I was expecting a package to arrive today, courtesy of TNT Logistics. Their package tracker system said it had departed the depot this morning at 9:04am, on route for my house. Seeing as I have a day off on Thursdays anyway, this was perfect as it meant I’d definitely be in when it arrived.
However, it got to 6pm this evening and I began to worry about whether the package was actually on its way (I know there are occassional evening deliveries, but most drivers finish their shifts at 6). When I got through to customer services, I was told the driver had tried to deliver the package today at 11:15am, but there was no-one in. Given that I’ve been in the house all day and there has been someone from our letting agents next to the front door doing some work, I can’t see how he could have thought there was no-one in. Even if the driver had thought the house was empty (although he can’t have checked very hard!), he didn’t bother to leave a card explaining that the package had been taken back to the depot, so he has no proof that he tried to deliver.
Seeing as I was clearly in the right (and seriously annoyed), I told the woman in customer services that they’d better deliver it tonight, and pronto. Unfortunately she just kept giving me some excuse about all the drivers being back in the depot (fair enough, they can’t send people out if they’ve gone home), so I asked to speak to her supervisor. The next person up was also unable to help other than offering a Saturday delivery (not good enough—I’m not waiting two extra days when it’s their fault), so I asked to go another level up.
The next person I got was (I presume) the Depot Manager, and he got straight to the point. Rather than throwing about excuses he just asked for the consignment number and said “it’ll be there by 8:30pm at the very latest” (I’m guessing he’s delivering it as well, seeing as all the drivers will have gone home). So the moral of the story is: if you are in the right and are being messed around by the front-line staff, get put through to the people in charge who have the authority to do something about it, because at the end of the day the people at the bottom of the hierachy can’t authorise something out of the ordinary (e.g. an after-hours delivery) even if they are willing to help.
Now I’m just thinking about what will happen to the poor driver tomorrow when the manager demands to know why he didn’t deliver the package…
It’s people like you that make my life a living hell. Cheers.
Indeed – you’re being a little harsh on them Paul, this has happened more than once to me, and I ring them up, they apologise, and then deliver next day.
What you perhaps need to realise is:
1. TNT are primarily a business to business company.
2. I very much doubt you got to speak to the depot manager at all, rather just another person in the office
3. I very much doubt you were guaranteed next day delivery, or even the fact that if it was on the van today, it would get delivered.
My ex’s dad used to work for a courier, and he used to have to fit to a very specific order. The company you bought your package from have a bulk deal with TNT – maybe even worldwide, and bulk deals are a) fairly guaranteed business and b) less profit making /package than a standard item.
Therefore, it’s not one of their priorities. Sorry, but that’s just the way the world works unfortunately.
so, did it arrive?
Sure it wasn’t THAT urgent?
Good for you! I’ve had this problem a number of times but never had the courage to ask for a supervisor or manager. I’ll remember it in the future but I now try my best to avoid Business Post—the worst shipping company in the UK 😛
I think it differs from Depot to Depot. Business Post aren’t brilliant, but in Cambridge, DHL are awful, but ParfelForce are really good…
It didn’t turn up, and their status tracker now shows it as “Not Home On Delivery Attempt To Residential Address” which isn’t true but there’s not a lot I can do about it now other than call them this afternoon and hope I can get it delivered today.