News about sending of paints by Royal Mail

[OwL]

Really dont know what to think about this one!

Can understand why it can have negative consequences sending stuff like this by post. Surely Royal Mail could offer a delivery service for goods of this nature and earn extra dosh rather than do an impression of the Labour party and BAN BAN BAN etc etc without looking at what could practically be done to offer customers and sellers safe postage of items like this?

[Trainfish]

I sometimes wonder if Royal Mail actually WANT to stay in business. We no longer get any post in the morning, it's around 3:30pm usually whether it's 1st class (their terminology, not mine) or 2nd class. And as for "Special Delivery", do me a favour! They put a card through the letterbox last Thursday at the usual time of 3:30pm. Of course the collection office is only open from 7am to 12:30pm so we couldn't even contact them to arrange for a Friday delivery as they were closed. We couldn't collect it Friday morning so the wife called on Friday and arranged a Saturday delivery. She stayed in all day and they didn't bother. I called them on Monday and was told "Sorry, because it was a Special Delivery it gets locked away and we forgot about it". How I didn't swear at the guy I do not know. Whatever I said worked though as he delivered it himself within 15 minutes. So a Thursday delivery eventually got here on a Monday, how "Special" is that?

This isn't an isolated case either, we often have problems with our deliveries but I won't bore you with those tonight.

[Fratton]

I must admit i have had a beef with the postal service this week, here's how they "delivered" my NGS membership pack and binder

Photo taken as i got out of the car from being out all day

[Trainfish]

Ah yes, that reminds me. I have a ghastly gas meter box on the front of my house and it's not a flush fitted one. Around 6 months ago they left a "Signed For" package sitting on the top of it. It was never signed for. Very similar to your experience it seems Fratton.

[PaulCheffus]

I assume things like double bagging are to protect posties (and other mail) from nasty surprises.

Indeed and it also helps other customers. A couple of years ago a tin of paint poorly packaged at my office came open whilst in a bag of packets for one of my colleagues walk. As a consequence over 20 packets for his customers were ruined. Yesterday I delivered a packet for a customer which was quite clearly a picture frame which had been put in a Tesco carrier bag and wrapped in a single sheet of brown paper. It was lethal as the glass had shattered and bits were sticking out everywhere. Have some people not heard of bubble wrap?
Gareth

Hi

Bit like the light bulb my father in law got yesterday from John Lewis just packed in a Jiffy Bag. Needless to say it isn't in a very good state.

Cheers

Paul

[thebrighton]

I despair at some of my colleagues. The only reasons they leave packets in plain sight is the knowledge that their office managers are hopeless. If they weren't you would ring up to complain and the postie would be put on the conduct code for a first offence and sacked for a second. We have a duty to ensure the security of the 'Queens Mail' and along with 'wilful delay' it is a criminal offence (courier companies are not covered by this). We are not even allowed to leave a parcel unsecure if the customer has asked us to unless written confirmation is held at the office.
RM could, I suppose, offer a unique service to cater for paint and aerosols but it would be so niche it would cost a fortune. RM in having the universal delivery licence can't start offering specialised services. As mentioned earlier this isn't RM making the rules as it is evidently a criminal offence to send the items in the post.
With regard to late deliveries we are not too bad in my office but it is a simple case of cost cutting. Staff are the biggest cost so they are cut. We are always being reminded post volumes are dropping but what senior management don't grasp is that it doesn't matter if you have 1 or 3 letters for a house you still have to go there so your round still takes the same time as you are still walking the same distance. They just see a 20% drop in post so 20% of the staff go. Consequently you have, for example, 8 posties covering an area 10 used to. It isn't rocket science to work out things are going to be delivered late and if someone if of sick..........
One final thing on parcels on doorsteps: it isn't always us. The missus had a moan at me the other day as she'd been in but found a parcel leaning against the door. I had to point out it was a courier that had left it.
However be warned. When we are privatised and we become solely a business and not a service a 6 day a week delivery is very unlikely as it is not cost effective and the regulator will no longer be able to cap postal costs so expect to pay more. The job is also likely to be 9-5 so when you do get your post will be even later.
Boring I know but RM has been bled dry of its profits by numerous governments and the board of directors they appointed and is now subsidising its competitors. It is now on its knees and, yes, the service can be crap but a losing battle is being fought. It isn't going to get better.
Gareth
A very depressed postie

