The rest of the parcel collection tale
Here's the conclusion of the posting of 9th March....
Guess what, the collection didn't happen. Don't forget, this was the day given to me, not the day that I selected. Ideally I would have like it a day or 2 earlier - and they still didn't make it. Nobody called me to apologise and I had no point of contact to find out what was happening.
Now, here is exactly why they are so much cheaper than many of the competitors. There is nobody on the end of the phone with whom to share a rant! Merely the opportunity to log a missed collection. I was going on holiday the following day so I knew that another collection day within the next week would be no good. I couldn't tell the parcel company this, so I e-mailed them telling them not to attempt a collection within the next week. Guess what, this e-mailed was ignored (because it was not part of the automated process) and I was allocated a collection slot for the next day - but I was only told this on the next day!
What did I find when I got back from holdiday? One of those "You were out when we called to collect...." notes. I called the courier company..."We can't do anything unless authorised by the parcel company". I called the parcel company, you know the one with the completely automated service with nobody to speak to. So I logged a missed collection and waited. Next day I received an e-mail telling me that I had been allocated a collection for that day. The rest all went smoothly and the parcel was collected as promised.
So what did I learn from this?
1- When there are 2 separate parties involved; one selling the service and the second one providing it, it can be difficult to talk to who you need to if there is a problem.
2- If a shipment may be critical to your business, you have to use a Company with real people at the end of the phone - otherwise, when problems arise, you won't be able to sort them out quickly.
3- You get what you pay for.
Would I use them again?
Maybe, but I would also consider a provider that allows me to drop the parcel of at their depot too. At least then I can stay in control. You would think that the Post Office / Royal Mail / Parcel Force (I think they're all part of the same organisation aren't they?) would come into the equation here wouldn't you? Well they do just, but how confusing is it trying to use them - but that's for another day!!
Guess what, the collection didn't happen. Don't forget, this was the day given to me, not the day that I selected. Ideally I would have like it a day or 2 earlier - and they still didn't make it. Nobody called me to apologise and I had no point of contact to find out what was happening.
Now, here is exactly why they are so much cheaper than many of the competitors. There is nobody on the end of the phone with whom to share a rant! Merely the opportunity to log a missed collection. I was going on holiday the following day so I knew that another collection day within the next week would be no good. I couldn't tell the parcel company this, so I e-mailed them telling them not to attempt a collection within the next week. Guess what, this e-mailed was ignored (because it was not part of the automated process) and I was allocated a collection slot for the next day - but I was only told this on the next day!
What did I find when I got back from holdiday? One of those "You were out when we called to collect...." notes. I called the courier company..."We can't do anything unless authorised by the parcel company". I called the parcel company, you know the one with the completely automated service with nobody to speak to. So I logged a missed collection and waited. Next day I received an e-mail telling me that I had been allocated a collection for that day. The rest all went smoothly and the parcel was collected as promised.
So what did I learn from this?
1- When there are 2 separate parties involved; one selling the service and the second one providing it, it can be difficult to talk to who you need to if there is a problem.
2- If a shipment may be critical to your business, you have to use a Company with real people at the end of the phone - otherwise, when problems arise, you won't be able to sort them out quickly.
3- You get what you pay for.
Would I use them again?
Maybe, but I would also consider a provider that allows me to drop the parcel of at their depot too. At least then I can stay in control. You would think that the Post Office / Royal Mail / Parcel Force (I think they're all part of the same organisation aren't they?) would come into the equation here wouldn't you? Well they do just, but how confusing is it trying to use them - but that's for another day!!
posted by Delivery Blues @ 12:15 pm
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