These days most parcel deliveries by courier take place without issue. Parcels are left with a neighbour, or a safe place if you're not in. The one exception is Royal Mail. They seem very reluctant to attempt an alternative or offer collection from a local point. Since the rationalisation of their logistics operation, it's also a real pain to go and collect an undelivered item. So in one way and another they seem to be by far the most difficult courier for us to get a delivery from.
A case in point today for me today. The Royal Mail attempted to deliver an item this morning when I wasn't in. Instead of trying an immediate neighbour, many of who were in, they left a card. My choices are a redelivery next week, a trek to Tufnell Park or delivery to a Post Office next week (for a 70p charge). A redelivery might just end up with the same problem. So I tried a post office delivery. I'm on Hewitt and there's a post office at the bottom of Warham, but the online redelivery system wouldn't allow me to collect it from there. I assumed this was a computer glitch so called up to see if could arrange delivery to Harringay Post Office. I learned that this was no glitch. It was just another example of a system designed to suit a company rather than a user. Because I'm in N8, I can only collect from an N8 post office, no matter than the parcels for N8 and N4 both come from Tufnell Park. It's bonkers.
With companies like DPD and Hermes presenting a real challenge to the Royal Mail, I don't understand how they can survive performing like this - and unless they change, they don't deserve to.
Last year the FT wrote:
The 500-year-old postal operator still controls more than one-third of the £9bn parcels sector and is modernising its systems and technology. But the high growth rates of its smaller rivals suggest they are gaining ground. Revenues at DPD, which is part of the French state-owned La Poste group and competes directly with Royal Mail’s Parcelforce service, rose from £417m in 2010 to £945m last year, said Mr McDonald. He expects turnover to top £1bn in 2016.
As users of parcel delivery firms we're in a strange situation. We're not actually the customer; the vendor is. Rock and a hard place?
This isn't the first time I've had an issue with Royal Mail deliveries. A couple of years ago Martin Lewis, consumer champion and the force behind MoneySavingExpert.com, criticised retailers for failing to monitor the performance of the delivery firms they use. I agree. So I've decided that now I will avoid suppliers who use the Royal Mail unless there's a compelling reason to do otherwise. I've written to the supplier I bought from this week explaining the reason that I won't be using them again.
Tags for Forum Posts: mail deliveries, parcel deliveries, royal mail
sad but true. Even small packets with regular mail are not left with neighbour etc. Its pointless emailing the address on the card for redelivery as you never know if they will comply. the private couriers just have to deliver again for no payment so they have an incentive!
You can nominate a preferred neighbour for it to be delivered. You have to fill in a form:
http://www.royalmail.com/delivery-to-neighbour
They also offer safe place nomination, it is up to the retailer to integrate this into their checkout system:
http://www.royalmail.com/corporate/sending-receiving/uk/safeplace
I often use the redelivery option through the Royal Mail website, once you create a login profile it's very quick and works well on mobile devices. Not had a problem.
Royal Mail is one of the good ones for me. We tend to have the same post person for a good while and they have all been great. Sometimes see me coming home and go back to their van to get the thing that wouldn't fit through the door. I have to go to Broad Lane to collect which is a real pain to get to, so I tend to do a re-delivery for 2 or 3 days after the first attempt and in over 10 years I've only had a problem a couple of times.
My worst courier seems to be Yodel they have often left things by my door in full sight of the street. Amazingly nothing has been stolen, but it's really not a good idea.
Having said all that I've got to know most of the couriers quite well, because I'm at home a lot and am always taking in parcels for neighbours, and they are all friendly and professional.
I do think you having to go to Tufnell Park is ridiculous, I'm sure the GL post office is an option on my list when I book a redelivery.
Our postman regularly delivers parcels to our neighbours, and we get deliveries for them too. Perhaps it depends on the individual postie. At least Royal Mail staff are employed properly, and not working in the gig economy. Better for the consumer but not necessarily better for the worker...
Sadly, you have to go to Tufnell Park to activate the service - see the RM website here.
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