OT Courier Rant....

[bishbosh]

Just sent this off after spending half the dway trying to find my pistons

The above referenced parcel was supposed to be delivered to my home address today. I say supposed as what actually happened was the ParcelForce van drove past the house without stopping. It seems bizarre that he would make the effort to drive all that way and then not bother getting off his backside....then again, there was a bit of drizzle in the air.

My wife, who was waiting at home especially to receive the parcel, watched the van go by and alerted me to the fact that it looked unlikely that my parcel was going to be delivered today.

You may wonder why my wife was so quick to assume it would not be delivered today. Well that is because it is not the first time that ParcelForce has claimed to deliver something to us without actually doing so. Exactly the same thing happened to us in July of this year. So in 2006, ParcelForce are on a 100% failure rate. In fact, you're on a 100% deception rate. Top job!

I contacted the sender of the parcel who gave me the tracking number. I duly tracked it on your website (nice website by the way) and discovered this:

[extract from screen print]

So apparently, the driver attempted delivery. Quite a feat considering the vehicle didn't even stop or even turn into our little side road! Good skills that man. He should try a career in the movies, superheroes are all the rage I understand.

Anyhow, I digress and my sarcasm is getting the better of me. Having checked that my wife was indeed home (she was) and that we did not get a card through the door (we didn't) I contacted your customer services (helpful lady first time, argumentative and unhelpful (different) lady the second time) and checked who signed for the parcel and where it actually was. Customer services confirmed that it was at Milton post office and was signed for by Michelle. So I call Milton Post office to be told that a) they had no parcel for me there and b ) nobody named Michelle works there!

Now Milton Post Office is not the closest to my home, so using an immense amount of deductive power I thought it would be worth a punt contacting my local post office at Clover Court.

So I call Clover Court PO who it turns out do have my parcel. "Hooray!" says I, "can I speak to Michelle" (because I wanted to get the name of the driver who left the parcel) "No" comes the reply because she is on leave today!

So, so far today your driver has pretended to deliver a parcel (which according to my local post office is not an uncommon occurrence), then left it somewhere other than where he reported it and is forging recipients' signatures! Nice one.

I am now in the position where my post office has my parcel but I have no ParcelForce card permitting me to collect it. Fantastic. I mean, I didn't pay for next day delivery because I actually needed the parcel the next day did I? Of course not, I just have way too much cash and thought I should waste some of it on an inept courier company.

Hmm, sarcasm is up again, but at least I'm not swearing at you hey? Right, according to your customer services, if I turn up at the post office with some ID then I can collect the parcel. Only one problem with that - I won't be able to get there before the post office closes. Did I mention I need the parcel today? So I call the post office again. Ah, it seems the post office needs the ParcelForce card to release the package - you remember, that card that I don't have, that card your driver didn't put through my door?

So I am well and truly stuffed. Well I would be if it wasn't for the common sense of my local PO who will allow my wife to collect as long as she has my passport as well as her own for identification. Well done to them, perhaps you should look to employ them. Might improve the quality of your staff locally at least.

After such impressive service I thought I should be entitled to a refund. So I asked your customer service how I go about it. "Sorry Sir, the sender has to get the refund." Only problem is, if the sender asks for the refund your system will say that actually, ParcelForce has done everything right, it's the recipient's fault he wasn't at home. Nice way to cover your back.

Which brings me to the point of this letter, I would like a refund of the parcel postage costs (as paid to the vendor) and I would like some tangible assurance that the muppet driving the van either gets retrained or relocated so he can mess up someone else's day instead of mine.

It is a shame I cannot choose which courier a vendor uses to ship products to me, but rest assured that I have already contacted the vendor and warned them of the problems I have had with ParcelForce and recommended they review their courier choice. I for one will never use ParcelForce again and will advise anyone who asks for a recommendation to not touch you with a barge pole.

Yours (with a complete lack of) anticipation,

Bish

PS. You don't know how hard it has been for me not to write ParcelFarce all the way through this letter. Ah damn! and I was doing so well!

[Dr Goon]

Excellent rant Charles - 10/10

[MarkieB]

that's great, it should be published on the internet :lol:

no, wait, this is the ..

[Mark90]

They ain't known as ParcelFarce for nothing

Like you say you can't choose the courier that the vendor uses but to be honest I've had problems with most of the courier companies

[headhunter]

Write to Adam Crozier, he's the Chief Exec of the Post Office, state your case. He was CEO of the FA.

