Not all couriers are the same

Forums › Off topic › Not all couriers are the same

kiwiscoota

237 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 2

#89802 8-Sep-2011 09:53

I've used couriers for more years than I care to admit to. The industry norm is same day pick-up (provided you call early enough) and then 1 to 2 days delivery.

Imagine then my shock, when I booked a courier (one that advertises on TradeMe) at 10.30am, waited all day for the pick-up before finally calling them at 4.45pm to find out what is happening only to be told "Our standard pick-up is within 2 days" !! Bear in mind this is a pick-up from Christchurch Central, not some rural location.

I'd also point out that there is no mention of this on their web site, although it does clearly say that delivery may take 2 days.

I'm not at all happy, it's now almost 24 hours since I booked & paid for this "service" and I'm still waiting

Robert

1 | 2

6656 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3474

Trusted

#518449 8-Sep-2011 10:49

Actually New Zealand Post is just as quick as the Courier many times, you just have to delver to the post box first. Certainly more reliable in my experience.

We had two items requiring a signature for delivery, both being delivered on the same day on the same van and one got delivered to the wrong address. How can that happen. The supplier ended up sending a second item to us.

What's worse is Couriers cannot even follow basic instructions with delivery requirements.

Sony Xperia XA2 running Sailfish OS. https://sailfishos.org The true independent open source mobile OS
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
Dell Inspiron 14z i5

keewee01

1743 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 204

Trusted

#518453 8-Sep-2011 10:52

Thanks really bad - do they want business or not!?

I've found FastWays service to be shocking. Items take forever to be delivered, their tracking couldn't track a parcel accurately (item was logged into the Auckland depot days after pickup, but same day that it was finally delivered to Dunedin! - and they had no idea where it was any of that time), and people who just don't care about what they are doing.

I know I'd never use them... willingly.

TheUngeek

924 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 35
Inactive user

#518463 8-Sep-2011 11:10

Fastways are the worst!

kiwiscoota

237 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 2

#518473 8-Sep-2011 11:27

From the Pass the Parcel web site - the company I was referring to:

Pass the Parcel… So, where has it come from?

Well, it is a branch of Post Haste Couriers…

Post Haste is a courier company that has spent over three decades at the forefront of the New Zealand courier industry. With over 240 Post Haste couriers servicing 360+ towns and cities in New Zealand, we can deliver your parcels with ease.

And, Post Haste is a company of Freightways…

Which has the security of being not only a NZX 15 listed company, but also one of the largest courier and freight companies in New Zealand that can trace its roots all the way back to 1964. Consisting of Post Haste, NZ Couriers, Castle Parcels, Now Couriers, Sub60, and DX Mail....

I should add that I have called them, exchanged several email messages etc and still 25 hours after booking the pick-up, I'm still waiting.

While I've already paid for this, if they don't pick-up before 4.00pm today, I will take the parcel to NZ post and use their courier service which I have found in the past to be reasonably reliable

networkn

Networkn
32862 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 15453

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#518477 8-Sep-2011 11:43

We use fastways, and they had their issues a few months back, but recently we have found them fine. They have scheduled pickups in our area, and delivery within Auckland is same day usually if pickup on the first run, or at worst, next day. It's been a while since it's taken 2 days?

timmmay

20857 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5349

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#518479 8-Sep-2011 11:47

CourierPost are generally pretty good. Not perfect, but they generally pick up the day I request it, if I log the request early enough, and deliver the next day. I find anything after 2pm and it might not get done till the next day.

Geekzone

Want to support Geekzone and browse the site without the ads? Subscribe to Geekzone now (monthly, annual and lifetime options).

oxnsox

1923 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 138

#518503 8-Sep-2011 12:31

The whole 'signing' issue simply doesn't work as proof of delivery or who has accepted the responsibility.

I've had parcels delivered to the wrong address that the courier has claimed were signed for so it's not their liability. (and of course those at the address no nothing of it....)
Equally I've often found packages on the doorstep (or put out of site somewhere I haven't noticed) that the courier himself has signed for prior to leaving it.

Now, where possible, I get everything sent to the P.O.Box. At least that way when they misplace things (which they have) it's usually within the confines of their mailroom rather than a moving van or some other random location.

Behodar

11090 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6069

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#518510 8-Sep-2011 12:44

I try to stick to CourierPost and NZ Couriers. Both provide great service in my area and have a local collection depot (unlike PBT for example which takes my stuff back to Tauranga if I'm not home).

