Do you think it'll come back???

[Misty]

Hi

I Sent an item out on the 28th (First class signed for)

Customer contacted me yesterday to check what was happening as they haven't received and the gift will be needed shortly, I Have checked on the RM website and it states :

Your item with reference BR717128265GB was delivered from our COULSDON Delivery Office on 29/08/09 .

Thank you for using this service.

You can now see the electronic Proof of Delivery for this item by clicking the button below.

However, when I click to view the signature, this is what shows up :



I Phoned RM and the lady said it would have been stuck back in the post to me. I Asked why it would have been stuck online as delivered then if it hasn't been, as surely it would say returning to sender but the only reply I got was..... allow until the 17th

I've not had this happen before Do you think it'll make it back here? Even if showing on-line as delivered / but crossed out? It got there so quick but doesn't look like it's coming back???

[andy2007]

Yes. If it doesn't, then you need to chase it up. But it certainly shouldn't be on the system as having been delivered though.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

I think you will get it back - What I think has happened is that whoever is responsbile for scanning the signatures in has not noticed the comment "Not Known" and scanned it in as delivered. However, it looks as though for some reason the address where delivery was attempted did not recognise the name or was not expecting delivery, refused it and its on its way back to you - might be worth douible checking the address of the person who wants it.

I am afriad to say from experience the returns system is a little slower than the normal delivery but you will get it back if not keep the POD and you should be able to claim.

[DGP1]

I'd agree with Teebs on this one and would add that unless you put your return address on the item it would end up in the RLC in Belfast to be opened to see if there is any return address to allow them to return it to you.

[Misty]

Guys,

I Have spoken to someone at Royal Mail today, to find out what I do as its still not come back (Yes return address was on it)

I'm now being told that its not been crossed out, it is the person who signed for it signature, it has been delivered, and the not known above it does not relate to this item??????

Am I being thick? The signature does looked crossed out to me? and it hasn't been signed for by the person i sent it to?

My customer is 100% sure no one there has taken it in, and doesn't recognise surname, It was a personalised item to be presented to someone the end of this month, and one that you wouldn't need two of, so i'm pretty sure my customer is telling the truth when he says not received.

Pretty much told as far as they are concerned its been delivered, but they will investigate if I want them too and to send a form in????

[andy2007]

That does sound odd. But I can't be sure if there was anything dodgy, or just a mistake somewhere. But under the circumstances, I suggest that you contact IB (Investigations Branch), and give them as much info as possible. They're specialists in investigating this type of thing, and have been doing so, since before the Police were established. You can phone them on 02072 396 655. Or Email them at securityhelpdesk@royalmail.com

It could of course be a mistake, and most likley is. But at least you'll find out one way or another.

Please let us know what happens.

[johnsouthwales]

Your item with reference BR717128265GB was delivered back to sender from our EAST CARDIFF Delivery Office before 13:29 on 24/09/09.

This item was returned to the sender as we were unable to deliver the item.


why would someone print their name as campbell - then it becomes unknown. unless someone realised after they printed it that they weren't expecting anything. maybe someone was half awake, started signing it, then realised it wasn't for them

if the original postal name is the same as the printed name, it does not make sense for it to be returned, unless a buyer has changed their mind.
can't really do a scam on a signed for package. unless the postie signed for it, kept it, wrote unknown and put it back through the system. but that still won't make sense as they would get found out.

always a rational explanation for everything

[coxie]

could be any number of factors, could be the postman signed for it himself and posted it and now the customer is claiming he never got it. Could have been delivered to the wrong address by mistake.

[opgpat]

The signature you see - Campbell - is probablly just on the wrong line. People sign next to the wrong sticker ALL THE TIME despite being told which line to sign.

'Not Known' Has been written by the postie in the name box so he has clearly returned the item to his Office for a return to sender. I would think that due to the time passed the item was stolen on it's return journey from this Delivery office to your local Mail Centre. I'm afraid Royal Mail employ casuals and agency staff as a cost-cutting exercise and some of these indoors staff are dishonest and are responsible for a lot of thefts. That's human nature I'm afraid and down to bad management of the staff. You should fill in a claim form for a lost packet as RM have not supplied proof of delivery.

