Trouble with DHL - Again!

maireadmarie

I have had dealings with DHL three times, and each time I have had trouble. The last time was this week - I was expecting an item, I was told by the sender he had been told by DHL Germany it had arrived in Ireland. A card arrived in the mail saying they had called and I was not here. They had not, I work from home, I (and two other people) were here all day). I rang the number given on the card; an Eircom voice said the number was obsolete; I found the number in the telephone book and rang, and said I had been here all day! For instance, why was the card not put in the letter-box if they had really tried to deliver? The girl on the phone said the address had been incomplete! I asked how then I got the note, with the full and complete address on? She couldn't explain (I didn't expect her to be able to) and I was promised delivery yesterday - no delivery! I rang this morning to be told it was on its way - no, they couldn't tell me the time! I rang later, to be told there was a hitch! Guess what, the item has gone to the wrong loading-bay - it won't arrive until tomorrow! If ever! If I were DHL in Germany, I would get over here quickly and see what is happening in the Dublin office! Or are they just the same? If so, expect DHL to go down the tubes some time soon! I asked to speak to a supervisor, and was told it is not possible! What a mess!
Is there a consumer body which could help with this kind of problem? In future, when buying in Germany, I will specify 'No deal if DHL are the delivery agency', but that's not much help at the moment!

maireadmarie

I'm waiting to see what happens this morning with my parcel, I'm a little curious to see, in the event it doesn't arrive, what today's excuse will be!:D Mad Laugh Ha Ha Ha Ha...Does anyone want to vote?
1. We called again and you weren't there

2. Our Van broke down

3.We went to the wrong village

4.We stubbed our toe and couldn't drive

5. Guess what, it went to the wrong loading bay again!

6. We hadn't another parcel for out there in the sticks so hard luck!

7. We don't like the sound of you on the phone so that will be a sentence of
three more days waiting time, no appeal!

8. And no you can't speak to a supervisor because we only let him out from
the cupboard where he's tied up for five minutes and he has other things
to do then!

Ha, Ha, b...y Ha!!!!

UPDATE: The parcel arrived, about half an hour ago! DHL said the address was incomplete!
Guess what they did! They covered the full and complete address written by the sender with a big daub of transparent! paper and scrawled the address on again! And you can see the originally written, complete and identical address through their paper!

mcaul

DHL are part of Deutsche Post World Net and also own Securicor Omega and other delivery services.

They have approx. 70% of the german mail & parcel market so there is very little choice when ordering product from germany.

They can have problems as can fedex (sometimes dreadful) and UPS (probably the best) but as with all companies, the person who you talk to on the phne is not to blame and they can be as helpful / unhelpful as they wish. Change your manner when talking to these people and you will be amazed at how helpful they can be. - they have contact numbers for all drivers and can have the driver return to you if the driver is still in the area.

As for DHL going down the tube - they are immensly profitable and current market value is €25.4 BILLION with annual profits of almost €2.7 BILLION.

maireadmarie

I wish it were as easy as that, but thanks for the input!
I always make an effort on the telephone to be reasonable, and in general no-one takes exception to my manner. However, I have found that in the case we are discussing now, it leads to one being taken advantage of, fobbed-off, and expected to put up with all kinds of excuses. To receive a card in the mail saying someone has called when you know they didn't because you were there, to ring the company and be told the actual reason for non-delivery was different i.e. incomplete address, when the card contradicts this excuse (besides the mystery as to why if they say they were there they found it necessary to post the card), to ring days in succession to be told the parcel had gone to the wrong depot, to be told without explanation that they wouldn't be coming this way today, to be told that they called to the local shop next door looking for you and no-one had ever heard of you when your friends all work there and you have a position of responsibility in the community such that everyone in the village more than a few months does know you; to know after three experiences with DHL that this is always going to be the way with them and you, to be unable to contact a supervisor except the time you rang the UK and they got you through to a Dubliln supervisor who sorted your delivery in a day, this is Frustration, Anxiety, Loss of Faith, Hope and Charity! This is a total ebbing-away of confidence in a company which, no matter how much business they do now, will eventually paralyse them, if it shared by many others. Such a company should not be confident of its future - little waves of discontent become tsunamis; I heard about the company and the Ryder Cup tickets, and I sympathized with the unhappy customers! I will not deal with DHL again! Believe me, I will not!

