Royal Mail loses 2m presents.

Stormproof · Post by **Stormproof** » 23 Dec 2007, 18:13

I have'nt heard that..........hope Amazon are paying the Special Delivery rate on all items then. Apparently our MC is snowed under with Specials for tomorrow.

Post by **dvbuk55** » 23 Dec 2007, 18:20

disgruntledpostie1 wrote:Just been told that ALL Amazon packets that have been guaranteed for delivery before Christmas are being sent out Special Delivery. Anybody else heard that???

Not a lot of good when the late specials are only arriving at 11 in the morning and we have no one to deliver them all.

Also has anyone been informed about the new ruling on schools and firms retentions at holiday times? At one time we used to write to ask what the customer wanted to do with their mail during holidays. Apparently we deliver it now regardless of whether they are working/open or not or else they have to pay for a retention - now when I brought up the subject of a lack of a letterbox or an item needing a signature I was told we use our common sense and hold it over (without charge of course) yep that makes sense right enough, charge someone concerned enough to want to secure their mail and don't charge someone who doesn't give a toss.

Spedley · Post by **Spedley** » 23 Dec 2007, 18:27

I presume a 20% increase on packets is on top of the usual 300% increase in Christmas packets which equates to a 360% increase over this time last month ? (i.e. for every 10 packets on the 22nd of November there are 36 packets on the 22nd of December)

Even taking all the casual labour and efficiency through repetition into account there is no way any business could cope with that variation, especially if they only posted a 1% profit margin - the business has been streamlined to the point where it can't cope with a busy wednesday, let alone seasonal variation.

Post by **Carnoustie** » 23 Dec 2007, 18:37

I submitted a comment to the Times website about their article, but not surprisingly, it hasn't been published as yet. They state as if it's fact that "about 1.2m letters and parcels are already estimated to have been lost in the Christmas post". Where the heck do they pluck out a figure like that from ? I posted that an estimated 33% of journalists will make up a story on a quiet news day, just to fill space in their newspaper / website.
And that no, I can't back up that statistic with hard evidence, either

pinstripe · Post by **pinstripe** » 23 Dec 2007, 18:47

k66yla wrote:I have'nt heard that..........hope Amazon are paying the Special Delivery rate on all items then. Apparently our MC is snowed under with Specials for tomorrow.

Just a quick question, what is the maximum number of specials a walker is allowed to take. 3 days last week I had 7, 2 days I had 8. Every day I've had at least 2 Amazon special delivery packets which took up just over half my pouch, usually with one of them for the end of my walk. If after the first pouch we are limited to a max of 11kg and we have 2 Amazon books each weighing about 2kg, it doesn't leave much room for the Xmas mail, not to mention the vitally important Xmas Mailsort and Saga Magazines. RM management, why can you not show some common sense? Instead of removing duties, put them in and IMPROVE the service, go on I dare you!

As it stands in my office, we had about a dozen yorks of packets which they were hoping to get delivered today, but I don't see it. Tomorrow is going to be a nightmare, I really do feel sorry for those whose Christmas is going to be ruined. (I'm also waiting for 3 parcels, 1 sent from abroad 4 weeks ago and 2 from play.com. Luckily I realised in time that they weren't going to arrive and made alternative arrangements) The public and the Times/Telegraph should accept that we do our best, but as we are constantly being thwarted by RM Senior Management in our efforts to protect the Mail Service. Perhaps if they had shown the same concern for the service during the strikes we wouldn't be in the situation we are now in. But that wouldn't sell newspapers would it!

Post by **baldrick** » 23 Dec 2007, 19:45

disgruntledpostie1 wrote:Just been told that ALL Amazon packets that have been guaranteed for delivery before Christmas are being sent out Special Delivery. Anybody else heard that???

Yeah. I ordered a DVD online on Tuesday for first class delivery by 24th. Amazon said it would be despatched the next day (Wed). On Thursday I got an email saying that because of volume of orders it would not be despatched until Friday but they would send it Special Delivery at no extra cost to ensure delivery by 24th. It actually arrived on Saturday, and had been sent by First Class post. It would seem that they may have despatched stuff on Saturday by Special Delivery to guarantee delivery before Xmas.

Big Daz · Post by **Big Daz** » 23 Dec 2007, 20:15

disgruntledpostie1 wrote:Just been told that ALL Amazon packets that have been guaranteed for delivery before Christmas are being sent out Special Delivery. Anybody else heard that???

Nope, but it strengthens RM bank balance and therefore 2009 CWU pay claim!

Big Daz · Post by **Big Daz** » 23 Dec 2007, 20:38

I have been on leave this week, but did see a couple of vans out, not sure if they were collecting from postboxes or delivering pkts/pcls or both.

I know collections were planned for this sunday, but not sure if anybody volunteered.

If people order items online in the full knowledge that they will be out of the house/at work when delivery is attempted how on earth can RM be blamed for that?

