To ask what businesses can realistically be expected to do about Royal Mail delays?!

[TheySayHurray]

Run a small business. We've had an overwhelming amount of orders this Christmas for Christmas gifts which I'm very thankful for.

We have sent all out in good time, all for next day delivery. However, there are some delays at the moment. A few of the ND deliverys have taken over 5 days to actually reach the customer.

Despite providing tracking information every time I am getting hounded day and night asking for help, where people's orders are, can I do anything, it's a Christmas gift and so on.

Even one today where the tracking says it's been delivered this morning but the customer is saying it hasn't.

I don't know what I'm realistically expected to do other than contact royal mail (who take at least 30 days to respond to any claims).

I put very clearly on my website that I would in no way guarantee Christmas delivery for orders made after X date but no one seems to have bothered reading it!

I've even been pressured into remaking and sending items out in the hope at least one of them gets to the customer in time.

Random question but what is everyone making that they sell? or is it too outing.

jillypill

I make and sell craft items, quite a niche area. I sell on ebay. Amazon, through my web site and supply a few shops wholesale.

It's something like soap- but not soap!!

Thanks speak out! I must use etsy etc more often, I always think it's for personalised & forgot there is lots of other stuff on there.

In further use double bubble wrap and send via Hermes. They are cheaper too. 95% get there with no problem. If you have a problem though email them instead of trying to contact hem them another way as it all becomes so frustrating.

Heartlantern2

Hermes is great for a lot of stuff, but depends what you are posting.
Royal Mail is tons cheaper for me.

I switched to delivery by DPD only for December to guarantee they arrived in time. Customers had the choice to pay extra for next day delivery, but it’s worked well.

Either you stump up for guaranteed delivery

And when the guaranteed delivery that you've stumped up for is also late??

Obviously it's for the business to sort with RM by submitting a claim / complaint / chasing whatever.

But I also think you're pretty stupid to order something you HAVE to have by Christmas from a business which has clearly warned you that you might not have it by Christmas.

Just to clarify, I did 'stump up for guaranteed delivery' as I said in my OP. The guaranteed next day delivery is unfortunately also late which I obviously didn't know when sending. I will definitely look for another mail provider in the new year but that doesn't help me right now.

I have not suggested I am washing my hands of anything, I am aware the sender is required to submit a claim for lost / delayed deliveries which I fully intend to do (although Royal Mail won't let me do that until it's at least 5 working days late on the guaranteed ND ones by which point most are turning up).

The problem I am having is people who ordered for Christmas well outside of my FULLY VISIBLE AND CLEAR timescales required to make the item AND alongside my fully visible and clear message that I can in no way guarantee orders will be received by Christmas if placed after X date, are now complaining that they won't get things in time for Christmas because the ND guaranteed delivery I've stumped up for is also running 5 days behind.

If things literally don't turn up then obviously I'll refund I have absolutely not suggested otherwise.

But I cannot refund everything that turns up a little late when I very clearly said that there may be delays and delivery by Christmas wasn't guaranteed.

You dont need to do anything about the people who ordered after your guaranteed delivery cut off date. They will get it when they get it. If it is more than 30 days then you've broken consumer regulations and you need to refund but other than that, you dont need to do a thing.

Just reply to their emails with a boiler plate "you ordered after the Christmas delivery cut off which was clearly displayed on the website so the item may arrive after Christmas. It has been posted and will be with you as soon as it processes through the mail system".

You dont need to do or say anything else.

*Just reply to their emails with a boiler plate "you ordered after the Christmas delivery cut off which was clearly displayed on the website so the item may arrive after Christmas. It has been posted and will be with you as soon as it processes through the mail system".

You dont need to do or say anything else.*

Yeah, fine, right is on her side, but the most sucessful businesses need to provide more than basis customer service to compete .

Depends on your business model and how you sell- potential for feedback etc.
I agree with the points, but I base my business model on great customer service, instant response,no quibble etc.
I am fortunate that many of my items cost pennies to produce and the price of a stamp, so I always quick to replace or refund.

@speakout

Not every small business ca do no quibble, and they shouldnt.

I make higher end jeweller. It costs a hell of a lot more than pennies to make. If I did a bi quibble return because something was a few days late due to the post, I would be bankrupt.

I stopped taking online christmas orders for made to order pieces on the 1st of November, and "off the shelf" orders on the 20th of November. Anyone who ordered after that saw a banner on the home page, a reminder under every single item, a statement at the checkout and then I followed up with an email saying "I will have this in the post on X date but can no longer guarantee delivery before xmas due to postage delays. If you dont want to continue with the order let me know with X days and I will refund".

I think I did all right with customer service, without having to offer a bi quibble return for something which turns up after xmas. I cant be refunding someone £400 just for them to get the item delivered in the 27th, so they have expensive jewellery and my money. That's just not happening.

*no quibble

Nothing you can do this year, in future maybe offer a couple of delivery options. DPD are probably most reliable but most expensive, Royal Mail are by far the worst, but also cheapest. Then it’s up to the customer if they want to pay the extra or not.

Nothing at all.

Our local sorting office has over 35 members of staff self isolating. We are currently getting post a couple of times a week.

