Initial City-Link’s delivery policies
I recently ordered some Christmas presents from an online retailer who was using Initial City-Link to deliver them. This made me quite happy as I see them on average once a week at least for all sorts of deliveries so they usually don’t get the address wrong.
The package was scheduled to arrive on a morning delivery (pre 12:00) one day and I had to go out that afternoon. I was “carded” (they couldn’t deliver it and left a card saying “We called whilst you were away) at around 13:50 that afternoon, so I called the supplier who confirmed it was supposed to come that morning. They arranged for it to be re-delivered the next day although they didn’t promise it would be done that morning, but they said they would try.
The following day the morning and afternoon passed so I called the supplier after I could not reach City-Link myself other than an automated line which said they had tried to deliver it twice.. Their website still said it was in the van.. They had similar problems getting through to City-Link but I was lucky as they had one person on the phone with them and the rep who was helping me sent her colleague an Instant Message (IM) with my delivery reference and they confirmed it would be going back to the depot and I could collect it that evening.
So I went to the depot to collect it and sure enough they found the package. I mentioned they had never called that day and they first said it wasn’t on the van, then they checked their computer and said it had been on the van and they did try to deliver it.. I asked what time this was considering I was home all day and never heard a knock or had a card through the letterbox at which point she duly informed me “Well maybe they never got around to you..”
I wasn’t aware City-Link’s definition of a “delivery” is “trying to get around to you” but there we go.
January 16th, 2007 at 12:23 am
City-Links definition of “delivery” is shared by ParcelForce. However they have several other definitions:
1. Can’t be bothered to find you because our postcode database is at least 3 years out of date compared to our sister company, Royal Mail, so we don’t know where you are. We didn’t bother asking anyone for directions, nor did we think that you might be within 50 yards of a house we did have a listing for that had the same postcode as you.
2. Can’t be bothered to use the directions that you have given us in writing in the past so we can find you. After all, just because DHL, TNT, City-Link and UPS can find you, that doesn’t mean we can.
3. Can’t be bothered to deliver when we say we will because we run out of time. Our delivery vans turn into pumpkins if our drivers haven’t clocked off back at the depot by 5:30pm. After all, your parcel is neither important nor valuable, so you can always wait until the next week.
4. Can’t be bothered to update our website with factual information so that, despite our website saying the parcel is “Held at Depot”, you can freely drive a 50 mile round trip to our depot to find that actually, it’s on our van and we’re out delivering it, which means you probably won’t bet at home when we finally turn up. That assumes we can be bothered to read the directions you have now given us twice.
February 9th, 2007 at 2:08 am
Since this experience, I had another wonderful encounter, this time trying to send a package. They advised me that I could take it to the local depot by 19:30 (or whatever the time was..) and confirmed I would be paying by credit card. Then when I called 45 minutes before the depot was due to close to confirm, I was told that the depot would close in 15 mins (half an hour earlier than I was originally advised) and that credit card payments could only be processed before 5pm. Ever get the feeling they don’t want you as a customer??
February 16th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
Your story reminds me of my experiences with UPS before Xmas, Seb. For four days, their tracking system said my package was scanned out for delivery. When I phoned, they said they couldn’t find it. A letter to the MD later, I got an embarrassed phone call to explain that they were so busy that they were just scanning packets and leaving them in the depot.
Oddly enough, where I live, City Link are one of the most reliable carriers.
February 16th, 2007 at 3:29 pm
The City-Link delivery drivers here are usually great.. This seems to be a depot issue mostly.. I have a lot of deliveries from City-Link. TNT is good too here..
February 23rd, 2009 at 2:21 pm
I have had a bad experience with Citylink, Here is my letter regarding same to my supplier Lambatek:
Dear Mr Reddy
I am writing this, after eventually being able to get in touch with the courier “Citylink” who were delivering my order: LAMBDA1234442948.
I have no longer any interest in doing business with this company now, or ever again in the future. I found them dishonest, saying that they had tried to deliver the article, which was not true. They left neither advice that they had been to my address, or tried to reach me by phone to ask for alternative arrangements. I had left a note on my door to say what was to be done with the delivery if I were not in! That note in still on my door. I find this company not only dishonest but unprofessional, abrupt and uncooperative, after having spoken to them.
In view of above I would ask you to redeliver my order via an alternative courier.
Kind regards