For the sixth consecutive quarter, the Royal Mail delivery target for 1st Class mail has been missed. The regulator’s target is for 93% of First Class mail to be delivered the next working day. Royal Mail achieved 91.3% of First Class mail delivered the next day in the third quarter with their running total for the first three quarters of the 2018-19 year now sitting at 90.1%.
The latest Quality of Service report reveals Royal Mail delivery target for Second Class for the first three quarters of the financial year 2018-19 was achieved, with 98.5% of mail delivered within three working days, against a target of 98.5%. 98.0% was delivered within three working days for the third quarter of the year.
It’s worth noting that the Royal Mail delivery target doesn’t include Quality of Service for non-letter post, so parcel products such as Tracked24 and Tracked48 will not be included in these numbers. Letters and large letters will be included.
The latest quarterly report covers the period from the 24th of September 2018 to the 2nd of December 2018 inclusive for all services reported. However, Q3 includes the impact of Cyber Week, where Royal Mail see parcel volumes at a similar level as the volumes during the Christmas Exemption Period
“We take our Quality of Service requirements very seriously. We are disappointed with our performance and continue to work hard on this key issue. These targets are some of the most challenging in Europe and our postmen and women work six days a week, in all weather, to deliver letters and parcels to homes and businesses across the UK. We are introducing innovation across our product range too.”
– Shane O’Riordain, Director of Regulation and Corporate Affairs, Royal Mail
8 Responses
The first class targets are a hangover from RMs public sector days and when letters were so buoyant. Things have changed dramatically and parcel growth, internet use and customer expectation of tracked parcels delivered on time are the key drivers now. So it is time for OFCOM to ditch this outdated survey condition from RM’s license conditions. Let the company compete on a level basis with the other parcel companies. Time also to look at letter delivery three times a week not six as per some European countries now have.
Its time royal mail altered the 24 and 48 titles of their services as eBay and Amazon take these as guaranteed delivery times and Royal mail say 24 is only 1 -2 days and 48 is 2-3 days.
so hit your metrics for no fault of your own.
With so much now being sent as a parcel and letter volumes in free fall…. why are they not measuring parcels? Time to wake up to the fact it is not 1990 anymore!
royal mail cant compete with the black economy or self employed on low wages
and give posties good conditions and fair pay
yet eBay sellers are hammered with ‘late delivery’ defects over something that is out of their control.
We’ve got someone in the office now running comparisons on all our late delivery defects and compiling the feedback from buyers which nearly always says ‘great item, very quick delivery’, yet the tracking for deliveries shows that the item is late. So, buyer says they’re happy, delivery metrics say they’re not……
So where is this 90% delivery rate reflected in Ebay’s metrics?
Obviously, it isn’t.
For 2 years now, we’ve messaged every Ebay buyer to let them know that the item has been sent on time and roughly when it should arrive.
We also tell them that ticking the late delivery box on feedback does not get forwarded to Royal Mail or the carrier, but actually hits the seller, who has despatched promptly.
We simply ask them let us know if it was delivered late, but to ignore the delivery question if it is late, as the item was sent promptly and the delay is due to the carrier.
Most buyers think they are rating Royal Mail or the courrier and do not realise the seller gets penalised as a result. When they find out they are usually appalled and apologetic if they’ve left a bad rating.