MSE News: Yodel named worst parcel delivery service again

visidigi

Twisted_Cherry wrote: »

Rubbish, Yodel have had a bad reputation for the past 20 years as I know of! Collect Plus I have also used, and it was a better service, but only used to drop off parcels at local shop and collect other parcels!

It's not poor reporting, it's honest reporting...

http://www.yodelhell.co.uk/

I spent 4 days waiting in last month for a parcel to arrive, each time I was met with excuses from Yodel. In the end I drove to there depot 16 miles away and got them to return the parcel to sending since it was no longer required.

I also have fond memories of White Arrow (One of Yodel's previous names!) throwing parcels over yard walls in the 80's, with not a care in the world what was in them.

Oh and I forgot I use to work for Home Shopping Network (Part of Yodel!) and took endless complaints from customers over HDNL (Yodel's other name!) on a daily basis!

So you're unbiased then? :rotfl:

Many more a customer will complain than compliment.

Perception forever will mask any improvement a courier makes, they are pretty much dammed if they do and dammed if they don't...

Mobius1

visidigi wrote: »

So you're unbiased then? :rotfl:

Many more a customer will complain than compliment.

Perception forever will mask any improvement a courier makes, they are pretty much dammed if they do and dammed if they don't...

Whilst you're right on the money that more people will complain than compliment I think it's important to keep the service in perspective.

If someone buys something online or mail order it's very common for the buyer to have absolutely zero choice or input on which delivery company is used. Take Amazon for instance, I have known them to use a range, including Royal Mail, Yodel, Eple and others. I can't choose even if I'm happy to pay more for the option of picking a one I trust or have good experience with.

Now, if I get my delivery when I'm told I will and in good condition it's not in itself something that's going to delight me. I'm just more likely to hope that company delivers my next order.

If my delivery gets lost, delayed, damaged or delivered to the wrong place then I'm going to be unhappy and I will complain. Quite simple.

Your point of view comes off as sympathetic toward these "poor" companies that can't do right for doing wrong, but let's be honest. We're not talking rocket science. Delivering a box to a residence is no more a complicated process now than it was 20 years ago. Technology advancements should make it more reliable. The fact that it's a massive competitive industry should drive improvement.

But it doesn't. Because the competition has just made is cut throat. They charge little, pay peanuts, have poor working conditions, unrealistic driver targets and all of those things conspire to make it so the person delivering your item don't give a damn about you or the item and that means the service is bad and people complain.

I don't feel sorry for the industry at all because consumers have so little influence over which company they're going to be saddled with using. They're not damned if they do. They're just not meeting people's expectations - expectations that are quite reasonable. I.e. you buy something in 2013 and want to receive the item. Is that really so much to ask?

DJBenson

I didn't/don't think Collect+ are couriers - they are a service provider that allows parcels to be delivered to/collected from local shops etc. Every parcel I've ever sent or received by Collect+ has been "couriered" by Yodel or HDNL (same company). Odd how MSE list them as couriers ranking above Yodel?

custardy

DJBenson wrote: »

I didn't/don't think Collect+ are couriers - they are a service provider that allows parcels to be delivered to/collected from local shops etc. Every parcel I've ever sent or received by Collect+ has been "couriered" by Yodel or HDNL (same company). Odd how MSE list them as couriers ranking above Yodel?

Collect+ market themselves as a courier too
Odd you wouldnt check before posting?

http://www.collectplus.co.uk/


People voting,placed them higher on experience.

Twisted_Cherry

I have complimented people / services if I have been impressed! I was in The Range in December buying a Christmas Tree, and the sales girl was so helpful, she went out back to find the stock, having to raid a pallet to find the tree I wanted and brought it out to me. I was so impressed, I called the manager over and passed on some praise about her!

paulineb_2

The only company I've not had too many issues with is dpd , I think a couple of problems in maybe 20 deliveries.

Had terrible service from my hermes ,yodel, citylink on more than one occasion, one delivery before Christmas took almost two weeks to sort because my hermes simply couldn't be bothered delivering. Was given three different dates for delivery, didn't appear on any of the days.

Also had more than one issue with parcelforce. My Hermes couldn't have cared less about the delivery issue, certainly put me off ordering much online from now on.

System

We need the full list of companies that Yodel 'delivers' to customers.

If I need of a product and find out the company uses Yodel, I walk a mile. Never used them but with my front door well hidden to those that have not been down my road.

I rather pay a little more for a company that does not use Yodel.

cave_2

Dear Yodel, this is not a letterbox. I found this soggy card weeks after it was 'delivered' (nobody uses the letterbox-less front door in Sheffield, the -easier to get to- back door has one).
[IMG]http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/<a href=http://s644.photobucket.com/user/MMVault/media/IMAG0236.jpg.html target=_blank rel=nofollow>[/img]

System

Have any companies ended their contracts with Yodel?

platterfish

custardy wrote: »

Collect+ market themselves as a courier too
Odd you wouldnt check before posting?

http://www.collectplus.co.uk/


People voting,placed them higher on experience.

Yes,

Thats all it is, clever marketing.

Collect+ is Yodel.

The difference is that you drop off at the shop instead of getting them to come to you like yodel direct - its their equivalent of hermes parcelshop but with some extra benefits. It was primarily set up to provide click and collect for Shop Direct Group, which it serves its purpose and now has other retailers. It is simply a channel that allows consumers access to Yodel's delivery service.

Yodels response to MSE shows
"CollectPlus, Yodel's click and collect network, came second from top in the MoneySavingExpert poll yet the collection and delivery service is performed by Yodel and shares a common customer contact centre. This disparity highlights our concern."

It's very interesting to see what brand perception and marketing can do, however another key difference is that the goods received through Yodel come from big suppliers and retailers so people expect more as they are promised deliveries etc where as sending a birthday parcel via collect + to your aunt janice in scotland, she would just be happy to have it get there and timescales don't matter as much when you are returning an item via collect+.