Comments on: The Tyranny of UPS

By: Martin Like

Martin Like — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:00:08 +0000

Being the owner of an outdoor retail shop, our reputation is often reliant on the goods arriving with our customers as quickly as possible. As indicated by the numerous testimonials about the speed of our service, all I can say is a massive thank you to the Post Office who im humble opinion are superb. We also drive to one of the smaller Post Offices in the area to do our posting rather than the larger one in town, and last year by doing this we were a big reason why this rural post office stayed open. The Post Office has done Likeys proud… )

By: Podcast Bob

Podcast Bob — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 19:39:14 +0000

Hmmm )

What we have started to find a useful way to play the system is for customers to find a local PO who will take ‘Poste Restant’ parcels. So the courier deliver there for them to collect later.

All we need is an address and a PC!

Solution

For even the fussy ones!

By: andy

andy — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:59:21 +0000

I’m with you there Gayle. Post Office forever. Even Bob uses them …

.. and he’s a fussy as hell

By: Gayle

Gayle — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:17:45 +0000

Allegedly all is well that ends well, and I do now have my parcel. But I’m still disgruntled about the pain (and wasted fuel and phone calls) that it took.

Given the circumstances on this occasion (a warranty repair), I didn’t have the opportunity to choose a company based on delivery method. When I’m shopping then I will most certainly choose a shop that uses Royal Mail or ParcelFarce [sic] over one which uses a courier (CityLink is up there as one of my most disliked couriers too).

People may knock Royal Mail, but at least you can collect from a reasonably local location, and (in my case, if not generally) they will try to leave the parcel with a neighbour or on your property for you. (As an added bonus our Postie has been quite obliging in jump starting my car too; I’ve never had a courier turn up at such a convenient moment!)

By: andy

andy — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:08:59 +0000

Thanks Gareth. I do give feedback. In this instance my sympathies are with the drivers â€” I think their contracts drive them to cut corners!

By: Gareth

Gareth — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:56:08 +0000

Hi Andy, first off great blog. I work for webtogs, an outdoor clothing website and selecting delivery companies was of critical importance. Getting the right courier company was not something we could get wrong as if they fail to deliver or give a bad service, this then reflects badly on our company. You don’t generally get second chances with customers if you can’t get what they have ordered to them on time. Our rational when choosing was quality over cost and good customer services for when things do go astray. All I can say is do give feedback to the companies you buy from if their couriers aren’t up to scratch – they’ll thank you for it!