1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Rant City-Link must die

Discussion in 'General' started by dave_salmon, 12 Jul 2010.

  1. dave_salmon

    dave_salmon What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    24 Jun 2009
    Posts:
    437
    Likes Received:
    21
    Ordered some lovely stuff from scan in two orders because I'm very indecisive, ended up paying £13.98 in total for delivery.

    Parcels are dispatched.
    Arrive at city link depot in Manchester.

    Monday 12th July
    1. Parcel delivery expected today: 9:38am - "Parcel returned to depot: Driver unable to find address"
    2. 10:30am - I ring to see what the deal is and I'm put on hold then cut off
    3. 10:50am - Phone scan and complain. They file a complaint and a claim for my delivery charges to be refunded by city link. They also provide my mobile number to city link for the driver to phone me so I can guide him the 100 yards past where he gave up trying to find me.
    4. 11:00am - I phone city link again, complain about being cut off. I'm told what the deal is and am then put on hold while the operator phones the depot for an explanation and to arrange for the parcel to be sent back out today and guess what? I'm cut off again.
    5. 11:10am - Get back through to same operator I was dealing with before and ask what the hell is going on only to be spoken to like a scum bag and an idiot because she "definitely didn't cut you off sir, you hung up" oh, yeah.....I must have forgotten.
    6. 11:20am - Parcel re-dispatched and driver provided with my numbers
    7. 3:10pm - I'm at work in 50 minutes and there's still no sign of my parcel so I ring city link again only to be spoken to like my problem is the least important thing on the operators plate and am told the parcel is on the van and is going to be delivered. This is explained to me as if I were a child.
    8. 6:15pm - I phone city link from work: I'm 6th in the queue
    9. 6:30pm - I get through and am told the parcel was scanned back in at the depot at 6:10pm and there is no explanation why. I tell them I am more than displeased with the way I'm being treated and that my confidence in their drivers ability to deliver the parcel is now none existent and they are to hold my parcel at the depot for me collect.

    To summarise: I'll not be using scan again until they provide me with alternative delivery options. This is scans fault as they insist on forcing this joke of a delivery company down their consumers throat.

    I will admit that I am happy with every other aspect of the service I received from scan but the amount of problems I have had thanks to city-link offset this otherwise wonderful service.


    Scans prices and service might be excellent, but whats the point if I don't get my stuff? :wallbash:

    Edit:
    I must point out that this happens every single time I order from scan. This has become so much of a joke that half of all the times my parcel was redelivered, it was the same driver who delivered them to me and each time she expressed in exceptionally colourful language her distaste for the majority of other drivers working this area and the companies reluctance to do anything about their behavior.
     
    Last edited: 12 Jul 2010
  2. Krikkit

    Krikkit All glory to the hypnotoad! Super Moderator

    Joined:
    21 Jan 2003
    Posts:
    23,925
    Likes Received:
    655
    Nearly every big company has poor customer service in my opinion. Employing folk for the least possible wages and offering them no performance-based incentive only ends up leading to uninterested people at the receiving end of complaints. Is it any wonder they don't get dealt with properly?

    Couple that with seriously over-worked delivery drivers and you've got a recipe for disaster. I got a package from a City Link chap the other day who told me they expected him to make 140 separate drops across all East Lancs in one day, even after delaying him for two hours at the depot.
     
  3. Lord_A

    Lord_A Boom baby!

    Joined:
    23 Mar 2002
    Posts:
    3,539
    Likes Received:
    2
    City Link are bad, but HDNL are not that far behind them.

    As a rule I do not order anything from onine stores which use them and don't offer any other alternatives, I've just had way too many bad experiences in the past :grr:
     
  4. K

    K 528491

    Joined:
    31 Oct 2001
    Posts:
    5,700
    Likes Received:
    16
    I used to work in goods receipt and such and I found that UPS were by far the best of the big name couriers... City Link were by far and away the WORST. By a long long way.
     
  5. thehippoz

    thehippoz What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    19 Dec 2008
    Posts:
    5,780
    Likes Received:
    174
    that's funny because if it runs like ups over here.. she is the driver for your route.. your looking at the culprit who's blaming it on other drivers xD
     
  6. dave_salmon

    dave_salmon What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    24 Jun 2009
    Posts:
    437
    Likes Received:
    21
    haha I had considered that till I heard from a neighbor who has lots of her business stuff delivered via city-link by the driver in question that she's been moved to another area. She decided to grab a bite of lunch from home, got there and had been followed by a car full of scum bags who kicked her door down, beat the **** out of her and took the van full of parcels sitting outside.

