Royal Schmail

[Pastis]

OK, this is a longish one so ignore and move along if you will but it's a "Get it off one's chest" thread...

You know what it's like when Taxi's can't be @rsed to press the buzzer, sit outside and toot their horn?
Well we have that and the Royal Mail parcel delivery tw@t as well. I've had enough and register a formal complaint; the usual procedure followed by a computer generated acknowledgement, followed up by a personal response...

Dear Mr Pastis
Thank you for your email regarding your recent negative experience with one of Royal Mail's employees. May I firstly apologise for any inconvenience you have been caused.
I appreciate how important it is for our customers to be treated in a courteous and respectful manner by our staff, and I realise the concern that can be caused if this does not happen.
Your concerns have been reported to the Manager responsible. All complaints are taken seriously and the details of your complaint will be used at the highest levels within Royal Mail to evaluate our performance.

I hope my response provides a satisfactory resolve to your problem. If you still have concerns please get back in touch with us quoting our reference number *-************.

Regards
Angela Gavin
Customer Service Advisor

So, a few days later... he's at it again... on a Saturday morning! So I reply...

Dear Angela Gavin,
No, your response has not provided a satisfactory response to the problem. The employee driving the parcel van was tooting his horn again at 8:30 this morning; sitting in his driver seat and not bothering to get out of the vehicle and press the buzzer.
Some kind soul must have activated the gates as he drove in. Naturally the gates closed behind him and, again he started tooting his horn until eventually someone released the gates.

Can he not make the connection between the address on the package and the number on the bell?
Regards,
Mr Pastis

The same automated reply... and then....

Dear Mr Pastis
Thank you for contacting us about an item of mail that was left in an unsecured location.
Our priority is to provide a good quality service, and we aim to handle mail very carefully to make sure it is delivered safely and on time.
From 1 January 2006, Royal Mail no longer has the monopoly on collecting and delivering mail. In order for us to deal with your complaint correctly, we need to know if the item was sent with us.

Please provide us with a full description of the markings found in the top right-hand corner of your item, and the date that it was left, so that we can establish who the postal carrier was on this occasion.

If your item has the letters CL followed by four numbers in the top right hand corner of the envelope/packaging, postage has been paid to another company to collect and deliver the item and you will need to contact the sender in order for them to raise the complaint with their chosen postal carrier.

Please reply within 7 days quoting reference number to enable a timely resolution to your problem. If I do not hear from you within this period I will assume you prefer not to progress your concerns.
Regards
Claire Brogan

WTF? 

I repied...

Dear Claire Brogan,
WTF  What on earth are you on about?
Please re-read my email to Angela Gavin regarding the original complaint.
Regards,
Mr Pastis

Is it really too much to ask?   

[Snoopy]

http://www.postwatch.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=31

Yes it tells you to complain to the Royal Mail BUT read down the page and activate PostWatch on your behalf. It does work (I am a local rep for this part of North Wales but you are in England so I cannot do it for you). Alternatively ignore customer "services" and write directly to the Manager of your local sorting office.

[Pastis]

Sound advice Snoops, as usual, but in this instance I know these types. Our regular postie of some years back, Michael, a decent, genial and pleasant fellow resigned after being mugged and continues to work for them but only inside the sorting office. His replacements change every two or three months because either they're bored, innit? or they can't match numbers to postboxes 

Usually I tackle these sorts of issues head on but seeing as I was "in me bed" when it occurred I thought I'd go the conventional route. More fool me, eh?

What dismays me, continually, is the promise of service and if not, correction and improvement, which ultimately fails again.

You know, with all these reminiscences of 1968 I've a feeling to take to the streets again, man the barricades, storm the Palais... Vive La Revolution!

Merde.... ou sont mes lunettes?

[Snoopy]

Ah 1968 ~ we were put on full alert in case the students rioted here too.


But then when JFK was shot they locked the camp gates for 3 days and had us all in battle order in case the Rusians invaded.  x2