Monday, July 19, 2010

DHL lives up to expectations

Did I mention I have a lot of work on at the moment? Yes. I thought I might have. Well this evening I am giving a talk in Oxford, but it's fairly close so I expected to get a good amount of quilting done today. However it's not worked out like that.

Thursday we were expecting a package to be delivered. I work on a Thursday but as it was to be delivered before 10.30 am it wasn't a problem. The failed delivery card said they had tried at 2.45pm, when guess what, there was no answer. OK Friday, the driver said he would come late after 9, it sounded like he would make us his last delivery. Great, but to be on the safe side I got home as soon as I could, 6.45. No card so I assumed (yes I should have known better) that all was well. 10.30 we checked the tracking data and apparently delivery was attempted and a card left at 6.30. Admittedly I haven't taken up the hall carpet, but I have had a very good look for that card. I don't think it made it to our house.

DHL unlike many couriers try three times. Frankly thats a shame as I could easily have picked it up from their depot on the way out today but who knows third time lucky? We called the driver again, he was surprisingly precise and declared he would arrive between 1pm and 1.30. OK, not ideal but I can cope. I can't sew as that can drown out the door bell so I have had to find a string of very quiet jobs. I've prepared quilting patterns for skirt panels and cut and test fitted another patter. I've also discover one of my designs needs enlarging before I can use it. All that while rushing to the door every time a vehicle stopped in the road.

Any guess where the story finishes? Well I now need to start loading the van for tonight and there is no package. He isn't even answering his phone now either. Gee maybe I was mean refusing to have anything shipped DHL ever. Then again, maybe I wasn't. Wanna take bets on what time the driver will try to deliver today?

4 comments:

Susan Briscoe said...

We had sagas like this with various delivery people, inc. Royal Mail and Parcelfarce. Ended up installing an extra doorbell and now my workroom is at the front of the house, so, in theory, I can catch them even when I'm machinging.

Have you thought about linking a flashing light to the doorbell? With light over machine area?

Outwitting delivery people is a pain.

:-(

Staci said...

Oh, I'm glad I'm not the only one who hates DHL! I've never, ever had a good experience with them. Late or lost, that's all I have ever seen!

Hope your package finally showed up, after all that grief!

Rafael's Mum said...

This sort of thing happens to me all the time... You wouldn't believe it would you!! Especially the 'attempted' delivery without the card. I once sat at the window not to miss them and STILL they swore blind to have attempted a delivery. They just make it up as they go along.. I feel for you!

Ferret said...

The best ones are those who sit outside in the van but don't approach the house, hence not wanting to have any noise so I can hear every vehicle that stops outside.

He did eventually arrive, he was delayed? I think what really got me was the utter lack of concern. Once you have made a specific appointment you either turn up or let people know you can't. Also the rejecting calls from known problem customers is really not professional and when the customer has several phones to use it doesn't work.