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Citylink couriers #1303490
06/01/2012 15:27
06/01/2012 15:27
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,614
Bucks
jame5 Offline OP
I need some sleep
jame5  Offline OP
I need some sleep

Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,614
Bucks
Ordered a car part from ebay, missed the delivery, this happens on a regular basis and usually nothing to be worried about. So i call the number on the card and arrange to pick up the parcel from the depot (45mins away). On arrival at the depot i open the door to a large group of unhappy folks all waiting for their parcels at an unmanned desk, not a good sign. 15 mins pass without any sign of a member of staff despite several people ringing the bell. Eventually a greasy teenager shuffles in with a blank expression on his face "who's next?" no "sorry for the delay" or any explanation. An hour later it's my turn at last, zombie boy takes my card and shuffles off again 10 minutes later he appears again "can't find it, it'll probably turn up over the night shift, you can wait or we can deliver it again tomorrow" i lie and say i'm working the next day so he suggests that it is put on a priority 'before 9am' delivery. I reluctantly agree (it's getting late and if i stay here much longer i'm going to kill zombie boy and feed him to the other zombies out back).
Next morning predictably 9 am passes without a delivery, i now spend the next 2 hours on the phone to 4 different citylink employees, all taking my number and not ringing back. Eventually i get through to the Reading depot where i spent most of last night and speak to the lovely Rhiana, she offers to call me back, i decline. She comes back after a few minutes, "your gonna go mad" she says, showing a remarkable amount of intuition (she must have had training) "it's not even left the depot yet". Rhiana offers to put it on the next available delivery, i ask when i can expect it, she doesn't know, some point this afternoon..... "hopefully". I tell her forget it, i'm coming back over in person. So i drive back over to Reading for the second time and finally pick up my parcel and i'm not even asked for I.D.
Surely this level of bad service can't be just down to luck, anyone else had such bad experiences with them?


Re: Citylink couriers [Re: jame5] #1303495
06/01/2012 15:45
06/01/2012 15:45
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 17,366
Staffordshire
Nigel Offline
Forum veteran
Nigel  Offline
Forum veteran

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 17,366
Staffordshire
Complain (in writing) and ask for at least one of your hourney's costs to be refunded

Truly appalling service (but sadly not rare)


[Linked Image]
Re: Citylink couriers [Re: jame5] #1303497
06/01/2012 15:51
06/01/2012 15:51

T
TbirdX
Unregistered
TbirdX
Unregistered
T



It's not bad luck at all it's the usual level of poor customer service you can expect from this bunch of brainless morons.

I get a missed delivery card, drive to the depot, talk to a disinterested idiot who wanders off to look for my package. Returns with a box and asks for i.d. I supply my driving license, a green paper one,
"any photo id" asks idiot
"No" I reply "Thats my license and I don't own a passport"
"can't release it without a photo id"
"I don't have one so what do we do?"
"You don't have any photo id?"
"No I dont"
"Cant have it without photo id"
"This cant be a unique situation can it, there must be other people who have no photo id what happens with those people?"
"I dont know"
After a lengthy discussion that involved no further progress and with no other person with any authority in attendance at the depot, it was suggested that I wait for the delivery again tomorrow.
"I wont be there, like I wasnt today so it's a bit pointless isn't it?"

It was eventually agreed that I could use a utility bill in support of my claim that I'm me and I would come back tomorrow to claim my prize.

The next day I get home to find another missed delivery card, ffs, the brain dead morons have tried to deliver it again.
I get on the website and make an online booking to pick the item up the next dat at thier depot.
So the following day I take said card and required ID back to the depot to pick up my prize only to be told..
"It's not here"
"well where is it?"
"It's gone out for delivery"
"Why the hell is it out for delivery when I specifically requested a depot pick up/"
"No you didn't"
"I bloody well did and anyway, you've tried to deliver it twice and even your own terms say thats the most you'll try"
"You didnt because otherwise it'd be right here on the computer..."
tap tap tap tap tap
"Oh, you did request a depot pick up"
"Yes I did"
"It's on the lorry"
"You said that, why is it on the lorry"
"Because it''s being delivered..."
"ARRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH"


To cut this already long story a bit shorter I don't know how they remain in business. Incompetent idiots of the highest order who'll be right next to Virgin Media facing the firing squad come the revolution.

