I’m writing this on the morning of a parcel stolen, marked as delivered but for the seventh time in two months – not received. The Royal Mail doesn’t publish figures on lost & mis-delivered mail, nor routes or areas that have the highest and lowest rates of missing and/or stolen mail. From speaking to people, my own experience and from observing the installments of delivery drop-off points, it’s clear people believe the Royal Mail postal service is deteriorating to borderline un-useable levels and consequentially are looking for more reliable alternatives.

Parliament is taking note, one MP recently attempted to engage in constructive talks with the Royal Mail on improving their service, however they refused to acknowledge a failing and the CEO and management clearly are not looking to improve.

As a result of this I do think the Ombudsman should take their power to improve the service and consider recommendations from both personal and business customers. My individual recommendations are below but much better ones will possibly emerge:

1. I believe the Royal Mail should post a league table, available to the house of commons, lords and the ombudsman with areas posting thier % mail successfully delivered vs misdelivered & missing. This enables appropriate investigations into areas with most serious failings. Fines and firings must deter future repeated failings.
2. An investigation needs to be made into where parcels are consistently being reported missing. Post marked as delivered but not received is a failure of their core business. Staff who are responsible, I believe, need to be fired. There is no avoiding career criminals live within the postal service and they can’t reasonably be in a postal service that wants to last.
3. For the wellbeing of the staff and the well-being needed for performance, front line staff achieving in the top 10 and 25% highest successful delivery rates should receive a pay rise. This will help morale and reduce stealing for necessity, reducing the need to steal to fund normal lives. People should be able to live well without stealing. Improving wellbeing and pay of staff to an acceptable level should directly help shareholders. For the postal service and it’s engine to work, people need to be in a well state to perform to their best. A minimal increase in pay for all staff and a greater amount for the top performing will reduce missing deliveries and give trust to people within the organisation itself.

The public deserve a functioning delivery system and it is something that can be delivered with appropriate action.