In praise of Royal Mail International

Started by woodbury22uk, December 09, 2017, 02:28:30 PM

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woodbury22uk

I know that Royal Mail is not everyone's favourite but I have to say they have just excelled themselves in conjunction with La Poste in France and the US Postal Service, Australia Post and Canada Post, all of whom receive plenty of adverse criticism

At 10.40am on Thursday 7 December 2017 I posted a Small Packet to Paris. Delivered on Saturday 9 December at 11.40am local time!

On the afternoon of Thursday 30 November we posted several Christmas cards to the USA, Canada and Australia. We have feedback from the recipients surprised at the speed of delivery. All have now been delivered with the earliest to Melbourne, Australia taking 4 calendar days, and the most recent this morning to Atlanta, Georgia so 9 calendar days.

I am a bit of a fan of Royal Mail, because having had a lifetime in or alongside distribution I know only too well all the things that conspire against timely delivery.  For the price of a 1st or 2nd class stamp on a letter I would struggle to find anyone to run the errand of taking it to the posting box, let alone deliver it to the extremities of the realm.



Mike

Membre AFAN 0196

emjaybee

I'm very happy for you. I sadly don't share your sentiments. Having lived in this property for 15 years, I am currently waiting for a redelivery from Royal Snail. For the last 8 days they have been "attempting" to deliver a parcel to me. The three previous attempts have seen no card through the door, and the tracking says "unable to locate property". DPD, UPS, FedEx, Amazon, Yodel, Hermes, Tuffnells, TNT, and approximately three independent couriers have all managed to find this property in the last year, but apparently the location mystified the lazy, feckless slackers at the longest existing UK delivery company.

Answers on a postcard please. Oh, and don't get me started on ParcelFarce.

:veryangry:
Brookline build thread:

https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=50207.msg652736#msg652736

Sometimes you bite the dog...

...sometimes the dog bites you!

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

I can explain it to you...

...but I can't understand it for you.

woodbury22uk

Quote from: emjaybee on December 09, 2017, 04:52:09 PM
I'm very happy for you. I sadly don't share your sentiments. Having lived in this property for 15 years, I am currently waiting for a redelivery from Royal Snail. For the last 8 days they have been "attempting" to deliver a parcel to me. The three previous attempts have seen no card through the door, and the tracking says "unable to locate property". DPD, UPS, FedEx, Amazon, Yodel, Hermes, Tuffnells, TNT, and approximately three independent couriers have all managed to find this property in the last year, but apparently the location mystified the lazy, feckless slackers at the longest existing UK delivery company.

Answers on a postcard please. Oh, and don't get me started on ParcelFarce.

:veryangry:

Be interested to see the address on the parcel when you finally get it. Not sure how that is going to happen if they can't find the address and they can't therefore deliver the card to you either. Hmm?
Mike

Membre AFAN 0196

The Q

Round here the most likely to deliver is parcel farce.
Amazon are close.

The worst are by far are yodel,  closely followed by DHL.

Papyrus

I much prefer Royal Mail to any of the others. I can't remember the last time I had a problem with them - we have a regular postie who adores our dogs and leaves parcels in a safe place when he can. If ever he can't deliver anything it is easy enough to pick up from the delivery office which is only just over a mile away. Failed deliveries are far more frequent with the other couriers and I have to slog all the way up to Gatport Airwick to collect them.  >:(

Cheers,

Chris

Vanders

Having moved to the Netherlands, I will happilly swap ANY of the UK delivery companies, including Hermes, for PostNL. Any time I hear somebody complain about Royal Mail I shall let out a hollow laugh.

daffy

I have to say I'm okay with Royal Mail. Parcel-wise the Postie is always happy to deliver parcels on his letter round, but we also get Parcel Force some days. One benefit is that we usually get the same Posties (3 regulars) so there's a rapport and familiarity that means they are aware of our preferences when it comes to making deliveries when we are out.

They have a way to go these days however when it comes to keeping the custimer informed re delivery times of parcels, but they are getting there.


