# Bloody Parcelfarce strikes again



## RogerS (11 Nov 2017)

Parcel (urgently needed) shown as being out for delivery yesterday between 12.30 and 1.30pm. 2.30pm no sign. Politely rang the depot twice to be told that 'it was still out for delivery'. 5pm tracking shows 'returned to depot'. Politely ring the depot to be told there were 7-8 parcels brought back as the driver was out of hours. Only paid up to 5pm apparently. So Stuart at the depot promises to stick a Saturday Delivery sticker on it so that I'd get it today. Great news. 

Only.....just checked tracking and no indication of being out for delivery. Spoke to the depot...no Saturday sticker put on it. Had I known that then I could have planned round it and gone in and collected it. turnip Stuart, Just wait until he gets back in on Monday. Grrrrrr......... :evil:


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## tomatwark (11 Nov 2017)

That is what happens up here I am afraid Roger.

A lot of the carriers don't actually do a Saturday delivery into the sticks, even in Kelso we have this problem.

Our local DX freight depot however have on occasion dropped things off on a Saturday which were due on the Monday as they were in the street anyway.

Parcelfarce are one of the worst though.


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## Yetty (11 Nov 2017)

Am also in the sticks, and the couriers can be a bit weak willed. I'm sure one courier purposely delays the delivery for a day hoping there will be a couple extra items to the postcode.

I guess it's a no brainer [for them] that if the van is running late, then deleting my drop gives them an instant 30-40 minute time gain.

The blatent dishonesty has been irritating e.g. their online system updates 'No One At Property', really. Or it says 'Ticket Left At Property', yeah sure. Or better still 'Ticket Left In White Front Door', it's brown!

As the years go by, it doesn't really bother me now, especially as I can't really exert any influence. I just tell myself it's one of the quirks of living in the countryside, breath and relax...


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## RogerS (11 Nov 2017)

Yetty":31d861ru said:


> ......
> The blatent dishonesty has been irritating e.g. their online system updates 'No One At Property', really. Or it says 'Ticket Left At Property', yeah sure. Or better still 'Ticket Left In White Front Door', it's brown!
> 
> .....



The Parcelfarce classic is the website tracking information that says 'The driver could not find your address. He has left a card telling you what to do next'.

Actually, we seem to be close to some carrier nexus as we usually get deliveries much quicker than where we used to be. All other courier services (even Yodel) seem to be OK.


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## Yetty (11 Nov 2017)

That ain't no lie!


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## Losos (12 Nov 2017)

Yetty":15iy6ojt said:


> As the years go by, it doesn't really bother me now, *especially as I can't really exert any influence*. I just tell myself it's one of the quirks of living in the countryside, breath and relax...



I am in Suffolk as well and like you I try not to worry about it. Many years ago someone a lot brighter than me said look at how much you can influence the other party. If for whatever reason you might have some influence then complain and shout, if (as *often the case these days*) you have no influence then *just don't bother.*

As you said, breathe, relax, and in my case go talk to my dogs, *they always listen to me* :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Yetty (12 Nov 2017)

I just wish I was a faster learner and realised that sooner!


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## RogerS (13 Nov 2017)

But surely if enough people bother to complain and shout....


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## sunnybob (13 Nov 2017)

the only way to complain and shout is to fill in an online customer survey.
Guess how many times the managing director looks at that?


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## beech1948 (13 Nov 2017)

It would take a dedicated web site to complain about all the many issues with couriers. Who has the time and resources to set it up and manage it daily.? Better to go and collect it, moan like crazy and tell 20 others. Telling 20 others is the best way as its simple to do, will eventually affecdt their customer desireability and lead to les customers....or so I tell myself.

OR you could send them a bill for travel, lying and not delivering as they were paid to do. Wait 3 months, with monthly reminders, then go to small claims court. Wait 3 months with monthly reminders. Then get the bailiffs on them. I have done this once with a non-paying customer but what a hassle. Jesus.


