Trials and Tribulations with Couriers

[TheSignalEngineer]

We have had the misfortune to have had some orders sent to us by DHL in the last few weeks. The service has been dire.

DHL Home Delivery is just what it says on the tin - it's done by someone working from home is his own car, so your precious Limited Edition Loco or XBox is taken to his house, then he has to get it to you. If you are lucky he takes it to the right house. If you are not in, with more luck he takes it home again rather than giving it to someone who happens to be standing in the street. Hopefully it gets back to the depot, then you have to go to collect it, but they don't know where it is because they haven't sorted the parcels brought back in undelivered.

 

Even worse if you have to return anything. I have just waited in today for a collection to be made of a faulty item purchased through Amazon. We went through the whole complicated process of reporting the fault, getting an authorisation for the pick-up, nominating a day, printing DHL labels, etc. Everything in place we thought, just no sign of the man in the van, or usually a small private car in our case. DHL give no number for contacting them in case of problems, so you can't even ring and complain. They like you to take parcels to the depot to save them the trouble of coming, but that's 3 buses each way and about a three hour round trip including the time it takes in the queue at the depot.

 

These are not our first bad experiences with DHL.

 

If I buy anything on-line or mail order this year I will be asking the supplier how it is coming. If he says DHL he will be given the option of sending it by someone else or the order will not be placed.

[phil-b259]

There are lots of low cost couriers that use this approch (DHL has presumably set up a division to tap into this market) because it is a far cheaper opperation to run. i.e. the only overheads are supplying a man with a van as oposed to running a small distribution depot and consiquently the ammount they charge retailers, and hence you the customer can be reducded. Home delivery networks are another company with a reputation for how shall we say being less than carefull about making sure the items get to the right place in a safe and secure manor. Basically the moral of the story is if you are worried about the saftey and security of your items, use 24hr next day tracked options as these will usually be carried out by propper courier companies who will usually take reasonable care about the delivery.

[Wherry Lines]

I can't say I've ever had issues with DHL, or their @home service. I do prefer royal mail, as there is a sorting office in the town, whereas DHL are based in North Norwich (some 30 miles away).

[Western Stalwart]

Ahh! Good old Dick Heads Limited. Almost as good as Tits 'N' Twats.

[TheSignalEngineer]

 

if you are worried about the saftey and security of your items, use 24hr next day tracked options as these will usually be carried out by propper courier companies who will usually take reasonable care about the delivery.

 

 

 

DHL have an alledged tracking system. Our last but one parcel sent via them went from Anglesey to Ashton-under-Lyne to Hatfield, back to Ashton-under-Lyne (logged as arriving twice) then didn't move for three days before it was shown 'out for delivery' . This meant that, in their words 'it has been handed over to a delivery agent and we cannot give you any more information about its progress'

 

Incidentally I've had three items delivered today by the much-maligned Parcelforce, where the suppliers sent emails to me to say they had been dispatched yesterday. In no case had I requested any premium service.

[John M Upton]

Now when stuff used to arrive with a proper DHL van in my area, never had any problems. Then some new outfit 'Home Delivery Network' started turning up and they have been utter poo, what surprised me the other day however is that DHL own Home Delivery Network which seems to be a 'Tesco value' of the parcel courier world.

 

I used to be on first name terms with my regular DHL guy, he was great, so is my regular postie but as for this lot, oh dear...

[Snotty]

I ordered a loco from Hattons a while ago and it was sent via DHL, however about a week later Hattons phoned to me to say that it has been returned to them as DHL couldnt find us!!!!

They asked my permission to send it back to me using Royal Mail and it turned up a day or so later, so whenever I order anything from Hattons Im specifing Royal Mail!!

[TheSignalEngineer]

Now when stuff used to arrive with a proper DHL van in my area, never had any problems. Then some new outfit 'Home Delivery Network' started turning up and they have been utter poo, what surprised me the other day however is that DHL own Home Delivery Network which seems to be a 'Tesco value' of the parcel courier world.

 

I think it is the other way round. DHL sold their domestic parcels deliveries to HDNL. When something is sent DHL by other than by premium services it is either passed to HDNL or to some local man with a van(or car) especially in the case of DHL @ HOME

[Nickinwestwales]

Hi all,I work as the `warehouse staff` of a small(ish) online book business and we use couriers a lot :-They are ,to be sure ,a mixed bunch-here`s how I have found them ....

