Yodel - shockingly bad - email address anyone?

brokenbetty

custardy wrote: »

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?

What calls? I just said contact. It would work something like this:

1. package arrives at depot. Sorted into letterbox stream and parcel stream.
2. parcel stream scanned, emails sent automatically:

Dear x, we have a parcel that requires signing for/too big for delivery. Your tracking number is 123456789.

Please visit our website and chose a date for delivery, or if you prefer you can specify delivery to an alternative local address or a date to collect the parcel from our depot.

If we do not hear from you by xxxxxx, the parcel will be returned to the sender. If you are not in on your chosen delivery date the parcel will be held at our depot for a further Y days then returned to sender.

When the customer logs into the website the earliest they can arrange delivery or collection for is the next working day

3. each day, download today's list of parcels for delivery and collection, load the first into the vans and the second into the collection area. Press the button that sends the reminder texts to delivery and collection customers.
4. drivers work out their schedule. Through the day, once an hour they select the deliveries they expect to make in the next hour and press a button that sends an automatic "we expect to be with you in the next hour" text. A response is not expected or necessary- the purpose of this text is so that the customer knows it's not a good time to nip out for a pint of milk



The basic idea is that as the person who knows best when the customer is available is the customer, and as a failed delivery is the most expensive way to find out whether a customer will be in, it makes sense to get the customer plugged into the process before the delivery has failed instead of after as it works today.

custardy wrote: »

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

You don't, so you decide a size that's probably worth taking out and accept some will have to come back and go out via the preagreed slot. It's still far fewer undelivered packages than now.

custardy wrote: »

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

I think most will happily accept it,since the retailer stands to lose more through lost/stolen/misdelivered parcels than the odd lost sale. And the more common it becomes the less of an issue it is.

custardy

brokenbetty wrote: »

What calls? I just said contact. It would work something like this:

1. package arrives at depot. Sorted into letterbox stream and parcel stream. so extra sorting by size
2. parcel stream scanned, emails sent automatically:

Dear x, we have a parcel that requires signing for/too big for delivery. Your tracking number is 123456789.

Please visit our website and chose a date for delivery, or if you prefer you can specify delivery to an alternative local address or a date to collect the parcel from our depot.

If we do not hear from you by xxxxxx, the parcel will be returned to the sender. If you are not in on your chosen delivery date the parcel will be held at our depot for a further Y days then returned to sender.

When the customer logs into the website the earliest they can arrange delivery or collection for is the next working day

3. each day, download today's list of parcels for delivery and collection, load the first into the vans and the second into the collection area. Press the button that sends the reminder texts to delivery and collection customers. you realise collections are booked well into the same day as collection?
4. drivers work out their schedule. Through the day, once an hour they select the deliveries they expect to make in the next hour and press a button that sends an automatic "we expect to be with you in the next hour" text. A response is not expected or necessary- the purpose of this text is so that the customer knows it's not a good time to nip out for a pint of milk



The basic idea is that as the person who knows best when the customer is available is the customer, and as a failed delivery is the most expensive way to find out whether a customer will be in, it makes sense to get the customer plugged into the process before the delivery has failed instead of after as it works today.

my packages are generally left with a neighbour.your system creates at least a 1 day delay for me.


You don't, so you decide a size that's probably worth taking out and accept some will have to come back and go out via the preagreed slot. It's still far fewer undelivered packages than now.

letterboxes can be as little as the width of a postcard


I think most will happily accept it,since the retailer stands to lose more through lost/stolen/misdelivered parcels than the odd lost sale. And the more common it becomes the less of an issue it is. the retailer doesnt lose through lost packages. the courier does. so they charge on the basis of this.

Im sure you see this as a simple system.
you have no idea on the volumes of packages and space required
your system would see a need for larger buildings
the extra sorting/storage requires more staff,ergo more costs
loads of packages kicking about a depot is the best way to get things lost. not on the vans
the simple packet comes in/packet goes out system is the simplest
you are also thinking that everything is all sorted at the start f the day. it isnt
things like email notification,delivery slots etc are great.not for a bargain basement service though

brokenbetty

custardy wrote: »

so extra sorting by size

Only if, as an earlier poster suggested, you want to be able to deliver smaller packages without a prearranged slot. If you use the prearranged slot model for everything then no need to sort by size

custardy wrote: »

you realise collections are booked well into the same day as collection?.