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## whiskywill (14 Nov 2017)

A couple of weeks ago I had a parcel delivered by Hermes to my work address, which is on the first floor. On my way out of the building that evening, I found a card half way up, or down, the stairs saying that they had been unable to deliver the parcel because the office was closed. The driver must have prepared the card before trying to deliver it.


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## Phil Pascoe (14 Nov 2017)

I watched a postman walk to my front door with a card in his hand, I stood in the bay window and watched him walk back out. No knock, no ring of the doorbell and a "sorry we missed you" card.


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## treeturner123 (14 Nov 2017)

Hi All

The other problem about living in the country is reliance on Sat Nav. If you enter my PC on a Sat Nav, it shows you a commercial nursery down a private lane about 200yds off the main road (my address specifically states 'Main Road'. Once or twice I have had items shown as 'Returned to Supplier' because the delivery went to the nursery and nowhere else!!

Now I make sure I include my phone number (land line, you've guessed it v. poor mobile reception) I then 'Talk them in'. Works a treat.

Phil


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## Mark A (14 Nov 2017)

treeturner123":1ro1xroq said:


> Hi All
> 
> The other problem about living in the country is reliance on Sat Nav. If you enter my PC on a Sat Nav, it shows you a commercial nursery down a private lane about 200yds off the main road (my address specifically states 'Main Road'. Once or twice I have had items shown as 'Returned to Supplier' because the delivery went to the nursery and nowhere else!!
> 
> ...



We have the same problem - sat navs think our house is 1/4 mile away up a tiny dead end farmer's lane. I always give specific instructions for couriers to phone when they're close by and I'll stand by the road and wave to them. 

Our local postman comes in to the house and places parcels on a table in the living room... we didn't tell him to do it, it's just something he started to do recently.


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## paulrockliffe (14 Nov 2017)

You should complain to the sender, not in an peachie way, but in a "I'd have been much happier with the service if you'd used a cheaper and better courier" kind of way.

ParcelForce are a complete nightmare, presumably they're overly unionised and unable to move with the times as quickly as their competitors. They're the only courier that cause me problems, the rest will generally leave items with my neighbour or in my safe place, DPD will let me follow their driver on their app and see exactly when it's going to arrive and let me tell the driver what to do with it 'live'. ParcelForce turn up in a 12 hour window, usually when I'm at work, and then take the parcel 5 miles away to a place that only opens for a few hours in the morning.

I regularly highlight the issue with senders to try push them away from PF, if others do the same they might improve.

Worse one I had was an Amazon delivery, Amazon sent it themselves and cocked it up. Actually they delivered it but the card was illegible and I couldn't find it anywhere. I sent the card to Amazon and within an hour a new one was sent out, but to expedite the delivery they sent it by the 'fastest' option and 'upgraded' me to ParcelForce, took me a week to get hold of it in the end. Found the original parcel a month later when I got my Mini out of the garage and discovered the Amazon chap had forced the door open to slide it under and it had been sat jammed under a rear wheel the whole time.


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## banjerbill (14 Nov 2017)

paulrockliffe said:


> You should complain to the sender, not in an peachie way, but in a "I'd have been much happier with the service if you'd used a cheaper and better courier" kind of way.
> 
> I did this recently with Toolstation. My heart sank when I saw their choice of carrier.
> I normally go to store but wanted some of their online only stuff.
> ...


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## Phil Pascoe (14 Nov 2017)

I've just today received a small package first class Royal Mail that was posted last Wednesday (if not Tuesday).


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## cowfoot (15 Nov 2017)

I worked for Parcelforce about fifteen years ago.
Nowhere near enough staff (so you’d be assigned more parcels than it’s possible to deliver), constant turnover (so nobody was there long enough to care) and laughably poor management (nobody had the same route twice!).
Chatting with my DPD driver (always the same fella, always in a good mood!) confirms that they’re a much better run outfit.