Re: Citylink couriers [Re: ] #1303499
06/01/2012 16:07
06/01/2012 16:07
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 16,603
Corridor of Uncertainty
J
Jim_Clennell Offline
Forum veteran
Jim_Clennell  Offline
Forum veteran
J

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 16,603
Corridor of Uncertainty
Originally Posted By: TbirdX
Incompetent idiots of the highest order who'll be right next to Virgin Media facing the firing squad come the revolution.


What, you seriously think they'll turn up on time for the firing squad?

Re: Citylink couriers [Re: jame5] #1303502
06/01/2012 16:21
06/01/2012 16:21

T
TbirdX
Unregistered
TbirdX
Unregistered
T



No, or get the right address come to that smile

Re: Citylink couriers [Re: jame5] #1303508
06/01/2012 16:46
06/01/2012 16:46
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,112
The clues in the name
D
DanTheManc Offline
Competition Level
DanTheManc  Offline
Competition Level
D

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,112
The clues in the name
I had 2 tyres delivered via Citylink this morning. No problems at all tongue


2000 Moony 20VT6
VXR
BMW 335i
BMW M135i
2017 Cupra 290 Black Edition
Re: Citylink couriers [Re: DanTheManc] #1303514
06/01/2012 17:10
06/01/2012 17:10
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,144
Southampton, Hants
Roadking Offline
Club member 1809
Roadking  Offline
Club member 1809
Forum is my life

Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,144
Southampton, Hants
CL used to be the courier for Amazon. They never, ever let me down. Unlike Royal Mail and the new bunch of clowns they're using who's name escapes me.

However IME no matter how good any of these organisations are, it has to fail before you realise just how difficult it all becomes for some of their monkeys.


"RK's way seems the most sensible to me". ali_hire 16 Dec 2010
Re: Citylink couriers [Re: jame5] #1303516
06/01/2012 17:26
06/01/2012 17:26

B
Biggenz
Unregistered
Biggenz
Unregistered
B



We use Citylink as our business courier. Their service is shocking and we've had so many arguments with them and nothing ever changes.

They are in big financial difficulty and I'm not sure how they can still be going. They made a loss of over £30 million last year. This is mostly due to them getting rid of their own drivers, and getting expensive contractors to do the deliveries instead. How do you work that out?

Re: Citylink couriers [Re: jame5] #1303517
06/01/2012 17:35
06/01/2012 17:35

S
shinyshoes
Unregistered
shinyshoes
Unregistered
S



Whilst I wont defend their actions in the above cases, what I will say (with a small amount of experience in the freight industry...) is that the sheer volume of goods being moved around the country means that on occasion, mishaps/mistakes will happen.

The zombie you will have spoken to at the depot will have had zero input into where your package was/is and will have no idea how to get it back to you, only employed to hand you things he has on his shelves.

As for not allowing you to have the package without photo ID (TbirdX)- to be honest I dont know how you can say you havent got any, photo driving licence's are compulsary no?

Regardless, IF you didnt arrive at the depot until after work, chances are, your package will already have been returned, scanned, loaded onto another vehicle and either been sent out to another hub, or be locked down until the next morning/available delivery slot.

Re-delivery is a constant pain in the arse for hauliers/couriers, as to keep profits up, they have to have all their delivery slots for each day full - vehicles driving around with nothing in the back earns you nothing, only costs money, so to make a 'special' trip to re deliver something, costs the courier more, and as profit margins for small freight are woefully small, and fuel prices so extortionately high, this is never good for business.