Slight misunderstanding there. I'm not talking about collection of packages for sending, I mean parcels which are to be collected at the depot today. My example email allowed customers to specify a date for delivery or to collect from the depot because if you know you can't arrange to be in for a few days you might prefer to just collect it yourself

custardy wrote: »

Im sure you see this as a simple system.
you have no idea on the volumes of packages and space required
your system would see a need for larger buildings
the extra sorting/storage requires more staff,ergo more costs
loads of packages kicking about a depot is the best way to get things lost. not on the vans
the simple packet comes in/packet goes out system is the simplest
you are also thinking that everything is all sorted at the start f the day. it isnt
things like email notification,delivery slots etc are great.not for a bargain basement service though

Simplest for who? It might be the easiest way to keep things moving, but if they just come right back again what's the point? How do you know the extra storage won't be offset by getting more packages delivered first time?

But if it's really easier to track parcels on a van than the depot, you could send the ones that aren't for delivery yet to drive round the block all day - it's what they end up doing when you send them out to empty houses after all :rotfl:

custardy wrote: »

letterboxes can be as little as the width of a postcard

yes, but most of them aren't, and for the ones that are all that would happen is the odd package that you would have expected to be delivered comes back for a prearranged slot. no drama.

custardy wrote: »

Im sure you see this as a simple system.

And you talk as if it's working well today. It's not. I don't think my system is simpler but I think it might just be more effective. The simple system doesn't work.

Let's face it, if I suggested a system where
1. people order a daytime delivery knowing they will be out because they can't order an evening or weekend delivery
2. they don't get told what day their package will be delivered so they can't arrange to be in
3. no attempt is made to check if there will be anyone around the receive the parcel before sending it out
4. the driver can decide on a whim whether a neighbour h has never met before is trustworthy or a location he's never seen before is safe
5. If the courier does leave it in a "safe" place or with a neighbour, the recipient only has the courier's hurried description to go on to find it
6. Even if the recipient is in all day, a badly timed visit to the toilet or dash to the corner shop can mean they miss the parcel
7. if the delivery fails (and it is pretty much set up to fail) they have spend an evening or saturday morning collecting it themselves from a depot that may be an hour+journey away, accompanied by anything they can't leave unwatched eg toddlers

well, I think people might decide that was a fairly daft idea too

gazza975526570

You just dont get it do you?!

It's cheap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's why there will be complaints and problems however the ast majority are delivered at the lowest possible cost to the retailer and in turn to the customer.

The market decides these things - if there where millions of complaints things would change. As their isnt - it wont!

And yes, there are a lot of complaints on here - but there is hardly going to be tons of praise "I ordered a package and it came" is there.

The amount of deliveries is massive - either accept mistakes and problems will happen or else go to the store yourself.

Remember some problems will be the fault of the customer. Adding address incorrectly, not adding their house number etc. Do you seriously think a courier who may only be getting 60 pence is going to faff around trying to find properties with no house numbers, or doing 2 return journeys if the system says it can be left in a safe place? Your idea of safe may be different to another, if its rural front door may be fine, if not an outbuilding etc.

Cost, cost, cost - that's all its about.

Delivery_Driver

brokenbetty wrote: »

What calls? I just said contact. It would work something like this:

1. package arrives at depot. Sorted into letterbox stream and parcel stream.

This will require additional staff, space and storage facilities.It will also slow down the nightsort team, which impacts on the dayshifts deliveries, making drivers fail on AM deliveries
2. parcel stream scanned, emails sent automatically:

Dear x, we have a parcel that requires signing for/too big for delivery. Your tracking number is 123456789.

Please visit our website and chose a date for delivery, or if you prefer you can specify delivery to an alternative local address or a date to collect the parcel from our depot.

If we do not hear from you by xxxxxx, the parcel will be returned to the sender. If you are not in on your chosen delivery date the parcel will be held at our depot for a further Y days then returned to sender.

