Andrew Hawkins, from market research firm ComRes, claims he cannot rely on the Royal Mail's services all the time.

One chief executive has become so exasperated with the inconsistent parcel delivery services provided by the Royal Mail that he has begun using alternative parcel delivery firms.

Andrew Hawkins, from market research firm ComRes, told Bloomberg that he has turned to using private couriers to ensure that his suppliers and couriers are able to send and receive payments.

He said that businesses and consumers are the ones suffering in the current stand-off between the Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union, which has seen postal strikes across the country.

"We've got some suppliers we've paid and they haven't gotten our checks and other clients who say they paid us and we haven't received the money. We are stuck in the middle of what appears [to] be an agitated union and incompetent management," he told the news provider.

Businesses have expressed increasing concern with the postal strikes, with web gift shop owner Kate Knight telling the BBC that she is losing money because goods have not been delivered to customers.

Written by Laura Rathbone


Article Added: 01/10/2009 16:58:41