talkmagic.co.uk

David The Cryptic wrote:

DrTodd wrote:

David The Cryptic wrote:Huh, the postal workers over here can not go on strike.

That really sucks over there, hope it gets solved soon.

No, they just end up bringing a gun to work and killing their co-workers

I like the verb, 'doing a postal'....

ITs called "going postal" not "doing a postal." That would mean something totally different.

You know it would happen there too, if they could own guns.

Indeed, but hey according to the NRA, guns don't kill peoploe, people kill people....

The strikes here are creating havoc..

The PO workers are doing themselvs no favours

as an ex postie i have to say something here. Royal Mail, the business not it's staff, have been on a money saving trip for the past few years, at the expense of the employees. the yearly pay rises have been below the rate of inflation and the business has been trying to push through changes to working practice that would mean staff doing more work for less money, ie. the junk mail the postie puts through your door is limited to 3 items a week and the postie gets paid a little extra for each item for this extra work, although he/she doesn't have the option of not delivering it. the business wants to remove the cap on the junk mail, or door to door items as the RM like it to be known, and move the payments into the standard pay, so the postie could be stuck with 7 or 8 or even more of these items per house per week and actually be geting paid less.
they have also been rearranging the delivery offices, cutting the staff and piling more mail and longer walks on an already overworked workforce.
The Royal Mail made hundreds of millions in profit last year and secured a multi-million pound grant from the government to upgrade and automate much of its sorting procedure, a move that will result in many more reduncancies from the sorting offices, why can't they just pay the people that actually do all the hard work a fair wage. for the most part posties really do care about the customers and their mail but they and the CWU have absoloutely had to take a stand against a business that is trying to railroad everyone into a corner where they can basically exploit them to the fullest capacity. the RM has rejected offer after offer from the CWU and simply will not budge on any of the issues. sorry for the rant.

puts on black beret and walks around streets singing billy bragg songs...

It's all very interesting, but what about the wasted MILLIONS when they had a name change from "Royal Mail" to "Consignia"? & then went back again to "Royal Mail" !!!

Plus regarding the "Junk Mail" do we really want it? Once they start charging by weight to empty our bins, we won't even want the excessive packaging that comes with virtually everything we buy, let alone the junk mail!

WOW! were all off on one now!!! what have I started? !!

Best Magical Wishes

Mike

Yes indeed what have you started Mike. It is very frustrating when you are waiting for your order and you know it has been sent but not delivered.
What happens to small businesses? Just doesnt seem fair to me.

That's interesting, chryles, but isn't Royal Mail struggling under a massive pensions deficit?

The profits alone don't necessarily tell the whole story. For example, a man who's getting £3,000 a month after tax sounds to be well in, but not if you discover he's paying £3,100 a month in mortgage and credit card interest.

Then again, maybe they are screwing the workers!

Crikey that would be some mortgage to have to pay that much out

Seriously though it's up to the customers to be understanding at times like this. Nothing is more frustrating that waiting for something expected but in the case of magic they are "luxury goods" have a small thought for those people waiting for example to exchange on a house, contract docs for big jobs, replies to job interviews.

there is a very fine line with Strikes. I personally think there have been too many with the Royal Mail and surely they will start losing the sympathy of the public. No doubt they deserve a fair wage and all credit to them but many many jobs don't receive pay increases in line with inflation not just the post office. That's life I'm afraid. If posties really don't like it they should look to work else where.

I don't mean to sound harsh, I feel sorry for the small busineses at times like these, good luck guys and girls at this time. I'll stay patient and I hope your other customers do too

Agecroft wrote:Crikey that would be some mortgage to have to pay that much out

Not necessarily. Planety of places go for silly money. I reckon a property that cost about £600,000 would have a mortgage round about £3,000 a month at the moment. There was a couple looking for a million quid place on the TV last night and there were quite a few properties in the £750,000 plus bracket out in Essex, let alone central London.

But of course my example was for illustration purposes only.

I'm rather surprised at people hassling shop owners over delays caused by the strikes. It's been all over the media. It is very frustrating when you order stuff and it doesn't arrive when it should, but it's unlilkely to be the end of the world if your new bit of magic is a bit late.

In all fairness, the usual Postie who delivers our stuff at work (including all my magical purchases!) is as cheesed off as everyone else. He has to deal with the backlog as well as fend off the insults from the annoyed customers - as though he's the prime cause of the delay. The public can be very vicious at times.....

I'm rather surprised at people hassling shop owners over delays caused by the strikes. It's been all over the media. It is very frustrating when you order stuff and it doesn't arrive when it should, but it's unlilkely to be the end of the world if your new bit of magic is a bit late.

Excuse me, but your talking about people who sometimes sit on the step waiting for the postman to arrive!! When I used to order from Supreme & Ellisdons many years ago (when I was a kid at school) I could NEVER wait until I got home from School for my goodies, so I'd call into the sorting office on the way to school & get them to dig my post out!!! (don't suppose they would do that nowadays!) I used to turn up for lessons with Zombie Balls, Canes & all sorts!!!

