Parcelnet taking over deliveries fron RM

[Lottie]

Expect more and more large companies moving to courier services like Parcelnet. With Royal Mail strikes ongoing, more threatened and generally poorer service the value for money that RM offer businesses is diminishing. I own a small retail (mail order and internet business) which suffers when RM strike, so cannot imagine the complications it causes large companies when they cannot get their parcels collected or delivered. Good on QVC for shifting away from a poor service. Unfortunately, as with everything, someone has to suffer, and that appears to be the end user. However the root cause is Royal Mail, not QVC.

Unfortunately you need to look a little deeper for the "root cause".

RM employ people. They pay for vehicle maintenance, insurance, petrol, clothing, pensions, NI and sick pay. Their overheads are humungous compared to Parcelnet/Hermes who pay none of that. The reason RM employees are upset is because they are being expected to work for peanuts in order to compete with the likes of Hermes.

So... it's no wonder a company like parcelnet can afford to undercut RM as they have far less overheads and employ people on a self-employed basis so they can avoid paying for vehicle costs, sick pay etc.
But that doesn't mean you will get a better service, because the couriers are paid less that RM employees and many (like me) cannot make a living out of the job.
If couriers ask for a parcel rate increase they are told to sling their hook - but in a far ruder way.
You would not believe how badly couriers are treated by this company.

This is why the country is in such a state - people want everything done for less - they rush out and buy foreign goods, and what happens? All British manufacturing has gone down the pan.

The same will happen with the delivery services....the cheapest is not always the best - especially as the profits are being syphoned out by the fat cats.

 

[Lottie]

My courier now has a hand held electronic thing for customers to sign.

Yes all couriers should have these by September although there are a few teething problems at the moment.

This should be good news for the customer as it means you ought to be able to track your deliveries and have a better idea when they are going to be delivered.

Again though, it does not guarantee that a signature will have to be obtained.

 

[Tigers Eye]

Strange...

I had a Beth Terrell cardigan delivered today.

I live in a block of flats and the courier, who would normally have left it outside my flat (three floors from the ground level and admittedly a bit of a climb but not too much) abandoned the said article two floors below, leaving it wide open to pilfering.

Somehow I had a feeling that it would be delivered today and sallied forth just in case it had been left somewhere and there it was. On the package was written in biro:

" Cheap rate package
30% less for courier!

Does consignee benefit?"

Not sure what to make of this and whether it's fair to do something like this to a "punter". How am I supposed to react?

The change of contract (presumably) has nothing to do with me although it could affect me of course and indeed it's appalling that this chap is being paid less without his say so. I risk parcels being nicked due to negligence as the guy who delivers stuff for me is seriously grumpy anyway and is not exactly what you'd call into his job. The other day he buzzed my bell to tell me that a couple of parcels had been "left" in the foyer for me - he was the one who left them there!!!

What should I do? I don't want to complain but surely don't do a job if you're not going to do it properly. Get another one or take proper action. Believe me I have total sympathy for this chappie but if it weren't for people like me ordering stuff this bloke would surely have no job at all!

 

[Jabbathehut]

I had a Beth Terrell cardigan delivered today.

I live in a block of flats and the courier, who would normally have left it outside my flat (three floors from the ground level and admittedly a bit of a climb but not too much) abandoned the said article two floors below, leaving it wide open to pilfering.

Somehow I had a feeling that it would be delivered today and sallied forth just in case it had been left somewhere and there it was. On the package was written in biro:

" Cheap rate package
30% less for courier!

Does consignee benefit?"

Not sure what to make of this and whether it's fair to do something like this to a "punter". How am I supposed to react?

The change of contract (presumably) has nothing to do with me although it could affect me of course and indeed it's appalling that this chap is being paid less without his say so. I risk parcels being nicked due to negligence as the guy who delivers stuff for me is seriously grumpy anyway and is not exactly what you'd call into his job. The other day he buzzed my bell to tell me that a couple of parcels had been "left" in the foyer for me - he was the one who left them there!!!

What should I do? I don't want to complain but surely don't do a job if you're not going to do it properly. Get another one or take proper action. Believe me I have total sympathy for this chappie but if it weren't for people like me ordering stuff this bloke would surely have no job at all!

I would complain but to QVC this is scandalous we pay premium rate for a 'cheap rate service' :fume::fume::fume::fume:

 

[Tigers Eye]

Just Complained

I rang CS at QVC to complain and the person who dealt with my call was horrified at the scrawl on the parcel ("what? he wrote on your parcel?") and very sympathetic, to be fair. She has logged a strong complaint with Parcelnet/Hermes and will come back to me tomorrow.

