Parcel Force Ugh!

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van ordinaire
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Re: Parcel Force Ugh!

Post by van ordinaire »

Of course they're all OK if you're in (assuming the driver can be bothered to knock/ring before leaving a card) or they're prepared to be sensible & leave the package, e.g., in the porch but only Royal Mail, by whatever name, is really geared up to there being nobody in - but, of course they've got 100 years more experience than most of the so-called competition - what the German & American postal services' excuses are I've no idea.

Bitter? Just a little, but then I had the misfortune to have some parts for the Eldorado delivered to the adjoining premises (not uncommon according to the garage they were addressed to) but because they had a signature the courier wasn't interested in the fact they'd delivered to the wrong place.
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Re: Parcel Force Ugh!

Post by Gibbo2286 »

Most of the couriers now give you a tracking number, they also inform you when your parcel will be arriving and offer you the option of 'leave it in a safe place' or 'leave it with a neighbour' and Email you of its progress through the system, "Your parcel will be with you between 8am and 10am today."

I was talking to my nephew yesterday, he works for 'The Post Office' in the Midlands, except that he doesn't, they put his employment out to subcontractors who employ him on a zero hours contract, he's been there for three years and never knows from day to day if there will be a call to give him some 'hours'
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Re: Parcel Force Ugh!

Post by Michel »

I've friend who is a delivery driver for a company that Amazon subs out work to. In his terms and conditions, he's *not allowed* to leave the package in a safe place unless there is explicit instruction in the customer's Amazon account stating where the safe place is. If a parcel goes missing they get "fined", so he simply returns it to the depot.

This is not the driver's fault. If the customer can't be bothered to read instructions, it's their own lookout.

Also - why the hell order something you know you'll need to sign for, when you know you'll not be in when it's delivered?
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Re: Parcel Force Ugh!

Post by Gibbo2286 »

Michel wrote: 05 Nov 2019, 09:46 I've friend who is a delivery driver for a company that Amazon subs out work to. In his terms and conditions, he's *not allowed* to leave the package in a safe place unless there is explicit instruction in the customer's Amazon account stating where the safe place is. If a parcel goes missing they get "fined", so he simply returns it to the depot.

This is not the driver's fault. If the customer can't be bothered to read instructions, it's their own lookout.

Also - why the hell order something you know you'll need to sign for, when you know you'll not be in when it's delivered?
The problem there Mike is that until recently you had no idea when it would be delivered, you could sit at home waiting for a week and still miss it because it arrived when you'd just popped up to the lavvy. :-D
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Re: Parcel Force Ugh!

Post by mickthemaverick »

I have filled in the safe place info on my Amazon account and that system works very well. We have a covered walkway between our house and garage and the 'front' door is along that walkway with a sturdy knocker and mains powered doorbell. The thing that irritates me is when I wait in all day for an expected delivery and eventually give up at 6 ish and head out for a bit if shopping only to find my parcel sitting on the doorstep!!! No attempt to knock or ring was made and that is just plain lazy!!!
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Re: Parcel Force Ugh!

Post by bobins »

Most of the major couriers give you the option of going online and instructing them to 'leave in a safe place' if you're not going to be in. This works very well for me...... with the exception of Parcel Farce who have no such option. You have to contact the sender and get them to instruct Parcel Farce to leave the package.
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Re: Parcel Force Ugh!

Post by Michel »

mickthemaverick wrote: 05 Nov 2019, 09:58 No attempt to knock or ring was made and that is just plain lazy!!!
The issue here is Mick that they're under so much pressure from above to meet targets, and for fear of being put down the list, fined, or given a split route the next day (effectively half a days work and pay) that corners are cut. My mate generally has around 190 drops per day, and he won't get out of the depot until 10am. He also has to return to the depot with the delivery sacks at the end of the day, which is often well after 8pm.

He does everything by the book, and the thing you mention is one of his big complaints - he gets dropped down the list for being "late" but does everything correctly, while others cut corners and get the best routes.
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Re: Parcel Force Ugh!