Having said that remember there are strikes on so could be delayed!

[Misty]

Hi,

After speaking to that lady from customer services on 18th (she told me basically tough luck the sig was correct and as far as RM were concerned it had been delivered) I gave up and sent a new item out to only then receive original back, which obv was to late any how as the item was personalised so is now of no use!

Not sure what made that woman at cust service say that it had been delivered and that the "Not Known" ect wasn't related to my tracking, (i've now been told again it was related obviously) but If I spoke to my customers the way she did me that day I'd have none left!

Anyway.... I Emailed RM off their website about it, got no reply, so emailed someone direct, got a reply that he wanted scans of Item packaging and details so he could look into it ect, which I sent him, asked him to email back just to let me know he'd received it, 8 days later nothing, so had to email again. Got a reply that he was sorting it and would let me know the following day at latest, which again didn't happen Anyway, beats RM online customer services, Finally got a reply from them after all this time, not that it was of any help.

BTW all Items I sell are personalised. So all take time, and added costs.

In his email he states "I fully agree that we have failed to handle these items correctly"

The email then goes on to say I can have a refund of the items (but only the costs that it cost me to buy them and not what I sold them for) and also "the true value of the goods is slightly higher than the amount you paid for them as your actions have added value and so we would be willing to also offer payment for the time involved" but for this I have to jump through hoops and supply proof such as average time spent per item, against labour costs, against the cutter costs, but then against how many items the cutter will do......

So basically he's admitted RM failed, but yet I only get basic item cost back, to get anything more I have to jump through hoops and waste more time,

Apparently "We define the value as being the amount that it cost the person making the claim to obtain the item" in which case they'd pay my customers in full if they claimed instead of me! How stupid is that? So many waisted calls to RM Customer Services from the start, its most prob cost me more phoning and going through all the daft options to try and speak to someone than the item was worth!!! - Anyway I've been offered something I should be grateful.

Thanks.

[opgpat]

Glad the item was returned. Two chance occurances led to the delay here - strike action in the London area/knock on effect and a customer signing the inncorect line leading to some confusion. To be honest I don't think the company is at fault in anyway and you have been offered a very fair refund considering only cost of postage and item replacement is the cover and you actually have the item back! Also remember this item was taken to the door and a delivery attempted a day after you posted it.

[Misty]

you have been offered a very fair refund considering only cost of postage and item replacement is the cover and you actually have the item back! Also remember this item was taken to the door and a delivery attempted a day after you posted it.

Hi,

Not sure how you can say RM or its postman in this case is not at fault for delivering or trying to at the wrong address? or the fact that a Royal Mail customer service lady lied to me on my last call and told me that what was showing online was nothing to do with my item? and that my item was delivered?

Having the item back is of no use to me what so ever, unless I'm going to find someone who wants a item which has been personalised with details for someone else?

I Don't think any of it is fair at all, The time I had to spend chasing this up and on the phone to RM only to in the end be lied to leading me to send another straight away by special next day delivery when the original was on its way back?!

I Agree, with all the strikes that were happening it's great to see that attempted delivery was made only the day after I posted, but what use is that if the delivery attempt was made to the wrong address? I'd rather it had got stuck in the strikes!

[opgpat]

Not sure how you can say RM or its postman in this case is not at fault for delivering or trying to at the wrong address? or the fact that a Royal Mail customer service lady lied to me on my last call and told me that what was showing online was nothing to do with my item? and that my item was delivered?

Having the item back is of no use to me what so ever, unless I'm going to find someone who wants a item which has been personalised with details for someone else?

I Don't think any of it is fair at all, The time I had to spend chasing this up and on the phone to RM only to in the end be lied to leading me to send another straight away by special next day delivery when the original was on its way back?!