Send a copy to Allan Leighton the Chairman (he's the ex ASDA CEO) he is very hot on customer service and is the chap responsible for bringing the PO back into profit, stopping all the working to practice (rule) types taking the pi$$!

I bet something will happen. Whereas a complaint to the drivers direct management will probably be swept under the carpet.

John

[Paul Humphreys]

Very well put, but I have never had a problem with them or anyother courier for that matter. Must be just where you live

Paul

[white90]

yes they are carp then I've had to wait in 2days for TNT to appear

ANC were on time and first class service.

only 9/10 as no pictures

[bishbosh]

Pictures...... You're a hard task master Tony!

Parcel is now safe and sound at home, but that is hardly the point!

[Bull Bar Cowboy]

Just come back from your direction Charles (meeting at Aztec)…………. I could have picked up a set from Zeus (complete with seal kits) at Marsh Barton (I was there as well this morning !) and dropped them off as I was passing ………….

Pass my coat…………

Ian

[rtbarton]

Tell your supplier too, after all they pay ParcelForce. Mention that you might be minded to swap to a supplier that uses a more reliable carrier.

[Les Henson]

Some people will complain at the slightest thing!!

Les.

(sorry Bish)

[white90]

ah all's well that ends well.

remember some brake fluid

and cehck the wheel bearings have no play before you start.

otherwise endless bleeding/testing can follow

[Fishd]

I could go on in a similar vein about CityLink (and I've a pet name for them too... any ideas what it is?) ... they seem to believe that the closest depot they have to me is in Stoke on Trent (approx 1hr 45min round trip) rather than the office near Chester (30 min round trip).

[Hybrid_From_Hell]

Oh yes Parcel Farce, I know them well.

F****** Useless bunch (and thats on a good day)

I now when I buy stuff from people ask who the carrier is, if they say Parcel farce I ask them to either use another or cancle the order, often they just use another TNT are V gopod so far, a few have actaully said they have stopped using PF cos of the problems.

Nige

[Budgie]

TNT is the one to stay away from up here.

When I ordered a BRB Winch Bumper for David Bowyer it was sent on 2 day delivery. After 3 days, with nothing turning up, I phoned David who spoke to TNT only to be informed that for the Scottish Islands they hold any items in their depot in Perth until there is enough to warrent sending a van up and then they send them???

Doesn't seem to matter what service you pay for thats the way of it.

In the end it took 6 days & a few phone calls to make it up here, not used TNT since.

[FridgeFreezer]

My favourite experience with Parcelforce was when they claimed to have lost/delivered/never seen/signed for my 3.9 V8, then the same again with a clutch release bearing. Cost me several days agro and ended up costing a whole lot more hassle and money because of the delay

Bish - did you know you can claim compensation for their ineptitude if you can reasonably claim they've caused you loss through failure to deliver? I forget the details but if you scour their website (or the local PO) with a microscope you will find a compensation form.

If their drivers are that lazy, the guys that process compensation forms might be too and just give it to you... well, you can hope can't you

[Orgasmic Farmer]

Phone meassage of ANC today, can't find your place and need directions so will redeliver on Monday! I needed it today. Irang back within 10 minutes of his call and the nice lady said she would get the driver to call again for directions. Did he cal. Did he f***. Now there is no mobile reception within 6 miles of my place so he was obviously not looking very hard when he called me. There is also only a single road up our valley which runs past the end of our drive with a sign the size of a VAN. Impossible to miss. He just had Friday fever and didn't fancy the extra hour it would have added to his shift to come out when he could sit in a layby having a smoke and reading the paper. It is not the first time it has happened.

[SOA 93]

I am very lucky with Parcel force/the chap who does my area, I'm usually his first call in the morning usually before 8am, I can order stuff from screwfix about 4.30pm and its at my door early next morning

Nearly all of the couriers will now leave parcels in the Porch without anyone there, I left printed and signed forms in the porch when I was expecting deliveries telling them to take one as authorisation, the Guy who delivers Paddocks stuff got me to sign a form allowing him to drop the parcels off without signature.

Even if I'm home I sometimes just hear the porch door open followed by a gentle thud, alerting me to a delivery. I have to point out that I live in a rural area and have V good neighbours.

BishBosh, the bloke who does your area is a complete w@@@er, he could just as well work for any courier, you're only as good as your workforce, you only have to have a driving licence to become a van driver, intelligence and ethics are not required.

I loathe these T@@@ers who tell you to be in from 8am to 6pm, because a signature is required, then don't turn up!

Andy