Also people who simply dont bother informing the courier/haulier that they have recieved the 'not in' card, and just wait for the re delivery make things even harder, and the standard approach HAS to be, re load it, and try and re deliver.

You cannot possibly bring all the undelivered items back to one place and sit and hope that all the recipients turn up after their goods, because as you posted, if its a 45 minute drive, they just wont bother.

The trouble with moving freight, especially small parcels/packages is - cost, and as such firms such as CityLink have to 'piggy back' freight with larger merchandise, i.e palletised goods to move stuff about relatively cheaply.

For example, they wont send 20 vans from hub to hub, instead use their own, or other companies HGV's to move their freight for them, then re-distribute from each specific hub.

But, freight hub's are not always ideally placed for individual items - such as small packages.

Birmingham for example has one of the largest freight terminals in the country, a non stop 24/7/365 operation involving billions of tonnes of freight... trouble is, Birmingham is a bloody long way from say Kent.

So lets say, Mr Smith in Glasgow sends a small parcel to Mr Jones in Canterbury.

Sadly, there wont be a truck load of freight travelling that exact same route at any given time, so, it will be sent to a general hub, unloaded, scanned, then re loaded onto a different vehicle, then re directed somewhere else - most probably onto a different hub, then the process repeated until finally it ends up in the back of a CityLink van winging its way towards Acacia Avenue, Canterbury.

Seem like an arse about face way to do things?

Well, in some respects it is.

But haulage firms/delivery companies would go bust overnight if they had to haul all their own freight, to each seperate and individual destination.

Its just not possible or feasable.

An interesting haulage fact for you - Hilary Devey, that scary looking creature on Dragon's Den, was one of the first people to set up hub to hub freight agreements between hauliers, made her a shed load of cash, and saved the hauliers and equally large sum.

Shame she looks like cruella deville or I'd be on it like a shot.

Giggady.

coffee

Re: Citylink couriers [Re: jame5] #1303740
07/01/2012 08:26
07/01/2012 08:26

S
SimonCoupe
Unregistered
SimonCoupe
Unregistered
S



Have you heard about the new sex position called the 'Parcel Force'?

You stay in all day but nobody comes.... coat

sorry mods!

smile

Re: Citylink couriers [Re: jame5] #1303747
07/01/2012 09:27
07/01/2012 09:27

P
porkypaul
Unregistered
porkypaul
Unregistered
P



I used too work for Citylink, parcelforce and Tuffnells and they are all crap but I would say Citylink were the best but that's going back 3-4 years ago.

Re: Citylink couriers [Re: ] #1303773
07/01/2012 10:33
07/01/2012 10:33

T
TbirdX
Unregistered
TbirdX
Unregistered
T



Originally Posted By: shinyshoes

As for not allowing you to have the package without photo ID (TbirdX)- to be honest I dont know how you can say you havent got any, photo driving licence's are compulsary no?

Regardless, IF you didnt arrive at the depot until after work, chances are, your package will already have been returned, scanned, loaded onto another vehicle and either been sent out to another hub, or be locked down until the next morning/available delivery slot.

Re-delivery is a constant pain in the arse for hauliers/couriers, as to keep profits up, they have to have all their delivery slots for each day full - vehicles driving around with nothing in the back earns you nothing, only costs money, so to make a 'special' trip to re deliver something, costs the courier more, and as profit margins for small freight are woefully small, and fuel prices so extortionately high, this is never good for business.

Also people who simply dont bother informing the courier/haulier that they have recieved the 'not in' card, and just wait for the re delivery make things even harder, and the standard approach HAS to be, re load it, and try and re deliver.



Theres no requirement to change my old green paper license for a new photo one. I have other photo id, like a met police issued id and various trade body membership cards, none of which are acceptable apparently. What I actaully gave them I recall was a passport that was 10 years expired which was accepted without question.

