DPD

[Rod]

I ordered a couple of light bulbs for our combination oven on next day delivery yesterday.
Got a message this morning that it would be delivered between 9:47 and 10:47.
He arrived two minutes early and his bar code reader wouldn't let him zap it, for me to sign, until 9:47 had rolled over!
Now that's taking things a bit too far [emoji3]

Rod

 

[9fingers]

I like the DPD service as a recipient but they are expensive to use to send private parcels. I guess this is deliberate as they don't really want to do pickups of single parcels and have designed their service around picking up cages/pallets of parcels from businesses.

We get pretty good service from Yodel, Hermes and TNT for both sending and receiving but that does seem to be down the drivers as I've heard complaints from others about all of them.

I also quite like the services where parcels to be sent can be dropped off at corner shops and filling stations as it get round the need to be at home on collection day.

Bob

 

[AndyP]

One of the services here send an email the day before delivery stating eta but also the opportunity to have it delivered to the local post office (yes, they still exist in small villages here )

I had an email last friday with a delivery time of Monday morning or I could have it delivered to the PO the next day, Saturday). Why they could get it to the PO on Saturday but not to me until the Monday I do not know, it is less than a 1 km away.

 

[RogerS]

I ordered a couple of light bulbs for our combination oven on next day delivery yesterday.
Got a message this morning that it would be delivered between 9:47 and 10:47.
He arrived two minutes early and his bar code reader wouldn't let him zap it, for me to sign, until 9:47 had rolled over!
Now that's taking things a bit too far [emoji3]

Rod

You're right about that. Same thing happened to me - only he was about ten minutes early. Knowing nothing about the 'timelock', I bowled out to meet and greet as I try to do the delivery/sign-off thingie ASAP so they can crack onto the next one, seeing as how our track is 3/4 mile each way and they have to take it slowly.

Really pissed me off as I'd stopped what I was doing and had to stand around twiddling my thumbs until the 'delivery timelock' switched off.

I emailed DPD how good their driver was but how bloody daft the 'delivery lock' was. Usual BS reply but if enough of us did it then they might reconsider.

 

[Rod]

I wonder if it works the other way too - if they are running late and arrive after the time slot - "Sorry I cannot let you have this cause I'm too late"?
That would be really annoying!!

Royal Mail and Parcel Force used to leave items at our village Post Office ( a few minutes walk away) but since privatisation, they are taken to the local Sorting Office which it 6 miles away and no parking!!
And you cannot collect until the day after much to my added annoyance - found that out the hard way.

Rod

 

[TrimTheKing]

Our Hermes and Yodel guys are the same people so we know them pretty well now and they know where to leave stuff for us if we're not around.

Best one is the local City Link guy who, given the depot is 5 mins away, always checks his list and comes to us first after seeing one for us ages ago that had us late afternoon meaning he had to drive past us twice before coming in. At lease there are some people in the world with some common sense.

I looked at his delivery sheet and it was completely ineffective, having him criss cross town 2-3 times, so every day he would re-plan it himself to make it linear and thus more efficient, and he is always the first one back having completed his deliveries.

Cheers
Mark

 

[Rod]

DPD let me down the other day - got a message at 10:00 that I would be getting a delivery between 08:00 to 20:00 hrs.
That's giving themselves quite a leeway? [emoji3]

Rod

 

[Wizard9999]

Nothing but dreadful experiences with Hermes for me, the drivers never actually collect signatures, just drive off. One parcel was lost and they said it had been delivered several times, only after I said "prove it wit h a signature" did they manage to find it. Been tempted to complain about non-delivery for items where driver disappears without collecting signature to see what happens, but concluded that was taking it a bit far. End result is I tend to avoid buying from anyone who says in advance they are using Hermes.

Terry.

 

[misterfish]

Nothing but dreadful experiences with Hermes for me, the drivers never actually collect signatures, just drive off. One parcel was lost and they said it had been delivered several times, only after I said "prove it wit h a signature" did they manage to find it. Been tempted to complain about non-delivery for items where driver disappears without collecting signature to see what happens, but concluded that was taking it a bit far. End result is I tend to avoid buying from anyone who says in advance they are using Hermes.

Terry.

Our Hermes delivery is excellent and the delivery ladies very pleasant and helpful. On the subject of signatures when delivering, this is not mandatory unles the sender has specified that a signature on delivery is necessary (at a slight extra cost).

DPD and their timed delivery is also excellent. My in-laws' family company use them for all their deliveries - they collect all the parcels every weekday at about 4pm and don't seem to have any real problems with lost or delayed deliveries.

Misterfish