ins/tax question

News ( snipped-for-privacy@nospam.demon.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

That's all very well and good - but we use SmartStamp for all our work post. All the postage comes straight off company credit card, the postage is professional and branded.

Why does that make me a "smart alec" if I need a CoP?

Smart Adrian?

Yes I do, I do a lot for charity and help many peolpe where I can. We're not all "I'm ok so f*ck you jack" There is no mention on the RM site that sub post office do not accept this type of postage so how are we supposed to know.

It's called "technology". We've moved a long way from the penny black. Deal with it :-)

In message , Adrian writes

OK, poor choice of phrase on my part. The point is that, in the past, sub post offices have always been paid for postal transactions, and now we are not. You may not be aware that the income of a sub postmaster is entirely dependent on the number/volume of transactions undertaken over the counter. Royal Mail have now decided that we should now do the work without payment, which is not acceptable.

This is a problem caused entirely by Royal Mail Group, not by the Great British Public, but it is the GBP who will be inconvenienced, and sub post offices who will be blamed.

In message , redwood writes

Sorry, didn't realise this was a willy waving contest. Yes, I do a lot for charity too, including paying hundreds of pounds to employ someone else to run my business whilst I'm supporting local charity. That, though, is hardly the point. We are all free to support as many charities as we are able, with our time, our money or both. Local sub post offices are not charities, and should not be expected to work without reward.

You missed my point - I (I cannot speak for other offices) do accept the labels, but I will print a zero value label for the item, to ensure that I receive the appropriate credit. This is a waste of time for both me and the customer, but Royal Mail do not offer an alternative.

Oh, I am, I am :-)

News ( snipped-for-privacy@nospam.demon.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

I agree completely. The way Post Offices are being run down is not acceptable, and we WILL regret losing them after they've gone - at which point it would be financial madness to try to resuscitate the concept.

On the other hand, you really can't blame us customers for wanting to do things the easy way *for us*.

I've already mentioned the benefits to me of SmartStamp, but here's another example - I've got two SORN forms that need to be done by the end of the month, and I had one car to tax last month.

vehiclelicence.gov.uk did all those for me with minimal hassle at a time that suited me. I didn't have to dredge up the MOT or insurance certificates to tax the car, and I won't have to keep a paper receipt of the SORNs.

In message , Adrian writes

Sorry it has taken a while to reply - been away. I agree with what you say. Classic example 12 months ago we issued 229 MVLs in a four week period. The figure for the same period this year is 103.

You are right, of course. I'm in no position to criticise, even though it breaks my heart. I buy online just like everyone else, and yes, I help to close small, local record/CD and book shops.

I know, I know, but it still breaks my heart.

News ( snipped-for-privacy@nospam.demon.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

I'm surprised it's that large a hit already, tbh.

I don't think anybody can claim that centralising insurance and MOT records is a bad thing - and the check on those was the main thing preventing centralised VED sales.

OTOH, I understand from my local PO counter that they've never been busier with people posting parcels - both UK and overseas - than the last couple of years, since fleaBay selling really started to take off...

My tiny singleton office always has a queue of 4 or 5 people, which is why I don't use it !

And if they could arrange for the local collection of undeliverable parcels in the neighbourhood more efficiently, there'd be even more people queueing but they, combined with the sorting office, are utterly useless at getting their act together. Whilst this isn't directly revenue raising, it would bring more customers into the shop.

Andy

The message from Andy Cap contains these words:

Ah, one of my major gripes, that. The postie comes, fails to deliver, leaves a card and then the office shuts at midday. Where's the sense in that?

Actually of course, my postie just gives my parcels to the neighbours and isn't above signing for recorded devilry letters and shoving them through the letterbox and telling me about it when he sees me later. It's nice having a good postie.

Guy King ( snipped-for-privacy@zetnet.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

ParcelFarce do now leave 'em at your local PO, at least. And just as well - my local depot's about an hour away by car.

The worst are the parcel couriers - only yesterday, I had to trek from Vauxhall to friggin' Beckton to collect a package that the consigner had forgotten to put my customer's company name on, just mine - so it rolled up at the building reception - "Who? Never heard of 'em" - back to depot. No, they can't send it by bike or change the address details, it'd have to go back to the consignor, I had to go _in person_ to collect it.

The message from Adrian contains these words:

Not round here they don't. They take 'em bloody miles away.