I think all magicians are like that, we get SOooo EXCITED about our magical purchases, & it stays with us from childhood to adulthood.

Even when I send things by Special Delivery, Guaranteed before one o'clock (used to be 12 noon, but they couldn't always deliver!) I sometimes get a customer phoning me at five to one, saying that "Nothings turned up!" & I've said on many occasion, "But hang on in there "There's FIVE MINUTES to go!" then suddenly the conversation the other end is rushed "GOTTA GO, SOMEONE AT THE DOOR!" Yes you've guessed it The Postman!!! One Happy Customer!!

All I want is Happy Customers, this is why I pay the postage, & this is why all orders are sent out the same day, along with the fact that all items on the website are IN STOCK! all this helps to create VERY HAPPY CUSTOMERS! The postal strike has changed all that for a lot of people, which is why I made my offer, concerning next day delivery by City Link, which was on my original posting that started this thread off!

Best Magical Wishes

Mike

P.S. If the quote at the top DOES NOT appear in a white box at the top of my posting, could someone explain in a P.M. how to do that, because I haven't a clue! (it didn't appear in a white box in the preview!)

Mike

Got to admit, the post strike is a REAL PAIN. Our magic shop is right next door to the royal mail sorting office in waterlooville, Hampshire so not only did we not get a collection today, but we also got picketers standing around outside as well!

We offer free next day delivery on all orders over £50, and last year we scrapped using citylink as they gave us really bad service with lost and late packages . I even had customers asking us not to send out by 'missing link' as they called it

So we switched back to special delivery even though it was a lot more expensive per package and I have to hand it to the Royal Mail that its by far the best service around. Having sent out hundreds of special deliverys every week for the last year or so and I can count the number of late/missing specials on one hand!

I'm switching back to citylink, only on 'strike days' just to ride this out.
Its not ideal though as nobody likes having to go down to their 'local' citylink office to collect, if they miss the delivery man. But at the same time, if we promise free next day delivery, we need to keep that promise!

So my conclusion... Dealers are stuck between a rock and a hard place with the postal strikes. On the plus side, customers seem to be very understanding, which really helps. Royal Mail do give the best service in the long run, so its just a matter of holding out for them to sort themselves out

I just hope my area has normal service in the morning i need my magic parcel urgent for a show and need good practise time

It seems a bit rediculous that they are going to charge us for removing waste and a percentage of it is shoved through our door by the postman as unsolicited mail

On a better note, I have discovered a solution. Pick up your mail with disposable gloves, put all c*** (not the best) to one side. One day a week get up early and take all the c*** (not the best) mail, still with the gloves on, and shove it all through your neighbours letter box

Note what day they try to do the same and tape yours up on that day

Tenko wrote:
On a better note, I have discovered a solution. Pick up your mail with disposable gloves, put all c*** (not the best) to one side. One day a week get up early and take all the c*** (not the best) mail, still with the gloves on, and shove it all through your neighbours letter box

Note what day they try to do the same and tape yours up on that day

I am glad i don't live near you

We've had no trouble at all with City Link. Hopefully that will continue
(FINGERS CROSSED!)

I have had the odd problem or three with Royal Mails Special Delivery though.

I've never quite understood how they can advertise as "GUARANTEED NEXT DAY DELIVERY" then on occasion fail to deliver!

When is a guarantee NOT a guarantee?

The Banks have been taken to court regarding their charges, I was in another business for 21 years, & a few times went over an overdraft limit, then I'd get the letter "We have today debited your account to the sum of £22.00 (few years ago, it's £30 now!!) TOWARDS the banks costs in dealing with this matter" I always felt, that NO WAY was that charge "Towards" the banks costs, it completely covered them PLUS a great big profit ON TOP!! So at last they have been taken to court, & rightfully so, for lying in the letter, & excessively overcharging

In my opinion the wording "GUARANTEED" Next Day Delivery, should not be used unless they can absolutely GUARANTEE to deliver the NEXT DAY!

Trade descriptions & all that!!

All good wishes

Mike

Not had that experience myself with Special delivery, maybe its a local issue/problem with the Bournemouth sorting office?

I think most of the next day delivery companies are pretty poor. Tried quite a few of them over the years before going back to Special delivery.

What bugged me about most of them, is that they only attempt to deliver once or twice, then the customer hs to travel sometimes miles to find their depot to collect the package themselves. At least with special delivery, everyone has a local office or post office. City Link are extra cheeky in charging a small fortune to return the package back to the shop if its not delivered.

Another benifit I have found with specials, is that its the actual postman that delivers ( excluding strike days ) so he knows the area, rather than some guy in a van getting lost all the time with unusual addresses

Having said that, we are using citylink too on strike days, so at least they are better than Royal mail during this industrial action period.