Special next day Delivery

[Viggenmort]

Good afternoon,
I sent a package yesterday morning via special next day (1pm)
I check the tracking number and got a message along the lines of "your package is expected to be delivered on 11/10/11 before the guaranteed delivery time"
Fair enough. It still said that at 12:30. I had a message from the recipient just after 1pm saying still no sign, so i checked the tracking again and it had changed to "no further information at present, please check later".
Now it has changed to "Your item is currently progressing through our network for delivery. "

So its already late and i'll have to apply for a refund for the postage, but my anxiety is mostly about where the package is and although the statuses are often a little vague, the ones above really give no idea what is going on.
Is there in existence (or is is worth suggesting) a reference chart like a key that shows at what stage of delivery each of the tracking statuses refers to. i.e. if status A means it is between depots, B means its reached the depot, C means its stuck, D means its lost etc.
In most cases i've just seen:
Its been received at my post office - its progressing through network - its arrived at recipient depot - its been delivered.
So the ones i've seen for this package leave me wondering if its only now somewhere between depots and negating the earlier statement about it expected to be on time.

The recipient is a friend so at least im not getting an earful from an angry customer or something, but if anyone can advise that would be grand. I realise its only now a couple of hours, but i did pay for the service.

Best Regards to all
Especially the posties. Another typical British day for weather.

[Viggenmort]

Just to update...

I braved phoning customer services and after multiple attempts to find my way via the menus i got to speak to a rep who told me that there were known delays in Warrington and most likely it would now arrive sometime tomorrow. Bit of relief, but why cant the status page tell me that. If it was a known problem surely the status page shouldn't have still been telling me at 12:30 that it would arrive on time when it hadn't even left Warrington.

If they could fix the status page and make it a little less vague and a little more helpful, they would reduce their call volume greatly ;)

Ah well until tomorrow then. I'll confirm what happens tomorrow.

Regards

[DGP1]

I believe the RM Twitter is good for these types of problems @RoyalMail

As for why the system is like that................because it's the cheapest system they could get, they'd be better with a real time system but they just won't pay for it.

[bag69]

Sorry for the delay. But this is the new RM., They dont care about you as long as they get your money. How are we supposed to deliver SD by 1pm when rounds are planned to finnish at 3pm or later. However we do sometimes have problems at the distribution offices. Why this cannot show uyp on the tracking i have no idea.

[Sam43]

Hope you get your SD soon. RM, as previously mentioned, doesn't seem to care about the customer anymore.

[Lounge Lizard]

Try phoning Customer Services, go through five options of pressing buttons and you're still only referred to the website.
Most useful on the website probably is under 'Search' try ' Report a problem' and fil it in online.
Good luck.

[krussel]

Sorry your SD failed

I am affraid the automated system is not the best and needs work.