The Times investigation on Hermes

[Ozzy]

What's your thoughts on this @JEREMY HAWKE ? My know that Hermes are the courier of choice for Parcels2Go who @TheFairyBoutique uses for her deliveries, which do often get returned or go missing.

What could the fall out be for major retailers who use Hermes, no one wants this happening to their customers goods.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1471597724592189443

 

[japancool]

The thing is, this is hardly new. I remember a similar story about Hermes some years ago, yet nothing happened bar some platitudes from the management.

 

[Ozzy]

Wow I wasn't expecting the forum software to pull in the whole tweet and videos; but anyway...

That's been my response too @japancool ; I expect nothing to change and they will remain cheap and these stories will be forgotten once the headlines change.

 

[japancool]

2 years ago:

'Playing football with parcels' - leaked photos at Hermes Yorkshire depot show what really goes on

Delivery company Hermes has launched an investigation after shocking photos emerged of packages strewn in the back of one of its vans and scattered…

www.yorkpress.co.uk

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

This has always been an historic way of doing business chuck it drive over it and leave it in the rain and that's just at the depot
These business have always been big companies but in no time have become global super companies .
The actual complaint rate is low but due to the volumes a low parentage of a high number is alot of complaints !
Their route causes are always
Over trading
Over promising
Lack of customer service
No aftersales service and no staff training couple with a we don't care culture
The biggest problem in the industry are the low margins. The industry has always been too scared to raise prices .
The customers don't want to here it but prices need to go up to bring the desired service

 

[MBE2017]

The Post Office and most other parcel carriers are the same, does anyone really believe guys on NMW truly care if that parcel is the right way up, or will walk a few extra miles each evening when they can throw the parcel a few yards?

I agree it is wrong, but once despatched, the sender blames the carrier, the carrier blames poor packaging, the client moans at both but wants delivery even cheaper.

As mentioned, you get what you pay for most of the time.

 

[UrbanRetail]

During my early twenties, I had a short stint as a courier and I can't recall one single positive.

Pay = crap
Hours = crap
Managers = crap
Customers = crap

I don't think we'll see improvements with the current providers until a disrupter enters the market, and changes peoples perception of what a top-quality service actually is (and costs).

 

[japancool]

The problems of mishandling in depots is not that hard to solve. Just put up some cameras and tell the staff they are being monitored.

 

[japancool]

Last week, we sent out a parcel via Hermes. The customer received the contents just fine.

But, the customer received it in a blue bag, badly sealed with clear parcel tape. We sent it out in a box. Our box must have been opened, and the contents put into a bag, the label re-printed and stuck on. Now, Hermes don't do that as a matter of course if the box had been damaged. It makes me suspicious. We would never have known if the customer hadn't asked - he got suspicious at the way the parcel was packaged when he received it.

 

[Ozzy]

The customers don't want to hear it but prices need to go up to bring the desired service

I don't think we'll see improvements with the current providers until a disrupter enters the market, and changes peoples perception of what a top-quality service actually is (and costs).

This is the issue, people don't want to pay sensible prices. They'll spend £1,000 on a new TV but won't be prepared to pay more than a tenner for it to be delivered.

Just put up some cameras and tell the staff they are being monitored.

This is probably the way it will go, but it's a shame that it would be addressed by surveillance rather than making changes to people can be feel proud of the work they do.

 

[UrbanRetail]

The likes of Amazon and eBay have brought about the age of FREE delivery. FAST & FREE!!

Customers have come to expect this as a given now, regardless of where they shop.

Pay for delivery? Preposterous.

People want better than high street prices and they want it delivered for free. Parcels being mistreated behind the scenes is a consequence.

 

[IanSuth]

Same in any industry where the staff are not invested in the success of the company

When i was 16 (and a half) i worked in Tescos for £1.68 per hour in the run up to Xmas. Me and a mate were tasked with restocking the butter after the store shut but there were other cages in the way when we got out from the warehouse, as we had been told we could go when we were done I threw every box over a line of 5 or 6 cages to him (he caught most of them) then i squeezed through and we put them on the shelves, the ones he missed catching we had to reshape a few pats from each box back to normal but hey we got to go home quicker