Problem with Hermes Delivery Services

Noetic_2

They shoved it through the cat flap on the third day it was out for delivery. No knocking but always glad when they use this.

Shame though that this means they didn't get the small tip I'd left in the delivery box for them, after reading here how badly they get paid!

dane-katie

I must just be the lucky one, as our local Hermes delivery man, is lovely and pleasant, he comes really early (usually before i get up) so he leaves it somewhere safe for me and puts a note in my postbox, i cant fault him really, plus they have just opened a unit at an industrial estate 2 minutes away from me.

lodatta

I have also had a bad experience with Hermes. I ordered a dress from the Evans website, received the confirmation email stating that I would be sent a tracking number soon, which I never received. Two days later (a Wednesday) I received a text from Hermes informing my parcel had been dispatched and would be with me within 2 working days.

So the following Tuesday, I rang Evans to ask where my package was... they looked into it and according to the system, my package was 'securely delivered' the previous Tuesday (the day BEFORE I received the text...?) Evans promised that they'd email Hermes about the situation and get back to me as soon as they knew what was going on.

I live in a secure building, but on my order form I provided my phone number and a code to access the building, yet I heard nothing - no calling card, no phone call, and no tracking number to see where my order was! My building is very quiet so I don't think anyone would have signed for me, and I've asked at the shop next door but they know nothing about it.

I am also disappointed with Evans as I had to ring them a week later because they hadn't let me know anything. The first time I rang them, the person I spoke to told me that Hermes don't have a phone number and so she could only email them, however I later managed to ring several Hermes departments myself but was informed that I would have to deal with the retailer (which I understand, but why couldn't Evans ring them...?)

So three weeks on I now have a full refund (including delivery charges), however I'm gutted as the dress I'd ordered was an online exclusive and is now out of stock and I am also worried about ordering online to my flat again in case the same thing happens! I've never ever had a problem with a courier before, although that said my stuff is usually delivered by Royal Mail. Think I'll be choosing that option next time!!

SADIE

Not a happy bunny here either lodatta, and I'm a Hermes courier.

Not referring to your particular problem or aiming at you, but not a happy bunny caught my attention.

I have been a courier for 11+ years and the job has never been easy but the last year in particular with new companies on board it's an absolute nightmare.

The expectations from some customers astound me, they work so no one home from 8am - 6pm, I wonder how they think they will get their parcels. I'm asked to leave parcels in bins on doorsteps under cars through cat flaps or with any of their 15 neighbours in apt block, it's a no from me.

I have customers phoning after normal acceptable hours, common courtesy is 9-5 but up to 7.30 is just about okay, but 11pm or 6am isn't.

I think companies need to make the delivery t&c's clearer to customers so they can choose if it suits their lifestyle, they could then choose free delivery which is usually anytime between 8am - 6pm or upgrade at a cost to suit their needs.

I've had a few irate customers lately not happy because I won't leave parcels in places that suit them but aren't secure or accepted by Hermes(so would be my problem), or because they should be able to collect from my home or they work so I should deliver in the evening or to a far off place where they work. Recently had the old story that I didn't knock or ring the bell, hht has a purpose it pinpoints to the address you didn't knock or ring that bell.

Customers need to be realistic, read your delivery t&cs if it doesn't suit alter it to workplace, friend or family or pay to upgrade to a particular time slot if it's offered.

~Chameleon~

SADIE wrote: »

Customers need to be realistic, read your delivery t&cs if it doesn't suit alter it to workplace, friend or family or pay to upgrade to a particular time slot if it's offered.

But many companies will only deliver to the address registered to the card used to pay.

The way I see it is the increase in these types of complaints, and it's not just restricted to Hermes now but also DHL and Yodel, and the one thing they all have in common is that they use self-employed couriers!!

These couriers receive very little, if any, training so basically are left to do their own thing. Couriers working for a larger company are trained and have company guidelines to follow. Where possible, I completely refuse to order from companies using these type of couriers now but it's not always transparent.

Twice now I've been caught out thinking I was safe with a DHL or Yodel delivery, expecting the main company to deliver, only to find it had been sub-contracted out to a self-employed courier which in my area is one woman in a car covering all these companies!!

kamm44

After reading the thread and being a courier for 14yrs(not with hermes i will add)i have to point out a few things to some of the agrieved.

First and foremost,you get what you pay for..if you want a larger,uniformed company to deliver or collect your parcel..then pay for that option or choose a retailer who provides them.


A self employed courier is just that,he gets paid to deliver(and yes, it should be done in a professional manner).

For those of you who say that royal mail is the better option,i would say that any company which is government funded should bloody well be better(as we are paying anyway) just google "royal mail lost parcel" and see how many items get lost each year.

Trying to find an alternative company that does not use self-employed drivers? Good luck As it seems more and more delivery companies will be using them more and more as the economy gets worse(no holiday,sickness or pension payments to make,on top of fewer company vehicles and the costs that go with them)

for those who think that self-employed home delivery drivers are supid,idiots,dirty or thick(your quotes)you really should be ashamed of yourselves,you are only getting it delivered for free or cheap because they are getting paid so little to deliver it to you.