If we cant find a item we take a phone number and keep looking and then contact the customer once its found. Having the customer standing about for hours seems rather daft.

Post by **baldrick** » 23 Dec 2007, 20:44

Big Daz wrote:
disgruntledpostie1 wrote:Just been told that ALL Amazon packets that have been guaranteed for delivery before Christmas are being sent out Special Delivery. Anybody else heard that???
Nope, but it strengthens RM bank balance and therefore 2009 CWU pay claim!

Or Adam Crozier's bonus next year

:cfo

Dynamo 2 · Post by **Dynamo 2** » 23 Dec 2007, 22:13

Pokemon Postmon wrote:They always forget to mention that these 'lost' items are often misaddressed so they often end up misdelivered or are just undeliverable (and the amount of folk who still refuse to put a return address on items is criminal!).
As for parcels, well I always knock twice (pardon the cliche!) and, considering the time of year I think it's safe to say more posties will make that extra effort to get an answer just for the chance of a tip to boost the crappy bonus that we get....
I sympathise with these customers but perhaps they should have posted/ordered these items earlier?! Just a thought...

I ordered some dvd's for my other half on the 12th Dec from Amazon, they did'nt despatch them from their "fulfilment Centre"???

until the 16th Dec, saying they're working very hard to deliver them before the 24th!

Well maybe sending them out sooner might have helped! So it's not all down to the posties. Can anyone tell me what this "fullfilment" is about, cos I'm certainly not fullfilled at this moment in time!!

norbet colon · Post by **norbet colon** » 24 Dec 2007, 09:18

Dynamo 2 wrote:
Pokemon Postmon wrote:They always forget to mention that these 'lost' items are often misaddressed so they often end up misdelivered or are just undeliverable (and the amount of folk who still refuse to put a return address on items is criminal!).
As for parcels, well I always knock twice (pardon the cliche!) and, considering the time of year I think it's safe to say more posties will make that extra effort to get an answer just for the chance of a tip to boost the crappy bonus that we get....
I sympathise with these customers but perhaps they should have posted/ordered these items earlier?! Just a thought...

I ordered some dvd's for my other half on the 12th Dec from Amazon, they did'nt despatch them from their "fulfilment Centre"??? until the 16th Dec, saying they're working very hard to deliver them before the 24th! Well maybe sending them out sooner might have helped! So it's not all down to the posties. Can anyone tell me what this "fullfilment" is about, cos I'm certainly not fullfilled at this moment in time!!

I ordered a Teach yourself Photoshop Book from Amazon, I was of the understanding that Elephant Books would despatch from within the UK. However I got a confirmation email on the 13th that it would be despatched from California . It arrived within the stated 7-10 days on Christmas Eve , I know that the PO has been absolutely battered with packets & parcels and there's not been the resources or organisation due to shortsighted cutbacks from on high.

I didn't expect it till after Xmas which was not a problem , the world does NOT revolve around me , so I've NO complaints whatsoever considering the distance & logistics .

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 24 Dec 2007, 12:48

Dynamo 2 wrote:Can anyone tell me what this "fullfilment" is about, cos I'm certainly not fullfilled at this moment in time!!

When I worked in a Mail Order Company as a Customer care Officer

it was a posh name for a warehouse that packaged and dispatched the goods by various other companies, so its probably the same just a really big warehouse. Fulfilment Centre is therefore probably American Speak for Warehouse.

musicbowler · Post by **musicbowler** » 24 Dec 2007, 15:50

ORDERED SOME FLOWERS ON 12 DECEMBER NOT GOT THEM TODAY

SO WONT GET THEM TILL AFTER CHRISTMAS

THEY'LL BE DEAD BY THEN

HOPE THE 2 c***s RUNNING ROYAL FAIL CHOKE ON A WISHBONE

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 24 Dec 2007, 15:56

musicbowler wrote:ORDERED SOME FLOWERS ON 12 DECEMBER NOT GOT THEM TODAY SO WONT GET THEM TILL AFTER CHRISTMAS THEY'LL BE DEAD BY THEN HOPE THE 2 c***s RUNNING ROYAL FAIL CHOKE ON A WISHBONE

Perhaps this is their weakness - they are both apparently quite good at managing a crisis situation, just look at the way they handle strikes. But when it comes to day to day management I think they micromanage far too much and are tweaking a system that works. As someone famous once said "It it is not broken, don't fix it"

Stormproof · Post by **Stormproof** » 24 Dec 2007, 19:09

Had 300 late Amazon Specials turn up this morning long after the posties had gone out, were'nt all for my DO but spread out the whole *E postcode which covers a massive chunck of the county, distribution drivers from the MC took them out but obviously did'nt have the 739's for the local DO's so no doubt I'm going to have to deal with loads of p'd off customers come Thursday, not only did there items turn up late, they've had to travel miles to collect them.

ROYALMAILCHAT

Royal Mail loses 2m presents.

NO COMPLAINTS