"Sorry we missed you"

[sobrique]

Is there anything quite as annoying as waiting for a delivery that doesn't arrive?
I think I have one - the delivery that arrives, but the driver doesn't even bother to knock on your door.

Interlink Express - marvelous chaps - were due to deliver my parcel today.
They even gave me a very specific 1 hour time window, and a button to reschedule, via a text message.

I was due to be working from home, so I didn't do any rescheduling. So at about 12:15, I heard my letter box rattle - that's about when the post arrives, so I wandered over to see what had arrived. (Probably more bills :().
But no, it was a 'sorry we missed you' card from Interlink express, explaining how - because I wasn't in to sign for this consignment - they had taken it away again.

Now, I was prepared for this eventuality - after all there's no guarantee I wouldn't be on the toilet when my parcel arrived, or something.

However - I'm absolutely, 100% certain that the guy didn't even knock. Because I heard the letterbox rattle, as the card came through it, and - just about - heard the sound of a van leaving as I got to the doormat.

I'm bemused. This delivery has cost me ... oh, £6.99 I think it was?
But they've clearly gone to the effort to drive to my house, find the right door, and put a card through it. Is there some mystery reason why the last 30s of effort might be just a bit too much?
Do delivery drivers have a time window 'per delivery' which they have to be careful not to overrun? So are in danger of getting to 14m30 on this delivery, and simply not have time to _actually_ unload it, because they only have 30s left?

I'm really not sure. All I know, is I'm immensely irked by the frankly shoddy customer service this represents. I was at home, waiting for the delivery - and they've treated as a game of 'knock down ginger'. (only without the knocking).

PS - I hope Interlink Express customer services have set up google alerts, and therefore will see this post. Hi there. I'm a disappointed customer.

Comments

[malal.livejournal.com]

"Do delivery drivers have a time window 'per delivery' which they have to be careful not to overrun?"

Yes.

Thing is, it's now a question of your word Vs theirs, so they're on shaky ground if they want to formally discipline the driver. Where as if they run even a little late head office will bollock them and expect them to work late until they catch up. Or they skimped in an effort to finish early. Either way, the company and its representatives fucked up.

I suggest making an actual complaint to Interlink Express rather than hoping they stumble upon this.

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

On my to-do list. I made a blog, because I can't be the only one this has happened to, and not _everyone_ is going to complain directly.

I don't really blame the driver though - I've been on the receiving end of asnine service level agreements. But I'm also ... well, annoyed at what's not just shoddy service, but I'd go as far as calling it downright rude. (and if that's because of a bad corporate process, then that's what's at fault)

[mister-jack.livejournal.com]

It's not just downright rude; it's a total dereliction of service.

The problem is that you're not the customer for delivery service, the actual customer only cares if the services is so bad as to cost them custom.

[juudes.livejournal.com]

I suggest tweeting them (@Interlink_UK) so it's publically visible. They appear to use their Twitter account reasonably regularly.

[ehrine.livejournal.com]

Back when we lived at St Patricks Road, I walked downstairs to the kitchen to grab a drink (was about 10am). 2 minutes or so later I walked back to the stairs and saw a royal mail card on the doorstep saying he'd tried at 10:15 and got no answer. Given it was only 10:10 I suspect the driver CBA to carry the package from the van and just pre-wrote the card and dropped it in expecting no-one to be in as it was a weekday.

[zaitan.livejournal.com]

My old landlord worked from home and noted the same behaviour by City Link, on the second day he dashed to the door and asked where the parcel was, the driver muttered something and got it from the van.

[purp1e-magic.livejournal.com]

I had quite the opposite experience 2 days ago. I was feeling down and wanting to be left alone. I was expecting a parcel, and I decided it would be easier for me to stay curled up on the sofa and collect it from the sorting office later. The guy just wouldn't go away. From the outside there was no sign anyone was home - no sound or light or movement. But he stood at my door knocking ever louder for over 5 minutes, plus the time it took him to write out the card and pop it through. I'm not complaining as such, it was quite diligent of him/her. It just makes me wonder what the distribution curve looks like for how long is spent at the door per delivery.