Viking Direct

WHA

In our area Viking Direct are using a very unprofessional and dishonest delivery firm.

Their orders are left on our doorstep despite sometimes containing expensive items. Apparently the driver signs for them himself and then claims that he delivered them person to person (even though timings show 7am and no one is in our office until 9am!). Things have been stolen and often damaged by rain.

Other times they are delivered to neighbouring properties - mostly to the house next door who leave to go to work at 8.30, so by the time the office opens at 9am, we can't get the order.

We've complained numerous times. The invoice address and delivery address now include "deliver after 9am" and "don't leave anywhere else" but the driver(s) ignore and continue leaving them where they please.

Viking have confirmed that deliveries should start at 9am but this firm clearly want an early start and finish. Viking know of the problem and have promised action, but nothing changes.

I won't order from them again. Usually when complaints are made, things improve, but Viking allow these problems to keep happening (over 2 years since first complaint).

Bossyboots

What area are you in? We have had endless problems with our deliveries too. Viking have switched to DHL who unknown to them had sub contracted some of the work. This was discovered when I walked back from lunch one day to see an ancient grubby white van parked in loading bays in the high street, THROWING my viking order from one end of the van to the other. Things were so bad in our area that there is now a dedicated DHL depot for Viking.

We had missing items, damaged items, dirty items and deliveries missed entirely. In the end, I was given the details of our local head of customer services who now oversees our orders herself to ensure they go out and reach us on time. Since the dedicated depot was set up though we have had no problems. We ended up getting a substantial amount of free goods as well because they kept delivering to our other office and in the end stopped bothering to collect those parcels, simply re-delivering to us. We also got to keep one order that came twice.

I made it plain that I would stop ordering from them and I called for every little problem (they now call me to check a delivery has arrived safely). They say to me that unless the customers tell them what is going on, they do not know.

WHA

I'm in North Lancashire, and yes it is a grubby white van that delivers the Viking stuff (complete with grubby driver!!).

What annoys me is that Viking ARE aware of the problem, and the van driver has clearly been reprimanded as he has made snide comments to me.

Viking have confirmed on the phone that the delivery shouldn't be before 9am to business premises and that the address labels etc also show delivery instructions which aren't being followed.

I don't mind people making mistakes, and in 99% of cases with other firms, when problems are pointed out, they are rectified. Unfortunately, Viking don't seem to deal with things at all.

Bossyboots

WHA wrote:

I'm in North Lancashire, and yes it is a grubby white van that delivers the Viking stuff (complete with grubby driver!!).

What annoys me is that Viking ARE aware of the problem, and the van driver has clearly been reprimanded as he has made snide comments to me.

Viking have confirmed on the phone that the delivery shouldn't be before 9am to business premises and that the address labels etc also show delivery instructions which aren't being followed.

I don't mind people making mistakes, and in 99% of cases with other firms, when problems are pointed out, they are rectified. Unfortunately, Viking don't seem to deal with things at all.

From my experience, I am surprised they are not dealing with this. I had lodged three courier complaints with them, which means they have to contact the courier formally to discuss the matter. I have also been told that DHL are not allowed to sub contract the work and that we are to report it if the delivery does not come by DHL van, delivered by a driver in DHL uniform.

One of the drivers from our local DHL delivery office is known to me as his children were at the same school as mine. He confirmed to me that they had had many complaints from Viking about the quality of deliveries, some of which he had worked out were from me.

november

We had one problem delivery which they sent straight out again so we only had a one day delay. The original delivery driver said he returned it when he actually left it at a nearby shop which no-one knew about until the shop owner told us when we didn't collect it. They did collect the duplicate order so we didn't get a freebie but it was done on the day they said. The original order left in the shop was very battered etc. The replacement order was fine.

I haven't (touch wood) had any problems since and customer services were very helpful so I am surprised to hear of your problems. We're at the other end of the country to you mind.