 

D.H.L -not cheap but good for overseas deliveries on the larger weights (20+ Kilos) and although we don`t send out to the U.K through them we do receive goods in-generally within 48 hrs of ordering.- They present well ( uniformed drivers in branded vans) and have yet to let us down.

 

H.D.N.L (now being rebranded as `Yodel` (YOur DELivery service apparently-REAL sharp.).....)-A bit of a curates egg this one....The boys who collect from us couldn`t be better-always happy to give us an extra few minutes past collection time when we are busy ,despite having to be back at the Llanelli `Hub` by 6pm for the expedited 24 hr service-nice guys,once in the system however......They have `lost` a number of parcels in transit and have a claims procedure that would leave Franz Kafka nodding sagely....So far,their finest hour has been a large (and valuable ) box of books which turned up in a barn ,2 miles away from the recipient,with a card posted through a third party`s door ( the address was ...similar.. apparently,) saying IT`S IN YORE SHED....Gotta love it...Also they charge a £15+per item surcharge for anything off the mainland

 

FED-EX:-No complaints with these guys,Yer man turns up every day with the same friendly scowl (Hi Craig )-very good on the 24 hr turnaround-pain in the ass putting every package in the wee plastic baggie but they get them there ,quickly and with minimum fuss-they do have `outer limit` charges though-includes the Highlands as well as offshore

 

G.P.O :- Don`t get me started..lovely helpful folk-can`t turn around but for rules....In fairness,once it was made clear that we needed two vans a day for that 2 weeks everything was peachy.....communication :- it`s that and opposable thumbs that makes the difference

 

Yeah,on balance I will go with FED-EX :- in terms of tracking,speed and all-round brownie points I think they are worth the money

 

ATB

 

Nick

[multiprinter]

The only carrier that I've never had a problem with is the much maligned Royal Mail. Others (DHL UPS FedEx and other unknowns) have delivered a laptop to the wrong street, claimed not to be able to find the address, claimed no one at home,claimed delivery refused etc etc etc.

[Nickinwestwales]

As it happens,the fat controller has spent a large amount of today talking with whoever is the sparky voice of the B.T sales team (or whoever) and just for once,the state owned route seems to offer the best deal-who knew ??

[Trevellan]

I think Nick has hit the nail on the head. They're a mixed bunch, with pros and cons in each case. I've used most of the well known courier firms with relatively few problems. However, in 2009 Royal Mail managed to lose my passport and driving licence, even though sent by Special Delivery. Given that there were only two rational explanations - negligence or criminal activity - they showed zero interest in investigating the matter thoroughly. I was compensated, but there's still concerns over their laissez-faire attitude to what could be serious problems.

[The Stationmaster]

Royal Mail are generally ok although we are more than a bit suspicious that, fortunately low value - mainly ex Amazon - items of Letter Mail have been 'removed' at some point in the chain betwixt posting and our door mat (but nothing to prove that). Thus far most carriers seem to be up to scratch judging by what little we have to do with them apart from the clowns (DHL) who managed to totally knacker a laptop screen when it was being returned from repair - mind you the packaging was not exactly marvellous.

[shortliner]

I had the pleasure! of dealing with Post Office Customer Services today All I wanted to do was return the card for my MILs now defunct account (empty, contents withdrawn) -The paperwork required is unbelieveable, including having to visit a post office with 2 seperate items of identification, death Certificate, maiden aunts christian names etc, etc, ad nauseam. One of the forms requires her Nat Ins number - Unknown, and can't ask her as she is no longer with us. Rang number - it gives you a a four choice menu -select number - bloody woman goes on talking, press it again - still yatters on - until it has cycled through all the options it won't let you select it - which then gives you a 5 selection menu - same fun and games - press appropriate number and you have a further 4 selection menu - here we go again. Press number - phone rings, speak to young lady - and explain - "Ah sorry, that isn't this department _ I'll transfer you, bye!" ....and now we are in a queue..... Eventually speak to another lady who cannot find any trace of MIL in her system - can I give her the NI Number? - I explain very patiently that this is why I am ringing - "ah, well take it to your local post office and they will sort it out! please ring back if you need any more information - "Do you have a number so I don't have to go through this nonsense again?" "Oh, sorry, we aren't allowed to give that out!"" This whole nonsense has taken nearly 25 minutes - I think I'll just cut the cards in half and stick them in an envelope addressed to Post Office Customer (LACK OF) Services!!!