For those of you who think they are lazy,liars or thieves should realise that sometimes he will deliver a parcel and the customer will say they did not get it(for a refund)this has happened to me and i was furious at being accused(they left a note on the inside of their glass door asking me to leave it in the garage),but lesson learnt and i will not leave a parcel anywhere without a signature(unless i know them),this does of course cause problems for other customers who would hope that i left an item in the garage, as it wont happen,and,i know that hermes demand that some high value parcels(amongst others) are returned to the depot after a failed delivery,how can i then be sure they will send it back to me,to deliver to you even though i have left you a card saying i will? as i could not guarantee i would ever see that parcel again.(maybe thats why so many of them wont leave a contact number)

For those confused about their yodel parcels being delivered by a hermes delivery guy or vice versa, maybe he works for both,being self employed he could do that.

I am not saying that all hd drivers are the best,but it does work both ways,i have seen and heard it all when it comes to this game and it will not be changing soon.


These couriers receive very little, if any, training so basically are left to do their own thing. Couriers working for a larger company are trained and have company guidelines to follow. Where possible, I completely refuse to order from companies using these type of couriers now but it's not always transparent.

Twice now I've been caught out thinking I was safe with a DHL or Yodel delivery, expecting the main company to deliver, only to find it had been sub-contracted out to a self-employed courier which in my area is one woman in a car covering all these companies!!



And for chameleon, maybe that one woman in her car should be congratulated for removing 4 or 5 vans off the roads and all the carbon she is saving!..............i bet she has kids eh,shame on her choosing a job that probably fits in with her children.

Most delivery drivers(they are not couriers)are employed by their respective company and are trained for a very short time(most of the training is in health and safety),and i may add how do you know the guy in the van is not an agency worker?

lodatta

Yes I understand where you're coming from, but I'm very careful to only order things online when I know I'll be in. And as I said I supplied my phone number and a code, I didn't state that I wanted it left with a neighbour.

And regarding t&cs, should the courier not be obliged to leave a calling card if the item is undelivered? I'm happy to go along with the t&cs myself, but I don't see how claiming that my parcel was 'securely delivered', not leaving a calling card or even attempting to contact me is sticking to that!

My bugbear is that there seems to be no communication allowed between the customer and the courier, yet how can the retailer provide information to me when the courier isn't providing it to them! In the meantime the whereabouts of my parcel is still a complete mystery. I've emailed someone at Hermes but as yet no reply and I'm not expecting much.

I appreciate that a lot of these couriers are self employed, but perhaps Hermes need to tighten up on regulations. In fairness to the courier, I don't think it's right that customers should be able to ring them at any time asking questions.

arcon5

kamm44 wrote: »

And for chameleon, maybe that one woman in her car should be congratulated for removing 4 or 5 vans off the roads and all the carbon she is saving!..............i bet she has kids eh,shame on her choosing a job that probably fits in with her children.

Most delivery drivers(they are not couriers)are employed by their respective company and are trained for a very short time(most of the training is in health and safety),and i may add how do you know the guy in the van is not an agency worker?

how is she taking 4 or 5 vans off the road? for starters a single van can fit the same amount of parcels as probably about 15 cars. I know Hermes drivers who load their car and have to go home two or three times in a day to collect more parcels which isn't exactly carbon saving.

Although many of the van driver couriers are also self-employed, to name a couple in my area Citylink and DHL are always advertising for self-employed workers with their own van (or give the option of renting one for cheap with a local rental company).

arcon5

lodatta wrote: »

My bugbear is that there seems to be no communication allowed between the customer and the courier, yet how can the retailer provide information to me when the courier isn't providing it to them! In the meantime the whereabouts of my parcel is still a complete mystery. I've emailed someone at Hermes but as yet no reply and I'm not expecting much.

I appreciate that a lot of these couriers are self employed, but perhaps Hermes need to tighten up on regulations. In fairness to the courier, I don't think it's right that customers should be able to ring them at any time asking questions.

Unfortunately a 'you get what you pay for' situation. Hermes don't want to be spending another few hundred thousand pound/year employing more agents to deal with queries from recipients. Hence why they deal with their customer only (the seller).
Admittedly annoying, as when I have a customer having delivery issues i'd love to give him their number and cut out the middle man (me) -- unfortunately I can't -- but if I wanted this i'd pay an extra couple quid per parcel.

Regarding the courier receiving phone calls early/late/inappropriate times, the solution is simple = buy a cheap 2nd hand phone + get new sim card (free) and give out this number. When at home turn it off.

kamm44

yes,any courier or delivery driver should leave a calling card if there is no answer,and hermes should be able to take some sort of feedback from the recipients(as you are not their customer). Tbh if you could see inside any given delivery depot you would be surprised at what goes on in them,just remember if a company posts out 50,000 items and 48,000 make it to the destination on time and undamaged,thats good to them(i am talking about large,bulk parcel delivery companys),but that still leaves 2 ,000 unhappy customers .