10 years at my address I have received post every day. I am self employed and rely on my post (bills etc that need to be paid on time) It's making things difficult that I now don't receive post until about 3.30pm or later but even worse that I mostly only get post 3 days a week now.

Can anyone explain why this is happening and is there anything I can do about it? From what my postie was explaining to me there is not even any point in collecting it myself from the sorting office as they do not get the post into them there. I really don't understand why this is happening. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[mazza111]

Do you find you are getting all your mail but just on certain days? Like getting half a dozen letters on a Saturday and none on a Tuesday for example?

Speak to the delivery office manager. It could be that the changes aren't working in that office and mail is being brought back to the office on a daily basis. Especially if the person covering the walk on these days has other commitments that means they can't work over their time. Not your problem I know, but managers should be getting this covered.

Put a complaint into RM Customer Service team. You will probably get a standard letter in reply, but it will be highlighted internally that there is a potential problem.

Other than the above, there's not much else you can do.

You could arrange a mail collect, but as RM are going to start charging businesses for this, I wouldn't advise it.

[Pat Ostman]

Mon, Tue and Sat are traditionally the light days but three weeks is a long time.

[Whiskey]

Thank you for your replies, I tried talking to the postie about it first because I don't want to get him into any trouble or cause trouble for myself. I think if it continues I will talk to the delivery office manager as you suggest.

I just wanted to know your opinions on why this might be happening, if it is a common thing? Do you know anything about post that is sent out via mail centres? I don't understand the difference between post that has a stamp on it and pre-printed envelope (not franked) that has a large number 1 or 2 on it and says "ROYAL MAIL POSTAGE PAID GB" Does the number 1 and 2 not refer to 1st and 2nd class? From what my postie was telling me, it's these pre printed envelopes that are not being delivered. Although I still don't get any post what so ever Monday and Tuesday.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Thank you for your replies, I tried talking to the postie about it first because I don't want to get him into any trouble or cause trouble for myself. I think if it continues I will talk to the delivery office manager as you suggest.

I just wanted to know your opinions on why this might be happening, if it is a common thing? Do you know anything about post that is sent out via mail centres? I don't understand the difference between post that has a stamp on it and pre-printed envelope (not franked) that has a large number 1 or 2 on it and says "ROYAL MAIL POSTAGE PAID GB" Does the number 1 and 2 not refer to 1st and 2nd class? From what my postie was telling me, it's these pre printed envelopes that are not being delivered. Although I still don't get any post what so ever Monday and Tuesday.

these

They are what we call Mail Sort items and there is a third one as well basically these are different streams of mail within the system. They don't pay the same as 1st and 2nd class stamps for each one as they generally are bulk mail (loads sent at once) but the do have certain time limits with 1 being the shortest.

However for you as a customer its best to think of them as 1st and 2nd class.

[Whiskey]

Thank you that's really helpful. Do you know the time limits on them or are they just a rough guide?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Thank you that's really helpful. Do you know the time limits on them or are they just a rough guide?

AFAIK it all depends on the contract itself - sometimes they have a set period they must all be delivered in say 5 days from today. Or a set date.

However, just to add to the confusion you will also see other postal companies logos on mail the RM deliver, this is called Down Stream Access mail and they also have different streams with different time scales. DSA companies are also known to introduce mail at the last opportunity possible, this is because as a general rule of thumb is the more in the batch the cheaper the price by letter. It makes good sense for the other company, but poor logistical sense for RM, and in practical sense for the receiver it means mail can be later than perhaps they expect.

From what you have described previously I think your local delivery office may now be one of the units that has gone to what we call "Park and Loop" its a new type of delivery system that has run into problems and what your experiencing may be a symptom of that.

As to making a complaint, I would if you wish to make an issue of it, or are concerned, attack from 3 places, depending on your level of frustration/concern.

