Open University used to use Royal Mail for delivering materials and there were no problems. Then they switched to some tin-pot 'man in a van' service - nightmare!! Couldn't get them to leave a parcel without a signature, they only delivered between 9am and 4pm Mon to Fri (!!!) and had no option of you to collect a parcel yourself! After many complaints from students, OU changed to DHL - at first, all deliveries had to be signed for. I was desparately hoping a delivery would turn up as I wanted to take my next course book on holiday with me - on-line tracking said it would be delivered on a certain day, so I made sure there was someone in all day to sign for it - it snowed, so the delivery didn't make it. The on-line tracking system said my parcel was at the depot awaiting collection, or I could ring and arrange another delivery, so I decided to call in a collect it the following morning (Saturday) as we set off on holiday. Turned up at the depot and, after much searching and head-scratching, the guy on the collection desk looked up the tracking number of my parcel - to find someone had decided to stick it on a van to deliver that day!!! Dashed back home to find the 'sorry we missed you' card!!! Aaarrgghhhhh!!! After numerous more complaints, OU changed their contract with DHL to allow deliveries without signatures - harmony was finally restored!