    She's been in this other area the last few times I've had a re-delivery because of the "morning shift guys".
     
  7. flibblesan

    flibblesan Destroyer

    Joined:
    27 Jul 2005
    Posts:
    1,424
    Likes Received:
    59
    Would have been better to post this into the Scan forum. At least then some people from Scan would see it and act upon it.
     
  8. TheCherub

    TheCherub Minimodder

    Joined:
    16 Sep 2007
    Posts:
    699
    Likes Received:
    9
    I have raised this issue with Scan before (I also used to get serious problems, although they've improved immensely over time) and basically their systems are now heavily integrated with CityLink's, and they aren't going to be changing that any time soon.
     
  9. 13eightyfour

    13eightyfour Formerly Titanium Angel

    Joined:
    9 Sep 2003
    Posts:
    3,454
    Likes Received:
    142
    My citylink depot is spot on, ive never had a delivery problem with any courier really. There are loads of horror stories like yours though, im sure scan do listen but are just taking the best/cheapest option they can (Everybody that orders from here get free del so overtime thats going to all add up).

    Was there somebody at home while you were at work to receive the parcel? I have had instances in the past where ive nipped out for 20mins only to get home to one of those attempted delivery notices.
     
  10. Guest-2867

    Guest-2867 Guest

    To put it in perspective, you ring up trying to tell them that it's really important that you get this package and you're so pissed with them it's not even funny. 3 seconds later the phone rings, the persons delivery is late and it's for their daughters 18th birthday party, the woman is in tears down the phone. 3 secs later, phone rings, guy is screaming at them down the phone because his parcel is somewhere in scotland and he needs it to be delivered to london in half an hour.

    If I had to put up with that all day, I wouldn't give a **** either.

    In contrast, our local City Link is perfect, I don't live that far from work, so if the guy misses me at home he'll bring it to work with the business parcels, top bloke, gave him a chrimbo card last year.

    Worst service I have ever received is from Amtrak (in general, not just pertaining to delivery companies), don't even get me started lol
     
  11. Showerhead

    Showerhead What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    11 Jan 2010
    Posts:
    1,110
    Likes Received:
    33
    Think it depends on luck on what kind of driver you get sent out my Citilink one is good if i'm not in he'll leave the parcel next door. only guy that does that. A few other companies i've had i've been in and all they've done is post the sorry we missed you note through the door.

    Just had a Parcel Force guy just now who was planning to do just that. Unfortunately for him i heard him coming up the stairs to my flat opened the door and he's standing there with the leaflet in hand no package in site as it was still in the van.
     
  12. NuTech

    NuTech Minimodder

    Joined:
    18 Mar 2002
    Posts:
    2,222
    Likes Received:
    96
    While it's almost entirely dependant on the quality of your local depot, I've always found City Link to be horrible whenever I've used them either to send or receive a package.

    I now almost exclusively use CitySprint, these guys are awesome. Not only do they give you a email and text 1 hour before delivery, but they also send you a link so you can GPS track the delivery van using Bing maps.

    Not only is this incredibly helpful to the customer, but it also cuts down heavily on the amount of missed deliveries, saving the company a small fortune.

    Compared to them, most other delivery companies appear to be left in the dark ages.
     
  13. Unicorn

    Unicorn Uniform November India

    Joined:
    25 Jul 2006
    Posts:
    12,726
    Likes Received:
    456
    See, it' different all over. Almost every city link depot has a different reputation. Like Dire_Wolf, my City-Link depot is perfect. The driver knows me by name and will always go out of his way to get my parcel delivered to me or someone I know before taking it back to the Depot in Belfast. This has never happened. He knows about 4 alternative addresses to deliver to, two of them being both my parents places of employment, meaning that if I'm not there during the day, I'll almost always still get my parcel the same day.

    To be honest, you can't tar the whole company with the same brush. Its the same with Royal Mail over here. If you live north of Lisburn the RM customer service is second to none. If you live in County Armagh, it'll probably be the worst service you'll ever come across. I've submitted more than 5 formal complaints to RM over the past 12 months due to late parcels, undelivered parcels or even damaged parcels. It's not acceptable to be treated so badly, but not everyone in the company is the same. You just need to submit complaints about it until something gets done.
     
  14. samkiller42

    samkiller42 For i AM Cheesecake!!