maireadmarie

I have an explanation for all my problems with DHL, and no doubt the same explanation will cater for other disillusioned customers among you too!
DHL is a giant computer! You cannot contact It to make comments, which I tried to do, or to ask questions, or to make complaints! This is because there is Nobody there! There are lots of people working in the front office,(like in the Wizard of OZ) but No-one behind the scenes, just a Giant Computer! So when something goes wrong, there is Nobody there! Scary, scary DHL! End of Story!

parsi

I also got a card once from GLS telling me that they couldn't deliver because my address was invalid. Strangely the courier turned up at the dor the following day no problems.

maireadmarie

Hey, I really enjoyed your pics when I followed the link - some were quite revealing! No sign of a DHL van in there, by any chance?
I think I'll forget my troubles and get snapping!
Many thanks,
Maireadmarie

parsi

Thanks !

maireadmarie

I've bought something from Germany again, but this time I checked to see the service they use. Having found two sellers first with the same goods who were sending DHL, I found someone who wasn't - fingers crossed this goes well. This is the way I will have to make purchases again if the goods are in Germany.
DHL, there're no hard feelings, really; it's probably not your fault you weren't up to it, so I've forgiven you. It's a shame that no matter where I wrote to you, DHL, you never replied, and that does upset a customer!! Seems to me there is a business space here for a courier company who can do better, and who will actually listen to its customers Let's hope someone sees a business opportunity!

parsi

I don't know about any of the others. I bought stuff from an ebay seller in Germany and he used DPD to send the iem. DPD would have a good rep and they are handled in Ireland by Interlink who also have a good rep.

Imagine my surprise when I got a call from a multinational call centre down the road from me - Interlink who have delivered to my workplace many times (think of multiple Dell shipments over the past 8 years) delivered my lens to a company further down the road with a name that isn't even vaguely similar to my workplace eg Microsoft Computers V Johnsons Dump Trucks. I checked the label and it was clear as day on both the original label and an additonal shippers label.... sheesh...

maireadmarie

I saw something on German Ebay I really wanted and bid, there were three minutes to go and no bids! Then I realised, horrors, the above company was the courier - after all I had said. I felt like kicking myself - the auction ended, and I was outbid! It's the first time I've felt grateful to a sniper

Matamoros

I have done work for DHL many times as a Driver and their staff are hard working and generally professional, they ship an incredible amount of freight and yes, things go wrong as you might expect with so many people handling your parcel. Unless things have changed, the Driver does go to your house and if there is no answer hand-writes out a card with the air-waybill number and the time that they tried to deliver. Usually, I would try to drop it next door if there was no answer at the delivery address. The Driver has to bring the package back to base and do paperwork on it and try again the next day so it doesn't pay him not to get to you first time. Is there any time in the day when you will be always out? Sometimes, around the school run times, i seemed to miss people who were then pissed as they were only out for "ten minutes" all day. The main cause of non delivery is bad addresses but DHL do screw up on a percentage of them too. If you are receiving any delivery from DHL, ask the sender to tell you the air-waybill number when they are sending it and you can track it online and ask the Dublin office when will it be delivered etc. Do you live in a very remote place?

Captain Trips

Maybe it's just luck with these deliveyr companies. I have every faith in DHL and never had a package go even a day late and always delivered.

However, as I mentioned in a previous post, I have had the misfortune to use UPS three times, and al three times were screwed up.

I am beginning to think that different companies have different maps/GPS and simply can find some places easily and others not so.

