OT: Have Royal Mailgone belly up?

[Jenny M Benson]

Repeated attempts on their website to arrange redelivery of a parcel (1)
having failed ("Oops! We seem to have had a problem ...") I followed
the instruction to ring Customer Services. I sat and listened,
occasionally pressing a key, until I eventually got to the bit about
re-delivery(2). Then had to listen to a long spiel about how convenient
it would be for me to collect my parcel from the local delivery
office(3). FINALLY got to the point of probably pressing another key in
order to speak to someone who would actually arrange the delivery, only
to be told that "due to technical difficulties" they couldn't take my
call at that time and I should try again later. Aaaaaggghhhh!

(1) Why? According to BT there was no need to be at home because the
parcel would fit in my letterbox.

(2) Surely they could have a direct line to deal with redeliveries?

(3) NO! It's boodly well not convenient, that's why I'm trying to
arrange a redelivery.

[Joe Kerr]

Post by Jenny M Benson
Repeated attempts on their website to arrange redelivery of a parcel (1)
having failed ("Oops!  We seem to have had a problem ...") I followed
the instruction to ring Customer Services.  I sat and listened,
occasionally pressing a key, until I eventually got to the bit about
re-delivery(2).  Then had to listen to a long spiel about how convenient
it would be for me to collect my parcel from the local delivery
office(3).  FINALLY got to the point of probably pressing another key in
order to speak to someone who would actually arrange the delivery, only
to be told that "due to technical difficulties" they couldn't take my
call at that time and I should try again later.  Aaaaaggghhhh!
(1)  Why?  According to BT there was no need to be at home because the
parcel would fit in my letterbox.
(2)  Surely they could have a direct line to deal with redeliveries?
(3)  NO!  It's boodly well not convenient, that's why I'm trying to
arrange a redelivery.

... especially when you have to pay for parking, if you can find any.

Have they all gone on strike?

[Jenny M Benson]

The ghastly saga continues...

Further repeated attempts to use the website having failed, I tried the
Customer Services telephone line again. I lost track of the time it
took, and the number of key presses, to reach the stage where I could
actually begin the process of requesting a redelivery. It included
again, of course, the lo-o-ong information about how convenient it would
be for me to go the Sorting Office. So (as everyone is saying nowadays),
I start making the actual request - none of your speaking to a human
bean of course, all done by robot on their side and key pressing on
mine, with the occasional spelling out of difficult bits like surname
and post code.

Finally get to the end of it all - and am told that they can't process
my request so I must hold the line and speak to a real, live person. So
(everyone does it over and over, too) I hold ... and I hold ... and I
hold. From time to time the robot tells me how much they value their
custom, but never admits to having far too few staff to deal with the
workload. Eventually I could wait no longer and gave up.

Went back on the website and used the Contact Us form to spell out a
lengthy and very angry complaint. A couple of days later they replied.
Apparently the online process is designed to be "easy and convenient for
customers" - it wasn't, it didn't work. But apparently, they check my
details against the details they hold of my Credit or Debit Card and
perhaps my bank records my address in a different way. (Whoa there! I
never put my card details on the website so they're going to some
outside agency to check up on me.) However, I could go to my local Post
Office and get a form filled in there - she neglected to point out how
this might be more convenient than going to the Sorting Office. But she
did remember to assure me that all their staff are highly trained and
she's so pleased I brought this matter to their attention.

Bah! In fact, triple bah! with bars on.

And while we're on the subject, why can I have an Amazon parcel
delivered to my local PO for free, zilch, zero, nothing but have to pay
70p if I want Royal Mail to re-deliver something there?

(I still haven't got my parcel.)

[Mike]

Post by Jenny M Benson
The ghastly saga continues...
Further repeated attempts to use the website having failed, I tried the
Customer Services telephone line again. I lost track of the time it
took, and the number of key presses, to reach the stage where I could
actually begin the process of requesting a redelivery. It included
again, of course, the lo-o-ong information about how convenient it would
be for me to go the Sorting Office. So (as everyone is saying nowadays),
I start making the actual request - none of your speaking to a human
bean of course, all done by robot on their side and key pressing on
mine, with the occasional spelling out of difficult bits like surname
and post code.
Finally get to the end of it all - and am told that they can't process
my request so I must hold the line and speak to a real, live person. So
(everyone does it over and over, too) I hold ... and I hold ... and I
hold. From time to time the robot tells me how much they value their
custom, but never admits to having far too few staff to deal with the
workload. Eventually I could wait no longer and gave up.
Went back on the website and used the Contact Us form to spell out a
lengthy and very angry complaint. A couple of days later they replied.
Apparently the online process is designed to be "easy and convenient for
customers" - it wasn't, it didn't work. But apparently, they check my
details against the details they hold of my Credit or Debit Card and
perhaps my bank records my address in a different way. (Whoa there! I
never put my card details on the website so they're going to some
outside agency to check up on me.) However, I could go to my local Post
Office and get a form filled in there - she neglected to point out how
this might be more convenient than going to the Sorting Office. But she
did remember to assure me that all their staff are highly trained and
she's so pleased I brought this matter to their attention.
Bah! In fact, triple bah! with bars on.
And while we're on the subject, why can I have an Amazon parcel
delivered to my local PO for free, zilch, zero, nothing but have to pay
70p if I want Royal Mail to re-deliver something there?
(I still haven't got my parcel.)