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## Seiken (15 Nov 2017)

banjerbill":2356npp8 said:


> paulrockliffe":2356npp8 said:
> 
> 
> > You should complain to the sender, not in an peachie way, but in a "I'd have been much happier with the service if you'd used a cheaper and better courier" kind of way.
> ...



Click the quote button on the bottom right of the post you want to quote and the quote appears in the box for your reply.


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## banjerbill (15 Nov 2017)

Thanks but this quotes the whole post. How do I just quote part of it? I have tried highlighting the part I want but still get all the post.

Bill


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## Seiken (15 Nov 2017)

banjerbill":4ofbqpxj said:


> Thanks but this quotes the whole post. How do I just quote part of it?



Put the whole post in then delete what you don't want from the reply like above


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## MikeK (15 Nov 2017)

banjerbill":3e69cdbu said:


> PS Can someone advise the correct way to lift a quote to put in my post.



If you use only part of a quote, make sure to include all of the bbcode for the quote, such as:

```
[quote="banjerbill"]PS Can someone advise the correct way to lift a quote to put in my post.[/quote]
```
This will ensure the quoted text is properly boxed.


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## banjerbill (15 Nov 2017)

Thanks,i was deleting from the end of the text when I should have started at beginning of the unwanted text.

Sorry to hi jack your thread RogerS

Bill


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## El Barto (15 Nov 2017)

Another gripe against Parcelforce here:

Ordered a lens from Japan on eBay. It arrived via Royal Mail and there was £15 tax to pay. Had to send back for a refund 'cos it was damaged so ordered the same lens again, this time it arrived via Parcelforce. The £15 import tax had to be paid again (the previous seller refunded me for the first thankfully) on top of various handling and other charges, ended up costing £62. :x :x 

Not to mention that the actual letter telling me I had to pay charges before I could receive the lens took *two weeks* to arrive, compared to the four or five days with Royal Mail. Infuriating.


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## dcmguy (21 Nov 2017)

Blimey RogerS

Regardless of whether something is Kosher/Halal/basically edible , surely you’re more than smart/egalitarian enough to spot that maybe someone simply doesn’t like you ?.... for example your courier!

Just take their contracts away from them .. then they may slowly pass through their contempt towards you to fear of you!

Or you could just treat them as humans .. you choose!


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## RogerS (21 Nov 2017)

dcmguy":zilry0q1 said:


> Blimey RogerS
> 
> Regardless of whether something is Kosher/Halal/basically edible , surely you’re more than smart/egalitarian enough to spot that maybe someone simply doesn’t like you ?.... for example your courier!
> 
> ...



Don't understand your point. I don't have a contract with them. 

Alternatively can I please have some of whatever you're smoking ?


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## dcmguy (22 Nov 2017)

Lol RogerS .. double, why don’t you? You’re probably the most intelligent guy on this forum (with the possible exception of Phil.p) but you get so played. I’ve got no animosity towards you .. just a frustration that you don’t open your eye!


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## RogerS (22 Nov 2017)

dcmguy":v9q2h9ps said:


> Lol RogerS .. double, why don’t you? You’re probably the most intelligent guy on this forum (with the possible exception of Phil.p) but you get so played. I’ve got no animosity towards you .. just a frustration that you don’t open your eye!



I still have no idea what you are on about other than you come across as patronising.


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## Alder (22 Nov 2017)

Has the parcel turned up yet?
Russell


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## El Barto (22 Nov 2017)

RogerS":3thu0v8v said:


> dcmguy":3thu0v8v said:
> 
> 
> > Lol RogerS .. double, why don’t you? You’re probably the most intelligent guy on this forum (with the possible exception of Phil.p) but you get so played. I’ve got no animosity towards you .. just a frustration that you don’t open your eye!
> ...



Yeah not sure how you've "been played" by this situation. Weird comment.