However, it is one of the the most infuriating things in the world to be told "No-one at delivery address" when you've stayed all day IMHO.

maireadmarie

Matamouros, I admire your loyalty to your employer; I hope they would do the same for you. I have

never managed to contact them in Ireland to make a complaint.
These are the facts:
I received a card by post, stamped and postmarked, telling me I had not been there the previous day

when DHL tried to make a delivery. There is always someone here. We never leave the house

unattended. Never!
The card was posted. Not dropped in. I rang the number on it. A voice on the phone said the number was

obsolete. I got a number from the phone book. A female voice told me that the real reason for

non-delivery was an incomplete address. Despite the card.
I contacted the seller in Germany. He maintained the parcel was well-labelled with my name and

addressed from the Ebay site; I had also confirmed this to him on completing the purchase, as is my usual

practice.
I was told I would get delivery the next day. I didn't. I was told on the phone the article had gone to the

wrong depot.
I got annoyed. But I was polite. The female voice on the phone adopted a schoolteacher attitude - "Do

you want the goods tomorrow or not?"
The goods arrived the next day. There were tears on the surface - and a label scrawled on with my

address. Under this scrawled and transparent label, could be plainly seen my address as inscribed by the

seller in Germany. I have retained this label and paper.
On the previous, second occasion that I had dealings with DHL a card arrived by post. The card was

stamped and postmarked. I was told on the phone they had called to the local shop, where I am extremely

well-known, as is where I live. There is no-one in the shop who does not know me or my family. The

manager said DHL had not been there. He knows the van. The garage next door gets goods delivered by

DHL.
I waited. Nothing happened. I phoned the office. I was told they were unable to make a delivery that day.

Or the next. I asked to speak to a supervisor. I was asked "Why?" I was told I had been told all there

was to know. I rang UK DHL. They rang Ireland for me, and I got a supervisor that way. He was nice

and efficient (hint - his surname is that of a famous lawman in the Wild West whose first name is used in

cricket, his first name begins with A.) I got my delivery that time. I tried to contact him the last time. I

was told he was away from his desk. I asked for someone else. There was no-one who could help. I wrote

to DHL in Germany. No reply. They are too busy making money, I suppose.
The second-last delivery came with a courier who said he was not DHL, but had been hired by them! From

which I concluded that they either had no-one to send, hence the lies, or no-one would go!
Captain Trips, perhaps you are right, perhaps you need to be lucky to get your delivery trouble-free.

What does that say for the efficiency of DHL.? People are getting away with something, because they can!
I bought something from Germany the other day. I told him I would buy it if it comes by a courier other

than DHL. I will not give them a fourth chance, sorry, Matamouros.

Matamoros

Hi maireadmarie, firstly, I worked for DHL as a contractor, I was self-employed and stood in for their own drivers when sick etc. I am no longer in that business but I did try my best to deliver people's packages.
I worked out of the Airport and Western Industrial Estate branches in Dublin so I can only say what I saw there. Since I left them, they have bought a few other businesses in Ireland, Securicor Omega who are an overnight delivery firm and had a terrible reputation in the industry and Danzas who specialise in heavier freight. Having a card sent to you in the post is a complete joke and surely is some sort of a lie going on here. As I said in my earlier post, neighbours or the local shop would suffice to drop your parcel unless they have changed policy and not allowed it anymore. They obviously have over stressed your patience and therefore have lost your business forever. I am glad to be out of this job as it sucks and is getting harder by the day.

maireadmarie

Oh, my God, Matamoros, not alone did I get your name wrong, but I've completely depressed you now! But thank you for listening! That's why you're not with DHL.

Matamoros

My stellar career finds me now at a car rental company which has a website which was created by irate customers to air their views on the bad experiences that they had. I can really pick 'em, my menial job means that I am not responsible and don't get the flak either.

maireadmarie

Who knows, Matamoros, maybe some day you'll found a delivery company of your own

Matamoros

Apart from the fact that I hate bull**** and con jobs that seem to be common in business. I like logic and rationality. Maybe something where I could work with intelligent and motivated people. Maybe do some good. What do you do?

maireadmarie

I am an 'at home' person - which is not to say, I do not work. Many and varied are my activities; I enable, subscribe, circumscribe, edit, applaud, organize, nourish, revitalize, observe, counter, rejoin and assess, among many other things. I approve of your search, Matamoros.

