Another City Link Vent

Astuteboy

I know I'm not the only person who's had issues with City Link recently; but what happened recently kind of takes the biscuit for me.

I ordered an item from Amazon before Christmas (work purchase); wasn't expecting it until January so no rush. Item was dispatched on the 23rd December.

As of today there was still no sign of the item, so I checked the City Link online tracking and was quite amazed to see the following:

29/12/1011:36 There was no one to receive the goods at the delivery point so a card was left.

and

30/12/1014:04 There was no one to receive the goods at the delivery point so a card was left.

Our warehouse where the item was being delivered was very much open between the Christmas and New Year and I myself was in also; there were cars outside etc so it didn't even look empty and other deliveries were taken.

No cards were left but even better, I checked our external CCTV a couple of hours either side of the claimed delivery attempts and surprise surprise, no City Link van in sight!

It seems very much like the Manchester North depot has decided that "no one is likely to be in at a work address on those dates, so we'll just pretend to deliver the package, 2 days in a row!". To lie twice about attempting delivery is extremely poor service in my view; I'd far rather they'd just held the package and delivered in January.

Now the package is held at the depot after 2 pretend deliveries and I guess will be returned to Amazon as I'm not going to get chance to collect it (and having experienced their customer service previously, I won't be calling them). I know Amazon will send it out again (Amazon want me to wait until Jan 11th just in case it turns up) and I'll get the item eventually, but really City Link should not be doing this.

My company used to use them for our outgoing parcels (we're an e-commerce company) but ditched them a couple of years ago due to the number of customer complaints; wish Amazon would do the same :S

I can live with mistakes, lost parcels, slow deliveries etc, but outright lies really bug me. City Link Manchester North: shame on you!

keepcalmandcarryon

I would like to join in the City link vent please as they have been driving me crazy since the 17th December!

It’s a long story, but the upshot is City Link tried to deliver 2 parcels (but I've no idea what they are) to me on the 17th December when I was at work. I called to re-arrange using the automated system, for the Wednesday 22nd December a day when I would definitely be at home the entire day. I waited in all day and then I happened to check online and it said “thanks, we’ll redeliver it tomorrow” (when I hadn’t asked for it to me).

I then arranged for a friend to be at my house the whole of the next day as I had to be in London for work. Again, no delivery and when I checked on the website in the evening to find out where it was, it had then changed again to be delivered on Christmas Eve!

Christmas Eve came…you can guess… no delivery, no card.

On Boxing Day, I went onto their website as I was going to drive and pick it up the next day and online it said it had been returned to the sender!!!!????

None of City Link's phone numbers work, there is no facility to leave a message just “we are too busy to take your call, goodbye”. I therefore sent an email on the 26th December, with no response apart from the automated one.

At this point, I'd more or less decided that there was nothing I could do (literally!), so even if it went back to the sender that it would be sent out again (hopefully via a different company)...

Anyway, yesterday, I got home from work and there was a card left by City Link saying that they had tried to deliver 1 parcel (there’s only 1 now and not 2). Argh! I went onto the website to try and arrange to pick it up today (although the card said they would try to re-deliver it today). However I can’t arrange to pick it up either online or on the phone it says it doesn’t recognize the reference number. As yet today, no driver has attempted delivery and on the website it just says “in the network” rather than “out for delivery”.

I even tried to fax the manager of the depot (which is 25 miles away from my house) to see if they even have it for me to pick up, but the fax doesn't even go through. Honestly, how can people run businesses like this? My issue is that I don't even know who it's from so it's even more frustrating!

I do know that compared to a lot of people's problems, that it's not a big thing, but it's the not knowing that's driving me crazy.

Grrrrr. Rant over... Sorry!!!

x

caz2703

Oh dear, should I expect the worst for my package then? Ordered a big Brabantia bin to replace the one the husband broke but it was due yesterday. Looking at the tracking history the only info I can see is a 'Departure Scan' from Wednesbury, West Midlands on 3rd Jan.

chalkie99

It's a performance thing.

If the records are marked as a card being left then it is not a failed delivery and the driver/depot do not get a black mark.

keepcalmandcarryon

Hi

I have to say, this surprised me. My fax did end up going through in the end and a very helpful lady called me this afternoon from the Reading branch.

Although she can't find my delivery (she confirmed it was from Amazon so goodness knows what it is), she is going to try and find it tomorrow and then get it out for delivery either tomorrow and get it delivered to one of my neighbours, or arrange delivery for Saturday.

So if you have a fax machine, I would suggest that you fax the depot that your parcel has been taken to (the fax numbers are shown in the depot information), address your fax to the manager, plead a bit for help (I did) and that might do the trick.

Hope that my parcel does turn up and that this info manages to help someone else!

x

tvbox

Have had nothing but trouble with them all day.

Ordered ipad mini from John Lewis.

Dispatch email and link to citylink tracking was received around midnight last night.

