Tracked/Track And Trace mail delays

[irate customer]

seeing as POSTMAN locked the other thread, for whatever reason, I opened a new one. Is that acceptable?

On 02/08/2011 I took a parcel weighing 3.200 kg to the post office to be sent (from Northern Ireland to England), which was sent Recorded 1st class Packet. It was posted before last collection, and I have tried the online track & trace! . It is showing up as

Delivered date: Still to be delivered
Reference no:AI28*******GB
Status:Try Later
Item AI28*******GB was posted on 02/08/11 and is being progressed through our network for delivery.

It has only been 2 days you might say, but I tried entering the details of another item Royal Mail have "mislaid", posted on 06/06/2011, and the same message appears. If Track & Trace is up to date, neither item even appears to have been collected from the Post Office. I would have expected some sort of progress report after 2 months, even from Royal Mail. It seems Track & trace! is just a con to extract more money out of customers, because it obviously doesn't work. The dizzy girl at the Post Office counter, only sent it 1st class instead of express48, even though I told her it was worth over £100. It looks like my forgiving, "give them another go" attitude has just cost me another £100?

[irate customer]

fishtank then pointed out that Recorded 1st class is not a tracked service.
It will only be updated when it is delivered.

so, when postie leaves it without getting a signature, or says "I'll sign for it, my machine is in the van",which we all know happens, whats to stop the recipient saying it didn't turn up?

[DGP1]

I personally don't leave anything without the customers signature, any postie doing so is really running the risk of getting sacked.

As for your packet, it's only a couple of days so I'm sure it will turn up, but if you really want something tracked then you should use Special Delivery (which is only £5 or so extra).

[coxie]

fishtank then pointed out that Recorded 1st class is not a tracked service.
It will only be updated when it is delivered.

so, when postie leaves it without getting a signature, or says "I'll sign for it, my machine is in the van",which we all know happens, whats to stop the recipient saying it didn't turn up?

I won't lie, that is possible, most posties only do that if the reciepient is not home as they think they are doing them a favour by posting it without a signature. As long as there is no complaint by the person you'd sent it to after a couple more days then it may be safe to assume that something like that as happend. Wrong I know but unfortunately for the customer like you that does wish to check the status online it does happen I'm afraid.

[beanmuncha]

sorry but most posties(myself included) would NEVER leave a signed for parcel without getting a signature. My PDA has broken down on me i used P739 cards (the card that we deliver if your not in) to get the signature, recorded delivery is only proof of delivery. If you really want tracked mail you should use Special Delivery it's tracked and recorded all of it's journey.