    Joined:
    25 Apr 2006
    Posts:
    6,789
    Likes Received:
    518
    I've only ever had one issues with City Link and that was because they stated a form had been put through my door when it hadn't. It's UPS i try and keep away from, shame Apple use them.

    Sam
     
  15. dave_salmon

    dave_salmon What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    24 Jun 2009
    Posts:
    437
    Likes Received:
    21
    Final update:
    I went to the depot on the Tuesday for 8am to collect the parcels I reserved for collection on the Monday afternoon. On the way I phone to confirm the depot location and am told that only one of the two parcels has been held, the other is on a van.
    Me - "But I reserved both"
    Operator - "That's not what it says here. The system says you only reserved one"

    Ok, I'll relax and accept it. After all the parcels were returned to the depot for 9:40 the previous day, I'll just hang on and grab the other one when the driver decides he can't be bothered.

    So, I arrive at the south depot: Guess what? "Sorry mate, your at the wrong depot. Your parcels are at the north depot."

    FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

    SO, I go to the north depot and am greeted with a man who, despite having to use a computer FOR HIS JOB does not know how to use one. He explains that it's unlikely the driver will be back before 8pm and cannot give me an explanation for the driver’s earlier arrival the previous day. Ok, stay calm. So he goes in to the back to get my parcel, at which point the first of the queue to develop behind arrives.

    10 minutes later he returns with the parcel and asks for my ID. I oblige him and he stairs at my passport for a second and then stairs at my pay slip for a second then hands me the passport back. Up to this point he's barely looked at me long enough to be able t give an E-fit should I decide to crack him with his scanner but he doesn't make sure the passport is mine.

    Never mind. I have my parcel. Or do I? No. Now he's broken the printer for the collection receipt. At this point there are five people behind me in the queue and he has no idea what he's doing. 10 minutes of messing and he disappears in the back to get his supervisor, who comes back, presses three keys and BINGO the printer is working.

    The problem? The printer was set to sleep/pause.

    So I sign, arrange for my other parcel to be collected tomorrow and get my parcel. By this point I have a face like a deranged serial killer so the queue behind me quickly disperses and they open the door for me in fear of invoking my wrath.

    I get home and do some work on an assignment I have to get finished, arrange with the missus to go back tomorrow and collect my parcel. I have a bite to eat and have a quick go on Wolfenstein before I leave for work: KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. The tax man? The police? NO! MY PARCEL! YAAAAAY!

    I'd explained earlier that day to a neighbor what had been happening, so when he see’s the city link driver step out of his van, look around for a second and then go to get back in his van he collars him and politely explains what I’ll do to the guy if he doesn’t get me my parcel. God dammit I hate delivery companies.
     
  16. Hex

    Hex Paul?! Super Moderator

    Joined:
    11 Jan 2002
    Posts:
    4,451
    Likes Received:
    212
    Glad you finally got your stuff!

    I have to say citylink around here are probably the best along with ups, it's a real shame that they differ so wildly across the country.

    However, I absolutely do think that more online shops should give you a choice of courier. If I see DHL I won't buy, purely because we only have 1 DHL delivery man in the area and I've already had a huge argument with him and reported him to his HQ. Likewise when it's RM only I tend to not bother as all the parcels in the normal post seem to get nicked. :sigh:
     
    dave_salmon likes this.
  17. shadows

    shadows What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    20 May 2010
    Posts:
    107
    Likes Received:
    2
    I haven't had an issue with any delivery company, parcel force and both city link have been fine. Maybe thats partly because they always leave it about the garden somewhere... dog kennel, garage, lol.

    DPD seem quite alright, just had something delivered by them from CCL, they gave me an estimated time of 11:41 to 12:41 and that was at 8am this morning! And it arrived during that time!
     
  18. bsoltan

    bsoltan What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    14 Apr 2008
    Posts:
    14
    Likes Received:
    0
    To contrast yours I had a good story about Citylink from my latest order.

    The goods were attempted to be delivered at about 10am but no one was in, so the card was left which was fine. Turned out the card was just one of the two parcels and I was planning to pick them up after work the next day.
    Then the doorbell went around 6 and part Parcel #1 was here, the driver explained that the other was going back to the depot and would be redelivered or collected. I forgot about it and went to watch the World Cup.
    Then the doorbell went sometime after the football started and the same delivery guy had been given another delivery and I happened to be on the way so he grabbed my other parcel and stopped by on the way.

    I was pretty chuffed with that service and have never had a problem with Citylink in all the years I've been ordering stuff.
     

Share This Page