Thursday 24 October 2013

Hang down your head John Rowley.....

Next Monday Royal Mail are changing once again their parcel sizing definitions. Since they "simplified" the structure earlier this year with a view to massaging the figures for privatisation a trip to the Post Office has become a bit like a really tough episode of the Krypton Factor with much squishing and stretching and stuffing through slots to decide the fate of each parcel.



This was the "consultation" document. Apparently they've suddenly noticed that a lot of small customers have gone off to find more competitive services and have decided to "make an exception" to help these customers.

This is my summary of the "consultation document":



The tedious 10 page document concludes:  "Stakeholders are asked to submit answers to the questions set out above as soon as possible and in any event before the deadline of 5pm on 16 October 2013. Responses should be made by post or by email to: John Rowley Royal Mail, 4th Floor, 148 Old Street, London, EC1V 9HQ, john.rowley@royalmail.com".

Well, too little too late but here goes:

"Dear John,

I'll be brief.
1. Why didn't you consult your customers BEFORE introducing the Draconian price increases of April 2nd this year?
2. How did you NOT expect small business customers to abandon Royal Mail in droves when you increased the price of a "normal" 1kg-2kg parcel from £5.30 to £8.00 (non-guaranteed, untracked) on April 2nd?
3. How did you expect the "simplified overseas tariff involving no increase in price" to be accepted? Reducing the tariff steps from 10gm to 250gm has effectively meant a 15% average increase.
4. Now you are owned by overseas Companies and hedge funds, what sort of loyalty do you expect in general from the public?

The staff of the Royal Mail are hard working foot soldiers who deserve an awful lot better than they've been given. Lions led by donkeys. Donkeys who've now sold them down the river. A National tragedy and a National disgrace. Take your consultation document, roll it up and shove it where the sun don't shine.

yours sincerely

A. Customer (ex)



https://www.myhermes.co.uk/

http://www.collectplus.co.uk/

http://www.parcel2go.com/

http://www.p4d.co.uk/



7 comments:

Unknown said...

Rog. I call that very restrained and well reasoned. You are still only a well balanced, reasonable, Curmudgeon.

Nota Bene said...

Glad to see you're thinking out of the box on this one.

Roses said...

Well said!

Hear Hear!

Z said...

Very well put, Rog.

Anonymous said...

Well said!

allotmentqueen said...

My local courier (part of a national small guys network) will take a parcel up to 10kg for next delivery for £10.50 plus VAT (which I can reclaim) for as long as I can remember. It doesn't take much before he's way cheaper than Royal Mail, and the tracking is spot on.

Pat said...

Wouldn't it be luverly to be without those tedious 10 page documents?
I'm nobody special and I get them all the time.