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## Phil Pascoe (22 Nov 2017)

It's nice to know someone thinks I'm intelligent - I'm sure my loved one would be happy to rid them of that notion. :lol:


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## sickasapike (27 Nov 2017)

What I don't get is why you sometimes get texts with a time slot, as I get with screwfix, delivered through parcelforce; but with rutlands, also delivered by parcelforce I don't, I just get the normal tracking number / info on their web site; which I know from refreshing it constantly waiting for something important, can be inaccurate. I had one delivered when it was still in the gatwick depot according to the web site, then suddenly skipped over 'out for delivery' and went to delivered status just after I signed the little tablet - I'm probably 40 mins from gatwick in a van, even if I was first call.

I've written software for this sort of thing and don't understand how that could happen, the system knows the parcel needs to be on the van, or it'd not have been picked and loaded, and the system then directed the driver to my address; so how can it not think the parcel is out for delivery, it's all bar codes, not chaps in brown overalls making tick marks on lists so no human factors - there's something not quite working in the parcelforce world it seems - maybe their web site caches output for 30 minutes or something, that would explain it, but a bit silly to cache the output if it's a progress tracker 

I'm waiting for one today, from rutlands so no time slot - I can't do the sanding and sawing that logically come next or I'll not hear the bell, so pottering in frustration !! - on the plus side though, it did get me to finally man up and ease a glued mirror off the wall employing equal measures of wedges and terror, went smoothly - though I did rather suspect the doorbell would ring the moment the mirror broke free !


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## RogerS (27 Nov 2017)

I think that it is down to the driver to give you the timeslot as their round progresses.


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## sickasapike (27 Nov 2017)

RogerS":3sxmko63 said:


> I think that it is down to the driver to give you the timeslot as their round progresses.


The last delivery I had from screwfix, I got a text from parcelforce at 08:57 saying they'd deliver 13:00-14:00, and did - I checked rutalnds and they have my mobile number, maybe they don;t pass it on to PF and screwfix do, PF's system does the text thing if it has a number - that could be the difference I guess - I'll ask rutlands about it.

I don't know parcelforce's system specifically but increasingly the driver has little say in this stuff, with programmable interfaces to google maps et al, it's easy, well, entirely possible to generate the optimum route for what's on the van (taking into account before noon parcels etc etc) to minimise mileage and plan staff/vehicle use better.

===== 5 minutes later it arrives !

I asked the parcelforce guy, the text thing is a new/experimental service, screwfix pay extra for that but not rutlands - makes sense.


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## sickasapike (29 Nov 2017)

Another ParcelForce delivery today, arrived fine but both parcels are still at the depot according to their web site


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## NickN (29 Nov 2017)

At least hardly anyone I buy from uses Yodel - they make Parcelforce seem efficient and well organised. My last 'delivery' from them didn't turn up (on a Friday, it always is) - online it said 'nobody home, card left' - the slight problem being that the drive has sensors and a gate, and nothing happened all day, not a solitary soul appeared, in car, van or on foot! Lying bar staff they are.

My favourite are DPD - I always get a text message with an hour time slot for delivery, and it's always spot on too.


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## beech1948 (29 Nov 2017)

Got a bad one today. Parcelfarce left a note. Parcel left in secure porch. The only problem was my porch was locked up and only forced entry would open it without a key.

Parcel was found 18ft away left leaning against my wifes car . Yup secure indeed.


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## RogerS (29 Nov 2017)

beech1948":3csa8ush said:


> Got a bad one today. Parcelfarce left a note. Parcel left in secure porch. The only problem was my porch was locked up and only forced entry would open it without a key.
> 
> Parcel was found 18ft away left leaning against my wifes car . Yup secure indeed.



Ooh..I can top that with Yodel and their 'safe place'. This at our last house







Down by the gate to the road !


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## Phil Pascoe (29 Nov 2017)

My postman left a "sorry we missed you" note this morning - after walking past my wide open garage fifteen feet from where I was sitting to the front door where he failed to ring a doorbell that can easily be heard four bungalows away.