And that's the other issue: When you're the sender, try to use a courier that has good service where the receiver is. Sometimes (particularly when ordering online) you don't get a choice of courier and therefore don't know whether you need to be home to catch it before it goes to Tauranga or whether you can just swing by the local depot on the way home from work.

shrub

790 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 272

ID Verified

#518519 8-Sep-2011 12:54

The trick is to never get goods delivered to a residential address. Get them to deliver to your work and it will be delivered to a person. I have been at home had a courier pull up and drop a card to call in the letter box without even checking if someone is home.
Parcel post = crap
BPT= not much better
Fastway = Long delivery times
courier post just sign for anything even when parts of the delivery are missing.
There needs to be more accountability for goods getting delivered in NZ and better tracking systems but there is bad law in NZ.

Behodar

11090 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6069

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#518523 8-Sep-2011 12:59

I just remembered the other thing that I wanted to rant about: Tracking.

If I'm getting a package from overseas, then I can follow the tracking. I see it get picked up, head to the next city, then the next city, then arrive at the airport, take off, land in NZ... and then silence. Has it cleared customs yet? Does the local courier have it? Who knows, because the tracking page never changes once the package is in NZ.

In one case I signed up for an email alert upon (non-signature) delivery. I was surprised to get home and find the package there since I hadn't received an email. I looked at the tracking page and it still listed that it was in Auckland. Approximately three *weeks* after receiving the package, I finally got a delivery notification email.

insane

3324 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1006

ID Verified

Trusted

2degrees

Subscriber

#519169 9-Sep-2011 23:19

Someone posted me an item from CHC to AKL via nzpost, was sent on Saturday morning last week, I had to pick it up at their Albany branch today as it had been sitting there for two days without being delivered (after I called) . Two days to move an item some 300m away from their distribution center is pathetic and well outside the expected delivery time of 3 days.

Of course there were no tracking updates since the very first entry showing the item being picked up.

Which company actually has a decent tracking system which shows every time the parcel is scanned?

Lego

Shop now for Lego sets and other gifts (affiliate link).

Nokia2012

108 posts

Master Geek

#519170 9-Sep-2011 23:25

I think NZ courier's are good I got a cell phone sent to me from auckland and it go to me by 06.05 the next day and I find PBT seem to be good as well. But I have to agree fast way is the slow way

mattwnz

20515 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4795

#519174 9-Sep-2011 23:44

kiwiscoota: I've used couriers for more years than I care to admit to. The industry norm is same day pick-up (provided you call early enough) and then 1 to 2 days delivery.

Imagine then my shock, when I booked a courier (one that advertises on TradeMe) at 10.30am, waited all day for the pick-up before finally calling them at 4.45pm to find out what is happening only to be told "Our standard pick-up is within 2 days" !! Bear in mind this is a pick-up from Christchurch Central, not some rural location.

I'd also point out that there is no mention of this on their web site, although it does clearly say that delivery may take 2 days.

I'm not at all happy, it's now almost 24 hours since I booked & paid for this "service" and I'm still waiting?

Robert

I have actually found pass the parcel/posthaste really good, in fact better than any others apart from PBT who are also good. . They picked up within a few hours. etc, and drop of bags really quick too. In fact in one case they picked up up within 30 minutes of me entering the details on their website, and I hadn't quite finished packaging it!
Perhaps it is due to your location or a lack of drivers near you. You say they need to pick it up from central chch, but isn't that pretty empty these days, and that could be the reason why they don't have anyone to pick up in that zone.

dontpanic42

1574 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 11

#519175 9-Sep-2011 23:45

Fastway tracking is hopeless.

CourierPost, Posthaste, NZC all seem to be pretty reliable.

Behodar:
In one case I signed up for an email alert upon (non-signature) delivery. I was surprised to get home and find the package there since I hadn't received an email. I looked at the tracking page and it still listed that it was in Auckland. Approximately three *weeks* after receiving the package, I finally got a delivery notification email.

DHL perhaps?
Their international tracking notifications don't work at all. The tracking itself doesn't seem too bad, but the email notifications never appear.

kiwiscoota

237 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 2

#519177 9-Sep-2011 23:59

mattwnz:

---edit---
Perhaps it is due to your location or a lack of drivers near you. You say they need to pick it up from central chch, but isn't that pretty empty these days, and that could be the reason why they don't have anyone to pick up in that zone.

My location should not have been an issue, while I was waiting I saw Poste Haste deliver to the school which is about 50 metres from me, I saw a Castle Parcels van drive past and I even spoke to a Poste Haste driver who had parked nearby to have his lunch, but no he could not do my pick up as the job had not been allocated to him and I'd had a NZ Couriers delivery.

Bear in mind that Pass the Parcel are all in the same group as Poste Haste, Castle Parcels & NZ Couriers and they use which ever vehicle is nearest, I was advised of this by one of their customer service officers.

The original delivery of the satchels was made by Castle Parcel and the eventual pick-up was done by a Poste Haste uniformed driver in a plain white van.

1 | 2