‘To save you going into your local Post Office, we can make life so much
easier for you; just pop into your local post office and fill in form
GPO999wecantbearsed ensuring you answer all 584 questions fully, leave us
your account details, your passport and a recent photo of your next door
neighbour’s dog and we will endeavour to bring your parcel to you in the
next few months...’

[Joe Kerr]

Post by Jenny M Benson
The ghastly saga continues...
Further repeated attempts to use the website having failed, I tried the
Customer Services telephone line again.  I lost track of the time it
took, and the number of key presses, to reach the stage where I could
actually begin the process of requesting a redelivery.  It included
again, of course, the lo-o-ong information about how convenient it would
be for me to go the Sorting Office. So (as everyone is saying nowadays),
I start making the actual request - none of your speaking to a human
bean of course, all done by robot on their side and key pressing on
mine, with the occasional spelling out of difficult bits like surname
and post code.
Finally get to the end of it all - and am told that they can't process
my request so I must hold the line and speak to a real, live person.  So
(everyone does it over and over, too) I hold ... and I hold ... and I
hold.  From time to time the robot tells me how much they value their
custom, but never admits to having far too few staff to deal with the
workload.  Eventually I could wait no longer and gave up.
Went back on the website and used the Contact Us form to spell out a
lengthy and very angry complaint.  A couple of days later they replied.
Apparently the online process is designed to be "easy and convenient for
customers" - it wasn't, it didn't work.  But apparently, they check my
details against the details they hold of my Credit or Debit Card and
perhaps my bank records my address in a different way.  (Whoa there!  I
never put my card details on the website so they're going to some
outside agency to check up on me.)  However, I could go to my local Post
Office and get a form filled in there - she neglected to point out how
this might be more convenient than going to the Sorting Office.  But she
did remember to assure me that all their staff are highly trained and
she's so pleased I brought this matter to their attention.
Bah!  In fact, triple bah! with bars on.
And while we're on the subject, why can I have an Amazon parcel
delivered to my local PO for free, zilch, zero, nothing but have to pay
70p if I want Royal Mail to re-deliver something there?
(I still haven't got my parcel.)

Can you get your parcel delivered to Amazon and have them forward it?

[Mike]

Post by Joe Kerr

Post by Jenny M Benson
The ghastly saga continues...
Further repeated attempts to use the website having failed, I tried the
Customer Services telephone line again.  I lost track of the time it
took, and the number of key presses, to reach the stage where I could
actually begin the process of requesting a redelivery.  It included
again, of course, the lo-o-ong information about how convenient it would
be for me to go the Sorting Office. So (as everyone is saying nowadays),
I start making the actual request - none of your speaking to a human
bean of course, all done by robot on their side and key pressing on
mine, with the occasional spelling out of difficult bits like surname
and post code.
Finally get to the end of it all - and am told that they can't process
my request so I must hold the line and speak to a real, live person.  So
(everyone does it over and over, too) I hold ... and I hold ... and I
hold.  From time to time the robot tells me how much they value their
custom, but never admits to having far too few staff to deal with the
workload.  Eventually I could wait no longer and gave up.
Went back on the website and used the Contact Us form to spell out a
lengthy and very angry complaint.  A couple of days later they replied.
Apparently the online process is designed to be "easy and convenient for
customers" - it wasn't, it didn't work.  But apparently, they check my
details against the details they hold of my Credit or Debit Card and
perhaps my bank records my address in a different way.  (Whoa there!  I
never put my card details on the website so they're going to some
outside agency to check up on me.)  However, I could go to my local Post
Office and get a form filled in there - she neglected to point out how
this might be more convenient than going to the Sorting Office.  But she
did remember to assure me that all their staff are highly trained and
she's so pleased I brought this matter to their attention.
Bah!  In fact, triple bah! with bars on.
And while we're on the subject, why can I have an Amazon parcel
delivered to my local PO for free, zilch, zero, nothing but have to pay
70p if I want Royal Mail to re-deliver something there?
(I still haven't got my parcel.)

