Parcelforce-can I claim for their mistake?

swordfish

Last week I was expecting two parcels.
I got home and had 2 parcelforce cards through my letterbox. One said that a parcel was left next door, the other that a parcel had to be signed for, so had to be collected from the local depot.
I phoned their automated line and arranged to pick my parcel up at the depot.
When I got there, there was no parcel. This was a 30 mile, one and a half hour round trip (two town centres).

I phoned parcelforce who say there is absolutely no way they will offer compensation for my trip, as their contract is with the sender of the parcel.
Is this correct, and would I get any joy through small claims court for time and expenses? Any money (I know it would be very little) would be given straight to charity. It isn't a question of money, it's a question of being told it's "tough luck" and getting no apology, so I now want to take it further.
Their customer service is appalling.

Brooker_Dave

swordfish wrote: »

Last week I was expecting two parcels.
I got home and had 2 parcelforce cards through my letterbox. One said that a parcel was left next door, the other that a parcel had to be signed for, so had to be collected from the local depot.
I phoned their automated line and arranged to pick my parcel up at the depot.
When I got there, there was no parcel. This was a 30 mile, one and a half hour round trip (two town centres).

I phoned parcelforce who say there is absolutely no way they will offer compensation for my trip, as their contract is with the sender of the parcel.
Is this correct, and would I get any joy through small claims court for time and expenses? Any money (I know it would be very little) would be given straight to charity. It isn't a question of money, it's a question of being told it's "tough luck" and getting no apology, so I now want to take it further.
Their customer service is appalling.

Demand compensation!!

nellytheelephant

I can't see them giving you compensation for your trip.

swordfish

Brooker_Dave wrote: »

Demand compensation!!

Believe me I have.
I rang customer services and told them I was putting a complaint in, or even going to small claims court. I was actually very polite. The girl on the other end said "oh, do whatever you want, you'll get nothing". I asked for her name and she refused, I asked to speak to a manager and she put the phone down!
I was shocked due to the fact I'm not restrained and polite very often;)

Vomityspice

Can you just clarify some of the details?

Did the card state which depot the parcel was at? Was the parcel then at another depot?

If you were given the wrong information by them then you 'may' have a claim. Your claim should only be your actual loss so 30miles x 40p =£12?? Unless you are thinking it should be more?

If you want to pursue on a 'point of principle' then first write a letter given 7 days notice of intent to make a claim (that way they are on notice), if they don't reply nip off and use money claim online and start the process. It will cost you no more than £20 and this fee will be added to the judgement if you are sucessful.

In terms of CS however, most companies know that the majority of customers are all talk! So it's much easier to let them rant and rave. They deal much better with those who put their money where their mouth is!

As to the merits of your claim, as long as you went to the depot as indicated(on your card) then it is likely that you may be succesful. In addition, because the cost of disputing your claim is more than it's worth, they are likely to pay up. Why would they spend ££££ to argue about £12?

I had something similar when some years ago I owned two houses. As one was being renovated I didn't have a TV license. I recieved lots of letters threatening all sorts of dire consequences (all of which were binned as the house was a shell!). However, one weekend when we were there, we noticed a 'signed for' letter card has been left. We went to the post office depot to discover it was.......a letter from TV licensing!!!!!!. I rang them to complaint and got an all too similar story, 'not our fault'..... I sued and they paid up for my costs. They originally stated that they would restart the letters process after 6 months to which I replied that if they did I would start action again for harrassment. Never had a letter since.......

swordfish

Both cards were for the same parcel they now say.
They've said that the driver posted the first card to say to collect it from my depot, and then saw the neighbour and posted a card to say the parcel was next door.
The second card didn't say anything about disregarding the first, and as I'm expecting more than one parcel, I thought they must have needed my signature for just one of them. As I say, I did ring the automated line and entered my postcode and address, and this informed me that I still had a parcel to collect.

I've sent them an email and I'm going to send a letter. I have to say that if it wasn't for the girl's attitude, I probably wouldn't have bothered. I'm a bit "Grrrrr" now!

custardy

the way i see it.
the driver left a card
then on the way to the van they saw a neighbour and left the item there
then recarded you with the updated details
okay the driver could have put a note on the card to tell you to forget the 1st card but he/she did try and do you a favour

swordfish

custardy wrote: »

the way i see it.
the driver left a card
then on the way to the van they saw a neighbour and left the item there
then recarded you with the updated details
okay the driver could have put a note on the card to tell you to forget the 1st card but he/she did try and do you a favour

And that favour cost me 90 mins and 30 miles in my car?
For the sake of writing on a bit of card.
The problem also lays with the automated system for telling me I had a parcel to pick up.
I actually don't see why I should be out of pocket for someone elses mistakes. And as I stated earlier, I probably would have just left it alone after my initial complaint, if I'd got ANY sort of apology.

Forris

swordfish wrote: »

And that favour cost me 90 mins and 30 miles in my car?
For the sake of writing on a bit of card.
The problem also lays with the automated system for telling me I had a parcel to pick up.
I actually don't see why I should be out of pocket for someone elses mistakes. And as I stated earlier, I probably would have just left it alone after my initial complaint, if I'd got ANY sort of apology.

While I agree that the driver should have put a note on the second card telling to to disregard the first one (that's what I do and yes, I work for PF!) the driver probably assumed that you would realise it was for the same parcel (was the time stated on the card?).

Also, you are correct in saying that the automated system is at fault. PF have spent a lot of money upgrading the tracking system only to find that bits of it don't talk to each other half the time!!

However, while I see the point you are making, if the driver hadn't seen the neighbour you would have still had to make the trip to the depot anyway.

Brooker_Dave

swordfish wrote: »

Believe me I have.
I rang customer services and told them I was putting a complaint in, or even going to small claims court. I was actually very polite. The girl on the other end said "oh, do whatever you want, you'll get nothing". I asked for her name and she refused, I asked to speak to a manager and she put the phone down!

That'll teach em.

Good luck in court.

swordfish

Forris wrote: »

(was the time stated on the card?).

.

On one card, Number of next doors house written on with an "at". On the other, my house number and the signature req'd box ticked.
No times, no names, no tracking number, nothing.
The manager said that the delivery driver was one of his best. When I showed him the cards, he said "oh no, that's not right".
And he was "one of the best at that depot"!

And I'll say once again, an apology would originally have sufficed.