Matamoros

The recipients of those tender mercies are grateful I'm sure. You are smarter than the average bear MM. ( if you don't get that, it's a Yogi Bear reference ). Nice to have spoken to you, such as we have. I hope all your future parcels arrive on time and in good condition.

maireadmarie

Thank you, Matamoros, some of the recipients of my 'tender mercies' explained it to me. It was nice to talk to you too. Let us now join hands and pray that Santa Claus is not dependent on DHL or other delivery companies of that ilk.
But since the season of Goodwill approacheth, may God bless DHL and help it to do better in the New Year
And if trouble with DHL introduces one to the Matamoroses of this world, it cannot be all bad.

conical

I've used them twice recently with no problems.

Saw this in Venice made me chuckle


-C

Archeron

conical wrote:

I've used them twice recently with no problems.

Saw this in Venice made me chuckle

-C

Thats given me a good laugh, thank you.

Matamoros

Is that another thing that you bring to the " at home " party? Take care MM.

maireadmarie

Conical, I love your picture!
Matamoros, I wish you were the PR for DHL and their like - I would never have felt so angry! You take care too!

bmaxi

Matamoros wrote:

Is that another thing that you bring to the " at home " party? Take care MM.

QUOTE=maireadmarie]Conical, I love your picture!
Matamoros, I wish you were the PR for DHL and their like - I would never have felt so angry! You take care too![/QUOTE]

Will someone please throw a bucket of water over this pair.:D

god's toy

Dont get me started on DHL... 48Hrs turned into 2 weeks of madness...

maireadmarie

Well, it seems that Fate has given DHL another chance with me! I bought an item on Ebay from a German seller; it turns out that he is sending by DHL. I'm going to look on it as a test; the item is paid for and will probably be sent by tomorrow. When I know exactly when it has been sent, I will calculate, four days that it took Hermes for the last deliveries, and two or three extra because of the Christmas rush. I'll be reporting back what happens, in case anyone's interested. I'm pretty interested myself to see what happens.

Matamoros

You can then track it on their website, if it's come through the main overnight service even with delays at this time of year, two days should be more then enough. Deutsche Post who own DHL also own a few other companies so maybe the seller used those who have now a DHL logo on their business. There are other services that you can ask for such as a four day over-land delivery. If it's by air, it should be next day, in theory as you know.

FAO: bmaxi, Maireadmarie and I are not an item but we came together over a package. She seems civilised, intelligent and fun not unlike many boardsters and I am happy to converse with her even though the subject is quite mundane. Oh and bmaxi, take care. x

RonToole

I ordered a phone with Expansys.ie on the 28/11/2006. It was dispatched the following day. On the 01/12/2006 it arrived in Shannon, Co.Clare & was then dispatched to Limerick DHL Depot.

On the 03/12/2006 I rang DHL to question why my package had not arrived. They told me it was "lost" & they'd keep a search open for 24 hours on it. Next day I rang them & they told me the same thing. On ringing them a week later the girl told me that she could "unofficailly" tell me that someone had probably stolen it as this happens quite a lot in the Limerick Depot. Surprise Surprise!

I then rang Expansys.ie in Dublin where they told me that DHL would have to contact them & send them a Letter or Fax to say that they were taking responsibility for the "lost" package in order for Expansys to claim off of DHLs Insurance.

Everyday from there on in I was in contact with DHL & Expansys.ie to see where I stood with my order.

I am currently €600 down & Expansys won't re-issue me with a new phone unless DHL take responsibility for their F*** UP.