Can you get your parcel delivered to Amazon and have them forward it?

From my experience of the PO, the parcel would probably be sent to soak in
a well known but diminishing-in-size rainforest in S. America.

[Nick Leverton]

Post by Joe Kerr

Post by Jenny M Benson
The ghastly saga continues...

...snip trichomania-inducing tales...

Post by Joe Kerr

Post by Jenny M Benson
And while we're on the subject, why can I have an Amazon parcel
delivered to my local PO for free, zilch, zero, nothing but have to pay
70p if I want Royal Mail to re-deliver something there?
(I still haven't got my parcel.)

Can you get your parcel delivered to Amazon and have them forward it?

I recently asked Amazon to deliver a small parcel to local Post Office
for collection. Unbeknownst to me, the PO in question closes at random
times on random days, so Royal Mail marked it as "undeliverable" and
delivered it instead to another Post Office some miles away which I've
no convenient way to reach.

There was no way to contact either Amazon or the Royal Mail directly,
but to cut to the chase, Amazon's own automatic problem resolver was
quite happy, after a week or so, to mark it "missing in the post" and to
refund me. In the meantime I'd ordered again choosing a more reliable
delivery option!

Nick

[BrritSki]

Post by Nick Leverton

Post by Joe Kerr

Post by Jenny M Benson
The ghastly saga continues...

...snip trichomania-inducing tales...

Post by Joe Kerr

Post by Jenny M Benson
And while we're on the subject, why can I have an Amazon parcel
delivered to my local PO for free, zilch, zero, nothing but have to pay
70p if I want Royal Mail to re-deliver something there?
(I still haven't got my parcel.)

Can you get your parcel delivered to Amazon and have them forward it?

I recently asked Amazon to deliver a small parcel to local Post Office
for collection. Unbeknownst to me, the PO in question closes at random
times on random days, so Royal Mail marked it as "undeliverable" and
delivered it instead to another Post Office some miles away which I've
no convenient way to reach.
There was no way to contact either Amazon or the Royal Mail directly,
but to cut to the chase, Amazon's own automatic problem resolver was
quite happy, after a week or so, to mark it "missing in the post" and to
refund me. In the meantime I'd ordered again choosing a more reliable
delivery option!

The thing I like about Amazon is that when things go wrong they do such
a good job of putting them right. I've returned a few things recently
and it's so easy - just fill in the form online, walk up to PO, show
them the QR code they sent me on my phone and the PO print a label and
return it for nowt.

[John Ashby]

Post by BrritSki

Post by Nick Leverton

Post by Joe Kerr

Post by Jenny M Benson
The ghastly saga continues...

...snip trichomania-inducing tales...

Post by Joe Kerr

Post by Jenny M Benson
And while we're on the subject, why can I have an Amazon parcel
delivered to my local PO for free, zilch, zero, nothing but have to pay
70p if I want Royal Mail to re-deliver something there?
(I still haven't got my parcel.)

Can you get your parcel delivered to Amazon and have them forward it?

I recently asked Amazon to deliver a small parcel to local Post Office
for collection.  Unbeknownst to me, the PO in question closes at random
times on random days, so Royal Mail marked it as "undeliverable" and
delivered it instead to another Post Office some miles away which I've
no convenient way to reach.
There was no way to contact either Amazon or the Royal Mail directly,
but to cut to the chase, Amazon's own automatic problem resolver was
quite happy, after a week or so, to mark it "missing in the post" and to
refund me.  In the meantime I'd ordered again choosing a more reliable
delivery option!

The thing I like about Amazon is that when things go wrong they do such
a good job of putting them right. I've returned a few things recently
and it's so easy - just fill in the form online, walk up to PO, show
them the QR code they sent me on my phone and the PO print a label and
return it for nowt.

For which, apparently, the PO do not get paid (or at least the local
office does it for free, it may be that there is some sort of national
contract). Just a warning to be careful how you use this service, lest
it become financially non-viable.

john

[SODAM]

Post by Jenny M Benson
Repeated attempts on their website to arrange redelivery of a parcel (1)
having failed ("Oops! We seem to have had a problem ...") I followed
the instruction to ring Customer Services. I sat and listened,
occasionally pressing a key, until I eventually got to the bit about
re-delivery(2). Then had to listen to a long spiel about how convenient
it would be for me to collect my parcel from the local delivery
office(3). FINALLY got to the point of probably pressing another key in
order to speak to someone who would actually arrange the delivery, only
to be told that "due to technical difficulties" they couldn't take my
call at that time and I should try again later. Aaaaaggghhhh!
(1) Why? According to BT there was no need to be at home because the
parcel would fit in my letterbox.
(2) Surely they could have a direct line to deal with redeliveries?
(3) NO! It's boodly well not convenient, that's why I'm trying to
arrange a redelivery.

