Royal Mail - Sorry, you were out

[Dez]

I heard the letterbox clatter this morning and saw a card drop through with the 'Sorry, you were out' legend and all the details. By the time I'd got to the door the guy was crossing the road to his van and I couldn't catch his attention. He wasn't carrying anything and hadn't rung my doorbell. So what's this about? No attempt was made to deliver and the guy was in a hurry to get away!

[calculus]

yep - I get this all the time. It's like they are against the clock or something. It's only Royal Mail who do this - UPS etc. seem happy to see if you are in before filling in their little notes.

[TillieTrotter]

Me too. It's so frigging annoying. Phone and complain.

[SeanMacGabhann]

I think it's fairly common practice now - I'm sure it's a cost cutting measure as part of the prep for selling the thing off. Complaining might help but I doubt it. God bless the free-market and all that

[Dez]

TillieTrotter Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Me too. It's so frigging annoying. Phone and

> complain.

I tried phoning to find out what they're playing at but one number is just the automated redelivery option and the sorting office wouldn't answer its number. And like you say they know that the average consumer won't expend too much energy flogging a knackered horse.

[Siduhe]

I think I posted this before somewhere, but when I lived in SE1, the sorting office there confirmed that packages are not initially sent out for delivery at all, but the "you were out" cards are filled out in advance and posted through regardless of whether you are in or not. It's to save time and failed attempted deliveries as well as limit the amounts that postmen/women have to carry. I guess this may be a London or country wide thing.

[Dez]

I can believe that, but Royal Mail should change the wording on its cards from Sorry you were out to Sorry if you're in

[zephyr]

This does sometimes happen if they tried to deliver the previous day but the postie had no cards left. When back at base they fill them in and someone puts them through the door the following day. It has happened to us before

[SimonM]

But the person posting the parcel/package/whatever has paid the full whack for delivery to the addressee's door. So this new practice is blatantly dishonest and taking money on false pretences: time someone prosecuted them I think

[PeckhamRose]

I remember this from a few years ago, something about the use of Casuals (who are apparently paid MORE than the regular staff) not being allowed to actually have the parcels they supposedly are trying to deliver because they're not trusted with them. This may be wrong but I am sure it is what a regular postman told me some time ago. We only get mail every other day sometimes because the managers are giving the regular guys so much work they can't fit it all in to one shift, they're not paid overtime, and they are giving unrealistic and unachievable targets. So they post it back.

I wrote to my MP though. That should sort it all out.....

[Brendan]

They seem to not bother trying to deliver our parcels during the week and then on Saturday a different postie comes normally an hour or so after the normal one with our parcels.

[AcedOut]

Can someone please catch the postie when he does this!!! I'd love to see what he says. This is disgraceful - they are just too lazy to carry around the parcels so would rather you just pick them up from the sorting office. The ED office needs a damn good shake up. An I'm still waiting from my 30th birthday cuff links that were sent by my brother in August!

[Al&Em]

Courier companies seem to be getting more adventurous with who they'll leave packages with if you're out - I've had one today for some people diagonally across the road - usually it's only direct next doors that they leave them with. Don't think this applies to RM though.

[SeanMacGabhann]

AcedOut - I think you'll probably find the reasons are a lot more complicated than "laziness"

It's too easy to run-down a service for public sale and then blame the staff for being lazy

[PeckhamRose]

AcedOut, read my post about five posts above.

[jctg]

AcedOut Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

I'm still waiting

> from my 30th birthday cuff links that were sent by

> my brother in August!

I think you'll find that they're being worn by someone else by now.

The reason postmen leave cards without ringing the bell is that they assume you'll be out (cuz you were the last time they had a parcel for you). It's a lot easier for them to not attempt delivery by leaving the item at the sorting office and just delivering a 739 card.

[PeckhamRose]

jctg seriously, read the words. Casuals are not trusted to deliver parcels. Royal mail staff are treated appallingly by management, do as best they can but can't perform miracles, are paid less than the casuals, and then the public despair when things go wrong and blame the.... royal mail staff!

[njc97]

I've heard the same reason as given by PR. And in the run up to Christmas the number of casuals goes up (as RM gets busy) so the number of undelivered parcels similarly rises.

However over here in Nunhead we have a lovely postie who comes twice every day, once with parcels and once later with letters. Only downside is he's got me out of the shower twice already this week.

[bob]

RING 08457 740 740 and complain it works.

Bob S

[PeckhamRose]

Hi Bob, I have, and it doesn't. not here, anyway. Management does not care.

One on four of my guaranteed next day Special Delivery items also is a day (or more) late.

If we all wrote to our MP, that probably would not work either, but it was all I felt I could do, so I did.

[bob]

Hi PR Sorry to hear that it did't help it took 3 seperate calls from me over 6 weeks it did some good for a time but it is so bad, I might give the MP a blast.

Bob S

[Loz]

Courier companies seem to be getting more adventurous with who they'll leave packages with if you're out - I've had one today for some people diagonally across the road - usually it's only direct next doors that they leave them with. Don't think this applies to RM though.

I found a card once with the message "parcel left in bin". And lo, it was.

Fortunately this didn't happen on bin day.

[David Mc]

If you pay for special delivery and it doesn't turn up on time, you're entitled to compensation aren't you? That's how they try to upsell it to you in the PO in Canary Wharf anyway!

I have a feeling this "sorry if you were in" mullarkey is probably illegal? Any lawyers?

[jim_the_chin]

blimey, I got the opposite the other day. i turned up to collect a parcel and the guy tutted - 'can't i shut that door - I got a millon and one fings to do...not your fault mate but...' and then ended up saying 'shame more poeple aren't in when we deliver'

total stereotypical grumpy postie, made my day.

[jctg]

PeckhamRose, I don't understand why you took exception to what I wrote. I didn't mention anything about casual workers. The point I am making is that, because the job is 'job and finish', for the good majority of postmen the sooner you finish your delivery, the better. Hence, not attempting delivery for parcels.

I know RM management are mostly to blame, but sometimes it is individual postmen's fault.