[Talltim]

My fav courier was one that tried to deliver twice while I was out, before taking the item to a depot that was further away from my house than the item started out.

[unravelled]

I read this after tracking a delivery all day on the DHL website. About an hour ago the status "no one to receive card left" was added. I've been in all evening, and there's no card... So emails sent, and customer care contacted.

Fingers crosser

 

Dave

 

 

 

[TheSignalEngineer]

I read this after tracking a delivery all day on the DHL website. About an hour ago the status "no one to receive card left" was added. I've been in all evening, and there's no card... So emails sent, and customer care contacted.

Fingers crosser

 

Dave

Waiting for a reply from DHL customer care is even worse than waiting for the parcel that didn't come.

 

Incidentally, Amazon have arranged for City Link to pick up the parcel that DHL didn't collect from us.

[Ian J.]

This is probably my only real 'grumpy old man' subject.

 

I used to think City-Link and UPS weren't too bad. But after a couple of incidents where tracked parcels weren't delivered but were noted on their websites as 'no-one in, card left' despite me having been in all day, I now don't trust any of the delivery companies. Don't get me started on HDN or DHL!

 

I find where I am (East London) that just a few too many of the Royal Mail posties are unreliable, never the same one twice it seems, and often post gets delivered deliberately to wrong houses! (With the caveat that the guys at the sorting office are a good bunch). With the other delivery firms it seems that anything that isn't for a business often gets held in the depot and never gets out (I suspect they are trying to save fuel as it is probably all too common that no-one's in at home during the working day to receive deliveries so the delivery attempt is often wasted). If a delivery is actually attempted, half the time the driver hasn't got a clue how to check for where a post-code is (I've had stuff delivered to completely different parts of London from where I live, despite the postcode being correct on the parcel, as the driver didn't bother to cross check the first line of the address to the post-code!). To top it all off, it seems that many of the delivery drivers are temps or whatever, driving unmarked white vans and probably having to do the job for too little money, so that doesn't exactly give me any confidence that the delivery company itself really knows where a parcel is at all times.

[45156]

Since I've been laid up, I've used Amazon a lot for large and small purchases nad have had experience of a number of different carriers, and they ARE a really mixed bunch - touch wood, nothing has gone astray, but one gave a delivery date which was quoted on their website, and also confirmed by their Customer non Service team for that date - later that day, the delivery date was changed on the website to the following day, probably because their depot was in Blackburn and I'm in Lancaster, and they didn't have anything else up for delivery this far NOrth- that was HDNL. I've also had odd experiences with DHL who do seem to use a lot of self-employed white van types now for the final leg, on one occasion, the van stopped outside, I went to open the door, the van was gone, then it cruised up and down the street, while I watched him peer out for the house numbers - mine is on the gatepost, and also on a plaque on the porch, quite high enough to be seen from the road.

 

Best for me, so far, has been Parcel Force, who turned up with my TV and DVD machine in two separate parcels, two days before the Amazon delivery date.

 

Royal Mail has been OK for things like DVDs CDs and books, though, and the postie knows we buy online, and also what to do if we're out.

[shortliner]

45156 - I don't know if this is countrywide - but my postie told me very recently, that if there is no one in and a signature is needed - or a card has to be put through the door, they are no longer allowed to sign for it, and put the card thru saying where it is - eg "in Garage", it now MUST go back to the sorting office - How they would know that it wasn't a customers signature anyway, I don't know - half those signing machines don't work properly anyway, and it is an indecipherable scribble!

[RFS]

Had a package due to be delivered by City-Link yesterday but it didn't arrive. So I checked the tracking on their web-site and it says status is "delivered" at 14.20 and signed for by "SAFE FRONT DOOR". I assume they've left it somewhere else - like someone else's garage and put a card through - and no-one has actually signed for it.

 

Anyone tried ringing their customer service number? It's permanently set to "due to a high number of calls our advisors cannot take your call at this time". I've rung at least 20 times today with the same result. Contacted the supplier who's getting the same problem.

 

Even if the person who's got the unexpected delivery is honest, they won't be able to report it to City Link as they won't be able to get through to customer service lines either!

 

What's even more galling is that City Link's website proudly tells everyone that they're the winners of the "2010 Customer Care Award". What a joke!

