Problem with Hermes Delivery Services

Geeves1980

I've just left a slightly negative review for Hermes and was wondering whether I've been a bit unreasonable (and possibly in a bad mood), but reading this thread I'm thinking maybe not.


"I have very patiently (and politely) spent the last two weeks trying to obtain some sort of delivery timescale for an item I ordered from House of Fraser on 5th December 2010 BS (before snow).

It is now 22nd December 2010 AS (after snow) and sadly still no parcel and I have today been informed by a very embarassed man from House of Fraser that it will not be delivered in time for Christmas and therefore the Mother in Law has no Christmas present from her son and I. Now I actually like my mother in law, so this is a problem for me!


You may be wondering why I am not writing a negative review for House of Fraser, well the point is, they have fulifilled their side and passed it onto the delivery company - Hermes, who have had it for 14 days now and are nowhere near even attempting to deliver.

Ok, so there has been snow the last two weeks - in Scotland, Cumbria, north of Watford etc, but my parcel has onlly gone from Nuneaton to Newmarket in 14 days and there it has remained. They've had a couple of inches for 1-2 days in that whole period and apparantly that has caused this enormous backlog that they can't deal with.

When i finally spoke to their Customer Service team today, I enquired as to their system of working through this backlog. Are they getting parcels out in any order? Are those that have been there the longest getting priority? You can imagine my lift in hope as he said yes, those that have been there longer will go first. "Great!" I said, "so mine should be on it's way then, you've had it for 2 weeks". Sadly his surprised chuckle made me realise that in the world of Hermes, 14 days to deliver a parcel from Nuneaton to Essex is not considered a long time. "Sorry" says amused man, "there's parcels that have been there muuucchhh longer than that!"

Apparantly it really is all because of the snow, with varying excuses from the vehicles to the drivers themselves. I'm wondering whether these poor delivery people from Hermes deliver on bicycles as I've managed to get to work every day for the last couple of weeks, Essex to Kent (with a quick trip down to Portsmouth inbetween) and I've only got a Nissan Micra, hardly an off road beast, hell I've even seen people on bicycles!

The next lot of excuses were the sheer volume of parcels as he reminded me, it's not just mine that's being delivered (he's starting to get a bit patronising now). "Oh yes" I say "I completely unserstand that. However, I've had several other itmes delivered from Amazon, Ebay etc using Parcelforce, HDL, all ordered upto a week after this item and all have been delivered despite battling the same sub arctic conditions and increased volumes due to Xmas."

He didn't seem to like that much, especially as I then went back to his earlier comment of how there were parcels still not delivered from before mine (which takes it back to November, so before snow was even expected.

I think I'm starting to get a bit sarcastic with him now, especially as he's suggested that I go back to House of Fraser on Xmas eve and buy the item again, if it's not here by then. "Good idea", I say "where do I send the receipt for Hermes to reinburse me for this gift, seeing as I bought it as a sale item and to get the same again is another £130?" (before you think I'm cheap, it was incidently the nicest, being on sale was an added bonus!) Sadly Hermes man wasn't playing by this point and was flagging a bit as I had picked lots of holes in his excuses and all that was left was they are just really disorganised and inefficient and unable to cope with the level of work they take on.

They certainly have no business having a contract with a company as big as House of Fraser, as the quality of their service is unable to match the demand, especially if there really is such a backlog before the added pressures of a little snow and Xmas took hold.

I didn't even mention to him the order that I placed with another retailer early November that they couldn't get delivered until mid December, I felt I was just being mean by that point and the poor guy had had enough!"

aguirre

I posted on the 16th I think, after just having sent off three sledges to three different parts of the country. There was a bit of confusion in the beginning, but I have contacted all three purchasers, who needed them by Christmas, and all three have said received and happy. So, though I hate bad service, I have to say VERY WELL DONE to myHermes, for getting the postage done in bad weather,so well and so quickly. I was dreading the replies from the customers if the stuff hadn't got there in time. And they knock spots off Royal Mail for costs, which doesn't take much. I would have been 'the wrath' if they had left the stuff in a warehouse , but they exceeded my expectations. Fair is fair. Now, let me get on to the trail of those thieving, Ofcom protected con artists, T-Mobile.

JaneDoe_2

Well I'm still waiting on my order from Thorntons :mad: has been out for delivery since the 17th Dec and has since changed to 21st Dec and it STILL hasn't arrived.My order was placed on 10th December. I phoned Customer Services today I managed to get through and was I surprised as I'd tried before and held on for 10 minutes without a response. Anway the woman told me my order should be with me today...I wont hold my breath we shall see, fingers crossed.

