I've just had a card with todays mail, telling me I have a package with customs duty to pay. That's good, I've been waiting for it. So I've been online, and paid the charge, and the card says that I can arrange a new delivery date. Tomorrow sounds good, it being about 10:00 when I paid the charge. But the web site doesn't let me choose a date as I pay.
The website also has a track and trace facility, and that doesn't recognise the package number. I start toi wonder if my payment will actually get attached to the package, if the number doesn't work. And will it get re-delivered.
So I called the number on the card, which suggested that the options I have are a: go and collect it (that's a 30-mile round trip) or b: arrange re-delivery online. Online sounds good, but only offers Monday. Back to the phone. Nowhere in the hell of automated menus is there a real person option; the closest I get is a busy tone.
Web site again, and in the tracking area, I find there's a link to page for Track & Trace problems, like not recognizing the reference number. And another phone line. Which offers a: go and collect it, b: arrange re-delivery, and c: something else - but drops off that to a real person. At last.
Who tells me that the reference number isn't track & trace number, its a customs reference number, even though it's of exactly the same format. Why couldn't they be the same value, and tracked the same way. Anyway, she told me that it would be delivered Monday.
- How about tomorrow?
- No, 48 hours redelivery
- But you have it to hand, because I can come and collect it?
- Yes.
- So why not deliver it tomorrow?
- 48 hours redelivery.
- but the vans for tomorrow haven't been loaded yet. You don't have tomorrows mail yet. Why can't you add it to tomorrows mail?
- takes 48 hours to do a redelivery.
and so on. And I'm still not really sure that the package has actually had the customs charge payment attached to it.
HM Post Office: Is it any wonder that the commercial courier services are taking you apart, when you offer such poor service?
Mick Moignard September 11th, 2009 05:13:54 AM