loads of mail lost...no reason though

[hypa]

Unfortunately i have to vent somewhere and need to know if someone can help me explain this as we've had a tenfold increase in lost mail in March 2012 compared to previous years.

i also noticed a thread full of sellers on an ebay forum that also noticed a major increase in lost mail since 2012 so wanted to know the RM point of view that's why posted here

We've been trading online for around 8 years. Small online business based in South London sending around 700-800 letters, large letters and packets a month.

Over the last few of years we would normally expect to get 1 or 2 customers with late or lost deliveries per month

but since Feb / March this year this number has gone up ten fold.... to around 15 late or lost orders just in March...and counting.

Just had a (another) customer tell us their parcel posted by Recorded delivery parcel hasn't arrived yet since the 19th March 2012.. tracking says its still in the delivery network...(could that mean delivery has been attempted, card left and back at sorting office until it gets RTS?)

NO COMPENSATION FOR RM BUSINESS ACCOUNT CUSTOMERS

To add to this when i put a bulk claim in for the 15-20 lost parcels in 2011 I just found out, as Royal Mail Business Account customers we are no longer entitled to any compensation for late or lost mail sent by 1st / 2nd class or even signed for recorded delivery mail at all!

Only RM tracked and Special delivery is covered now for customers paying by account!

Obviously the price of stamps has gone up for business customers too since April 2nd so that doesn't help.

We use packetpost and that has gone up considerably...(0g - 750g is lowest band for packets now)

Can anyone help explain some valid reasons for this increase in lost mail since 2012 and lack of compensation to business customers?!
(and what to say to our unhappy, untrusting customers who have not received their parcels in a timely manner?)

From our side we make sure parcels are being clearly addressed (we try to check every single delivery address postcode) and we have the return to sender address on the label too - as we have done for the last 8 years.

Orders are being sent from two different locations (SE London and Croydon), everyday one lot goes via a RM business collection, other lot goes at the local Post Office, like they have been going for the past few years.
We've had parcels recently lost that were posted from both locationa and on different dates during March. Packages are being sent all round the UK.

I contacted RM customer service 'Get in touch' but they said they couldn't find any specific reason for this and that we should still put our claims in for monitoring purposes even though we won't get any compensation back.

Believe it or not, because running an internet shop is very competitive, we often only make a pound sometimes per order (after costs, VAT, commission fees, postage etc.) on goods worth over 20 pounds.
So its very frustrating if an order replacement costs us over 20 pounds and we need to fork out for recorded /tracked / special delivery to make sure the replacement gets there too!

Needless to say this increase in lost mail means more angry customers to deal with, more of our time spent doing customer service, more lost money in sending out replacements, negative feedback and loss in revenue, stock and customers.


POSSIBLE REASONS?

Not sure if it could be because of any of the following reasons?

• more and more it's untrustworthy customers claiming not to have received goods but have indeed received them
  
  or could it be new procedures / policies
  
  maybe changes in how PPi mail is being handled and processed?
  
  perhaps influx of new staff? (noticed our postman has changed few times this last month)
  
  could it be due to closure of some mail centres effecting our packets?
  
  or some other changes at Royal Mail?
  
  (or dare i suggest it could be a crafty way to get us to sign up to RM tracked service?)

We've been a very happy business customer of Royal Mail for many years, and get on well with Royal Mail Collection Officers, Postmen and staff,

We can take the recent increase in cost of stamps , but this tenfold jump in late/ lost mail and lack of compensation cover is a real blow when times are already hard as it is...

any thoughts, reasons, suggestions or any comments from Royal Mail staff regarding the recent increase in lost mail, lack of compensation to business customers
and possibly comments from other online sellers in the same boat would be much appreciated

Thank you

[simmo11]

Not surprised nobody in the RM community has commented on this. Silence speaks volumes ;)

[fishtank]

Not surprised nobody in the RM community has commented on this. Silence speaks volumes ;)

It doesn't speak at all.
It is as far as i'm aware an isolated case otherwise it would be all over the national press so unless someone has specific knowledge relating to this particular poster's problem there isn't much we can add.
I'm certainly not aware of an increase in lost mail in March 2012...are you?

[DGP1]

How can we possibly reply to something that we have no idea about, I deliver all the mail and packets I get............is that an answer you want?

