MSE News: Yodel boss: No apology for delays but 'deliveries getting better'

Bextonian

There are obviously many problems with Yodel deliveries but in my experience their collection service is no better. Twice recently I have waited in all day for them to collect a parcel from me and they simply didn't come as promised. Each time I have given them a second chance and they let me down a second time and I have then ended up taking the parcel to the Post Office and paying their exorbitant rates. I now stay well clear of Yodel.

I_luv_cats

I ordered an item via Amazon about 30mins before their evening deadline and the parcel arrived the next-day via CitySprint.

CitySprint tracking was perfect and the delivery arrived as promised.

Yodel should see how others can do it!

I didn't contribute extra for the delivery so "price" can't be an issue.

gwapenut

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/aug/24/amazon-complaints-yodel-delivery-service

chweetgurl

After major issues with Curry's reordering laptop twice now came another headache called YODEL!! Yodel's boss is clearly out of touch like current government and with more people getting frustrated calls to stop this company serving (not really!!) is proof in pudding. I live in apartment with 24 hours reception desk in 5 year not even single parcel returned. Online tracker said unauthorised civil delivery whatever that means! i rang curry's they said after talking to yodel customer service they have no informaiton and since 3 days trying to find out what happened!!
In current economic climate i have no sympathy or patience for such companies whatsoever!! They have responsibility towards customers and they dont respect it they do not deserve to be in this business

girl_withno_name

Ordered a laptop from Dabs' ebay outlet yesterday and when the delivery confirmation stated Yodel, I groaned wondering where my parcel might end up and whether I'd ever actually get it! They delivered it today - to someone three doors down the street, not great as we don't know them but thankfully all was good when we went to pick it up... and at least it wasn't left on the doorstep in the rain!

Gagamama

I never take part in forum discussions but having fallen upon yours, I am horrified. I really thought my difficulties with Yodel (and others) was simply because I live in a rural area and Satnavs routinely direct drivers to anywhere up to five miles away!

But I think there's a bigger problem here: it's that there are many companies that talk big words (read the "About Us" and "responsibility" secotions on the Yodel website for example) about customer service. Yet they treat their staff dismissively (there's a post in this thread about the abysmally low payments made to local couriers etc.) and as a consequence, working for them becomes a very disheartening experience. How can one expect an employee to "go the extra mile" (figuratively and literally in this case) when the employee doesn't feel valued or that the work is fair?
Add to this the modern temptation to believe in the Satnav god and you have a recipe for disaster.
As end users - or I suppose end receivers (if we are lucky) we have to put pressure on the mail order companies from whom we buy and tell them that we are not going to purchase from them unless they use a reliable delivery company.
I have also taken to writing to the CEO of any delivery company that lets me down - not by email, which is easily either lost in the system or fobbed off onto some lowly customer service person, but by good old Royal Mail - and to the management of the mail order companies from whom I have purchased with a copy of the letter. It's time consuming (and to be fair I also have to write when I get particularly good service from a company...get them onside) and it shouldn't be necessary. But if we all get scribbling or typing....mass participation works! Well, eventually.
A TIP!
There's an excellent website that I promote where possible to delivery companies (and I always put it in the additional comments box when online ordering from anyone) that I can guarantee shows my individual house on a map with precise directions: get lobbying for delivery companies to use it. It would save them money and mistakes.
I'm not allowed to link so use your search engine to find transportdirect.info.

Finally, Royal Mail may have been in the doldrums but at least they know where every house is!

nixon1

Ordered a laptop from Pixmania at the start of the week and so far no delivery. The online parcel tracker showed speedy progress from Belgium to Hatfield, then from Hatfield to Norwich. However, the parcel has been there for 48 hours now and no delivery attempt has been made.

I phoned customer service to be bluntly told "if thats where the online system says it is then that's where it is" in response to my enquiry to pick the parcel in person. Not very helpful and considering the 2 hour round trip that I'm thinking about doing, it had better be there!

If I am to believe all of the experiences by others (and why wouldn't I), I can see this new laptop never appearing. Resending another will also cause me problems as the item was returned to PixMania and offered through their Used section and there might not be another.

Amusingly Yodel have a vacancy for a delivery driver in our area. I hope they get one quick, or this is purely for capacity reasons.

Anyway, I have the Yodel itch and hoping everything will be ok. If not I'll be a +1 on how bad they are.

Emuk

I wish I would have read and researched who are would be delivering my new ipad before ordering it! On seeing it had been dispatched to yodel my heart sank (HDNL lost my iphone 2 years ago, I have avoided them since), I crossed my fingers anyway, but yes you guessed it, it has been 'lost'. It has not been traced since it arrived at their depot, they conducted a search and have confirmed to me verbally that they could not find it. Now I have to wait for them to communicate this information with the sender in order to get a refund or replacement which they cannot give me a time scale for.
I have sent two complaints via their website none have been responded to and you are limited to 1500 characters which is definately not enough when complaining about Yodel!

Also to note I did a search on twitter and found people complaining that their macbooks, ipads, iphones and cameras were missing. These are only ones that are using twitter, goodness knows how many more have been lost.

I have learnt a lesson and will now make sure I have nothing delivered by Yodel, therefore no purchases from various online companies!

Nocturnes

After several (at least 6) Yodel deliveries and all except one with problems (late, no-show, thrown down side of house in rain, damaged, card through door saying no-one in when I was in etc), some time ago I spoke to Amazon and asked them to please put a note on my account that I do not want Yodel to deliver anything I order and I will pay the extra for Citylink or anyone else. They did not actually say they would or would not comply with this, but as they did not say no, I assumed it would happen (foolish of me).

I bought an expensive appliance recently and was mortified to see that Yodel woud be delivering it the following Weds, so I emailed Amazon (Fri) saying I did not trust Yodel after all the documented problems. They just sent me an "it will be fine" email and that they would make sure all was well with the delivery. The following day (Sat) Yodel showed up unannounced and four days early, in a rental van. They brought in the appliance (on its side when box stated should be kept upright), I signed and they left.

Commendable of them to turn up 4 days early after saying Weds, and initially I was glad to get my parcel, but I knew it would have been left on the doorstep if we had been out. On opening the box, it was clear the item had been on a rough ride. Cracked plastic and mechanism crooked. It took a day of time-wasting emails to get the thing returned (as obviously I did not wish to waste more time waiting for Yodel) and I have had a refund and the usual computer-generated apologies from various different Amazon people (does the computer make up a new name each time they send out an email?). There was no offer to re-order and deliver with a different carrier and no apologies for the continued waste of my time.

During this, Amazon informed me that there is no option for the customer to choose not to use Yodel. It is clear that a long term customer is not important to Amazon and I have regrettably chosen to close my account of over ten years which I held in several different countries (with no delivery problems except UK). I am so relieved I do not have to go through the stress and time wasting of dealing with Yodel again. Thankfully there are other places to shop both online and in the high street. Online I shall be checking first that Yodel will not be involved.
It is clear that any company who uses Yodel cares only about $$ and not about their customers. Vote with your feet. I feel liberated closing my Amazon account!

originaladidas

I'm shocked by the amount of flack flying round in the direction of Yodel, very stinging crticism!

From a personal point of view the courier who delivers to me from Yodel has been nothing but perfect!

I understand they have one two or three days to deliver packages and I often receive my items "before" their expected date.

Never left unsafe and if I'm not in, they are left with a neighbour and a card left!

I think the problem comes down to the person who is your courier, these need to be the ones moved on because it seems not ALL of their couriers behave this way!