antoeknee Posted January 7, 2009 Posted January 7, 2009 Parcelforce must be one of the worst companies in the UK. Thankfully lots of companies don't use them any more. In the past we've had a parcel sent that required a signature. When it didn't arrive we rang the supplier who checked and then told us someone had signed for it. When the record was pulled it was some ramdom squiggle and the parcel was never found. We also had a laptop that mysteriously disappeared at the distribution depot, again never found. And now the latest, was expecting a parcel today which didn't arrive. Got in touch with supplier who confirmed it had been sent yesterday on 24hr delivery with Parcelforce. I could have sworn at that stage. Did a check on their website to track the parcel and it said not delivered due to adverse weather conditions! What a pile of poo. Sure we've had some snow but nothing to cause any problems and DHL still managed to deliver a parcel today.
AngryTechnician Posted January 7, 2009 Posted January 7, 2009 I think BBC Watchdog used to call them Parcelfarce. I've been calling them that ever since. I used to work in a shipping agency which also did business mail handling, and we had a sign up in our foyer with a photo of a smashed-up parcel one of our customers had received from Parcelfarce. The formerly rectangular box was slightly more... ovoid. The caption on the photo was "This is why we do not offer Parcelforce shipping." On the subject of non-delivery, I once had a parcel due to be delivered during the school holidays. After it didn't arrive I figured maybe they thought we were closed and called them. They assured me a delivery had been attempted. I informed them that I had reviewed the CCTV on the front door and that they were wrong. They feigned ignorance and assured me it would be delivered the next day. Day 2, no package. I called again and was given the same explanation. Day 3, it finally arrived. On the outside of the box, there were two identical notes each written in different handwriting with a marker pen: "School closed for holidays." The lazy b****** had simply assumed we were closed and not even bothered driving to the school to check.
Oops_my_bad Posted January 7, 2009 Posted January 7, 2009 parcelfarce/royalmail - same company nowadays is it not!?
IanT Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 Parcelforce, UPS, CityLink, Royal Mail - I've had many many problems with all of them in the past. Royal Mail managed to lose a tele in the post........dont ask! which was never found! plus they damaged a laptop in post! All of these companies are a nightmare and I try my best not too use them, if I had the money I would drive my parcels to where they were going, simple!
AngryTechnician Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 parcelfarce/royalmail - same company nowadays is it not!? Yep, it's just a trading name. Royal Mail's own parcel service are almost as bad. I refuse to send anything worth more than £15 by them, even Special Delivery is a scam. They managed to crush a laptop screen I sent by Special Delivery once, then when I returned it to their Freepost address for inspection to claim on the insurance, they lost it on it's way to the PO Box because mail sent to that address isn't tracked (you can't send Special or Recorded delivery to a PO Box, apparently)!
ahuxham Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 Citylink are actually hopeless, I actually despise them, and if I ever met the MD, I'd make sure he left with soar body parts.
SpuffMonkey Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 They tried to deliver a TV to me - and I missed them - had to travel from Northampton to the other side of Coventry to pick it up - couldn't believe that there wasn't a closer depot. Then, when I got there - the bloke behind the desk said he had a bad back and I'd have to go into the warehouse and get it myself! Talk about taking the p!
CHR1S Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 I recently lost my Guitar Hero World Tour on its way from Play. Play said it left the depo and PF said it didnt (I even had a tracking number so I assume it must have been picked up?) I let them argue between themselves and demanded a refund. Play were very good about it all tho...
Michael Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 I wonder sometimes what kind of references are required to work for a courier? I've had my fair share of problems before. It is frustrating.
silver_hippo Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 I once had a liquid cooled £2.5k computer delivered to me by RoyalMail. It arrived, I opened it up and it was completely smashed. Liquid cooling covered the in side and was leaking out. I was rather annoyed to say the least! Spoke to the guy I ordered it from, think he spoke to RoyalMail as the box it came in had 'FRAGILE' all over it and claimed the cash he lost back off RoyalMail and sent the second one via UPS. Got to me a few days later in perfect condition! Never had a problem with UPS.
tech_guy Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 At the RM sorting office / depot in Coventry they've recently caught an individual who was stealing parcels and selling the items on eBay.
antoeknee Posted January 9, 2009 Author Posted January 9, 2009 Have never had a problem with DHL or UPS. CityLink and ParcelForce are a complete waste of space.
sammy Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 ....All of these companies are a nightmare and I try my best not too use them, if I had the money I would drive my parcels to where they were going, simple! agreed...i cant distinguish between them...they all seem to have the same problems....in fact i think i should catalogue there excuses and the true meanings.... eg. Operator - Sorry sir your parcel was dispatched to the wrong depot, it will be back here today and shipped out tonight and to you first thing tomorow morning. What he meant - Sorry pal, we left your parcel lying here, and the driver cant be bothered to come back and get it, so it will go out on the next delivery. Operator - Sorry sir we cant actually find your parcel in our system, when did you ship it? What he meant - Sorry pal, we havnt picked it up from the company shipping it to you, hence theres no chance your getting it in the next 2 days, you twat..
ZeroHour Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 Citylink are actually hopeless, I actually despise them, and if I ever met the MD, I'd make sure he left with soar body parts. +1 I have nothing but pain with them.
ninjabeaver Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 S*ityLink are the worst I've ever come across. They refuse to re-deliver to home / business. It HAS to go to the address on the parcel. Every delivery company I've dealt with has managed to deliver to another address. I've also got to travel 90+ miles round trip to collect anything from them if I can't accept delivery. Bunch of wasters.
_Bat_ Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 Not had any problems with citylink before personally, though from reading the reports on the ebuyer forum regarding citylink, I was very tempted to not use ebuyer at all. The driver putting a "we called when you weren't in" card though the door without even ringing the bell or knocking on the door complaints are far too many to not contain some degree of truth. And paying for next delivery is pointless in some areas as it never arrives the next day and trying to get your delivery money back is futile.
antoeknee Posted January 10, 2009 Author Posted January 10, 2009 I've had a card left by CityLink saying sorry you weren't in. Actually we were, heard the letter box and by the time we'd picked up the card and gone outside the van was disappearing down the street. Lazy B hadn't knocked at all. Like ParcelFarce earlier this week I think they couldn't be bothered to try and used the weather as an excuse.
grumpy_git Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 I've had a card left by CityLink saying sorry you weren't in. Actually we were, heard the letter box and by the time we'd picked up the card and gone outside the van was disappearing down the street. Lazy B hadn't knocked at all. Like ParcelFarce earlier this week I think they couldn't be bothered to try and used the weather as an excuse. Know the feeling. I live in a block of flats and so we have a buzzer entry system. Stayed in all day, around 6pm went out round to the chippy, and stuck in the door was a "you were out" card dated about midday. Errrrr I was in the whole time and that buzzer did not go off! So I had the fun of an expensive call to get the delivery rearranged, followed by a trip to the parcel centre - fortunately it's relatively easy to get to (the one back home was in the middle of an industrial estate completely inaccessible unless you drove - which I don't). However, after a snotty letter, I got a fiver back from them covering the cost of calls and bus fares.
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