How on earth can a company which is so spectacularly incompetent still be in business?
Awaiting a delivery on their 48 hour service. Online tracker reported that it was loaded onto the van Friday, then at 5pm changed to "Delivery Attempted". Which was odd, as I'd been in all day and no card was left.
No worries, though, I called them and they told me it would be automatically scheduled for redelivery on Monday. Another day off work stuck in the house, bored rigid. No delivery. They don't know why the driver didn't load it onto the van. It's definitely at the depot, the lady on the phone went and looked at it. She assured me it would be delivered today.
Pulled some strings, called in a favour or two and managed to get today off too. Unsurprisingly, they've forgotten to load it onto the van AGAIN. "It'll definitely come tomorrow".
I'm away for two weeks now, it can't go to a neighbour because of the size and it won't quite fit in the back of the car. My only option is to hire a van today and drive out to collect it this afternoon.
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I think that some delivery companies have been overwhelmed by the increase in domestic de!iveries. Low paid, poor quality staff who are under pressure to do umpteen deliveries a day and don't care about the customer don't help.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Tue 31 Mar 15 at 11:17
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I suppose we get the service we ask for. We expect free delivery of our online purchases, so the delivery market has become a race to the bottom, with the inevitable implications for service quality. I remind myself of this from time to time - not that it stops me fuming when I find another 'signature required' package left on a plant pot by the door, or a card when I know I've been in all day.
The very best, though, has to be the 'signature required' box containing £350' worth of porcelain tableware. Waiting for the signature was clearly too much trouble, so it went over the 1.8m wrought iron side gate onto the concrete paving below. We didn't even bother to open that one.
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>> I'm away for two weeks now, it can't go to a neighbour because of the
>> size and it won't quite fit in the back of the car. My only option
>> is to hire a van today and drive out to collect it this afternoon.
When you go to the depot (usually miles away) you will find there a very large sign on the wall, saying they will not tolerate abuse of their staff.
Rip it off the wall, and beat them soundly with it.
I shudder with apprehension when I find stuff is being delivered by Parcelfarce.
Last edited by: Zero on Tue 31 Mar 15 at 11:20
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and after you have driven 20 miles, when you get there you will find that despite the fact that you have utility bill, driving licence, passport, bank card,.... that some illiterate 12 year old will not accept any of them as valid because they were not all issued on the same day. The only way out of this is to send girlfriend, daughter or somebody suitably endowed who can collapse in tears and say they are not leaving
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A similar thing happened to me last week. I was expecting a gallon of Shell Helix to be delivered from Euro car parts on Tuesday, it didn't arrive, and I received an email from UPS later in the day saying my address was wrong (it isn't) and the delivery was rescheduled for the next day.
It didn't arrive that day either and, yes, another email saying the address was wrong and, the delivery was being rescheduled etc. etc.
So I sent them an email saying if it doesn't arrive by tomorrow, then you can send it back to Europarts as I have had enough!
It arrived next day ... no big deal though (in may case) as I don't need the oil for a couple of weeks and I was at home on those days anyway.
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I must be lucky. Have quite a lot of stuff delivered though ten to use "Click and Collect" type wherever possible to save waiting indoors. Can't recall ever having any problems. Suppose it depends on where you live.
The funny thing is I ready loads of tales of woe on line regarding broadband and utility suppliers, dodgy insurers and rubbish banks or ruined holidays and I can't remember ever having problems with those either. Am I living a charmed life or am I going to encounter to all these at once?
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>> I must be lucky. Have quite a lot of stuff delivered though ten to use
>> "Click and Collect" type wherever possible to save waiting indoors. Can't recall ever having any
>> problems. Suppose it depends on where you live.
Depends on who delivers. DPD are very very good. They give you an hour when it will arrive, and you can track the courier on the web.
But yes, all your bad luck will come at once.
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>> .........Am I living a charmed life or am I going to encounter to all these at once?
>>
You sound like a realist. There are those who throw a tantrum if the slightest thing is not to their liking. Being delayed by bad weather is one example, that always makes me wonder if they would rather put their life at risk or they are just too thick to realise that the driver / pilot / captain / service provider or whoever might just know a bit more about the limitations of the service than them. We seem to be in an OK area for deliveries though.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Tue 31 Mar 15 at 12:07
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Living in the sticks we get loads of things delivered as it's much more convenient than shopping in person.
I can't recall any example of poor service from any delivery firm. I always use the Special Instructions box and ask for things to be left in the porch, barn, or yard depending on size and rain resistance.
It's handy doing that anyway as it saves running indoors to receive parcels.
I'm amazed that it pays all of them to provide such excellent service to rural areas.
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Parcelforce in our area are particularly good, possibly because we have had the same enthusiastic and professional delivery driver for a number of years.
Had the same problem as WdB a few years ago when an electric kettle was dropped onto concrete, from an even greater height than his 1.8m. The packaging was badly damaged, but Mrs CS insisted, as the kettle itself was intact, that it would be ok to use - although it was returned within a couple of months when it finally conked out.
Like our man from Norwich, we use Click and Collect as often as possible, as we find that more convenient than waiting at home all day, but the delivery companies (mostly, for us, with goods from Amazon) are pretty good and we have little cause for complaint.
Don’t get me started on Recorded Delivery, though…
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Agree with others that DPD are best. Obviously though it only works via a high degree of automation in the warehouse and backrooms. Our last delivery from them was three days late due to the sorter/conveyor having broken, swallowing my item into its innards.
Properly repacked though and local driver, Lee, advised me to open it there/then and check item was undamaged (it was) and waited while I did so.