Yes, it has gone belly up.

Before I left my last house I filled in the post redirection form and paid
£66.90 for a year’s service. The first day at the new house, I had a letter
checking that this was the address to which they would be redirecting mail
for 3 MONTHS. I rang the number supplied and explained their error. No
apology. I was cheerfully told that the receiving office had not put the
length of time onto their form, so the default is three months. “All I had
to do” was write a letter explaining the position, enclose proof of my
address and the receipt for £66.90 and it would be sorted. I asked why I
had to put in all the effort into rectifying their error. Most businesses
would apologise and put things right themselves. The teenager just repeated
the advice and hung up.

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

In message

Post by SODAM

Post by Jenny M Benson
Repeated attempts on their website to arrange redelivery of a parcel (1)
having failed ("Oops! We seem to have had a problem ...") I followed
the instruction to ring Customer Services. I sat and listened,
occasionally pressing a key, until I eventually got to the bit about
re-delivery(2). Then had to listen to a long spiel about how convenient
it would be for me to collect my parcel from the local delivery
office(3). FINALLY got to the point of probably pressing another key in
order to speak to someone who would actually arrange the delivery, only
to be told that "due to technical difficulties" they couldn't take my
call at that time and I should try again later. Aaaaaggghhhh!
(1) Why? According to BT there was no need to be at home because the
parcel would fit in my letterbox.
(2) Surely they could have a direct line to deal with redeliveries?
(3) NO! It's boodly well not convenient, that's why I'm trying to
arrange a redelivery.

Yes, it has gone belly up.
Before I left my last house I filled in the post redirection form and paid
£66.90 for a year’s service. The first day at the new house, I had a letter
checking that this was the address to which they would be redirecting mail
for 3 MONTHS. I rang the number supplied and explained their error. No
apology. I was cheerfully told that the receiving office had not put the
length of time onto their form, so the default is three months. “All I had
to do” was write a letter explaining the position, enclose proof of my
address and the receipt for £66.90 and it would be sorted. I asked why I
had to put in all the effort into rectifying their error. Most businesses
would apologise and put things right themselves. The teenager just repeated
the advice and hung up.

That is unforgivable, and I would definitely expect compensation if you
complain.

After reading your other sorry saga, I was going to suggest you
communicate (god knows how: if you can't extract an email address from
them, then by old-fashioned mail, registered), detailing politely but
firmly, and asking for some compensation. I've found in the last year or
two, companies are beginning to cough up - my most recent was 15 from
PlusNet, but I think I've had a 50 from someone not too long ago.

They will call it a "goodwill" payment, which I think is to protect
themselves; if you're anything like me, it's _not_ as good as a
(genuine) apology (even with _no_ money) - I'd rather have a believable
assurance they're going to do something about it than the money - but it
does ease the frustration somewhat.

(On the other hand, I've had a "deadlock letter" from BT, so I can go to
OfCom - which is way overkill for what I was complaining about
[shortcomings on their website]; however, I'm definitely considering
doing so.)

[krw]

Post by J. P. Gilliver (John)
They will call it a "goodwill" payment, which I think is to protect
themselves; if you're anything like me, it's _not_ as good as a
(genuine) apology (even with _no_ money) - I'd rather have a believable
assurance they're going to do something about it than the money - but it
does ease the frustration somewhat.

I have had a couple of instances (both banks) offering money and one
from an insurer.

With the two instances from the bank I refused one offer and took the
other, but in both cases I wanted three things more - a proper apology,
an explanation of how something simple could go wrong and if the
individual concerned would be properly trained (in one case entering my
monthly income as my annual income and rejecting my credit card
application and no-one undertaking a double check because the computer
says "no").

With the insurance company my claim for a damaged window following an
attempted break in. My letter made it quite clear that I needed a phone
call to say no further information was needed and I could get the repair
done. It dragged on and I was on the point of phoning to ask about
progress when the cheque arrived. Later the same morning a numpty then
phoned to enquire if I was satisfied with their customer service and he
duly got both barrels. He looked through the correspondence apologised
and offered me money as he could see it was important to me that the
house was properly secured. It was an oversight their end - but at
least I could then get the new window fitted.