(on a side note I have presented another persons id card with a picture of me stuck on the front over the other persons photo and had that accepted also, although not at citylink to be fair. I was also stoppped at a security checkpoint for a premises in the city by a tesco value security guard who had a look through the window of my car and asked..
"Is that a magazine, like from a gun on your back seat?)
"Yes, an assault rifle, an M4 to be precise"
"Oh, okay have a nice day"
And through I was waved. Go figure.)

Any road up, after two failed deliverys they state they won't attempt another redelivery anyway and I had informed them I would pick it up, using their own website, dedicated so to do, and they still reloaded it onto a lorry.
This particular package actually turned up at 10pm on a Saturday night, which almost impressed me until I saw the state of the package. It had been outside all day apparently, and it had rained most of the day, and most of the cardboard packaging had peeled off and what was left was sodden. Fortunately, what it contained was a waterproof plastic case and I didn't bother to follow it up but I pity anyone who was waiting for theor shiny new 50" plasma to be delivered....

Re: Citylink couriers [Re: jame5] #1303781
07/01/2012 10:57
07/01/2012 10:57
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,927
The Faringdon Folly
O
oxfordSteve Offline
Forum is my job
oxfordSteve  Offline
Forum is my job
O

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,927
The Faringdon Folly
They are all woeful, none quite as bad as the Home Delivery Network, now called something else, who seem to be delivered for the final 5 miles by a bloke in their own car at some time convenient to themselves.

The problem is that we as a society demand everything to be as cheap as possible, hence the companies supplying the service have to cut corners and employ on minimum wage or just above. We shouldn't really be surprised when the people involved either don't make the effort, or just don't care.




Re: Citylink couriers [Re: ] #1303977
07/01/2012 20:43
07/01/2012 20:43

S
shinyshoes
Unregistered
shinyshoes
Unregistered
S



Originally Posted By: TbirdX
Theres no requirement to change my old green paper license for a new photo one. I have other photo id, like a met police issued id and various trade body membership cards, none of which are acceptable apparently. What I actaully gave them I recall was a passport that was 10 years expired which was accepted without question.


I stand corrected.

I really thought it was a legal obligation these days.

Originally Posted By: oxfordSteve
The problem is that we as a society demand everything to be as cheap as possible, hence the companies supplying the service have to cut corners and employ on minimum wage or just above. We shouldn't really be surprised when the people involved either don't make the effort, or just don't care.


Exactly the point.

You couldnt deliver a parcel yourself, using your own fuel/time from Lands End to John O Groats for under £20, and yet we all expect a company, with massive overheads, salaries to pay, fuel to buy, vehicles to tax, service, buy etc to do so with complete ease, and to be so grateful for our custom that NOTHING else in the known universe is more important to them.

<shudders> Agreeing with OxfordSteve makes me feel odd...

shocked

Re: Citylink couriers [Re: jame5] #1303982
07/01/2012 21:10
07/01/2012 21:10
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,927
The Faringdon Folly
O
oxfordSteve Offline
Forum is my job
oxfordSteve  Offline
Forum is my job
O

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,927
The Faringdon Folly
Exactly, i feel the need for a hot shower!




Re: Citylink couriers [Re: ] #1303984
07/01/2012 21:12
07/01/2012 21:12
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 16,603
Corridor of Uncertainty
J
Jim_Clennell Offline
Forum veteran
Jim_Clennell  Offline
Forum veteran
J

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 16,603
Corridor of Uncertainty
Originally Posted By: shinyshoes


<shudders> Agreeing with OxfordSteve makes me feel odd...

shocked


On a similar note, I completely agree with your knowledgeable and thoughtful
explanation of the haulage industry's dilemma, Shiny.

Lawks, what's happening to us?

Re: Citylink couriers [Re: jame5] #1303992
07/01/2012 21:50
07/01/2012 21:50

S
shinyshoes
Unregistered
shinyshoes
Unregistered
S



Yikes! shocked

All we need now is AndrewR on board and we are all a big happy family again!

smile


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