Yodel - shockingly bad - email address anyone?

ThinkingOfLinking

QuackQuack wrote: »

Do Amazon use Yodel? I thought they were just using Hermes the Herpes?

Yes; I bought a sub-£10 book and for reasons known only to Amazon, they dispatched it via Yodel...

Yodel claimed to have attempted delivery when my door was on the latch all day and I was home...no knocks at the door, no sighting of a van (I even asked around) and no card...Phoned Yodel and phone forever engaged (no option to hold in a queue), so tried to email but it says my parcel doesn't exist (though their tracking and Amazon's work for it).

No idea when/if I'll get my book.

QuackQuack_2

Thanks. That's disappointing to hear - and I can't see it being good for their business or reputation. It does answer why recent service from Amazon has not been great with three lost packages in a month. Seems that the packages that make it here but smell of fags come in from Hermes, and the ones that never arrive are shipped with Yodel. The ones that just arrive without any hassle, well, they are shipped with RM.

brokenbetty

Yodeller wrote: »

Drivers get fined for not delivering parcels on time or for leaving parcels in places where they could be easily stolen. Customers complain when parcels are left for them whilst they are not home others then complain when parcels aren't left for them. That's not the customer's fault, but it means we can't please everyone.

The other thing is that the likes of Parcelforce will only try to deliver once initially. Imagine our poor drivers going to the same security-gated block of flats 3 times knowing the customer will be out each time.

Any other suggestions?

1. Charge enough to deliver a reliable service

2. Drop the 3 attempts model. Instead contact customer to arrange a delivery slot before attempting the first delivery then stick to it. It's all very well saying if we're expecting a delivery we should be in, but reality is we don't often know when something will be delivered. If you want to reduce failed deliveries you'll have to improve the chances of the customer being in.

3. Text customer 1 hr before actual delivery - should be possible to automate this so it's just a button press for the driver.

4. Take digital photo of the person who signs for a delivery. If customer has an email address, email to customer immediately. ( The tech exists already: the guys who delivered my washing machine had a handheld signature pad that took a photo as well - my sig confirmed not just delivery but that the photo was accurate as proof of the condition it was left in)

5. IF a parcel is left in a safe place, which should only happen if a signature is not required, again take a digital photo showing where it was left. Again email to customer immediately.

6. If a customer reports a missing parcel, prove receipt using the photo within 24 hrs (real time, not working) or confirm loss so the supplier can sort things out for their customer. Resolution of the missing package can then be done between the sender and Yodel without leaving customers high and dry with their cash taken and their goods lost.

And O2 not Yodel - charge iphones and enable the internal tracking before you send them!

gazza975526570

Are you for real?!?!?!?

brokenbetty wrote: »

1. Charge enough to deliver a reliable service - well generally there are more expensive options - but what do most people go for? Free or the cheapest

2. Drop the 3 attempts model. Instead contact customer to arrange a delivery slot before attempting the first delivery then stick to it. It's all very well saying if we're expecting a delivery we should be in, but reality is we don't often know when something will be delivered. If you want to reduce failed deliveries you'll have to improve the chances of the customer being in.

So 100 calls a day would take how long exactly?3 hours? What if they are not in? Try again? Leave a message? Dont deliver until the driver has made contact? What if it fits in the letterbox - you could be waiting extra days for it

3. Text customer 1 hr before actual delivery - should be possible to automate this so it's just a button press for the driver.

Why? What if your not in - does the customer text back? How many texts would the driver have? Think maybe 100 items a day - 6/7 days a week

4. Take digital photo of the person who signs for a delivery. If customer has an email address, email to customer immediately. ( The tech exists already: the guys who delivered my washing machine had a handheld signature pad that took a photo as well - my sig confirmed not just delivery but that the photo was accurate as proof of the condition it was left in) - A photo for something that might be a quid? What if its not the cusrtomer taking delivery? What if a customer refuses? Would this comply with legislation?

5. IF a parcel is left in a safe place, which should only happen if a signature is not required, again take a digital photo showing where it was left. Again email to customer immediately.

Why? What would be the point? If the driver says its left somewhere and then goes missing surely the driver could take the photo and then steal it anyway if thats what they wanted to do

6. If a customer reports a missing parcel, prove receipt using the photo within 24 hrs (real time, not working) or confirm loss so the supplier can sort things out for their customer. Resolution of the missing package can then be done between the sender and Yodel without leaving customers high and dry with their cash taken and their goods lost.