With letters, except for the preponderance of junk mail, which is an ecological waste par excellance IMHO, but for RM a money earner, I have never had a letter go awry - so far as I know!. Some have arrived late for unknown reasons, but given the price of a stamp and the average speed of delivery, it's a damned good service. I've lived at two addresses that are somewhat 'out in the wilds', and have no complaints. I would imagine that is at variance with the feelings of the Posties, who have had to battle the vagaries of the UK weather and badly maintained and ungritted winter roads just to put an envelope, of varying merit, through my letterbox, six days a week.
Mike

Sufferin' succotash!

dannyboy

Whenever I order anything online from the UK, I am always pleased to see that the postal carrier is Royal Mail.  I know that there is a 99% chance of the item arriving in about a week or less. RM forward to the Irish mail service, 'An Post', and, between them, they provide an excellent service. Even post from elsewhere in the world, usually gets to me without a problem. However, if a private carrier is involved, I expect problems. If I am lucky, the carrier will ring me and ask where I am - even though we have a system of postcodes in Ireland now, (although not a patch on the UK system!). When ever a private carrier is involved, I either have to go and meet him somewhere, or arrange for the parcel to be delivered to my Wife's place of work, which usually involves "It will be there tomorrow", even though most carriers have to pass my Wife's work to get to me.  :veryangry:
David.
I used to be indecisive - now I'm not - I don't think.
If a friend seems distant, catch up with them.

Intercity

only dealing with Royal Mail through international purchases (too many years have gone by to recollect experiences from living there), they current dealings have been good, parcels have gone through Customs and into the hands of USPS, Fed-Ex or UPS with no problems, the packages don't appear to get bashed around, as long as the shipper packs well the carrier hasn't yet destroyed any of them, the signed for delivery is communicated to the carrier this side of the pond and as far as I know the sender gets notified when I sign.

I know there are many complaints for Royal Mail as there are for USPS and any other large industry but my limited dealings have been good.

emjaybee

Quote from: Lindi on December 09, 2017, 05:33:11 PM
Quote from: emjaybee on December 09, 2017, 04:52:09 PM
I'm very happy for you. I sadly don't share your sentiments. Having lived in this property for 15 years, I am currently waiting for a redelivery from Royal Snail. For the last 8 days they have been "attempting" to deliver a parcel to me. The three previous attempts have seen no card through the door, and the tracking says "unable to locate property". DPD, UPS, FedEx, Amazon, Yodel, Hermes, Tuffnells, TNT, and approximately three independent couriers have all managed to find this property in the last year, but apparently the location mystified the lazy, feckless slackers at the longest existing UK delivery company.

Answers on a postcard please. Oh, and don't get me started on ParcelFarce.

:veryangry:

If you find out that it was wrongly/incorrectly addressed (Royal Mail can only deliver to the address on the letter/packet) maybe you would like to apologise on here for the names you have just called them.


I strongly doubt an apology will be necessary on my part. The item in question is from a regular supplier. I usually get materials on 24hr delivery via DPD (1hr timed slot, constant online update of progress, photo on delivery if left, contact number of actual driver, the way deliveries SHOULD be), but as this item is going into stock I didn't bother with 24hr, (how silly of me), so unless the supplier of about 6yrs has got my address wrong...

ParcelFarce tried a similar system to DPD. I had a message to say the item (different supplier) would be delivered between 10.22am & 11.22am. There was an option to change delivery/re-direct/delay/ etc. and I selected delivery to our village Post Office (no-one at home), confirmation came back of request, item was delivered to our neighbour at 4.35pm. I say no more.

:smackedface:
Brookline build thread:

https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=50207.msg652736#msg652736

Sometimes you bite the dog...

...sometimes the dog bites you!

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

I can explain it to you...

...but I can't understand it for you.