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## sickasapike (5 Dec 2017)

I don't buy from Amazon much but am waiting for a delivery from them today, they now have a dynamic map display which auto-updates every 20 seconds or so, showing where the driver is, and how many deliveries they are making before mine.

It seems pretty accurate, I've just 'seen a delivery happen' two roads to the east, the driver icon moved away, and I'm down to 2 parcels before mine - handy !

Ho hum, 20 minutes later the driver icon has disappeared off to the west and it says "The driver is making deliveries but had to be rerouted. You will still receive your package today" !!

...it arrived half an hour later.


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## Harbo (5 Dec 2017)

I often get “sorry we missed you” cards even though they have delivered the parcel from UKMail!!?

Rod


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## NickN (6 Dec 2017)

Had a funny today - a card in our post box (external wall mounted box) telling me that the associated package had been left... 

... in the post box, along with the aforementioned card... :mrgreen:


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## dickm (7 Dec 2017)

Not had many problems with deliveries up here, apart from the ludicrous surcharges that some seem to want to charge because at 60m a.s.l. we are "Highlands and Islands" in their strange geography. But Tuesday got email from DPD saying we would be notified of a delivery slot Wed morning. No email until 13:30 (long mornings they must work) saying between 16:10 and 17:10. Those times came and went, then email arrived (timed at 17:15 - so much for their accuracy) saying they couldn't deliver as there was noone in to sign for it. Lights on all over the house, outside light on because we were expecting neighbour to pick up earlier parcel on her way from work, two functional doorbells and a cat that is scared stiff by any slight noise. 
Oddly, noticed that the security light had come on about 17:15, so the guy must actually have come near our door. Went on to the tracking site, and discovered a picture of our neighbour's front door, saying this was where they had tried to deliver. Large signboard at end of drive points to our house, nameplates by door and so on.
Promise of delivery today, but no indication of time. Fortunately we are planning to be in all day, but otherwise blood pressure would be even higher as it's 15 miles to any of their drop off points and 25 miles to depot.


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## lurker (7 Dec 2017)

dickm":3n9webir said:


> Not had many problems with deliveries up here, apart from the ludicrous surcharges that some seem to want to charge because at 60m a.s.l. we are "Highlands and Islands" in their strange geography. .



I used to have a KW postcode (Kirkwall Orkney) even though we lived on the mainland (Thurso).
I wanted some stuff delivered but the company insisted we lived "overseas" I spent several fruitless e-mails suggesting I frequently drove from England to my house without getting on a ferry. The fact their carrier had a depot within walking distance carried no weight either.


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## HappyHacker (7 Dec 2017)

I must say that, despite being very hard to find: some long term village residents don't know my house exists, I have never had problems with Parcelforce, normally get the same driver. Same with DPD although I have occasionally stood by the van waiting for the start delivery slot time to arrive so that I could sign for the delivery. 

Recently even Yodel have been doing well, last year they left a small parcel in the hedge behind my post box which I found some time later while hacking at the hedge and having received a replacement.


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## sunnybob (7 Dec 2017)

lurker":15fd12p7 said:


> dickm":15fd12p7 said:
> 
> 
> > Not had many problems with deliveries up here, apart from the ludicrous surcharges that some seem to want to charge because at 60m a.s.l. we are "Highlands and Islands" in their strange geography. .
> ...



The story has been told before, But i think I can claim the best when TNT decided i lived in a different country and tried to deliver a parcel to a post office 500 miles away as the crow flies across international borders and a sea. After the second failed delivery I had to make up a fictitious address and when they called me to arrange a delivery DAY (not time) I just got the driver to meet me at the nearest petrol station.