1. Write a letter to the Delivery Office Manager. (Addresses can be found on yell.com)
2. Contact the Customer Services Department on 08457 745 745 and make an official complain.
3. Try to see how prevalent it is, contact local media, write to your MP etc.

There is also the option of going to the Postal Watchdog as well but as someone mentioned you have to exhaust the internal RM customer service system first. They are Postwatch http://www.postwatch.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - now part of Consumer focus.

[Whiskey]

Thank you for your detailed reply. I have submitted my query via the royal mail website. I will try and speak to the Delivery Office manager. I will follow your guidlines, thanks again.

[not me]

Mon, Tue and Sat are traditionally the light days but three weeks is a long time.

Saturdays light? not for a long time
Mondays & Tuesdays are light due to MC staffing than mail volumes

[Burge]

Tuesday's are the only light days we have and even those we normally get inundated with the packets the MC don't get to us on the Monday.

Saturday's have been horrendous for a long, long time and now we've got our CSS machines in it won't be long before the management will be pushing for 7am starts and a later finish.

[Pat Ostman]

Mon, Tue and Sat are traditionally the light days but three weeks is a long time.

Saturdays light? not for a long time
Mondays & Tuesdays are light due to MC staffing than mail volumes

I can only offer input on what it's like around me although I should have said in 'my DO'.

Yes Saturdays are heavier than five years ago but still not quite like a Wednesday. (in my DO)

[Whiskey]

It doesn't make any sense to me, if Mondays and Tuesdays are always quiet, what is my postie doing on those days? Just saving up all my post to deliver together on the busy days? I don't get post saturday either, that means something that gets sent out to me on a friday, probably won't turn up til wednesday! like a magazine subscription I get wed (this week thursday) that the rest of the country gets on a monday.

Mon, Tue and Sat are traditionally the light days but three weeks is a long time.

Mondays & Tuesdays are light due to MC staffing than mail volumes

Is MC mail centre? If there is post at the mail centre to go out but no staff there, is that why I'm not getting post?

I'm pretty sure I have the drop and loop system but how does that effect the days I get post?

Thanks.

[fishtank]

I think the point they are making is that you are less likely to get mail on a Monday or Tuesday simply because there is less bulk mail from large business customers.
Of course if someone has sent you something and it's due for delivery on those days you should still get it.
If your delivery office has gone through operational changes lately they may be experiencing problems that may lead to irregular deliveries.

[Burge]

Whiskey, yes MC is Mail Centre. You really should speak to a manager at your local delivery office to ask why you're not getting a postman on your delivery every day, I guess it's down to recent changes happening in the office which the staff are struggling to cope time wise with. No mail is deliberately left behind by your postman without speaking to a manager first,without their agreement to leave mail before he leaves the office, the postman could (and would if our office is any yardstick) get suspended and/or sacked for wilful delay of mail.

The manager has responsibility to ensure all mail is delivered from his delivery office every day, the buck stops with him. Ask him.

Tuesdays are the only light day we have in our office mail wise but the MC will send out all the 1st and 2nd class items they have, the difference volume wise for us on a Tuesday is down to the mailsort items (with an "M" in the corner of the letter) and other contracted mail from large businesses which we have a contract to deliver the items before a certain date. It means these items don't necessarily have to be delivered the next day.

I use Tuesday's to put all my D2D items in my frame ready for delivery, and we often have more packets on a Tuesday than a Monday because that's what we get from our MC. Please don't get the impression I make a load of time on Tuesdays, because I don't. The extra packets on Tuesdays "pad" the delivery time out. if I'm lucky I might finish and be back in the office 10 minutes early.

Tuesday's are light which means I generally finish all of my delivery on time. The rest of the week is a struggle and down to me if I am willing to go over on paid overtime to complete or do as much as I can comfortably do in the hours I'm paid for.

[Pat Ostman]

Send a test letter to yourself on Friday, first class, before 4pm. I personally think you will get it before Wednesday but if you don't you'll have something solid to go on.