(UPS rant) Why are courrier services in the UK so utterly incompetent

[GunSm1th]

Well, I wasn't going to make a thread just to expresss my disdain at the well practiced skill known as "ninja carding". Most of us probably have experienced it. Doesn't make it acceptable, but we have gotten so used to such disgrace that we no longer fuss over it.

With courrier service not offering Saturday redelivery because it is some kind of paid for privileges, and same day redelivery probably unheard of in this country, my option for receiving an urgently needed package was travel 90min by train, underground and bus to the depot, which I was assured, by the customer service over the phone, would be waiting for me between 18:30-20:00.

When I arrived at 19:25 (thanks to the woeful rush hour traffic), I was saw a very irrate customer demanding to speak with the manager (apparently, there isn't one). It turned out that he was also told that his package would be waiting for him at 19:00, but somehow the driver left it in the truck and they are unable to retrieve it so he will have to wait till Monday.

When the time came for me to speak with the staff, the still furious customer remarked that my stuff probably isn't there too. And if not for the fact that reviews for UPS on Yelp is an outstanding 1*, I might've thought he was a psychic! The staff looked into the system, disappeared for a bit and came back saying that there was no record in the system that I had requested to pick up the parcel. Right, I just randomly picked a depot that is an hour and a half away without being told to do so. Days like this make me wish that all phone conversations are automatically recorded. And much like the, still very angry, and most understandably so, other customer still in the room, I was told that the package is still in the truck and there was nothing they can do to retrieve it, so we have to wait till Monday.

After expressing my strong disgust at the disgraceful service (using non abusive language), and noting that I shouldn't even have to spend the money and time because I was ninja carded, the other 5-6 other customers also noted that they are there because the driver didn't use the buzzer. It wasn't quite a riot but people were visibly annoyed by the service too.

I didn't stay around to see if they got their packages. The staff were likely also having a bad day. But without someone to take responsibility for the abysmal service, who else could we complain to (I actually asked, and was told to call customer service, but I doubt they would be any help). And the worse part is that as a near essential service, they get to stay in business despite being poorly ran. And even though I am singling USP this time, I do not think there is any delivery service that has given at least some people a hard time.

I can make a flowchart showing the infinitely better process in Japan, but without even taking on one of, if not the most exemplary delivery service in the world, I swear that many developping country do it better than us. We are only one step beyond countries where theft of delivery goods still occur.

/fuming

(And yes I had nothing else better to do than to type a long rant during my rather long commute home)

The company itself doesn't have too many expectations from his own employees because they are aware what they can hire in the given circumstances they offer. So yeah with a bad salary and conditions what do u expect to get? Money comes first sadly , the rest don't matter.

[GunSm1th]

DPD is the best from my experience.

[OilSheikh]

Profit before service!

[adidan]

I deliberately left out DPD because they used to deliver my stock to me twice a week, every week without fail. I can't recall ever having had a bad experience with them.

Same here, DPD have always been good for me. Scan orders always good text updates and arrive when they say they will - no issues at all.