Just like last time, the UK Post Office excels at customer service. Another package from the US, with customs duty to pay, so they leave a card in the door Saturday. No item number on it, by the way, but directions to a web site (www.royalmail.com/fee2pay) to pay the charge.
This website is pretty casual; it allows you to pay for the item without quoting a reference number for it - which I didn't have. You fill in all the details based on your postcode, and what the card says you have to pay - nothing, apart from the card, to correlate item to payment. The card also tells you that you can use this website to request re-delivery as you pay the charge. Well, you can't, directly. You have to go back to the homepage and start all over again, identifying yourself, postcode, and so on with information from the card, again.
Anyway, I specifically requested that the package be delivered on Tuesday, because someone would be at home. Not Monday, Tuesday. Yes, they tried today, Monday. Another card through the door - this time, with a package number, sorry you were out, that sort of thing. However, the package number didn't work - their website requires 13 characters, but the number on the card was only 12. And even then, the website required me to complete checkboxes from those marked on the card, but would not actually accept those that were checked on the card! How much of a FAIL is that?
This time when I rang the number on the card (0845 6112980), one of the choices was complaints. I went for that, and it was answered on the first ring. So I explained the issue, and he said he'd sort it,and arrange delivery tomorrow. I can't check that, of course, because I don't have a tracking number that works. I also reminded him of the last time this went wrong - and to my surprise, he seemed to be aware of it!
It might be funny, but for the fact that it isn't. Someone needs to bang some heads together, fast, before the whole thing implodes completely - as it certainly appears to be doing.
Mick Moignard February 22nd, 2010 10:41:03 AM