Thread: Special Delivery - What a Rip-Off!!

I think Special Delivery is a rip off as well - for the same reasons as AlanfromDerby. We used to use it a lot at work but the only comeback if your item isn't delivered on time is you get the charge refunded. There are no real penalties for Royal Mail.

Its very expensive and wherever possible I use recorded delivery which is a lot cheaper or, if insurance is needed for a valuable item, registered delivery. Although both recorded and registered can be sent 1st class, next day delivery isn't guaranteed. I know recorded delivery is more than £4 cheaper though (and that's compared to the £6 ish Special Delivery that's guaranteed before 12 noon. If you want it guaranteed before 8/9 am then its over £12.

Sometimes overnight Couriers can be cheaper.

Never Get My Post Before 14:30

Pf

It's also very annoying that Post Offices always push Special Delivery and don't mention recorded. A friend was sending stuff to her son in Cornwall regularly and had been paying Special Delivery charges as that's what the woman in the Post Office told her to use. She hadn't mentioned Recorded to her at all and that would have been fine in most cases and a lot cheaper.

My post comes about noon nowadays. I got a letter today actually but assumed it had gone to the wrong address yesterday and someone had pushed it through. Postman isn't working Sunday's as far as I know.

Alanfromderby - Yes, definately sounds scripted. Makes me wonder if they get commission for Special.

They're allowed to say 'guaranteed' providing they meet certain benchmarks. I recall last year's figures where a 93% success rate for delivery by the stated time, which in anyone's book is a pretty good average. Of course there will be placed and locations where through no fault of RM, it can be impossible to meet this target, but the ASA did investigate their claims and agreed that they were meeting their obligations.

mmm - I know of failed deliveries sent by work - weren't too out of the way places. Usually city centre offices.

I wonder where they get the 93% from? What do they count as a failed delivery? Is it only the ones where people have claimed their money back? If so they won't be including the ones where people have just rang and haven't bothered claiming back - and they can't include the ones where people don't bother to even ring.

And I wonder if the 93% covers Special Deliveries as a whole, or is that just the pre-noon or pre 9am special delivery?


Jan

It was a response to an FoI request, with failed meaning not delivered within the relevant timeframe (and, I'd assume) not at all, too!

Just to add a bit to this thread, will not be using Royal Mail any more.

Please see the email just received: -

Dear Mr Bosund

Thank you for contacting Royal Mail regarding the confirmation of delivery
of 8 Recorded Signed ForT item.

I'm pleased to confirm that items BR********GB, BR********GB,
BR********GB & BR********GB were delivered and signed for and these
signatures are now available to view online at
www.royalmail.com/trackandtrace. (No they are NOT)

I can also confirm that items BR********GB & BR********GB have also been
delivered and I apologies that the signatures received are not available to
view online. Therefore I have forwarded to you today, by separate emails, a
scanned copy of the signatures received at the time of delivery for each
item.

I am sorry but we have no recorded to confirm that items BR********GB &
BR********GB have been delivered.

If these items have still not been delivered after 15 working days from its
delivery due date, you may wish to consider submitting a 'Lost, damaged or
delayed inland mail claim form' (also known as a P58) to progress a claim
for the loss of the item. These forms are available from all Post Office®
branches or alternatively, you may wish to print one out from our website
by clicking on the following link: (My Post Office does not hold P58s)

www.royalmail.com/p58

Please ensure you complete the form in full, providing as much detail as
possible to help with our investigations, including any evidence to support
the posting of the item.

Once again, please accept my sincere apologies on behalf of Royal Mail for
the problem you've had, and our thanks for taking the time to make us aware
of this. Please be assured that we take letting our customers down
seriously and will use this information to make further improvements.

I hope the information above concludes this matter for you: if you do need
to get back in touch, please remember to quote reference number
RM********.

Regards
********
Customer Service Advisor


Please contact at contactus@royalmail.com for future reference.

Royal Mail is a trading name of Royal Mail Group plc. Registered in
England and Wales. Registered number 4138203. Registered office at 148 Old
Street, LONDON EC1V 9HQ.

Mae'r Post Brenhinol yn un o enwau masnachu Grwp y Post Brenhinol ccc.
Cofrestrwyd yng Nghymru a Lloegr. Rhif cofrestredig 4138203. Swyddfa
gofrestredig 148 Old Street LLUNDAIN EC1V 9HQ.



************************* ************************* *********************
Royal Mail Group Limited registered in England and Wales registered number
4138203 registered office 3rd Floor, 100 Victoria Embankment, London, EC4Y
0HQ

This email and any attachments are confidential and intended for the
addressee only. If you are not the named recipient, you must not use,
disclose, reproduce, copy or distribute the contents of this communication.
If you have received this in error, please contact the sender and then
delete this email from your system.
************************* ************************* ********************

So, anyone know of an alternative?

Bosun - what a nightmare, can't say I'm surprised though.

Courier firms seem to be the only alternative. Have you got any with offices in your town so you could just take the letters to them instead of Post office? Maybe have a look on Yell.com.

I know they collect mail from business addresses but don't know if they do from personal addresses.

My old office used to use RM for all "lightweight" items but used courier firm for anything heavier and sent it on "overnight" delivery which was cheaper than RM.

We should probably all be looking for alternatives in view of the postal strikes.

Hi Jan4a,

Am looking at DHL & TNT, both have depots close by.

Charges are about £6.00, bit pricey but just want to be sure of a tracked delivery.

Will try them and possibly a company called DX which I've been told about.

Will post any info on here.

Regards...

Just came across this link, contains a list of alternatives to Royal Mail.

Seems to be geared up for sellers on ebay, but you never know...

eBay.co.uk Guides - Fed up with Royal Mail

just thought i would say on these 9 am specials which cost a fortune

most dont get delievered till 11 am
postel staff dont even get out till 10 now

try explaning that royal mail

Charges are about £6.00, bit pricey but just want to be sure of a tracked delivery

That's about same as RM Special Delivery isn't it?

I know RM recorded is cheaper but that's probably because it doesn't guarantee next day delivery.

DX - i thought DX mail was only used by legal firms who sign up to it? You get a DX number and write to each other via DX number. I don't know cost.

just thought i would say on these 9 am specials which cost a fortune

most dont get delievered till 11 am
postel staff dont even get out till 10 now

try explaning that royal mail

They do cost a fortune - am I right in thinking pre noon specials cost about £6 and pre-9 am specials cost about £12?

I agree, after working in office that used to send these regularly I know its true. That's why I queried the 93% success rate RM are claiming on Specials. I would love to know where they got statistics from - we all know statistics can be manipulated.