On Fri, 24 Feb 2012 13:25:05 -0000, "Tim Roll-Pickering"
wrote:

Jarle H Knudsen wrote:
Here in Norway the parcel is left at the post office and a notice is sent
through the mail when the recipient is not at home.

We basically have the same here with Royal Mail and Parcelforce (part of the
Royal Mail set-up but separate deliveries et al). Royal Mail will put a form
through the letterbox and take it to the local sorting office. Parcelforce,
if they can't get in the building, will take it to the local (sizeable) Post
Office and send a note via the mail. [...]

The problem is with a lot of other courier firms
[...]
The root of the trouble is they don't have a
home delivery mindset and operate on the basis that someone will always be
there to take the parcel, 8am to 7pm Mondays to Fridays.
[...]
it's easier to get to find and reach
a high street shop on a Saturday than rushing round the backwaters of an
industrial estate at ten to seven on a weekday night.

I agree with all of that... I paid for (or failed to cancel) Amazon
Prime and find it *very* useful but I almost always pick Royal Mail as
the delivery method as even though it may take an extra day I know
they are more intelligent and flexible at finding a way to deliver the
parcel and if they don't it's only a short way away. I have had
enough trips to the arse end of Epsom, Merton, Guildford and Heathrow
to do anything else.

Like many things, I don't think we appreciate what we have before
moaning about it...

Richard.