JaneDoe_2

aguirre wrote: »

I posted on the 16th I think, after just having sent off three sledges to three different parts of the country. There was a bit of confusion in the beginning, but I have contacted all three purchasers, who needed them by Christmas, and all three have said received and happy. So, though I hate bad service, I have to say VERY WELL DONE to myHermes, for getting the postage done in bad weather,so well and so quickly. I was dreading the replies from the customers if the stuff hadn't got there in time. And they knock spots off Royal Mail for costs, which doesn't take much. I would have been 'the wrath' if they had left the stuff in a warehouse , but they exceeded my expectations. Fair is fair. Now, let me get on to the trail of those thieving, Ofcom protected con artists, T-Mobile.

Hermes are appalling in my opinion, Royal Mail on the other hand have been fab. Hermes failed to deliver mine and even wanted for me to go get it:mad:. The order from Thorntons was only 20 miles away and we had NO SNOW at the time, an excuse for bad service on their part.

Geeves1980

aguirre wrote: »

I posted on the 16th I think, after just having sent off three sledges to three different parts of the country. There was a bit of confusion in the beginning, but I have contacted all three purchasers, who needed them by Christmas, and all three have said received and happy. So, though I hate bad service, I have to say VERY WELL DONE to myHermes, for getting the postage done in bad weather,so well and so quickly. I was dreading the replies from the customers if the stuff hadn't got there in time. And they knock spots off Royal Mail for costs, which doesn't take much. I would have been 'the wrath' if they had left the stuff in a warehouse , but they exceeded my expectations. Fair is fair. Now, let me get on to the trail of those thieving, Ofcom protected con artists, T-Mobile.

Santa? Is that really you?

How did you get priority service?

By all accounts from Hermes own customer Services, they are so behind with all deliveries, that unless they actually delivered the sledges riding them, pulled by a team of huskies (such is the 'adverse weather' that has been trotted out as a standard excuse) that I am bemused that they can't deliver a handbag from Nuneaton to Essex in 14 days for me?!

AK_1980

Rang Hermes - got the standard reply of them not knowing (???) and that I should ring H&M. Rang them and explained my situation, the lady said she would e-mail them but I told her H&M have already e-mailed them last week and don't seem to have heard back. So she says okay, she will check with the hermes agent they have in the office and ring me back. Get a call back after around an hour and was told that the agent doesn't exactly know why, but it is most likely due to the backlog, which is why the courier hasn't even received it. She did however say that I should definitely have it by xmas, as the courier has to attempt to deliver it the day they get it, and seemed extremely apologetic. Will let you guys know if/when I receive the parcel.

AK_1980

This. I have seen so many deliveries in my area from Royal Mail/ HDNL/ Parcel Force. Last week there wasn't any snow at all, roads completely clear. They have had my parcel for a long time, and has been "out for delivery to courier" since the 10th. Then for some reason it was sent back to the depot and on the 20th the status was "out for delivery to courier again". Will definitely not be buying from H&M again, unless they change their delivery service.

FlameX

I am another victim of this evil HERMES!!

No luck of contacting this rubbish company

18/12/2010 08:45 Not Delivered - Access Problem
18/12/2010 07:51 Courier Received
18/12/2010 05:19 Out For Delivery
17/12/2010 20:47 Processed at Depot
17/12/2010 03:05 Hub Sorter Receipt Scan
17/12/2010 00:29 Order Generated

JaneDoe_2

JaneDoe wrote: »

Well I'm still waiting on my order from Thorntons :mad: has been out for delivery since the 17th Dec and has since changed to 21st Dec and it STILL hasn't arrived.My order was placed on 10th December. I phoned Customer Services today I managed to get through and was I surprised as I'd tried before and held on for 10 minutes without a response. Anway the woman told me my order should be with me today...I wont hold my breath we shall see, fingers crossed.

Hasn't been delivered and I've called Customer Services at Thorntons who are open till 8pm to try and cancel and get a refund. Not good enough...and there was me trying to buy British after what happened to Cadbury, serves them right if they go to the wall in the future, I'm so angry:mad:

Geeves1980

I've just had a phone call from House of Fraser regarding the parcel they have been chasing Hermes to get delivered to me by today, (day 15). Despite several conversations with the Field Manager who claimed the parcel would be delivered yetserday evening or this morning at the latest, he now has said this morning that the parcel will not be delivered at all as it has apparantly 'gone missing!'

Now I may be being unfair but that just seems too convenient for me. Up until 5pm yesterday evening they knew exactly where it was to be able to promise delivery, but now it's mysteriously disappeared?!

I've now had to re-order the item, pay for it again and wait for a missing item claim form to get a refund.

This time i've selected store pick up instead of delivery as I do not want Hermes anywhere near this one!

I think it was earlier on this thread but I will definitely be looking at online retailers that use Hermes as delivery agents and avoid.

Fortunately store pickup from HoF is not too inconvenient for me, neither is Lakeland but I'm afraid the rest will be boycotted!