I then called the local depot of Parcelnet and spoke to someone who again, was very helpful and promised to call her manager with a back-up email with a view to getting this chap discliplined - apparently, he's well known as a grumpy git within their working environment. She's also going to call me tomorrow, which is v. good I think.

Glad I complained! I would be worried about future parcels somehow getting lost or fed to his dogs but we need to complain about things like this, I think!

The Parcelnet lady's view was that his argument, so to speak, with between him and them and nothing to do with me.

I will let you know what happens.

 

[calico]

I don't know any couriers that like to have parcels hanging around in their house, but if you're in the sticks, they may be keeping them until they have a few in their area.

(

Royal Mail have been doing that round here Lottie. Quite often they just stick a card through the door - even though you're in, and when you go to collect it a few more miraculously appear for you to take home too.

 

[Sandyf]

I have a great Parcelnet/\hermes Courier, and hopefully when he's on hols I'll have the same one who always stands in for him. I wondered what had happened as I had two Carole hochman orders and OJON delivered by parcelnet when they would usually be delivered by RM. I did order a silver ring last week on silver sale hour and that was delivered by RM today. so perhaps RM will still be delivering the jewellery. I returned 2 of the parcels by RM though. Should I have rung QVC and asked for them to be collected?

 

[Lottie]

I had a Beth Terrell cardigan delivered today.

I live in a block of flats and the courier, who would normally have left it outside my flat (three floors from the ground level and admittedly a bit of a climb but not too much) abandoned the said article two floors below, leaving it wide open to pilfering.

Somehow I had a feeling that it would be delivered today and sallied forth just in case it had been left somewhere and there it was. On the package was written in biro:

" Cheap rate package
30% less for courier!

Does consignee benefit?"

Not sure what to make of this and whether it's fair to do something like this to a "punter". How am I supposed to react?

The change of contract (presumably) has nothing to do with me although it could affect me of course and indeed it's appalling that this chap is being paid less without his say so. I risk parcels being nicked due to negligence as the guy who delivers stuff for me is seriously grumpy anyway and is not exactly what you'd call into his job. The other day he buzzed my bell to tell me that a couple of parcels had been "left" in the foyer for me - he was the one who left them there!!!

What should I do? I don't want to complain but surely don't do a job if you're not going to do it properly. Get another one or take proper action. Believe me I have total sympathy for this chappie but if it weren't for people like me ordering stuff this bloke would surely have no job at all!

Hi Tigers

This is outrageous and whether he's paid peanuts or not, he/she shoudln't be abandoning your goods like this - we are supposed to leave in a safe place. I pop things into meter cupboards in flats if I can't find a neighbour, I'd never leave things out in the corridor and your courier shouldn't be doing this.

Do complain

 

[Lottie]

Royal Mail have been doing that round here Lottie. Quite often they just stick a card through the door - even though you're in, and when you go to collect it a few more miraculously appear for you to take home too.

hi Calico
i have had this happen with RM LOL!!
The poor letters guys don't like being clogged down with parcels I think.

 

[Lottie]

I have a great Parcelnet/\hermes Courier, and hopefully when he's on hols I'll have the same one who always stands in for him. I wondered what had happened as I had two Carole hochman orders and OJON delivered by parcelnet when they would usually be delivered by RM. I did order a silver ring last week on silver sale hour and that was delivered by RM today. so perhaps RM will still be delivering the jewellery. I returned 2 of the parcels by RM though. Should I have rung QVC and asked for them to be collected?

Hi Sandy
Yes you can book a return via your courier - but it has to be requested via QVC. unless there's a fault with the item, you will be charged. Sending back via courier will cost a fair bit, so it might be best to send via RM if it's small

 

[Lottie]

I would complain but to QVC this is scandalous we pay premium rate for a 'cheap rate service' :fume::fume::fume::fume:

What angers me is it's people like this courier that gives the good couriers (and the company) a bad name! Not all Hermes couriers are like this

 

[Lottie]

On the package was written in biro:

" Cheap rate package
30% less for courier!

Does consignee benefit?"

Not sure what to make of this and whether it's fair to do something like this to a "punter". How am I supposed to react?

The change of contract (presumably) has nothing to do with me although it could affect me of course and indeed it's appalling that this chap is being paid less without his say so. I risk parcels being nicked due to negligence as the guy who delivers stuff for me is seriously grumpy anyway and is not exactly what you'd call into his job.

I just realised what you meant by this.
Yes the courier is alerting you by writing on your package that he's had to deliver this for a lot less than he would normally get. Is the P and P you paid cheaper than normal? If not, then either QVC or Hermes are pocketing the difference and it's his way of telling you what is happening so you can raise it with QVC in case they are unaware of what Hermes are up to.

