DPD incompetence

bairn7

Ordered some goods from an online retailer, to be delivered by DPD.

Upon getting the text message that my goods are due to be delivered, I followed the link to request that my goods are left with a neighbour as I was going to be at work. Come delivery, they don't leave my goods with my neighbour (who was in). Instead, they tried to deliver it to my home.

Fair enough, try again. This time, I go through their online link to request that I pick my goods up from one of the local pick up points (Halfords). I got email confirmation that my item will be delivered there and the tracking link shows that the goods are scheduled to be delivered to Halfords.

Come the day of delivery, lo and behold, the goods are instead delivered to my home address, with no-one home as I'm at work! This time I can't request redelivery online as I'm not given the option and the telephone number takes me to an automated system which neither allows me to reschedule or gives me the option to speak to someone.

I email DPD customer service Saturday lunchtime and to their credit they respond within a couple of hours saying that for whatever reason it was not possible to update my order in time to be sent to Halfords (despite the email confirmations and my online tracking being updated the night before). Don't worry though, they will update the order manually and the order will be sent to Halfords on Monday (today).

Surprise, surprise, they have just tried to deliver the item to my home address and I'm at work!

Cue another email to customer service as again I'm not able to find a way to speak to someone other than a machine.

Grrr! :mad:

kwikbreaks

Sounds like they goofed royally. I've always found them to be amongst the better couriers but I've never tried getting my deliveries diverted.

marliepanda

This certainly seems quite isolated. DPD are usually fantastic, I believe when you respond to the texts with instructions the texts go to the driver. I have spoken to my local one before and he usually asks me to say whats in the parcel so he knows if I say 'leave outside the back door' he knows if its appropriate if the weather is bad etc.

usefulmale

Why not just have your stuff delivered to work?

Laz123

Bogalot wrote: »

DPD are certainly one of the better couriers, if not the best. For next time why not order it to a collection point when placing your order? Seems the simplest solution if you know you're not going to be home.

Hindsight is a great illuminator.

bairn7

Update: after emailing their customer service team, I got a call from someone in my local delivery office where the parcel has been returned to for a third time.

Apparently, as it has been returned three times already it is not physically possible for the delivery to now be re-delivered to a collection point. As such, my only options were to have the item redelivered to my home address, sent to another address (my work does not accept personal deliveries) or left in a safe place (only safe place would be a bin and at over £100 I don't feel comfortable doing this). I'd hoped my neighbour would be in but they won't unfortunately.

None of these options work so the item is now being returned to the retailer and I will have to rearrange a delivery with them.

I accept that the first failed delivery was my fault. Apparently the second failed delivery (to pick up point) was also my fault because I put in my request too late (c 9pm the evening before) so the message couldn't get processed in time! 3rd time I made the request on a Saturday through the customer service email and this was confirmed so no idea what happened.

Absolute shambles.

usefulmale

Another option may be to use the Poste Restante services that the Post Office offer.

If your local post office (or one near work) is attached to or in another shop, you should be able to collect any parcels whenever the shop is open.

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/mail/poste-restante