Forum Topic

TNT Post under scrutiny

Those who've been complaining about the often-dreadful mail delivery service by TNT Post in Ealing Borough might care to tune into "Despatches" on Channel Four tomorrow (Monday, April 29). Not sure the problems in Ealing will be mentioned, but I do know that "Despatches" has been taking a keen interest in our problems.

Ian D. Richardson ● 4720d17 Comments

Can't say we've had any delayed deliveries from TNT in our patch. I've noticed though their TNT marked bikes left unattended and apparently unsecured such that passers by could steal the contents.

Gerry Tan ● 4718d

I agree - they are probably cherry-picking the juiciest contract and therein impoverishing the Royal Mail at an even faster rate than would otherwise be the case through the rise of electronic mail. But such is the nature of competition - something the Royal Mail has long had the privilege of being protected from.

Tony Colliver ● 4719d

Agreed - security is dreadful.Mind you, so was the Royal Mail's at one time with unsecured trolleys left here and there for long periods of time.Riding on pavements.  That's what really annoys me about them.

Tony Colliver ● 4719d

The question is whether TNT is actually cheaper than Royal Mail.I would doubt it. however the mania for outsourcing and using private providers means that TNT are cherry picking contracts and services and can make a business proposal that allows the hospital to quantify cost. I have had a few TNT items that appear to have taken a week.

Peter Chadburn ● 4719d

Time sensitivity aside - still unacceptable as the delay is normally far longer than twenty-four hours - there is the equally important question of security. As evidenced by the programme, and witnessed myself from the unsecured TNT bike that languishes outside my house for long periods on a regular basis, sensitive mail is in a pannier which is secured by a plastic clip if at all.Accepting that we are unlikely to persuade all of the financial instructions and health bodies that use this 'service' to revert to Royal Mail we should at least expect that the mail will be secured while in the delivery phase. Save of course that we don't know how much is dumped or destroyed by TNT's operatives.

Nigel Brooks ● 4719d

So complain to the hospital and get them to use a supplier of delivery services whose terms of business suit!Why is it TNT's fault when it is the sender that is choosing to employ the more "economical" service?Personally, I don't like TNT either for entirely prejudiced reasons which I recognise as such and therefore do not think it reasonable to visit on others during the course of what should be a factual and balanced debate.  But then I am not endeared to the Royal Mail either who also have many failings.  The golden age of the postie is long gone.  Get over it and expend your energies persuading the likes of the hospitals to send you an email instead.  (Of course you have an email address - you're on here aren't you????!!!!)

Tony Colliver ● 4719d

People sending out time sensitive material should not be using a service that might incur a 24 hour delay.A delay, incidentally, which the Royal Mail is adept at inserting on an arbitrary basis whenever it suits them - and what's more without the benefit of it being a stated part of their working practice.  Quite the contrary in fact.I've seen it written hereabouts on the subject of TNT that some people have received their notifications of hospital appointments late as a result of the hospital using TNT.  No mention however of the absurdity of the hospital sending out notifications so late that there is a fair chance they will not arrive in time anyway!The days are long gone when any sensible person (sender or recipient) actively relied on the promise that mail would get through overnight!Soon all notifications will be sent electronically and the Royal Mail will be entirely out of business.  Don't buy the shares whatever you do!

Tony Colliver ● 4719d

It is not 24hrs when - day 1 not delivered postie recalled to depot because of hours worked, day 2 no delivery, day 3 may be delivered. This is not acceptable for hospital appiontments.

Fred Hunt ● 4719d

Well spotted!Even 24 hours late in delivering time-sensitive material is unacceptable.

Nigel Brooks ● 4719d

24 hours is not a week.

Tony Colliver ● 4719d

Fully agree.I received a letter on Friday informing me of an orthopaedic appointment for the previous Wednesday. It was dated ten days earlier. I wonder what fractional saving the NHS Trusts make using these services.The programme was damning with evidence of dumped and destroyed mail alongside the typical 'we take this seriously' (but will probably do nothing) responses from TNT.They are tardy and insecure mail carriers and not fit for purpose.

Nigel Brooks ● 4719d

Sorry it isn't sensible. TNT Post doesn't just deliver non-urgent junk mail, it is used by NHS trusts, including Charing Cross. Several people in my street have complained that appointments and medical reports have taken more than a week to reach them -- and have sometimes been left sticking out of their letter slots.

Ian D. Richardson ● 4719d

Seems like a sensible thing to do to me.Especially since the type of mail that they deliver is rarely so urgent that 24 hours will make a difference.

Tony Colliver ● 4719d

Yep, in classic management gobbledegook they said they delivered six days a week, but as this was on "rotation" it meant that each area received mail on just three days a week. In the Ealing Common area this means Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday -- if you are lucky.

Ian D. Richardson ● 4719d

Devastating programme for TNT Post. It will be going out again at 9pm on C4 +1, and no doubt will be on the C4 website.

Ian D. Richardson ● 4719d

Did I hear TNT on Dispatches say that due to 'rotation' they only deliver 3 days a week?

Fred Hunt ● 4719d

Thanks Ian, my recorder is set for this.

Nigel Brooks ● 4720d