I Agree, with all the strikes that were happening it's great to see that attempted delivery was made only the day after I posted, but what use is that if the delivery attempt was made to the wrong address? I'd rather it had got stuck in the strikes!

Hi Misty,
I can't see why you think the item was attempted-delivered to the 'wrong' address? I can say it's almost impossible for that to happen to a signed for packet as the postperson will check it several times and again when taking it back to the office. Either the wrong address was on it, the address was incomplete or someone came to the door and said 'i don't know the person this is addressed to'. If the address was vague the postman would probablly have written 'address unknown', whereas if someone at the door said 'i don't know this person' they would have written what you see - 'not known' - short for 'not known at this address' which should be the box ticked on the return label on your packet.

Also the lady on the phone didn't lie to you, she told you what she believed to be the case looking at the paper work infront of her! The signature is unclear and best guess (to anyone unfamiliar with how many people mess up the form) would be that the signature was valid.
She isn't psychic which would be the only way to know that your packet was on it's way back to you.

[Misty]

Hi,

Sorry, I Believe this Because if they'd have tried to deliver to correct address then my item would have been taken in by my customer, (Like the replacement item that was sent to identical typed address) and because the guy who is handling this has stated he has been in touch with the member of staff covering the delivery route about it, he has said "Clearly, our attempt to deliver this item was made at the wrong address it seems clear that there were problems with all aspects of it’s handling but I can assure you that the local Delivery Office Manager has made all staff aware of this issue and is striving to ensure that standards improve"

Also, Although "Not known" was jotted on envelope and stuck online, "Address incomplete" was marked on that red sticker even though there is a option two down that states "Addresse Unknown". The address was full address printed on a label albeit minus "United Kingdom"

As for the lady who I spoke to the last time I rung, I'd spoken to people before this, who also stated that it related to my item, She told me it didn't relate to my item but the one above? How could that be when I have been told it DOES relate to my item? The only reason I ended up taking her word for it is because when she said that it didn't belong, and fact that item hadn't arrived back led me to believe maybe she was right.

Either way, It''s done now.

[opgpat]

Also, Although "Not known" was jotted on envelope and stuck online, "Address incomplete" was marked on that red sticker even though there is a option two down that states "Addresse Unknown". The address was full address printed on a label albeit minus "United Kingdom"

This is interesing... to me what sounds like is going on here from the info you have is that the postman simply did not believe that the address sown on the label existed. It's a pity you can't put the address up here - maybe you could, but leave out the street name and postcode? He has written 'not known' meaning address is not known to him/her and ticked 'address incomplete' because to him/her there was insufficient info on the address label to make a delivery. This can happen with newly built developments with bad signage, with badly signed multi-occupancy flats or even semi-conversions where a 'Flat A' has been put round the back but no sign has been put up for the postie. Believe it or not the Postie does not have time to circum-navigate every large building on a round looking for flats doors hidden away behind hedges!

You most likely have a case of a new Postie on the round that week and a badly designed sorting frame combining with no-one telling the Postie about this address existing. If that's the case it would be the guys line manager who is at fault. Managers are supposed to ensure this type of thing doesn't happen by making sure frames are clear. They are paid very well to make sure things go smoothly. Unfortunately half of the sorting frames in many delivery offices have bad alterations, selotape additions and missing labels. The managers don't allow time to fix frames properly and many need hours of work done to them. Anyway, be assured MIsty, if the postman knew where this address was (as the second one did) he/she would have happily delivered it. I'm glad you complained and took this matter as far as you did because the company need to give posties time to do things properly - like fixing up sorting frames - but the company today is all about money and not public service. Time is the crucila factor here. In the old days your Postie would have had time to walk around the guys next to him asking them about vague mail - today that is all gone as everyone struggles to get their own mail ready, taking shortcuts as they go. And they still end up working past their shift end, often getting no overtime pay. Expect more of this type of decline in the buisness if RM get the massive cuts they want to make to numbers and hours.