As I said 3 weeks ago, the PostOffice seem to have lost a parcel of mine.

Querying SingaporePost says it left there 29/4/2004. PO have no record of it. I used RMs website to query where it was some time ago.

About 2 weeks later I get this:

Thank you for your enquiry.

The number you quote indicates this was sent using a Royal Mail service. Please contact Royal Mail by calling 08457 740740 or through their website www.royalmail.com.

If you require any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me again at parcelforce@parcelforce.co.uk. Alternatively, contact our enquiry line on 08708 501150, by Textphone 08000 855857 (for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing) or fax on 0113 382 2944.

The second phone number is PF's enquiry line - they are the ones who say there is no record. I think I called the first number and was told to ring the second, though I think I'll have to try that again just to make sure.

I was considering sending the following as a reply:

Hello

The RoyalMail website you mention directs me to ring ParcelForce's track and trace system?

According to Singapore Post Track & trace http://www.singpost.com/RA/status.asp , the item left Singapore 29/4/2004. According to the sender, Singapore Post is waiting for a response from RoyalMail about the item's location.

I don't know which service would be delivering this item, I merely used the RoyalMail's website option 'Contact us' which you now tell me is ParcelForce only - if that's the case, why does it have both options? Wouldn't it be a good idea for customer service to have some link between the two rather than irritating your customers by having a huge delay between submitting the questions and finally getting a response, only to be told they asked the wrong people in the first place?


But I thought it was slightly too sarcastic. So I haven't sent it yet as I'm trying to either get it more sarcastic or less, I've not decided which yet.