The computers have taken over... official.

[sunnybob]

My ghast is well and truly flabbered.

My new bandsaw is still waiting despatch from devon, because TNT insist I live in the Northern Turkish occupied part of cyprus.
Despite my telling them three times that I live south of the border, providing them with a Cyprus postcode, and even finding their depot in the southern side which is only 60 miles from me.
They want to send the bandsaw to Istanbul, and from there to northern cyprus.
That takes it outside the EU and then tries to bring it back across a closed border.
OH, they did suggest I meet them at the border and CARRY the thing across. How nice of them.

TNT point blank refuse to allow a customer to specify a delivery depot, any package has to go through their super computer routing system.

and no, its not just TNT. DHL are just as useless.

 

[blackrodd]

Sorry to hear of you're woes, The computer is a fine thing, until it's programmed by an *****!
Hang in there, You'll be in bandsaw heaven soon!
Rodders

 

[sunnybob]

I can understand the confusion, I live in Fanagusta district (think Gloucestershire) NOT in Famagusta city (think Gloucester)
The border is close, and straddles famgusta district, but I have supplied a genuine Cyprus postcode. Used successfully by businesses all over the world. I've had stuff delivered (NOT via turkey) from america, china, australia, even good old Royal Mail can figure this out.
But a multi billion dollar international company that earns it living by delivering stuff? oh no, far too difficult.

Confusion I was expecting, total stupidity has taken me by surprise.

I'm off to find the name of the bloke that owns the company and give him a geography lesson, with the aid of a big stick and a dark alley(I bet HE can specify which depot to have his stuff delivered to).

 

[mseries]

Do you really care if your bandsaw goes via Turkey ? Or are they saying now they can't deliver it ? It's not your problem, your contract is with the supplier. Is it Aximinster ? If TNT and DHL can't deliver it then Axminster need to find someone who can

 

[sunnybob]

Yes, its vital it doesnt go to Turkey.
Cyprus is in the EU, Turkey isnt.
So straight away youre into import and export taxes. I expect this is why TNT want to do it this way, they can charge a fortune in "administrative expenses"
Then theres the minor matter of the Turkish North being an illegal state, hated beyond words by the Cypriots. Theres no way in this world that I could get that machine through the border here without bloodshed. Its almost a strip search for people crossing it. The cypriot border guards even search womens handbags occasionally.

 

[shed9]

Have you spoken to the company sending it, they will have more clout in getting something done than you.

 

[Rhossydd]

Have you spoken to Axminster about this ?

I'd suggest that you tell them you'll cancel the order if they insist on shipping outside of the EU. Then ask how much discount they'll give if the machine is collected from their warehouse by your preferred shipping company.

 

[sunnybob]

Simon at Axminster basingstoke has been with me and extremely helpful all the way through this. Theres no fault at axminster.

TNT just refuse to believe their computer can be wrong. I have now managed to supply them with an address that does not include the word Famagusta. They still came back and told me (again) that I was wrong and their computer doesnt lie. But we appear to have reached an agreement.
Only time will tell.

 

[mseries]

It;s surely Axminster who should speak with the courier, it's them who have engaged the courier to do this job. You have a contract with Axminster for the sale and delivery of the item, they have subcontracted the delivery.

 

[sunnybob]

agreed, but think of the sheer volume of business conducted between axminster and TNT. That must run to over a million a year.
TNT have steadfastly refused to alter their system for me. This hasnt cropped up before. Do you seriously think a company the size of axminster will disrupt its entire shipping strategy for the sake of one bandsaw? When it got nasty, axminster offered a full refund as you would expect. I stuck out against TNT. The problem is very firmly TNT.

 

[lurker]

This has been happening in the uk for years!
I used to live in Thurso but we had a KW (Kirkwall, Orkney) post code.
People said they would only deliver to the mainland, but evidently knew better than me insisting I was not on the mainland. Frequently driving up from the English Midlands you might assume I would notice crossing the sea or not, but no they insisted I was wrong.

People up there have constant problems with deliveries and surcharges as a result.
And loading on their insurance

 

[Aden30mm]

Bob, I sympathise with your predicament. I am having troubles with TNT here, they did not deliver when I rescheduled a drop (that they agreed to), so another day wasted. I paid £12 for an express delivery what a waste. In future I will not use companies that use TNT. Rant finished.

 

[sunnybob]

Good to know I am not alone. Shall we form a "we hate TNT" sub group?

 

[galleywood]

This has been happening in the uk for years!
I used to live in Thurso but we had a KW (Kirkwall, Orkney) post code.
People said they would only deliver to the mainland, but evidently knew better than me insisting I was not on the mainland. Frequently driving up from the English Midlands you might assume I would notice crossing the sea or not, but no they insisted I was wrong.

People up there have constant problems with deliveries and surcharges as a result.
And loading on their insurance

For those living in the areas where problems with deliveries and surcharges exist - I wonder if sending the courier company one of these postcode map websites would help - as in Lurker's Kirkwall postcode example.

http://free-postcode-maps.co.uk/

https://www.freemaptools.com/uk-postcode-map.htm

 

[sunnybob]

Nope, dont work.
I have a normal Cyprus postcode, understood by every postal service in the world. I get cards and packages from america, australie chine, even england. NONE of them have to go to Turkey first.
In my case, this is a courier company issue, not a post code issue.

 

[Eric The Viking]

This year will mark the 20th anniversary of the abolition of Avon county (basically Bristol's hinterland). Since 1996, Bristol has returned to its historic status of being both city and county simultaneously. The old Avon County Council buildings (in Bristol city centre) are now a cheap-ish hotel and student digs.

Guess what county I am often told I live in, on occasion even by Government web sites? It's staggering.

Someone produced an out of date postcode database, which was used for look-ups in the early days of the web. It was, presumably, blagged and then used all over the place.

Often the numpties can't even get the correction correct: I've been told I live in Somerset and Gloucestershire too.

Sunnybob, I feel your pain!

E.

 

[sunnybob]

Man, I lived for 30 years in Somerset. I am fully aware of the government abortion that is / was Avon.

I have friends at Glastonbury, they have a Bath postcode. But again, this particular time, my postcode is correct. The couriers are using the bootleg gps.

 

[RogerS]

Not just county boundaries. We are with Welsh Water and probably one of the furthest properties Eastwards that they serve. For many years whenever we had a problem with the water supply and rang up operations, we'd have to go through hoops trying to convince them that we existed and that we were Welsh Water customers. We just did not exist on the operational database. They eventually found our 'record' on their system. According to them our house is a water trough in the middle of a field! (Mind you with all this rain......)

 

[badabec]

Sunnybob, have you resolved it yet?

Peter

 

[sunnybob]

ah c'mon, give those "overnight delivery" people a break will you?

7 days after the start of its aborted journey to Turkey, its (allegedly) back in axminster waiting the start of the second leg of its world tour.

Its supposed to start all over sometime this week.
Confidence is not high, but I will update as and when (if) anything occurs.