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## cookie777 (11 Dec 2017)

parcel force have been ok in my area, yodel a different story, I ring the supplier before I order, if their courier is yodel I just say I will not order then, surely that must sink in with a supplier if enough people did this


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## sawdust1 (12 Dec 2017)

cookie777 Same for us with Yodel, every time we track a Yodel parcel it say's out for delivery then at the end of the day address could not be found.
If we keep patient it will eventually arrive may be 2 day's or up to a week later. Last week we payed extra for a next day parcel (shoes for my son's class mates funeral) our hearts sank when the delivery instructions said Yodel. and guess what, it arrived the day after the funeral, the driver said we can refuse it which we did.
All the other couriers find us no trouble. I recon its more to do with the fact we are the last drop furthest from the depot and the drivers can't be bothered.


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## sickasapike (16 Dec 2017)

After the irony of my new 2-ringer long-range doorbell arriving faultlessly, I installed it, tested it out at both ends, one in the lounge, one in the workshop, both set nice and loud with an industrial carnage sounding chime (only delivery folk/strangers actually ring the bell.. or not..) and awaited the arrival of my replacement 6 quid hoover part from Amazon.

11:23 the stealth operative slipped a card through my door and slunk away, didn't notice for an hour or so but I was never more than 10m from one of the bells, /how/ reluctant they are to share their treasures !?!?!

Tested the bells, working fine, went to the redelivery web site, typed in half my life story, redelivering Monday, jesus...


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## Mark A (16 Dec 2017)

I have a lot of sympathy for the drivers, having spent a few years as a same-day courier. Whereas I may have had up to eight deliveries in a day, the drivers for the likes of Yodel and Parcelforce can have well over 100 drops and collections. All it takes is one delay to throw their ludicrously tight schedule; be it traffic, unavailability of parking or vague/incomplete addresses. 

When a driver posts a "sorry I missed you" note he's been delayed and simply can't wait for the customer to come to the door and go through the rigmarole of signing for the parcel. A lot of drivers are paid a pittance for each individual delivery, so delays mean undelivered parcels, which mean less money. I'm guessing they are paid for attempted collections/deliveries, hence leaving notes in letterboxes without ringing the bell.

It's a hard job for [email protected] pay.


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## cowfoot (16 Dec 2017)

Nice one Mark (from an ex-Parcelforce driver!).


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## sickasapike (16 Dec 2017)

Mark A":lwhc13zf said:


> I have a lot of sympathy for the drivers
> ...
> It's a hard job for [email protected] pay.


Fair enough, not criticising the individuals as such but clearly they or somebody else coming back again is less efficient. I was told by a parcel force operator on the phone that they don't get paid for undelivereds so are incentivised to make the delivery rather than just post a card (no idea if thats actually the case, just wot he sed).

So you're saying if they're behind on the schedule, they might get back on track by filling in a card or two rather than trying to deliver ? - they will get blamed for tardiness, but not for people 'not being in', so quite sensibly go for the latter, fair point, I'd do the same in their shoes.

I can imagine they have a pretty strict computer-generated schedule as you say, presumably with performance related pay/gig-security, charts on the wall/web site of top 10 star deliverers this week etc. I bet the code to decide which drivers to use that day/week/month partially keys off their conformance to the schedule, you have the data, why wouldn't you design it that way if you wanted to squeeze them.

I wonder if they've analysed the relationship between the tighness of the schedule and the number of redeliveries, surely any redelivery is a massive waste, essentially doubling the time that parcel was being driven and carried around; it sounds like bad process design trying to squeeze the most performance out of their humans, but ultimately wasting time and fuel, staffing the desk for people who pick them up etc.

Sorry to waffle, chilling on sofa watching Columbo...