Post by Michel »

bobins wrote: 05 Nov 2019, 10:18 Most of the major couriers give you the option of going online and instructing them to 'leave in a safe place' if you're not going to be in. This works very well for me...... with the exception of Parcel Farce who have no such option. You have to contact the sender and get them to instruct Parcel Farce to leave the package.
PF are f@cking useless. GSF use them. I've given up ordering stuff to be delivered as I'm never in and they never leave it in the safe place despite being instructed to. I always end up sending my missus to collect stuff from the post office. She loves picking up wishbone and brake discs...
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Re: Parcel Force Ugh!

Post by RichardW »

My Dad got a replacement CH controller delivered (original was faulty on installation) - they were away when the delivery came, so the driver helpfully put in a safe place - aka the bin!! Of course in the 2 days following before they came home, the bin men came....
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Re: Parcel Force Ugh!

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

One thing that may help alleviate some of these horror stories is Amazon have their own range of lockers dotted all over the place. Items up to a certain size (depending on the generation of the lockers; Gen 3.0 have the largest slots) can be delivered to these instead, and (once it has been delivered) you have three 'locker available' days to collect your item (some lockers are in offices that are closed over the weekends, so these 'closed' days are not counted, while other lockers are in locations where you can gain access 24/7). Once your item has arrived at the locker you specified you will get a 6 digit code that you input onto the touchscreen when you arrive at the locker. Assuming there are no issues (such as a failed lock, which can happen) and the code is valid your slot will then be opened so you can collect your parcel.

The reason I know a bit about the locker is that the company I work for has a contract to survey possible locker locations, install, commission and maintain these lockers. I recall commissioning one in a shopping centre in Slough, and having centre staff asking me about the locker and how it worked. The common feeling was "GREAT, now I don't have to take a half day off to wait for the delivery!".

When a parcel is packaged up at Amazon not only is the barcode read, the parcel is automatically measured. That way the system knows the dimensions of the parcel, and what slots it will fit into. When the Amazon courier delivers the parcel to the locker they will scan the barcode (using the scanner built into the locker). If there is a suitable slot available the door will be opened, your parcel will be placed inside, and the door closed. If not your item will be retained by the courier until a slot becomes available at that locker.

If a disabled person (poor vision or of limited height (wheelchair bound or petite)) wants to use the locker system it can cater to them PROVIDED they have told Amazon about their disability. Visually impaired people can plug a set of headphones into a socket by a numeric keypad (with the 5 key having a tactile marker, as do the function keys) and the locker will talk them through the process, while those of limited height will find their items have been placed in slots in the lower half of the locker.
Last edited by Hell Razor5543 on 06 Jan 2020, 17:54, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Parcel Force Ugh!

Post by bobins »

Do they cater for people of limited common sense ? :-D
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Re: Parcel Force Ugh!

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

Unfortunately not. If I am working on one I can almost guarantee somebody will want to use the locker, and then get upset when I tell them I am fixing it, and more so when they want to know how long it will take and I cannot give them an answer. One answer I have been sorely tempted to use when asked "How long will it take?" is "An hour longer than the last time I was asked that question!".
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Re: Parcel Force Ugh!

Post by bobins »

You want to get your tape measure out and measure the depth of the containers.
"In answer to your question - about two foot six" :lol:
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van ordinaire
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Re: Parcel Force Ugh!

Post by van ordinaire »

I have never heard/read so much rubbish in my life. None of this is necessary, nor indeed are any of these Johnny-come-lately courier companies which serve no useful purpose as they are singularly incapable of doing such a simple thing as delivering a package to the address that appears on it.
As for leaving it in a safe place, most postman will do that as a matter of course whereas I have never been offered that option by a courier - until they've failed to deliver something at least twice!
I have only very rarely ordered anything knowing that a signature would be required - & only then because the seller gave no choice.
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Re: Parcel Force Ugh!

Post by myglaren »

A lot of companies, Amazon included, will deliver to lock boxes to be found in various locations - there is a set in a local petrol station and Morrisons plus many others. They send you a code to open the door, saves having to rely on couriers.
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