I am offer nothing but support and to say I know exactly how you feel OP. The constant messages have pushed me to the brink repeatedly. I finished work today and am not going back in until Monday, but it's hanging over me like a dark cloud, knowing I've many more "where's my stuff" messages to come. I've logged out of email and Etsy on my phone so at least it isn't a constant bombardment. Never felt stress like it this year and some people have been absolutely horrendous to deal with. One accused me repeatedly of not even sending it or to the wrong address or that I shouldn't have taken on so many orders (because of course the postal delays are my fault) and this is one that tracking says was delivered. I have done my very best but right now I want to hide under a rock until it all goes away. If I have genuinely done something wrong, or something has not arrived after three weeks, I will do everything to put it right, but I cannot control postage delays and I very much doubt that anyone's entire Christmas will be ruined because a cushion cover did not arrive in time (although they say it will 🙄). I extended all of my dispatch and delivery times to reflect the delays but no one paid any attention. I closed last week for a few days because I kept getting orders through with notes "I hope I can get this for Christmas" on items that take a week to make.
It isn't just Royal Mail either, I've seen some of my couriers really pushed to their limits. I bought them all chocolates to say thank you for their hard work and one cried because he was having such an awful day. He's normally so happy-go-lucky as well.
What happened to "be kind"? Didn't last long with some people. Hope they have a merry Christmas the miserable sods after they've hurled abuse at people like me. Can't imagine it makes them feel any better. On a plus note, I read through all of my positive feedback yesterday. It was an important lesson in that I can't please everyone and most of my customers are very happy and leave lovely comments. The complainers are a tiny percentage really.

delilahbucket

It's a learning exercise.
And no matter the time of year or circumstances , sellers bear the burden.
Manage your business to mop that up.

Use a different courier. It does my head in that companies insist on using royal mail. We posted secret santa gifts with yodel on Sunday and they arrived today, was cheaper than royal mail. In laws posted theirs on the 4th with royal mail and they arrived today.

It does my head in that companies insist on using royal mail.

Why?

I am a small business and rely on Royal Mail.

@speakout

It does my head in that companies insist on using royal mail.

Why?

I am a small business and rely on Royal Mail.

RM havn't moved with the times. They're cheap and cheerful I suppose but not much else. Other couriers are streets ahead in terms of 7 day deliveries, tracking options, estimated delivery times, etc. At the very least, online sellers should offer a choice (i.e. like Ebay functionality), where the customer can choose RM if it suits them and they want cheap and cheerful, or the customer can choose 1 or 2 other options that may be more suitable for them.

Could you offer UPS or equivalent for guaranty delivery with signature in future?

Kazzyhoward depends on what is being purchased- and at what price.

Buyers looking for low price small items with free postage don;t expect tracking, 7 days a week delivery.
I often buy a small bag of charms costing £1.99. - not in a hurry, I am happy with Royal mail in a jiffy bag.

I contacted an etsy seller recetnly - not so much as to complain as to let her know that her item had still not arrived after over 2 weeks - I knew it was more likely RM than her as her feedback was superb. I got the following response you could use as a template:

Hello,
Sorry to hear this, your parcel was dispatched on the 30/11/20 via Royal Mail
( Tracking Number - )

Unfortunately Royal Mail have been busy in the high demand of delivery’s being made during the Christmas period and COVID, so it’s been looking like things have been taking longer than usual!
Hopefully the next couple of days you will receive you item! Let's keep in contact until this is resolved!

Hope your staying safe and well

In my view small businesses have been badly let down by this whole s*it storm. It's not surprising some customers end up losing their patience. It may be time to vote with your feet OP and look into the cost of couriors - they can be cheaper than you think.

75% of my items are large letters. Customers won't pay four times the price for a courier delivery, they will choose the cheapest option and expect delivery within two hours of ordering. When delivery costs more than the cost of the item with a courier, what choice do I have other than to use Royal Mail. They have served me well for nine years, unlike Hermes and Yodel who lost/damaged more items than I care to mention. This is the first time I have experienced such problems, and that is because the staff are salaried with set hours. All other courier services have self employed staff who are paid per delivery. Some, like DPD Local have taken on day rate paid staff who just don't bother delivering because they get paid regardless. DPD have slashed the rate they pay their drivers this year by over £1 per parcel and have taken on so many self employed drivers they are all working part time. All the existing staff are so disgruntled they are leaving in droves.
All courier companies have had issues this year. Royal Mail have fared the worst as they are still delivering Covid tests, delivering for Amazon, delivering everyone's Christmas cards when people would normally hand deliver them, the whole country shopping online because of another last minute lockdown and they've had a lack of staff because they can't fit them in buildings due to distancing, a lack of vans because only one person can go in once. How any company could have prepared for that is beyond me, they simply could not have.

If it was clearly stated on your website and you have provided tracking details, I would put an out of office on to be honest with some standard wording (assuming they have tracking numbers in dispatch emails). For the one saying it hasn't been delivered when it's been signed for, I would submit a claim but refund the money if you can. Technically you could just wait for the resolution from RM. I would not be refunding those who have experienced delays, because they will receive the item eventually. It's a rubbish time for small businesses in many ways, you'd hope people would be understanding, the delays have been widely reported on, but no.

My dad works for Royal Mail they are having countless amounts of covid outbreaks at different offices. There were 6 members of staff off last month with it and several others having to be tested in his office . They are calling in agency staff to pick up the slack who most drop out quickly due to the physical demand of the job. They are delivering almost double the amount of parcels from 4.5 million to 7 million a day at the minute but his office and another have cleared every day ,others are backlogged. Letters are the same mass increases of people sending . You can't do anything about it , people should be more understanding especially if you have stated not guaranteed for Christma. I have had no issues were I live with deliveries here with things near enough on time im guessing its hit and miss. I don't see what you can do apart from empathise with people , were going through a pandemic what are you supposed to do...