Discussion
FWIW said:
Spidersleg said:
Avoid APC like the plague!
We used to use them and had so many problems with parcels not being delivered on time (next day) The problem is they use "local courier" companies that are a part of the APC group. We had continuous problems with specific areas of the country.
Funny how experiences differ! We’ve sent ‘000s of parcels with APC and had *almost* zero issues. We used to use them and had so many problems with parcels not being delivered on time (next day) The problem is they use "local courier" companies that are a part of the APC group. We had continuous problems with specific areas of the country.
We use DHL, have a daily collection, although our volumes are very seasonal. Probably averages 40-60 a day in summer, in Winter can be 5-10 a day. We're paying around £5 per consignment, which for our volume is probably about right.
FWIW said:
I’m surprised at the positive comments about DPD. Our local driver is a tw@, drives like a cant around our estate and regularly fails to make pickups.
Mine throws stuff over a wall ... and has previously smashed light fittings that have been boxed by auction houses ... probably the same tw@DPD are great when it all goes well.
We pay £5.35, shipping approx 4-500 a month.
However, when they lose, damage or simply don’t turn up to collect then the customer service is shocking, my account manager has been off 3 months sick, nobody ever replies to emails, and I’ve never successfully claimed for a lost or damaged delivery.
Friday just gone I had 2 boxes going to SAME customer, first one was delivered damaged at 10.44, the second wasn’t, said they couldn’t find the address and needed more details, you couldn’t make it up.
We pay £5.35, shipping approx 4-500 a month.
However, when they lose, damage or simply don’t turn up to collect then the customer service is shocking, my account manager has been off 3 months sick, nobody ever replies to emails, and I’ve never successfully claimed for a lost or damaged delivery.
Friday just gone I had 2 boxes going to SAME customer, first one was delivered damaged at 10.44, the second wasn’t, said they couldn’t find the address and needed more details, you couldn’t make it up.
arfur said:
Mine throws stuff over a wall ... and has previously smashed light fittings that have been boxed by auction houses ... probably the same tw@
Going back a few years but my doorbell rang one evening. A chap was standing there clutching a kitchen cabinet. 'I think this is yours, I just found it in my garden'.These days Amazon hands parcels to my receptionist, which is odd as I don't have one.
That said I wouldn't fancy their job. Pressure, traffic, low wages, impossible addresses, whining customers... no thanks!
I'm doing about half your volume and every now and again think there could be a saving to be made with another courier but I have always stuck with Royal Mail, I've never really had any major problems other than a few late deliveries at busy periods. To be honest I think better the devil you know, I could save a few quid but scared of the hassle I could have with other couriers and the horror stories I have read about with Yodel and Hermes.
Quattromaster said:
DPD are great when it all goes well.
We pay £5.35, shipping approx 4-500 a month.
However, when they lose, damage or simply don’t turn up to collect then the customer service is shocking
DHL very much the same, but part of the reason I am reluctant to change is that when the sWe pay £5.35, shipping approx 4-500 a month.
However, when they lose, damage or simply don’t turn up to collect then the customer service is shocking
t hits the fan I can load our Transit and deliver to the DHL depot 10 mins down the road in Aldershot. DPD who we used to use are in Newbury so an hour away at rush hour.I even went in on the 29th and 30th of Dec and ran dispatch dropping off to the depot.
jimmythingy said:
I'm doing about half your volume and every now and again think there could be a saving to be made with another courier but I have always stuck with Royal Mail, I've never really had any major problems other than a few late deliveries at busy periods. To be honest I think better the devil you know, I could save a few quid but scared of the hassle I could have with other couriers and the horror stories I have read about with Yodel and Hermes.
We were very happy with RM, but they were 6 months late in bringing in DDP delivery to Europe, and when they finally did do, it was more expensive.Their posties often don’t scan the tracking as well, which has knock on consequences with channels like Amazon.
Regarding the negative comments on here, and as someone working in the industry, I’d like to give my own personal insights.
In this game, the hours are long. On a wet, cold, windy day it’s a miserable gig.
The drivers are all on peace work. The more they do in an hour, the more they get paid. This often results in standards of customer service, (if the driver had any in the first place), going out of the window.