[Newportnobby]

Thanks for that, Gareth.
It's good to hear the other side of the story, even if the future would appear to be worsening

[scotsoft]

I have a good relationship with my postie and parcel post postie, mainly due to the fact I have not much choice when I buy n gauge.  Modelzone is the only place locally and they don't do US stock.  I had two parcels delivered today, had to sign for one and said I was expecting one more parcel this week.  "No bother, at least you are always in" was his cheery reply.

It is so easy to greet someone knocking at your door with a smile and you generally get a smile back.

cheers John.

[davidjhope]

I despair at some of my colleagues. The only reasons they leave packets in plain sight is the knowledge that their office managers are hopeless. If they weren't you would ring up to complain and the postie would be put on the conduct code for a first offence and sacked for a second. We have a duty to ensure the security of the 'Queens Mail' and along with 'wilful delay' it is a criminal offence (courier companies are not covered by this). We are not even allowed to leave a parcel unsecure if the customer has asked us to unless written confirmation is held at the office.
RM could, I suppose, offer a unique service to cater for paint and aerosols but it would be so niche it would cost a fortune. RM in having the universal delivery licence can't start offering specialised services. As mentioned earlier this isn't RM making the rules as it is evidently a criminal offence to send the items in the post.
With regard to late deliveries we are not too bad in my office but it is a simple case of cost cutting. Staff are the biggest cost so they are cut. We are always being reminded post volumes are dropping but what senior management don't grasp is that it doesn't matter if you have 1 or 3 letters for a house you still have to go there so your round still takes the same time as you are still walking the same distance. They just see a 20% drop in post so 20% of the staff go. Consequently you have, for example, 8 posties covering an area 10 used to. It isn't rocket science to work out things are going to be delivered late and if someone if of sick..........
One final thing on parcels on doorsteps: it isn't always us. The missus had a moan at me the other day as she'd been in but found a parcel leaning against the door. I had to point out it was a courier that had left it.
However be warned. When we are privatised and we become solely a business and not a service a 6 day a week delivery is very unlikely as it is not cost effective and the regulator will no longer be able to cap postal costs so expect to pay more. The job is also likely to be 9-5 so when you do get your post will be even later.
Boring I know but RM has been bled dry of its profits by numerous governments and the board of directors they appointed and is now subsidising its competitors. It is now on its knees and, yes, the service can be crap but a losing battle is being fought. It isn't going to get better.
Gareth
A very depressed postie

Hi Gareth,
You can add me to the list of depressed postmen.
I've been in the job 27 years and like to say that I'm old school because I had proper training and the business invested in the staff. It upsets me when I see photos of items left in the open for anyone to walk away with. There is no excuse for this to happen

David

[Fratton]

I have to say my "regular" postie is a fantastic chap he went to school with the mrs and he loops back if I'm not in at the usual school run times with anything signed for when he see's my car,,,

And most importantly he knows if my car is there and I'm taking a minute to answer give a second louder knock and wait a second because I did a nightshirt the night before,,, once e even tried a second time when I missed him,,,,

Recently I haven't recognised any of our posties which is a shame I like to at least half know the person who carrys my mail for me,,,

[Newportnobby]

I did a nightshirt the night before

The mind just boggles

[Caz]

I did a nightshirt the night before

The mind just boggles

       

[Fratton]

I did a nightshirt the night before

The mind just boggles

iPhone changing my words lol, as for the bins there's no room to swing a cat in these houses so the bins live bang outside the door,,,,

[Pengi]

The discussion on wheelie bins has been moved to its own topic


http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=13347.msg134453#msg134453

[guest311]

Spoke to Hattons today on their chat link, and queried how they were sending paints and glue.

the guy who was answering spoke to his manager, who confirmed that they are still sending paints and glue by Royal mail, and are not aware of any problems with this.

just for info

alan