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Enough To Get The Mercury Climbing
Needing a couple of things from the UK, I asked friend Jacqui in
London if she could get them and send them out to me via Mercury.
I’m not a heavy user of this service, usually about three or four
times a year, in each direction, and have always been extremely
happy as it has been realiable, quick and efficient, both the mail
and the courier service. But my experience in the last few weeks has
me asking whether this is all about to change.
The necessary shopping was done, packed and sent off by Jacqui in
London to the new UK address for Mercury and within a few days, the
parcels arrived in Lusaka. But one item was not sent in the same
catch and was only posted in the UK at the end of June.
I
gave it a few days before I started ‘expecting a call from Mercury
in Lusaka. But nothing, So, as is logical, I started phoning Mercury
daily. Still nothing except a complete lack on interest. As one
does, I made allowances for this, perhaps the lady is young and
inexperienced, but after a couple of days, I thought I should speak
to someone higher up the ladder.
The level of interest shown at this level was pretty much the same,
with only the addition being that said parcel should have been here
already and was overdue. No attempt was made to find out more
information like which address had been used etc.
A
day or two more and still nothing. So where to now? Perhaps I needed
to call the UK so asked for the number. This was my first mistake.
In the course of the conversation, I mentioned the name ‘Aramex’
which is the name of the company which previously handled the UK
side of things. So this was the number that was given to me. No
offer was made to try to trace the parcel from their side. No, I was
on my own on this.
In any case, the number given was incorrect and after explaining my
problem to them, I was given another number to call. Going through
the story again with the lady who answered the phone (and all the
whilst paying our expensive international call rates), she explained
that anything coming in for Mercury was merely dumped in a box and
record was kept of what was received. I have always known that there
is no guarantee that anything sent via Mercury will arrive, unless
it is sent through their courier service, but one would like to
think that a record would be kept so that, internally, they can
track items and at least say with confidence that a certain item had
not been received by their UK correspondent. So, realising that
there would be no information forthcoming from that side, the only
avenue open now was to go another step up the ladder here in Lusaka.
On the phone again, ’I would like to speak to the MD please’. This
was not possible right then, but he did phone me back later that
evening, around 6 pm, on the off chance that I was still in the
office. Lengthy discussions when it was explained that there had
been a problem with the box number allocated to them by Royal Mail :
this box had been allocated to two different companies, but he would
see what he could find out and get back to me.
It is now Thursday as I go to press and the issue is still not
resolved although Mercury have advised me that they have their UK
correspondents chasing things up with Royal Mail and with the ‘other
owner’ of the post office box.
I
guess what has really annoyed me through this entire debacle has
been the lack of interest in my problem. Why was it necessary for me
to speak to the MD before I felt that somebody cared and that
somebody was going to do something? Why did the ladies with whom I
first spoke, not enquire about the address we had used? If the
company felt that it would be difficult for them, as junior members
of staff, to explain the problem of the post office box to a client,
they could have immediately put me through to somebody who could
explain it adequately. It was only after ten days, numerous phone
calls and much time, that I became aware that there was a problem.
But there is much that I have learnt or, in some cases, I should say
things that I knew but which have been reinforced:
·
On the UK side, you are dependant on the vagaries of Royal Mail and
unless it is done as a recorded delivery, there is no guarantee that
you will receive it
·
That there is no record kept of packages received in the UK and
dispatched to Lusaka, which information can be used in case of
queries.
I
fully understand that the first error was mine by not having the
said package sent by recorded delivery in the UK; a mistake I shall
not make again. But I hope that Mercury have taken on board that
there is a need for them to tighten up on their system in the
interests of their clients because up until now, this has been an
excellent service which was much needed here.
For information, the address which should be used for mail or
packages to Mercury is:
Mercury Zambia
c/o Deltec International Courier Ltd
Deltec House
Lawrence Road
Hounslow
Middlesex
TW4 6DR
If you have been given a post box number, please do not use this if
you want your packages to arrive here safely. |
August
2006