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## Mark A (16 Dec 2017)

Sickasapike - I don't have first hand experience of multi-drop courier work so what I typed is mostly hearsay. My uncle worked for TNT ten years ago on a self-employed basis and his allocated route covered 250 miles around the rural parts of Devon six days a week. His main complaint and the reason he eventually quit was the clueless management as they had completely unrealistic expectations of what their drivers could do in a day. My uncle's quite a cantankerous, unpleasant turnip so had no qualms refusing orders to backtrack 50 miles to collect an unscheduled parcel as it would interrupt his route. Drivers who weren't so bloody-minded would probably obey, adding 1 1/2 hours to their already grueling day for a just couple of quid.

Consumers demand cheap shipping and courier companies want to maximize profits. They achieve this by pressuring the drivers to do more work for less return, and will continue to do so as for every driver who leaves there's likely 10 waiting to replace him.


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## Mark A (16 Dec 2017)

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 1.html?amp


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## sickasapike (17 Dec 2017)

Mark A":1i4j182t said:


> Consumers demand cheap shipping and courier companies want to maximize profits. They achieve this by pressuring the drivers to do more work for less return


Aye, sobering stuff in that article, I'm part of the problem in a small way, I've been an IT guy in real life and designed systems to actively and unreasonably (IMHO) pressure users; and some that unreasonably pressure users to unreasonably pressure customers !

All to the client specification obviously; for call centres, debt recovery 'dunning' companies, banks etc; this sort of thing is rife, and it's quite blatant in requirements gathering, there's no mincing words about wanting to be able to nail the users down with a fine-tuned and on-the-fly tuneable mechanism to squeeze every ounce of performance out of them.

As a slight aside, a large constabulary asked me outright to add a button to their new call handling system so the operator could start the clock on 999 response time when they wanted, not when the call was answered as I'd assumed would be the case; we implemented it as requested. Yep, every constabulary has their own 999 solution, even though they all need to access the same address, crime, gun permit etc data on the same external systems, then having huge problems passing data/control from one constabulary system to a completely different one when a mobile incident wanders over the boundary - how bloody silly is that !!!

One of the reasons I'm trying to learn a new trade, working in IT is horrid these days, every development seems to be about doing something unpleasant or analysing the unpleasant stuff we just did.


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## Mark A (17 Dec 2017)

Sickasapike - I'm not at all surprised that each constabulary has it's own system; it would be daft to assume they have a single fully integrated system for the entire country. Far too sensible!

Now multiply the costs of implementation and inefficiencies once they're up and running across every system in the public services and then ask why there are allegedly money shortages...


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## sickasapike (17 Dec 2017)

Mark A":3na0dzom said:


> Sickasapike - I'm not at all surprised that each constabulary has it's own system; it would be daft to assume they have a single fully integrated system for the entire country. Far too sensible!
> 
> Now multiply the costs of implementation and inefficiencies once they're up and running across every system in the public services and then ask why there are allegedly money shortages...


Indeed ! - not to mention fire, ambulance and police using different systems, the project I mentioned was the first in the UK to implement a tri-service solution, so for example, with a serious RTA you just tell one system you need police, ambulance and fire; rather than telling 3 systems individually, transcribing information, manually keeping them synched with changing situation etc etc - crazy - this was about 10 years back.


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## RogerS (23 Dec 2017)

sickasapike":3brp68mt said:


> .....
> One of the reasons I'm trying to learn a new trade, working in IT is horrid these days, every development seems to be about doing something unpleasant or analysing the unpleasant stuff we just did.




Now that is seriously worrisome. Quite glad that I'll snuff it before too long. 

Hell. Handbasket.

Having suffered yet another Parcelfarce non-delivery.....although reading some of the earlier replies I can understand the pressure that the drivers are on...I thought I'd do a poll of Trustpilot.

Scores are brilliant/pants

Parcelfarce 19/61

MyHermes 40/42 

Fedex 6/86

Yodel 52/34 (surprised at this one)

UPS 4/93


and la creme de la creme

DHL 74/8


Guess who I'll be using to see stuff.