[hypa]

It doesn't speak at all.
It is as far as i'm aware an isolated case otherwise it would be all over the national press so unless someone has specific knowledge relating to this particular poster's problem there isn't much we can add.
I'm certainly not aware of an increase in lost mail in March 2012...are you?

the thing is the lost goods were posted on different dates from 2 different locations, all properly labeled etc. so not sure if that makes it an isolated incident

Also here is just one link to a forum on ebay with sellers stating they have also noticed an increase in lost mail in March 2012.

http://community.ebay.co.uk/topic/Busin ... 8000448732" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As it's quite recent 'phenomena' maybe it hasn't made the headlines yet

Speaking of National Press I would be interested to know if the lack of compensation for lost or late mail for business account customers was published at all anywhere or were any letters sent to inform business customers?

I will start another thread on the subject of lack of compensation for business customers as that is a separate albeit related issue.

How can we possibly reply to something that we have no idea about, I deliver all the mail and packets I get............is that an answer you want?

Apologies in advance if i upset anyone...but basically I am on a warpath ,

Any input regarding the list of possible reasons i stated above would at least go some way to instill a bit more confidence and a feeling of being 'listened to'
and that this matter is being 'looked into'
especially seeing as we are not the only ones who have noticed this.

Seeing as '80 million items of mail' are processed everyday by Royal Mail I am sure a few go astray...
but I wouldn't be sitting here writing if this wasn't a bigger concern in that there has been a significant increase in lost mail in the past few weeks...
and that we cannot even make a claim for it even though we are business customers and follow all the procedures!)

basically wondering if there is any reason for this increase from anyone in the know....

Does anyone working at Royal Mail in Croydon / Gatwick or Catford know anything about some changes that may be effecting how or when PPi mail is being processed or delivered differently than in the past 10 years?

Or perhaps there have been some changes in staff, or policies regarding packetpost / ppi?

Cheers

[POSTMAN]

It's a tough one,could be anything,maybe you've just been very unlucky.
There are no known issues using PPI,or with the locations you mention.
Could some of the stuff be nicked,of course it could,lost,again yes,dodgy customers,yes again.

Stuff being delayed is the norm now with many delivery offices going through major changes,some 'may' still be stuck waiting to be delivered.

Like i said it's a tough one with no real answer,sorry.

[hypa]

in the past sometimes we would be late with paying for the PPI stamps by OBA

i got a call once from a lady from RM (not sure which office / depot / mail centre?) saying they would hold back some parcels if we didn't pay on time regularly via OBA

since then we have been paying up to date

also could the poster address being different from the post location (and return address) cause some parcels being held?

It just came to me now looking at our latest RM OBA invoice for over 1100 pounds that the parcels are posted from 2 different locations
(one of which is the account address), and we have a third address as the returns address - all in different postcodes

Can we have more than one poster address in OBA?

Could above points be related...as these have never caused an issue in the past?

and could that effect a packet or two from every other day?

Stuff being delayed is the norm now with many delivery offices going through major changes,some 'may' still be stuck waiting to be delivered.

i just hope if goods do turn up at customers late, and we've already sent them a replacement order,
that they will be honest enough to send it back to us or contact us at least

[ROCKPROF]

I am experiencing delayed/lost mail too as a buyer. Anything sent in the last week of March seems to be lost in the system, recorded and 2nd class, at the moment. I know other buyers in my area are having the same problem. Mail is just not getting to its destination. Its been fine before. When I call royal mail customer services they say there are no issues, the postmen I have spoken to are not aware of any issues and the local P.O too.

Odd.

[Stormproof]

It might we worth you checking out our 'Offices with failing revision' list on this forum as your local office may be on there.

[hypa]

I’ve noticed other businesses and customers also experience an increase in lost mail since 2012
so here is an update / summary of action and response regarding the increase in lost mail over the past weeks

1)
I was in touch with my Account Manager who communicated with me and other departments and helped escalate the issue.

2)
RM 'Get in touch' emailed me and they kindly called me as well, but they don’t seem to have any specific reason for this lost mail and can’t do anything about lack of compensation.

3)
I posted in this forum and was advised delays could be due to changes at Delivery offices and to check 'Offices with failing revision' list on this forum in case my local office may be on there.

4)
I sent a message to Royal Mail twitter and they advised me to call the business team.

Here is the reply from RM Business Team:

Thank you for your e-mail.

I am sorry to hear that you have noticed an increase in lost/delayed mail recently.

Unfortunately we are unable to track normal 1st or 2nd class post so we will not be able to give you any specific information with regards to the items you have sent.

You can still complete a multiloss form and the losses will be logged and investigated. You will not be eligible for compensation for these items under revised compensation arrangements for loss or damage of untracked items came into effect on 9th January 2012 and full details of these changes are available on our website http://www.royalmail.com/termschanges" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

Once again, please accept my sincere apologies on behalf of Royal Mail for the problem you've had, and our thanks for taking the time to make us aware of this.

I hope this explanation concludes the matter for you.