Newportnobby

Sometimes RM are good and sometimes otherwise. I do object to all my post (apart from greetings cards and even they're not immune at times) being folded unnecessarily in half to get it through a standard size letter box. On occasion I find 'signed for' items on my inner doormat that I haven't signed for which I report to the sender.
I do think, however, it's time RM paid for long trousers for the posties in this weather :cold:
The poor sods are still wearing shorts, although there is some sort of macho thing going on in Lancashire I have noticed whereby, as soon as the temperature strays over zero degrees, the men get their legs out. :confused2:

emjaybee

Quote from: newportnobby on December 09, 2017, 10:00:45 PM
Sometimes RM are good and sometimes otherwise. I do object to all my post (apart from greetings cards and even they're not immune at times) being folded unnecessarily in half to get it through a standard size letter box. On occasion I find 'signed for' items on my inner doormat that I haven't signed for which I report to the sender.
I do think, however, it's time RM paid for long trousers for the posties in this weather :cold:
The poor sods are still wearing shorts, although there is some sort of macho thing going on in Lancashire I have noticed whereby, as soon as the temperature strays over zero degrees, the men get their legs out. :confused2:

I am reliably informed from our local posty (regular letters man not parcel man) that the reason for the shorts is that they are more confortable in wet weather. Wet legs are more favourable and warmer than wet trousers which are uncomfortable and colder when the wind blows!

:hmmm:
Brookline build thread:

https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=50207.msg652736#msg652736

Sometimes you bite the dog...

...sometimes the dog bites you!

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

I can explain it to you...

...but I can't understand it for you.

Webbo

Here in Oz I have stuff sent to the UK and vice versa from time to time. Presumably, such deliveries go through the hands of both the Royal Mail and Australia Post. Both seem to operating reasonably well as I've not had any particular problems with parcels going in either direction - touch wood. So a tick to RM from me.

What does get up my nose is the rate at which AusPost postal charges are increasing year after year. Several times the rate of increase of inflation I suggest (or at least it seems like it). I suppose we have to support the multi-million dollar salary of the AusPost CEO.

Webbo   




daffy

Quote from: emjaybee on December 09, 2017, 10:05:57 PM
Quote from: newportnobby on December 09, 2017, 10:00:45 PM
Sometimes RM are good and sometimes otherwise. I do object to all my post (apart from greetings cards and even they're not immune at times) being folded unnecessarily in half to get it through a standard size letter box. On occasion I find 'signed for' items on my inner doormat that I haven't signed for which I report to the sender.
I do think, however, it's time RM paid for long trousers for the posties in this weather :cold:
The poor sods are still wearing shorts, although there is some sort of macho thing going on in Lancashire I have noticed whereby, as soon as the temperature strays over zero degrees, the men get their legs out. :confused2:

I am reliably informed from our local posty (regular letters man not parcel man) that the reason for the shorts is that they are more confortable in wet weather. Wet legs are more favourable and warmer than wet trousers which are uncomfortable and colder when the wind blows!

:hmmm:

I believe it can get very cold around the Trossachs this time of year.  :worried:
Mike

Sufferin' succotash!

The Q

Quote from: daffy on December 10, 2017, 01:57:26 AM
Quote from: emjaybee on December 09, 2017, 10:05:57 PM
Quote from: newportnobby on December 09, 2017, 10:00:45 PM
Sometimes RM are good and sometimes otherwise. I do object to all my post (apart from greetings cards and even they're not immune at times) being folded unnecessarily in half to get it through a standard size letter box. On occasion I find 'signed for' items on my inner doormat that I haven't signed for which I report to the sender.
I do think, however, it's time RM paid for long trousers for the posties in this weather :cold:
The poor sods are still wearing shorts, although there is some sort of macho thing going on in Lancashire I have noticed whereby, as soon as the temperature strays over zero degrees, the men get their legs out. :confused2:

I am reliably informed from our local posty (regular letters man not parcel man) that the reason for the shorts is that they are more confortable in wet weather. Wet legs are more favourable and warmer than wet trousers which are uncomfortable and colder when the wind blows!

:hmmm:

I believe it can get very cold around the Trossachs this time of year.  :worried:

Is that why I'll be wearing one of my kilts to the MRC Christmas dinner on Saturday?

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