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## Phil Pascoe (23 Dec 2017)

Mark A":39qa1a3f said:


> Sickasapike - I'm not at all surprised that each constabulary has it's own system; it would be daft to assume they have a single fully integrated system for the entire country. Far too sensible!
> 
> Now multiply the costs of implementation and inefficiencies once they're up and running across every system in the public services and then ask why there are allegedly money shortages...


 I was out of hospital for three weeks when I had to go to my GP's for blood tests - the same ones I had specifically had done a week before I left hospital, knowing they would be asked for. They had no record of the them. :?


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## fezman (3 Jan 2019)

Just had a very good experience from Parcelforce, so for balance, adding it here. 
Ordered a new pillar drill from Lawsons (Southampton). Dispatched at 16:23 yesterday. Arrived 8:01 today in Barnsley. Now that is exceptional courier service!


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## Phil1975 (3 Jan 2019)

Slightly off topic, but I’m going to stop using Hermes to deliver parcels. It’s costing too much! Every time I send something & they lose it I get refunded the purchase & postage costs. By the time I refund the buyer then I’m still down as I have no money in my pocket & no item to sell.
The only solution is to use another courier (maybe not Parcelforce) & double up on the cover so that I don’t lose out when the inevitable happens.


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## Phil Pascoe (3 Jan 2019)

I think whether they are good or bad is very much a local thing - I've not ever had a problem with Hermes. Always send stuff to be signed for - it costs little more.


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## lurker (3 Jan 2019)

Had a parcel from Amazon yesterday.
Tracking says "handed to resident".
No you didn't you lying sod, you left it on the doorstep in the rain for all passers by to see.
Even though there were two people in the house :x


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## RogerS (17 Jan 2019)

Q. When does 24 hours not equal 24 hours ?

A. When it's a Parcelfarce 24 hr next day delivery







I know now why ParcelFarce can be so bad. Unlike Royal Mail who have a small pool of relief postmen who are familiar with rural delivery routes, ParcelFarce use agency drivers. So no continuity. No 'knowledge' base built up. The result ? My local ParcelFarce driver who is excellent takes a couple of days off. The agency driver doesn't know the area, the route, the addresses and/or can't be bothered and so at the end oft the day there is a backlog of parcels. Repeat the next day...probably using a different agency driver because the first agency driver got so hacked off with the route, then that pile to parcels returned to the depot gets bigger.

Then my guy comes back off leave to find a mountain and if you're at the end of the route for the day then you're stuffed yet again.


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## flying haggis (17 Jan 2019)

tell the seller that the service from Parcelfarce that they are paying for is not what is being provided


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## CStanford (17 Jan 2019)

The United States Postal Service delivers Amazon (and other) parcels on Sundays. Let that sink in. And this is in addition to Amazon [Prime] running their own delivery vans seven days a week. During the run up to Christmas, we had a USPS and an Amazon van in the driveway on a Sunday at the same time.


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## flying haggis (18 Jan 2019)

The Post Office trialled deliveries on a Sunday and a spokesperson said"if the trial is successful we shall consider other days as well"


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## Rockford (18 Jan 2019)

Mark A":hjg276t1 said:


> Our local postman comes in to the house and places parcels on a table in the living room... we didn't tell him to do it, it's just something he started to do recently.



:shock: What, even if you're sitting there in your pyjamas?! :shock: 

Rockford


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## RogerS (18 Jan 2019)

Rockford":28xtqshu said:


> Mark A":28xtqshu said:
> 
> 
> > Our local postman comes in to the house and places parcels on a table in the living room... we didn't tell him to do it, it's just something he started to do recently.
> ...



Same here. Only it's a lady


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## tomatwark (19 Jan 2019)

If you complain you will probably get the answer that they do not guarantee next day delivery to your address being rural.

I have this problem with them, but you can never get a straight answer out of them.

UPS are up front and state this, however it is really only to cover themselves, 99% of the time we get things next day.


It is interesting how many of my suppliers have gone over to Parcel Force to save money and within a couple of months have gone back to the previous courier.


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