Delivery Company Experiences

[AY1975]

But not exactly open at convenient times - I seem to recall that our local one used to open late on a Weds evening, but now my best chance if I need to pick something up is to go on a Saturday morning when they're open for 4 hours!!

True, although very often these days if the Royal Mail try to deliver a parcel when you're out, on the card that they put in your letterbox it offers you the option to request a new delivery date or ask to have it delivered to your local Post Office or any other PO in your area if it's more convenient for you to collect it from there than from the sorting office. The queues are often shorter in a PO than at the sorting office too. I've done that a few times, and it has worked really well for me.

 

[507021]

I've been really lucky with most of the carriers I've used in Liverpool. Never had any issues with Hermes/Evri, Amazon, DHL or DPD. Apart from losing one or two greeting cards and an expensive item of clothing, Royal Mail have also been very good. Yodel is the only carrier I've ever had any problems with, the first experience being very poor, with the courier snatching the stylus out of my hand before I'd finished signing for the delivery. I then opened my parcel, finding the case of the console game I'd ordered had been damaged in transit and the disc had been sliding around inside, although thankfully the game still worked. The second and most recent experience (not by choice) of Yodel was much better, but that was a couple of years ago and I haven't used them since. Hopefully, I'll have similar luck with the delivery companies in my new area.

 

[jfollows]

My only problem really stems from the fact that I live at "2, XXXX Mews" and there is a number 2 house further along the road.
I think that better mapping software has reduced the number of incorrect deliveries (either way) but it happens occasionally and we swap packages when it does.
The worst, unusually, was Royal Mail who delivered what was clearly a new passport to my house incorrectly, needless to say the intended recipients at number 2 were most grateful when we took it round to them.

A more significant problem is people who decide they know my address better than I do. By that I mean that I order something to be delivered to me at "2, XXXX Mews" but they then go and change the address. What I think they're doing is some kind of "validation" exercise in which they check my postcode, but then choose the first address with "2" in it from a list of addresses under the same postcode. In this case, sometimes "Flat 2, YYYY" so not the usual neighbour, so whether or not I finally receive the delivery is less likely. But of course this isn't the fault of the final link in the chain - the delivery driver - but someone else in the chain. On one repeat occasion I complained and it turned out that it was UPS who were incorrectly changing the address from the correct one which the shipper gave them to a different address with the same postcode. It's hard to understand what the sense behind this is, but I'm glad to say that we get little delivered by UPS these days.

 

[david1212]

All good and bad. The driver is the key to the customer experience.

Indeed.

I see a lot of deliveries for work and the relatively few collections we have. It is very fortunate we are allowed personal items to be delivered.

Overall UPS stand out for the drivers, the reliability and the condition of the parcels. AFAIK they are unique in having the vans racked out inside. DHL Express ( Yellow vans with logo ) and Fed Ex the next but items just scattered / stacked in the vans. DHL Parcel that previously was UK Mail who use plain white vans are OK for deliveries and collections from our site. Local store collections booked through e.g. Interparcel are less reliable though, I had one not collected for several days.

I've not worked out the operational difference between red logo DPD and blue logo DPD Local. Both deliver. We have had two separate red logo van and one blue logo van deliveries on the same day. Very occasionally I have had DPD to home when being able to track the delivery time is useful. Local store pickups booked direct or through Interparcel have always been next working day.

Unless timed Parcelforce normally don't deliver until late afternoon. This means the goods have been sliding around in the van for several hours as well as 'moved' around by the driver hence the boxes are always battered. I've seen boxes fall out the van when the side door is opened.

Royal Mail are fine and Tracked 48 is reliable, as discussed on other threads it seems to be prioritised over letter post. They are good at holding mail over the Christmas shutdown. Back in April / May 2020 they held items for up to 10 weeks. Very occasionally we send urgent items Special Delivery and AFAIK all have been delivered next (working) day.

The advantage of the Post Office used to be that the depot, if you elect to collect, is usually quite near. ....

... corrected that for you

But not exactly open at convenient times - I seem to recall that our local one used to open late on a Weds evening, but now my best chance if I need to pick something up is to go on a Saturday morning when they're open for 4 hours!!

Sadly we're now back to 0800-1000 weekdays 1600-1800 on a Friday, and a bit longer on Saturday (0800-1200) - but closed Sunday.

That's pretty poor. (I see some others have different hours, but that's even more confusing as it's not as if you can choose the sorting office the item goes to)

For home the sorting office is under a mile away but the hours now are so restricted. Post Offices in local shops used to be open to hand over prepaid items too but at least around me this has ended - even if the Royal Mail and Post Office websites say otherwise!! I've not done it yet but having redirection to a Post Office when no evening opening is of little use.

We are very fortunate with Evri. First the local depot is nearby so we are one of the first drops plus the current driver is excellent and the previous one was too. For sending drop-off there is a One Stop on my way home from work and two local convenience stores. Of items I have sent one was lost and eventually refunded. Of items I have ordered non have been lost or damaged.

While Yodel do show an approximate time this is of no help if say you are drop 55 off 77 and delivery is expected ~19:00 when the work doors will be locked at 17:30. An IT supplier we use uses Yodel and I am always concerned about smaller / lower value orders getting left on the door step. So far they end up being redelivered earlier the next (working) day.

... Non-delivery doesn't seem to be an option for Amazon, who have variously left packages in neighbour's gardens, balanced on the front door handle or propped up against the front door - it's a terraced house which opens straight onto the street...

Amazon unless proof of age required just drop and run including leaving items not for us but another business nearby. Personally I do not buy through them.

When I order from eBay I always look at the stated delivery method and often pay a bit more for an item if the seller states Royal Mail. I recently did this. However when shipped the tracking was Amazon. The item was never delivered. I had to get a refund and order again from a different seller ...

 

[Ediswan]

I succeeded in redirecting a DPD parcel to a collection point. This time I looked for the option as soon as I got the "We're expecting your parcel" email. Maybe that option was always there and I previously looked too late.

Basically, it worked. The scan history showed "PARCEL LABEL APPLIED" while at the depot. I did not get the usual one hour delivery slot email, or map tracking. I had to wait for the "ready for collection" email.

Then there was the ambush of assuming you have a way to show a QR code when collecting. Not a problem for me, but that requirement ought to be shown before committing to the redirection.

 

[jon0844]

Be careful that you aren't going to have all future parcels diverted. I think DHL does it that way, so others might also.

 

[tom1649]

Then there was the ambush of assuming you have a way to show a QR code when collecting. Not a problem for me, but that requirement ought to be shown before committing to the redirection.

DPD parcels can be collected without the QR code but two forms of I.D. are required.

 

[Camberman]

Has anyone had the same experience as me where you only find out who the delivery company will be AFTER you have placed your online order? Very frustrating if it is a delivery company you are trying to avoid using!

 

[jfollows]

Has anyone had the same experience as me where you only find out who the delivery company will be AFTER you have placed your online order? Very frustrating if it is a delivery company you are trying to avoid using!

Very common in my experience. I don’t personally worry about it.

 

[barringtoncem]

I have found Royal Mail 24 & 48 Hour reliable as that is what the companies use which i purchase from unfornately the other two companies i buy from only use
Evri who cannot find the right address at times