When the customer logs into the website the earliest they can arrange delivery or collection for is the next working day

Depots don't control what is sent to them from the main sort centres.You have no clue how much space is taken up by parcels.Our depot is pretty big and 1-3 days of your "system" would see it full to the brim of parcels being stored at our cost for customers.Parcels aren't just left on the floor they are stored in wheeled cages(you may have seen similar ones in the back of hospitals/supermarkets).These are a finite resource and themselves take up a lot of space.
We also have an automated system called Quintic which can plan a route for a driver, but as it seems to like sending you back and forwards to the same streets in the morning and afternoon and on 5 mile detours, experienced drivers manually plan.Its a handy tool for new starters though

3. each day, download today's list of parcels for delivery and collection, load the first into the vans and the second into the collection area. Press the button that sends the reminder texts to delivery and collection customers.
We already have a similar system.Certain customers do get a text as when we have finished loading we have to input 3 hour timeslots into our HHT's before leaving the depot.As its only selected ones I can only presume that its at an additinal cost and most companies don't want to take advantage of it.
4. drivers work out their schedule. Through the day, once an hour they select the deliveries they expect to make in the next hour and press a button that sends an automatic "we expect to be with you in the next hour" text. A response is not expected or necessary- the purpose of this text is so that the customer knows it's not a good time to nip out for a pint of milk
I work out my delivery schedule as I load.I know the best and most efficient way to load my van far better than anyone else.Its like a 4D puzzle, taking into account things like rush hour traffic, school runs, seperating crushable items from heavy ones and all in drop order.This takes anywhere from 1-2.5 hours depending on volumes.If I have to stop every hour and manually select items that I will be attempting then thats reducing my delivery rate significantly and making me less efficient.


The basic idea is that as the person who knows best when the customer is available is the customer, and as a failed delivery is the most expensive way to find out whether a customer will be in, it makes sense to get the customer plugged into the process before the delivery has failed instead of after as it works today.

Your basic idea is to completely change Yodel's business model of offering a very cheap service for customers wanting just that.You seem to want it to be a premium one, when it isn't intended to be that.There are already other companies doing that and Yodel aren't competing with them.




You don't, so you decide a size that's probably worth taking out and accept some will have to come back and go out via the preagreed slot. It's still far fewer undelivered packages than now.

We have people rebook deliveries all the time and are still not in on the 2nd/3rd/whatever attempts.Also, it would be less failed deliveries because it would be less parcels taken out in the 1st place.The company is trying to drive costs down not put them up by increasing distance between drops and reducing work done by drivers.




I think most will happily accept it,since the retailer stands to lose more through lost/stolen/misdelivered parcels than the odd lost sale. And the more common it becomes the less of an issue it is.

What do I know, I have only delivered hundreds of thousands of parcels over ther years?

custardy

brokenbetty wrote: »

Only if, as an earlier poster suggested, you want to be able to deliver smaller packages without a prearranged slot. If you use the prearranged slot model for everything then no need to sort by size



Slight misunderstanding there. I'm not talking about collection of packages for sending, I mean parcels which are to be collected at the depot today. My example email allowed customers to specify a date for delivery or to collect from the depot because if you know you can't arrange to be in for a few days you might prefer to just collect it yourself

however you haven't allowed for collections. these are done by the drivers on delivery

Simplest for who? It might be the easiest way to keep things moving, but if they just come right back again what's the point? How do you know the extra storage won't be offset by getting more packages delivered first time?
because Ive seen what comes in,goes out and then comes back.
you would be surprised that the majority are delivered on the same day.
But if it's really easier to track parcels on a van than the depot, you could send the ones that aren't for delivery yet to drive round the block all day - it's what they end up doing when you send them out to empty houses after all :rotfl:


you laugh. i know
yes, but most of them aren't, and for the ones that are all that would happen is the odd package that you would have expected to be delivered comes back for a prearranged slot. no drama.



