ROYAL Mail's shocking level of compensation payments demonstrates that the wrath of consumers is not limited to the growing difficulty of accessing postal services.
Cuts to the post office network have made it difficult for many people, particularly the elderly and those in rural areas, to send and receive parcels and letters. However, those who can find a branch which will weigh and measure their letter still r
eceive no guarantee that their mail will arrive on time, and in one piece.
Complaints about lost, damaged and delayed letters, as well as the behaviour of its staff, saw Royal Mail pay out £1m to customers in Yorkshire alone last year. It is the kind of performance that would see customers taking their business elsewhere in the private sector.
Unfortunately, Royal Mail remains the only provider of a universal service and the state-owned firm appears to be in no hurry to address its shortcomings.
Customers are right to demand compensation if they suffer a loss or inconvenience, but the number of complaints being made – and the amount of money paid out every year – suggests that there is something more profoundly wrong with the running of the postal service.
In May, Royal Mail announced losses of £279m, raising the possibility that the Government may come under pressure to further subsidise the business.
Taxpayers should not be asked to bail out Royal Mail until it dramatically cuts its compensation bill by ensuring that far more letters are delivered safely – and in a timely fashion.
The full article contains 254 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