As above - see no 5

And O2 not Yodel - charge iphones and enable the internal tracking before you send them!

john_d_5

Yodeller wrote: »

Drivers get fined for not delivering parcels on time or for leaving parcels in places where they could be easily stolen.

BULL, i just left Yodel and thats a lie!

gwapenut

Gazza - Most people choose free when it is "3-5 day delivery" promised and adhered to.

If customers were told the truth upfront and had a choice between free but delivery any time from 1 week to 3 weeks, or paid, then at this time of year I think plenty of people would go for the paid option.

gazza975526570

gwapenut wrote: »

Gazza - Most people choose free when it is "3-5 day delivery" promised and adhered to.

If customers were told the truth upfront and had a choice between free but delivery any time from 1 week to 3 weeks, or paid, then at this time of year I think plenty of people would go for the paid option.

I agree - problem is every one these days wants everything cheap - so as ive said before 99% of times will probably be fine yet the 1% is always frustrating for the customer but the company is happy with some going wrong at the low price for delivery.

brokenbetty

gazza975526570 wrote: »

Are you for real?!?!?!?

Yes

It's a shame but not surprising to see the first response is excuses about why things can't be done. If you don't like my ideas come up with something better. It's easy, and lazy, to find reasons not to change but it just means we get the same old failures.

gazza975526570 wrote: »

well geenrally there are more expensive options - but what do most people go for? Free or the cheapest

So knowing that why offer a service that's too cheap to deliver? It's only going to fail.

gazza975526570 wrote: »

So 100 calls a day would take how long exactly?3 hours? What if they are not in? Try again? Leave a message? Dont deliver until the driver has made contact?

Less time than 100 failed deliveries. And it's not the driver who would call, it would be an admin team. And yes, nothing sent until contact is made so only parcels with a reasonable chance of delivery get sent out.

gazza975526570 wrote: »

What if it fits in the letterbox - you could be waiting extra days for it

Good point - send out letter-box size items without contact (as long as they don't need a signature). Now you're being helpful

gazza975526570 wrote: »

Aphote for somethign that might be a quid? What if its not the cusrtomer taking delivery? What if a customer refuses? Would this comply with legislation?

Legislation? I doubt there's an issue since it's voluntary - if they don't want to be photographed they can refuse delivery. Make it part of T&Cs so the customer is aware before committing and they don't get delivery refunded if they refuse. And if it's not the customer and they are prepared to sign but not be photographed, is that not a great big red flashing light that you shouldn't be leaving it with them in the first place?

gazza975526570 wrote: »

Why? What would be the point? If the driver says its left somewhere and then goes missing surely the driver could take the photo and then steal it anyway if thats what they wanted to do

This one isn't about theft, it avoids the customer not knowing where the parcel was left as driver's descriptions can be misleading. Also makes it immediately obvious if it's been left at the wrong address by mistake, or if with a neighbour which neighbour it is. Also encourages drivers not to leave a parcel somewhere silly.

gazza975526570 wrote: »

As above - see no 5

I don't see how your answer to number 5 applies here - can you clarify?

Doc_N

gazza975526570 wrote: »

Are you for real?!?!?!?

3. Text customer 1 hr before actual delivery - should be possible to automate this so it's just a button press for the driver.

Why? What if your not in - does the customer text back? How many texts would the driver have? Think maybe 100 items a day - 6/7 days a week

What's your problem with this sensible suggestion? DPD already operate it, with a 2 hour delivery slot, and when I've mentioned it to the drivers they've never, ever complained about it. They seem to like it, because it makes the customers happy. It's bound to be automated - one click for all the customers for that day.

And you're missing the point (though a system could easily be brought in for customers to text back) - this is for the convenience of the customers, not the delivery firm. I know it's rare for anything to be done to help the end consumer, but DPD provide one example of it, and I find it incredibly helpful. I've even fed back to Amazon on it and asked them to make more use of DPD (and less of Yodel)!

custardy

multiquotes of multiquotes are a pain to reply to

so
companies set cheap services to get contracts.
its a service that works for most
coming up with loads of ideas is great
however at the bottom of the market on pricing its not really feasible.
DPD do a text system giving a delivery window. however DPD are not on the same pricing as Yodel et al.

these calls you are making.
so someone(a driver?) calls people from packet addresses
they get an answer
organise delivery
then what?
the van goes out,or they call someone else and hope its on the way and fits in with the first delvery?
how do you key collections into this?

letterbox sized packets? how do you know the size of the letterbox?

T&Cs regarding photographing a recipient. do you see a retailer risking a loss in sales for that?

safeplaces etc are a recipe for disaster anyway. everyone has their own version of whats deemed safe/acceptable