Everyone has their back against the wall, working to almost impossible deadlines. From the Depot Manager, the lads sorting out the rounds in the depot, and finally the drivers themselves. To stick to my ETAs, I have two minutes to drive from one drop to the next, find the parcel, walk to and gain entry to the flat / house / business, scan & deliver the package and answer any customer queries. Lunch breaks, or breaks of any kind simply don’t exist.
I think the problem with most staff in the industry is that they don’t realise that customers pay their wages, (my background is hospitality).
Unhappy customers = poor reviews on social media and no return custom. That then leads to a drop in workflow, which then ultimately leads to a drop in earnings.
I think it’s a cultural problem that needs to change from the top down. Less importance needs to be placed on reducing costs, (through increasing volume), and more importance placed on customer service. The problem is that customer satisfaction isn’t all that easy to quantify, and the people at the top, (I suspect), setting direction for the company policy often have little experience in working on the coal-face and delivering good customer service.
I don’t think it really matters which firm you use. The most important thing is the attitude and work ethic of your driver. In that regard they’ll be both good and bad no matter which carrier you use.
In this game, the hours are long. On a wet, cold, windy day it’s a miserable gig.
The drivers are all on peace work. The more they do in an hour, the more they get paid. This often results in standards of customer service, (if the driver had any in the first place), going out of the window.
Everyone has their back against the wall, working to almost impossible deadlines. From the Depot Manager, the lads sorting out the rounds in the depot, and finally the drivers themselves. To stick to my ETAs, I have two minutes to drive from one drop to the next, find the parcel, walk to and gain entry to the flat / house / business, scan & deliver the package and answer any customer queries. Lunch breaks, or breaks of any kind simply don’t exist.
I think the problem with most staff in the industry is that they don’t realise that customers pay their wages, (my background is hospitality).
Unhappy customers = poor reviews on social media and no return custom. That then leads to a drop in workflow, which then ultimately leads to a drop in earnings.
I think it’s a cultural problem that needs to change from the top down. Less importance needs to be placed on reducing costs, (through increasing volume), and more importance placed on customer service. The problem is that customer satisfaction isn’t all that easy to quantify, and the people at the top, (I suspect), setting direction for the company policy often have little experience in working on the coal-face and delivering good customer service.
I don’t think it really matters which firm you use. The most important thing is the attitude and work ethic of your driver. In that regard they’ll be both good and bad no matter which carrier you use.
loafer123 said:
Their posties often don’t scan the tracking as well, which has knock on consequences with channels like Amazon.
I've sold five little bits on eBay recently and used Royal Mail Signed for service as the delivery method. For most of the packages it's been okay but for one, ironically the item that sold closest to my location still shows only as received at the Post Office in which I sent it from.I can only assume that it has been delivered because the buyer hasn't ever contacted me asking for its whereabouts and it was November when I sent it.
So although the Royal Mail has been okay, in my eyes they have only really achieved an 80% success rate on the service that I paid for.
Matt_E_Mulsion said:
loafer123 said:
Their posties often don’t scan the tracking as well, which has knock on consequences with channels like Amazon.
I've sold five little bits on eBay recently and used Royal Mail Signed for service as the delivery method. For most of the packages it's been okay but for one, ironically the item that sold closest to my location still shows only as received at the Post Office in which I sent it from.I can only assume that it has been delivered because the buyer hasn't ever contacted me asking for its whereabouts and it was November when I sent it.
So although the Royal Mail has been okay, in my eyes they have only really achieved an 80% success rate on the service that I paid for.
We use APC and historically they have been very good. However, towards the end of last year they turned abismal! Packages delivered a week late, no collections when they were booked, etc. I was told it was a glitch due to lack of drivers but we are yet to send anything this year so cannot comment.
We pay less than that for what is considered a Mailpack though. We are on some sort of special pricing with them but it's around £3.20 I believe.
We pay less than that for what is considered a Mailpack though. We are on some sort of special pricing with them but it's around £3.20 I believe.
8IKERDAVE said:
We use APC and historically they have been very good. However, towards the end of last year they turned abismal! Packages delivered a week late, no collections when they were booked, etc. I was told it was a glitch due to lack of drivers but we are yet to send anything this year so cannot comment.
We pay less than that for what is considered a Mailpack though. We are on some sort of special pricing with them but it's around £3.20 I believe.
Yeah, they did have some issues during December. Service seems back to normal now. We pay less than that for what is considered a Mailpack though. We are on some sort of special pricing with them but it's around £3.20 I believe.
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