My ongoing battle is with Amazon with whom I retain Prime for next day delivery. It's very easy for stuff we need immediately, including Uni books and The Lad uses the bundled movie stream. However, they keep trying to send 'next day' stuff by first class post. Probably more of an issue for us as our location means relatively large proportions of first class take 2+ days to arrive. If I choose delivery at the checkout 'next day' is differentiated form first class and costs more.
The make it difficult to report by email, still less to get to speak to someone in UK. Perhaps a twitter campaign is needed #firstclassisnotnext day?
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Just received some (very heavy) steel shelving from Amazon, via Yodel. Ordered 15:45 on Saturday. Have had problems with Yodel previously, but that service is very good.
Last problem we had was with Fedex, who said they had called, but hadn't, taking wing mirror bits back to their depot, ten miles away, the day before we were going on holiday at sparrowf**t.
So some good, some bad.
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Living in a rural area has its benefits. Most companies here have regular drivers - which means they seem to be more reliable. The lying toads that masquarade as DPD were meant to deliver here some time ago. I was tracking them online and I could see them drive past on the at the bottom of our place. I went to the back door to greet them - in time to see them reverse into the street, engage first gear. Sure enough a few minutes latr it popped up on line that they hadn't got an answer. Lying ****.
There was a radio interview with a Hermes driver last week sometime. Their drivers are self employed (despite working full time for them) probably unlawfully. They receive between 45 and 60p per parcel delivered gross (before overheads.)
Parcel Force driver, Craig, leaves jolly little note if we're not in.
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Just had notice of a package being dispatched via someone called "Diamond Logistics", whoever they might be. A tracking number on their website gives me the stunning information that "delivery is in progress". It said that yesterday too.
Who knows how this one will pan out.
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Just arrived at depot to collect aaaaaannnndddd *drum roll please* it's not here.
So now they don't know where it is. Suspect bike shop will not be happy about refunding ~£2k to my credit card without getting their stuff back.
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>> Its been nicked.
>>
Thanks for that, Sherlock. ;-)
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>> >> Its been nicked.
>> >>
>>
>> Thanks for that, Sherlock. ;-)
Listen and Learn Watson.
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Update:
"It's not lost, we just don't know where it is. Call us after 7pm".
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>> >> Its been nicked.
>> >>
>>
>> Thanks for that, Sherlock. ;-)
>>
Please do not sully my user name!
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I take it back. Turned up at 6.30, in one piece and everything. Apparently all the vans were full until today, which does make you wonder why they offer a "Large Items" service in the first place...
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>> I take it back. Turned up at 6.30, in one piece and everything. Apparently all
>> the vans were full until today, which does make you wonder why they offer a
>> "Large Items" service in the first place...
Makes you wonder why they didn't know where it was.
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I'm waiting for a repaired PCB for my waschmaschine that was posted, 1st class signed for, on Saturday. Confident it would arrive today, seeing that the target day was yesterday.
Boss not happy with me leaving the washer in bits in middle of kitchen waiting for it, after replacing its dampers yesterday.
21st century problem, waiting for internet orders :)
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That's good.
I did fear you were going to come home from the Depot to find another "we called but you weren't in" card.
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Most delivery services (but not all) are Shi**)
If I have posted this before then I apologise.
4 months go 'er and I purchased a dishwasher from AO. Appliances Online. Wonderful service it would seem and all go go go for a delivery faster than a scalded Cat. All documented online, kept up to date etc etc etc. No Problemo we thought.
Alas..................No delivery. A phone call or two elicited the same response as in we'll get back to you etc.
Within a short period her indoors said to call the driver which is a service available to all and this I did to be informed that they had broken down and were being 'recovered' to Exeter. Fairy Nuff I thought, it happens. 'twas only when her, by now at the oven, said "That's the same line they spun us 2 years ago when we bought a new fridge. I relayed this to them at the call centre and they went stchum. Pile of pants, avoid. Their business may be on sand according to the financial press. I wonder why?
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Gave AO consideration as they supplied my fridge, but a fairly local firm with their own van got my business for the washing machine. Although their headline price was lower, they took away the old machine and fitted the new - and tested it too. AO's price would have been more if I'd those services. And I was supporting a reasonably local business, something I've often done for some years now.
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Anyway, never mind all that, tell us more about the bike please!
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At ~£2k I bet that lights are an option. :-)
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Still got winters on mine.
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>> Still got winters on mine.
Still got your blood on yours.....
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>> At ~£2k I bet that lights are an option. :-)
Well parcelforce kept him in the dark!
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....given the history, they've probably wrapped one of these up and delivered it, just to keep him quiet (for a bit) :-)
img.photobucket.com/albums/v127/tallsam/TRO1176.jpg
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You were ripped off, not only no lights, no bell either. :-)
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>> no bell either. :-)
It's got directional tyres by the looks of it though.
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That would look nice on the back of a Macan.
When Runfer puts his hand in his troosers and treats his fine lady......
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I can imagine Runfer doing his cycle swamp jumping on one, look good on the roof of his LEC too. :-)
Last edited by: Old Navy on Wed 1 Apr 15 at 14:11
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Troosers pocket I meant to say, just in case it was misinterpreted by BBD.
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Glad you cleared that up !
Macan you say? Expensive door mirrors on those one would imagine...
I was in a friend's new Cayenne hybrid yesterday. Very nice actually, very very nice in fact. Very very nice indeed. But if I ever found myself with that sort of budget, and a mind for a Porsche, I think, well, I know, it would be a Panamera ( with bike racks of course )
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And just to put things in perspective....I was in my friends 3yo Golf 2.0 Tdi today. Just bought off his daughter. 3 door, metallic grey. 85k miles and I think he paid her £6k for it.
Very very very nice
Compared to his '03 307
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Not a patch on my just nicely run in 330 though. Biased? Me?
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Must be cheaper now!
Those wheels I mean :-0)
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Parcelfarce - Old Navy
