Is Royal Mail the Grinch?

When my seven-year-old niece Maya first saw the hairy green 'monster' that is The Grinch she described it as 'a very naughty monkey'.

You may know that the P739 is that red and white card the postie leaves behind if a parcel is too big or needs a signature. I have one in my hand that bears the legend in biro:

PACKet IN ReCyle BiN.

It wasn't of course. Presumably it had been recycled.

I rang to complain and was promised a reply by mail. Two duly arrived simultaneously from Plymouth - I'm in Brighton - and I was further assured by a Royal Mail respondent from Glasgow that the culprit had been tracked down and reminded of correct procedures.

But the packet hadn't been tracked down. And when I enquired what efforts had been made to find it i.e. had they actually contacted the recyclers, answer came there none.

So when you're mailing your Christmas Appeal please remember what it could cost you in lost goodwill if 'white mail' is badly handled. Thanks to Royal Mail I could have been fined and had my name dragged through the courts like this:http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/mpapps/pagetools/print/news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wal...

What effect could a Royal Mail style failure of customer care have on your supporters and prospects?

It may be that Royal Mail isn't The Grinch, and won't steal my Christmas this year, but to me it will always be 'a very naughty monkey'.

How is it for you?