ParcelForce - The Most Useless Company in the UK?

[KeelsonGraham]

This is a rant about ParcelForce and also a warning to anyone buying boat parts in the EU that aren’t delivered by a reputable courier service.

I ordered a new water pump from Holland which was duly sent by the Dutch postal service into the loving hands of ParcelForce via, of course, HMRC who want their take. ParcelForce won’t release the item from their depot until the duties are paid. So, how is one expected to do that? By waiting for a letter (a letter for chrissake) which gives you the reference number to quote. Clearly it’s far too difficult for ParcelForce to include the reference number on its tracking page, or locate any item by its tracking number or, heaven forbid, communicate using this newfangled thing called email.

So here I am 10 days after the parcel enter their depot still waiting for a letter to arrive.

So, if you want any boat part from the EU insist on courier delivery and avoid this utterly dreadful company like the plague.

PS. This isn’t a Brexit thread!
PPS Hopefully I won’t have to reply to them by letter, which now costs £1.25 to send, compared with the equivalent of 32p when I was a lad.

 

[dunedin]

When I bought parts from an EU supplier they informed me by email of the tracking numbers so could go in and pay the fees.
Have you tried asking the supplier?

 

[Bobc]

Royal Mail and Parcelforce have been finished for years, they just haven't accepted it yet.

 

[Clancy Moped]

I used DHL yesterday and it was all done online.

 

[Boathook]

Royal Mail and Parcelforce have been finished for years, they just haven't accepted it yet.

I had some electronics delivered by royal mail the other week. Posted on a Friday late afternoon and with me the following morning. I know that it is only in the UK, but do feel that royal mail seem to be improving in my area.

 

[The Q]

If you think RM / parcel farce are bad , try Herpes / Evri... they are definitely far worse...

 

[fredrussell]

I vowed to never use the Post Office after the Horizon scandal. Parcel Force are expensive. Never had a problem with the budget courier firms.

 

[newtothis]

Hermes/Evri: "Hold my beer."

 

[Biggles Wader]

I vowed to never use the Post Office after the Horizon scandal. Parcel Force are expensive. Never had a problem with the budget courier firms.

A very worthy sentiment but the Post Office has nothing at all to do with Royal Mail/ Parcel Force. Different companies

 

[KeelsonGraham]

When I bought parts from an EU supplier they informed me by email of the tracking numbers so could go in and pay the fees.
Have you tried asking the supplier?

Yes, no joy.

 

[KeelsonGraham]

A very worthy sentiment but the Post Office has nothing at all to do with Royal Mail/ Parcel Force. Different companies

ParcelForce is owned by Royal Mail.

 

[Biggles Wader]

ParcelForce is owned by Royal Mail.

Like I said-----The Post Office has nothing at all to do with Royal Mail/ parcel Force. Different companies.

 

[Sandy]

I vowed to never use the Post Office after the Horizon scandal. Parcel Force are expensive. Never had a problem with the budget courier firms.

You may want to fact check that.

 

[mjcoon]

Like I said-----The Post Office has nothing at all to do with Royal Mail/ parcel Force. Different companies.

Except that the Post Office's deplorable attitudes to staff derives from way back when it was Royal and linked with the Royal Mint so any hint of fraud could be considered treasonable scamming the Crown!

 

[oldmanofthehills]

I regularly go and retreive parcels at my sons house that can be seen on his doorcam as being in hedge etc, despite being apparently signed for (pesky squirrels?) or just left on the steps in pouring rain while they are in london for the week

DPD seem the worst and cost my son a new £2000 turbo charger, as reconditioned one never actually got back to garage. DPD confessed it was lost but wouldnt investigate till misplaced for 5 days and disputed the value of a recon unit. Garret also lost the value of their recon work, though no doubt the margin on the new on helped a bitt.

He has had replacement goods, such as high value electronics, where original were non-delivered by Hermes, as he challenged the suppliers as to why they thought DPD or Hermes could get them to him, but its all a stress

 

[fredrussell]

You may want to fact check that.

Which bit?
I did vow never to use post office. Parcel Force are expensive, and I’ve never had a problem with budget couriers.

 

[penberth3]

Which bit?
I did vow never to use post office. Parcel Force are expensive, and I’ve never had a problem with budget couriers.

You can boycott whoever you like, but the computer scandal is down to the Post Office/Post Office Counters - i.e. the retail shops. This thread is about Parcel Force and by extension Royal Mail - the delivery services. Already explained above, these are separate businesses.

 

[wonkywinch]

It seems to be dependant on local management. I previously lived in Bucks and Hermes (now rebranded as Evri) were by far the worst. Here in Hamble, they are one of the best.

Parcelforce/RM are pretty good here and on first name terms with the drivers/posties.

Amazon one of the worst with many different delivery people, some of whom think chucking a package over the gate so it lays on the path in the rain is "delivered".

 

[Stemar]

I try not to use Hermes/Evri because of their reputation, but I recently bought a couple of quite expensive items on line and they came from Europe. Both took far longer than they should have done, sitting around in Herpes depots, so we were away when they were delivered. Both left on the doorstep. Fortunately, our door isn't immediately visible from the road, but... At least there was no customs hassle. IIRC, both sellers charged me VAT and sorted it out their end, but they were sizeable companies who were used to selling to the UK.

 

[mjcoon]

.... Fortunately, our door isn't immediately visible from the road, but...

But your door would be visible to anyone who, for instance, was delivering leaflets. A good motivation to have a USA-style mailbox at the gate to encourage them to enter no further!