Delivering the Goods

Today I received several emails from companies I have previously ordered from. This is a typical example:

Dear Mrs Cheetham

Postal Strikes? Yes? No? Who knows?

First thing - don't worry. We don't use Royal Mail to deliver wine so there will be no problem DELIVERING WINE to you.

Second: you can now browse all our brochures online at xxxxxxxx

Email is great, isn't it? We're not dependent on the post. And I want to ensure we stay in contact with each other despite the strikes, however long that might last.

I admit, obviously we don't want to lose your next order. But I'm also thinking that it really would be a shame for you to miss out on a wealth of fantastic wines. Better than ever!

I have replied to each of them as follows:

I was saddened to receive your email, stating that you do not use Royal Mail.

I am very much in support of the striking mail-workers and would not have minded waiting a day or two longer for my goods, had I been ordering from you today. This is because I believe that we must protect the Royal Mail and ensure the survival of a service that operates for all, not just to cream off the profits from big business. I would obviously therefore, urge you to use Royal Mail in the future and support our national mail service.

In truth, I genuinely was saddened to read emails telling me it was OK, the companies in question did not use Royal Mail and that was a good thing. I believe that we must protect the jobs of the Royal Mail workers and the basis upon which the Royal Mail operates.

The private companies are not accountable to anyone except for their share-holders. Should they wish to sack 25% of their workers, to keep the dividends up, they will do so. If they want to increase the cost of postage, they can, it is not subject to any sort of pressure from parliament or held up to public scrutiny. As long as share-holders are happy, that is all that matters, even quality of service is a lower priority. It is why we have companies making redundancies because profits are down - not because turnover is in deficit, just profits and therefore share dividends are down.

If you receive an email like those that I have received, I urge you to let the company know that you disapprove of their disregard for our Royal Mail. Feel free to use any of my words if you so wish!