[DrN (OP)]

My husband ordered a new laptop, to replace the one he dropped. It was being sent by UPS. they tried to deliver it during office hours, twice, and guess where we were? of course: in the office.  []

wouldn't it make more sense to deliver parcels to residential addresses at a time when most people are actually at home?  []

we had to travel to the depot (nearly an hours drive away) to collect it, as pre-arranged by phone during the week. we got there and they couldn't find it. initially tried fobbing us off with 'well it could have mistakely been put on another delivery van'. digging harder, we discovered it was there after all, in a security cage, which was locked.  []

The fun part of this story? no-one had the key. we had to wait for over an hour while they phoned the manager and tried to get him to come in off his holiday, and bring the key with him. which he did, and we got the laptop, and wasted around 3 hours.

now, we are waiting for a piece of software to be delivered. we specifically requested 'not UPS' - they even had a tick-box to select this option. Guess who's delivering it? hooray! you guessed. UPS.

Now, we're not at home for the next two weeks, so we phoned to request a re-arranged delivery, as if they can't deliver it within 5 days they return it to the sender. could we do this? not at all. of course, we don't have a UPS tracking number, but the website says this is no problem. we do have the shipment number however. but it is still a problem. they refused to deal with us at all! 'no tracking number? bye!'  [!]

so now basically our only option is to do nothing. we can't talk to UPS, we can't contact the local depot (not they they're shining examples of intellect and reason either), we can't rearrange a delivery, we can't be home to even try and coincide being at home with them arriving. all we can do is wait for it to be returned to the sender, and get them to send it by another company or to another address.

please tell me if you've had any good experiences with a courier? I could go on for pages and pages with all the bad examples - these are just the ones in 2007 - and I'm beginning to despair!  [:-'(]

[elegantlywasted]

I love UPS. Before Christmas my Aunt & Uncle had gifts delivered to us. The driver called and said he would be coming a little later than 5pm because they had accidentally sent the package to the wrong district (the next town up the road) but he would deliver it anyway. He was polite and curteous and even helped my grandmother by carrying the box into the living room for her.
Maybe I should add that my uncle is an accountant for the company.

The only time I have had issues with a courier service is when I have used smaller local companies. They would regularily lose packages or letters, or deliver them late.

[DrN (OP)]

the post office is the only delivery service we have not regularly had problems with. occasionally, yes, maybe 10% or even less, compared to at least 95% with the couriers.

I can't remember who delivered the amazon parcel - containing books - that they decided to place directly underneath the down-pipe, outside, in the rain, on soggy ground. definately a courier, as we phoned to complain.

the ones who were happy to arrange a saturday morning delivery, then decided they simply couldnt be bothered to deliver it, as it was saturday and they'd rather go home. they'd deliver it monday instead. the fact that we requested saturday because we wouldn't be in on monday didn't seem to cross their tiny minds!

the ones who agreed to deliver to my work address, then put it on a van to my home address, again.

the ones who said 'yes its right here in my hand, I'll make sure its sent right away' just as the postman walks in carrying it.

the ones who didn't bother to call to say they couldn't do a delivery (10 miles away) because it was snowing, and we'd just driven (in heavy snow) 150 miles to make sure we were there to receive it!

we never see the ones in London, as they just steal the parcels anyway (I'll be getting the wrath from any London delivery men who visit the forum now!)

I suppose there must be some reasonable, normal, polite, intelligent people working for a delivery company somewhere in the world. seems like you found him! so don't move!

[DrN (OP)]

btw: my cartoon illustrates quite nicely what I'm doing do all those courier companies in my head right now!

GGrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!