Today I was told by DHL that they had contacted Expansys to say that it was lost and that they have taken responsibility for it but when I rang Expansys they told me that DHL had not contacted them as of yet. WHO am I to believe???

I had no other choice but to contact my Solicitor today and ask her to contact both Firms to carry out Legal proceeding on this matter.

I mean it's a complete JOKE the way they can give a Customer the 'run around'. If I owed either of them €600 you can be guaranteed that they'd have my Neck in Court already.

I'm so angry & annoyed at the moment that I can't even stop thinking about it for 10 minutes. It furiates me to know that they have my money and I have no phone and now I have to go and get my Solicitor onto them. Bas*****.

This isn't my 1st dealing with DHL. I ordered a Monitor with them before & it was given a "Guided Tour" of Ireland before it got to me after 10 days, even though that I chose DHL Express 2 day Delivery on my order.

If anyone has anyother ideas can you please post them here.

Thanks for your help.

NEVER AGAIN

maireadmarie

Matamoros, thank goodness we are not an Item, because if we were, can you imagine what DHL would do with us? Having said which, you are a really nice person and it is a pleasure to talk to you here, a redeeming feature, as I said, of the DHL débacle. And I must say, the kind things you say do give one a boost, no harm in this sometimes grey world.
RonToole, it goes without saying that I feel for you - I know that anger that goes round and round, just like our packages. Stolen, now that's another thing, perhaps it's time a little garda investigation was instigated!
My test may not happen - initially when I bought my last item, I had asked the seller to change to Hermes or some other company, although he had already told me that he always uses DHL. (Seems they have a good reputation in Germany!) I sent him the link to this page - now he has decided to try and send 'mit Hermes'.
The most annoying thing about all this, is the sheer impossibility of contacting DHL in Germany to complain. Something, however, seems rotten in the Irish part of this company. Obviously, not every Irish customer is going to have a complaint - I expect there are good people in the company as well - but there seem to be enough gripes to sound loud warning bells!

parsi

Part of the issue is that DHL now encompasses so many services - Deutsche Post is virtually DHL but their stuff often comes via An Post. Other stuff comes via DHL road services and others via "traditional" DHL Express - all services end up in different depots.

spaceman1

All together now, to the air of The First Noel (or Nowell if you prefer):

When to DHL the angels did say,

Please take this package to Mankind today!

They parcelled it up and labelled it well,

So what a strange thing that it went down to Hell !

Chorus:

Oh, oh, DHL, DHL,

Gone is our Goodwill,

It's all gone to Hell !

Repeat: As many times as you like

maireadmarie

Ahh, the good old Christmas spirit!
You've a lovely voice there, Spaceman1

Matamoros

The original reason that I replied to this thread was that I hoped that I could help in some small way the people who were having trouble with their packages as I have some experience with DHL. Your experience is hugely negative and I hope that you get your phone and some compensation for your trouble. That would be fair. If someone has stolen your phone then that is DHL's problem and they should front up straight away and replace and deliver with the most minimum delay. I have done as much as I can in my previous posts to offer some help and I will leave this thread and people can vent and discuss as they see fit.

To MM, my regards.

maireadmarie

Why, Matamoros, I just realised we are both M & Ms. Please don't abandon us here with this thread, let's stick it out to the end! Your replies were all very encouraging, and I thought it was very honourable of you to come on in defence of DHL, and then to listen to what I had to say so fairly. That doesn't happen often in this cold world.
If you don't come back, I can only wish you a truly wonderful, special Christmas and a New Year that fulfils all your ambitions. This world badly needs people like you.
What am I waiting for, to happen next with DHL Ireland? Who knows!

Matamoros

Sorry MM and all, I am an incurable romantic. I am eternally hopeful.The funniest thing is that DHL's screw ups have brought me into contact with you all. I would love to work in a company that delivers on it's promises and is committed to the Customer. Still waiting though, currently with an American car rental firm who make a fair few mistakes and the Management are told to ' wing it '.
How can we move this thread on to get some result apart from it's quality as a vent?