I don’t rant often. Usually I am slow to anger and I get
annoyed by injustices but this time it is due to incompetence, or to be
precise, incompetence by the Post Office. Against my better judgement, I used
the Check and Send service offered by the P.O. for a first time passport application
for my son. This service is described as stress free, speedy and ensures the
application is completed correctly. How wrong can you be?
The application was returned a week later as a whole section
had not been completed. OK, I admit I had read the note on this section which
said it was to be completed if the child was less than 16 years old so I
skipped that part. Now, on further reading, it also said it was to be completed
if it was a new passport application. So I skipped it because I thought it was
for a child, however, the cashier who was checking the application surely
should have noticed this important fact as she was told that it was a new
passport application. She checked the form on two separate occasions, was
offering a service to ensure it was correct, and then missed it completely!!
To make matters worse, I telephoned the passport department
who informed me that the P.O. often get it wrong and it was an expensive
service and that I would have been better advised if I had spoken to their
office instead for free. GRRRRR!!! I now have to complete the application again
and hopefully it will be returned in time for our holiday.
Of course I complained to the P.O. who readily offered a
refund and an apology but that is quite flippant and does not address their professional
incompetence and misleading advert. If a company advertises a service, it
should do what it says on the tin. My rant is about the frequency of failure of
this service and of being misled by advertising from a reputable company which
resulted in a stressed, time consuming, double hassle, application.
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