[Barry Ten]

 

Anyone tried ringing their customer service number? It's permanently set to "due to a high number of calls our advisors cannot take your call at this time". I've rung at least 20 times today with the same result. Contacted the supplier who's getting the same problem.

 

Even if the person who's got the unexpected delivery is honest, they won't be able to report it to City Link as they won't be able to get through to customer service lines either!

 

 

City Link are awful, in my experience. We've just been through the same runaround as you. Item was ordered before Christmas, didn't turn up, City Link then claimed that they left two cards with us (they didn't). Today we had a 20 mile round trip to their depot, which then entailed a 30 min wait while they located the item. I actually did well out of that as according to the bloke who was waiting before me, no one had yet managed to walk out with a parcel. My wife has also been driven to distraction by their customer service - exactly the same story as you, with the permanent unavailability of operators. Makes a chimps' tea party look like a model of efficiency.

[mikeyk]

City Link are awful, in my experience. We've just been through the same runaround as you. Item was ordered before Christmas, didn't turn up, City Link then claimed that they left two cards with us (they didn't). Today we had a 20 mile round trip to their depot, which then entailed a 30 min wait while they located the item. I actually did well out of that as according to the bloke who was waiting before me, no one had yet managed to walk out with a parcel. My wife has also been driven to distraction by their customer service - exactly the same story as you, with the permanent unavailability of operators. Makes a chimps' tea party look like a model of efficiency.

Hi Barry Ten

Don't get me started on City Link. In the old days the regular driver was top notch (fellow Swansea fan as well!), but he seems to have moved on. I ordered a TV for my son's main Xmas present (and a small package of thermal paste from the same company) on 7th December, both packages arrived at City Link's Swansea depot on the 8th but it was never delivered out here, despite it being shown as due to be delivered on two separate dates before Xmas. I kept in touch with the firm I ordered the TV from but they never seemed to get other than generic answers to their enquiries, blaming bad weather and high amounts of parcels. City Link however in the meantime did manage to deliver a parcel from Amazon to me and I asked the driver about the TV and the smaller package. He searched his van and lo and behold found the small package for me, but his machine did not have it recorded. No sign of the TV though.

Finally about 5 days ago City Link admitted that they have lost the TV in Swansea somewhere and I have been refunded by the company for the TV. Rather spoilt Xmas for my son as this was his main present and he was looking forward to it. Anyway, we now have a replacement which was safely delivered by City Link.

But to be honest, I am loathe to order any more stuff from companies who use City Link for delivery in the future.

 

 

[lonesome_whistle]

For all those who think they've had problems can I suggest you google HERMES. They seem to have a similar business model to DHL @home except that their agents drive battered old Ford Fiestas piled up with all the Christmas presents your family never received until the new year. A hopeless website that tells you that something is out for delivery 3 weeks before it arrives on the doorstep and when you try to contact them it simply refers you to the retailer you purchased the item from. Absolute tosh! DHL have done their brand huge damage by going down the budget route. Royal Mail is still the way to go in my opinion.

[AndrewC]

I think a lot of the problem is that so much online shopping is done these days via the internet that we have the situation where existing courier companies can't keep up, so standards slip. It also led to an increase in crap fly by night operators.

 

A couple of horror stories to add to the thread. Last Christmas Parcel Force decided to leave a package outside the front door. They did such a good job of hiding it under the bay window and behind the potted plants that it wasn't found for a month. No card, no explanation, just a soggy worthless mess of cardboard remained. Stupid thing is it would have fit through our oversized letterslot. I've caught them a couple of times stuffing the card through the letter box after not ringing the bell. When challenged the driver was forced to admit he didn't even have the package on the truck.

 

However, Canada Post takes first prize for total ineptitude. MIL sends parcel from Canada. Goes through Montreal sorting depot. Why it ended up over 4000km off course I don't know. 3 weeks later we get a totally different parcel that has the customs declaration from the right parcel removed from its plastic bubble and pasted over the original addressee. (MIL has distinctive handwriting) So now we have a fingernail dryer from some Company in Hong Kong that should have gone to a salon in Quebec. No sign of the original package. After MIL tears a strip off a so called customer service rep the original parcel arrives in a week with a new customs form attached, written in someone else's handwriting. Its obvious the package has been opened and gone through. Then Canada Post had the nerve to ask us to pay to ship the wrong parcel back to them.