As self-employed couriers, we have no negotiating rights whatsoever with our Field Managers. If we ask for a parcel increase we are told to bugger off as there's always someone else willing to work for less (probably illegal immigrants as I know a lot of couriers are non english speaking and Hermes make no checks on whether someone has a valid license or insurance).

 

[Tigers Eye]

Hi Lottie,

My view on this situation is that although I genuinely have total sympathy with my local courier's situation, his grievance is NOTHING to do with me and should be taken up with Parcelnet/Hermes. If I had an issue with my terms and conditions at work, employed or self-employed, quite frankly my customers would be the last people to know about it - his actions were totally unprofessional in my view.

Were it not for customers like me he wouldn't have a job at all and as I said, this guy is grumpy and rude anyway and gives Parcelnet a poor name.

Alerting me to the situation with what amounts to an aggressive message on my package is rather intimidating to be honest.

Parcelnet are looking into this (they called me twice yesterday) and it looks like this guy will be in a bit of hot water as they are taking the matter further with him. He already has a bit of a "reputation" at the depot, so God knows what that means.

 

[Lottie]

Hi Lottie,

My view on this situation is that although I genuinely have total sympathy with my local courier's situation, his grievance is NOTHING to do with me and should be taken up with Parcelnet/Hermes. If I had an issue with my terms and conditions at work, employed or self-employed, quite frankly my customers would be the last people to know about it - his actions were totally unprofessional in my view.

Were it not for customers like me he wouldn't have a job at all and as I said, this guy is grumpy and rude anyway and gives Parcelnet a poor name.

Alerting me to the situation with what amounts to an aggressive message on my package is rather intimidating to be honest.

Parcelnet are looking into this (they called me twice yesterday) and it looks like this guy will be in a bit of hot water as they are taking the matter further with him. He already has a bit of a "reputation" at the depot, so God knows what that means.

I do agree that he shouldn't have a poor attitude and shouldn't be intimidating you either - and shouldn't be dumping things instead of delivering them properly - he does give the company a bad name and also those of us that do do our jobs really well.

Unfortunately, taking things up with parcelnet is easier said than done - there is absolutely nothing we can do to improve our lot. couriers have had no pay rise in over 10 years

Oh and if you do clock eyes on him again, tell him to join USDAW (the union) it is our only hope if we can get enough couriers to join.

 

[L'OccitaneLover16]

Im so bored of waiting for my margret dabbs oto i ordered it 9 days ago wen i found the oto price - courier, 2days later i ordered le superskin moisturiser- r m. The moisturiser came today! No md! Lol. Rang qvc just said sorry wait. If this was a last minute gift i would be upset qvc are now 9 days if it comes tomorrow instead of 5-7! Its cus rm come round with the post so if its a small packet it can be delivered easier, but still. I think we shud get the p n p back if qvc dont stick to their side

 

[NoMoreSpendsEva]

I live in a rural area and have a much better RM service compared to the couriers. When I order and it's Hermes, I usually add 5 +days to my expected delivery date. I have never had any rudeness from any of the couriers though and feel that's well out of order.

 

[karen3154]

I've had my first Hermes delivery. I appreciate I am at work when the deliveries are usually made so (on qvc recommendation) I have included a request that a call is made to my neighbour who is at home all day. I arrive home today to find a card telling me that my deliver is in my garden waste recycling bin....fortunately it is not recycling day, but as I am "vertically challenged" if it wasn't for a kind friend I would not be posting this message - I would be head first in the bin with my legs dangling for all to see (trust me not a pretty sight):whew2:

 

[ceejay]

Hi Sandy
Yes you can book a return via your courier - but it has to be requested via QVC. unless there's a fault with the item, you will be charged. Sending back via courier will cost a fair bit, so it might be best to send via RM if it's small

That's not quite correct,QVC ONLY collect items over 4kg that are unwanted or over 1kg if faulty or incorrect,they don't charge you for those collections,they also don't have the facility to charge you if you request a collection for an unwanted item regardless of size it is up to you to pay to send it back if it's under 4 kg.

 

[Lottie]

That's not quite correct,QVC ONLY collect items over 4kg that are unwanted or over 1kg if faulty or incorrect,they don't charge you for those collections,they also don't have the facility to charge you if you request a collection for an unwanted item regardless of size it is up to you to pay to send it back if it's under 4 kg.

I think you'll find plenty of people on here that have been charged return postage even when a returned item was faulty.

As for the 1kg weight limit, that was probably because Parcelnet only delivered larger items in the past. This will probably now have changed.
I have collected many items for QVC which are small and well under 4kg and I know that they haven't all been faulty.

 

[oh what's occurring?!]

More Royal Mail strikes this week

http://www.cwu.org/news/archive/gro...ballot-as-royal-mail-refuse-to-negotiate.html