I had a look at the tracking this morning, and it says 4am, recieved at depot (Trafford, north Manchester), then 6AM out for delivery, or similar.
Was given a slot between 7:30 and 17:30.

Then, after arriving home at 2:30, went onto the tracking and it says
Delivered.
Signed for by: L/SAFE:SHED, 2:19PM.

****!!!
Firstly, NO CARD was left, AT ALL. Secondly, no box was to be seen outside, and anyway the shed is always locked so what the hell?

And anyone with an inkling of common sense would not leave such a high value item outside, in the pouring rain like this!!!

So called citylink, both their 0844 numbers and using SAYNOTO0870.

Have yet to speak to a human from citylink, and have given up.

Called john lewis- quite difficult to get through, but evetnually they said that they would do an 'investigation' and would call me back tomorrow.

So where's the ipad?

As well as the obvious, it could be a case of the muppet changing his mind and taking it back after realising that nobody was in, but then they should put a card through.

Due to the fact that the &%*£ had put it on the system as DELIVERED, L/SAFE:SHED, then i can't reschedule or collect it from the depot.

From now on, when ordering anything from JL, will just collect from store or waitrose.

Oh, and i never knew that amazon used bloody citylink. Is it only for their next day? If so then i won't worry.

deanos

tvbox wrote: »

Oh, and i never knew that amazon used bloody citylink. Is it only for their next day? If so then i won't worry.

They use several couriers, Yodel, DPD and Citylink and of course Royal Mail

visidigi

tvbox wrote: »

Have had nothing but trouble with them all day.

Ordered ipad mini from John Lewis.

Dispatch email and link to citylink tracking was received around midnight last night.

I had a look at the tracking this morning, and it says 4am, recieved at depot (Trafford, north Manchester), then 6AM out for delivery, or similar.
Was given a slot between 7:30 and 17:30.

Then, after arriving home at 2:30, went onto the tracking and it says
Delivered.
Signed for by: L/SAFE:SHED, 2:19PM.

****!!!
Firstly, NO CARD was left, AT ALL. Secondly, no box was to be seen outside, and anyway the shed is always locked so what the hell?

And anyone with an inkling of common sense would not leave such a high value item outside, in the pouring rain like this!!!

So called citylink, both their 0844 numbers and using SAYNOTO0870.

Have yet to speak to a human from citylink, and have given up.

Called john lewis- quite difficult to get through, but evetnually they said that they would do an 'investigation' and would call me back tomorrow.

So where's the ipad?

As well as the obvious, it could be a case of the muppet changing his mind and taking it back after realising that nobody was in, but then they should put a card through.

Due to the fact that the &%*£ had put it on the system as DELIVERED, L/SAFE:SHED, then i can't reschedule or collect it from the depot.

From now on, when ordering anything from JL, will just collect from store or waitrose.

Oh, and i never knew that amazon used bloody citylink. Is it only for their next day? If so then i won't worry.

I think they might be having issues over at City Link - Ive got a box coming from amazon tonight, arriving in the morning, just tracked it and it says it was posted through my letter box...10 days prior to my order.

Go figure.

tvbox

AAAAAARGH!!!

I am literally jumping with joy/anger/OMG i have to tell CL/JL!!!

Went outside for one last search, guess where I found it?!

In a grit storage bin in the corner of my garden (not a public one, just a lidded plastic recycling box with sand inside)

That, to start with, is nowehre near the shed. The external box was a little wet, but the ipad box and sim card thingy are fine.

Seriously though, they should have posted a note detailing where it was left exactly. If i was someone with no access to the internet, i could have been left waiting for days and weeks as the ipad sits outside, freezing.

Already have sent an email to CL saying that i got it etc, and am now on the phone in the queue with JL telling them that i have got it.

Hope you receive your package soon. If not, remember to look in every nook and cranny of your garden!!!

hm71_2

if i could also join your rant- had a deignated delivery date of today for a hamper from m & S. waited in all day and no delivery phoned m & s at 7pm as really needed the hamper as its a gift for a relative we are going away to see tomorrow, to be told its been delivered "they left it by your front door- we have a picture of your house with the box outside"- i live on a busy road with an open driveway the box would have been clearly visible. needless to say i havent got the hamper now all credit to m & s they have refunded the cost but im left now without a gift for a relative and no real time to get one as setting off very early in the morning. Why oh why couldnt they have just knocked on the door!!!

BlueScouse

City Link are absolutely useless.
They left a card today (Friday) saying they would try to deliver again on Monday - no time specified. As we are away until next Thursday evening I tried to reschedule the delivery for next Friday, but despite this facility being advertised as available on-line, there was no way of rescheduling on their website. Also no way of asking it to be left with a neighbour or leaving it at the back of the house. No idea when/if this parcel will ever be delivered now.
Which leads me to ask - Do they ever deliver anything, anywhere?
Oh yes, and the final irritant is that the nearest depot for collection is in Wigan! Hardly nationwide coverage when I can't collect from a depot in the fourth largest city in England.
I hate City Link...