And you talk as if it's working well today. It's not. I don't think my system is simpler but I think it might just be more effective. The simple system doesn't work.
you are basing your posts on forum posts. I get deliveries from all the couriers and RM. most without any issue. as with most things. few come online for a positive experience

Let's face it, if I suggested a system where
1. people order a daytime delivery knowing they will be out because they can't order an evening or weekend delivery
2. they don't get told what day their package will be delivered so they can't arrange to be in
3. no attempt is made to check if there will be anyone around the receive the parcel before sending it out
4. the driver can decide on a whim whether a neighbour h has never met before is trustworthy or a location he's never seen before is safe
5. If the courier does leave it in a "safe" place or with a neighbour, the recipient only has the courier's hurried description to go on to find it
6. Even if the recipient is in all day, a badly timed visit to the toilet or dash to the corner shop can mean they miss the parcel
7. if the delivery fails (and it is pretty much set up to fail) they have spend an evening or saturday morning collecting it themselves from a depot that may be an hour+journey away, accompanied by anything they can't leave unwatched eg toddlers

well in that case. use companies that offer Royal Mail special delivery. you have a set 6 hour delivery slot on next day delivery. local collection offices and free 6 day redeliveries. of course that will cost more

well, I think people might decide that was a fairly daft idea too

now lets get to the simple fact that Yodel and the likes are the cheapest of the cheap.
you want a service that doesnt fit in with that business model.

brokenbetty

Delivery_Driver wrote: »

I work out my delivery schedule as I load.I know the best and most efficient way to load my van far better than anyone else.Its like a 4D puzzle, taking into account things like rush hour traffic, school runs, seperating crushable items from heavy ones and all in drop order.This takes anywhere from 1-2.5 hours depending on volumes.If I have to stop every hour and manually select items that I will be attempting then thats reducing my delivery rate significantly and making me less efficient.

Why would you manually select each hour? You'd stop, and taking that schedule that you yourself put together in the morning, look at the next few on the list, work out how many you expect to get done in the next hour, select and auto-text 'em so they know you are coming.

In other words, you do all that skilled stuff you do today then you take advantage of technology to minimise the number of failed deliveries.

Delivery_Driver wrote: »

You seem to want it to be a premium one, when it isn't intended to be that.There are already other companies doing that and Yodel aren't competing with them.

Problem is the recipient doesn't get to make that choice. Would I choose to get a £350 phone delivered by a bargain basement outfit? No. But that's what happened.

custardy

brokenbetty wrote: »

Why would you manually select each hour? You'd stop, and taking that schedule that you yourself put together in the morning, look at the next few on the list, work out how many you expect to get done in the next hour, select and auto-text 'em so they know you are coming.

In other words, you do all that skilled stuff you do today then you take advantage of technology to minimise the number of failed deliveries.


Problem is the recipient doesn't get to make that choice. Would I choose to get a £350 phone delivered by a bargain basement outfit? No. But that's what happened.

choose a company that does

brokenbetty

custardy wrote: »

however you haven't allowed for collections. these are done by the drivers on delivery

And they still can be. My model doesn't change that at all.

custardy wrote: »

because Ive seen what comes in,goes out and then comes back. you would be surprised that the majority are delivered on the same day.

No, I'm not surprised the majority are delivered. However that doesn't mean the number that fails are acceptable. After all each failed package takes up at least twice the depot storage and on the van delivery time as a successful one.

I also suspect the proportion of delivery to failure depends which courier you are and what business you serve. If you are mainly business I'd expect failure to be low but what works far that market isn't relevant to a discussion on what consumer delivery services should be doing.

custardy wrote: »

you are basing your posts on forum posts. I get deliveries from all the couriers and RM. most without any issue. as with most things. few come online for a positive experience

Does "without issue" include having to collect your own parcels from random depots or neighbours you barely know, as long as it ends up in your hands eventually?

I'm basing my posts on having been a user of online shopping for 16 years, and being fed up that the effective use of technology seems to stop at the point the point the parcel is collected.

brokenbetty

custardy wrote: »

choose a company that does

It frankly never occurred to me that any company would send high value goods without insisting on the signature of the purchaser. Certainly that was the case the last time I used O2.

I know better now, so as long as O2 use Yodel I'll be getting my phones from their bricks-n-mortar shops. Sorry couriers, my cash will be keeping the shop employees in a job instead.