Recommended Courier Service?

[Ian Clyde]

Hi,

Does anyone out there have recommendations for a decent courier service? I have used Despatch Bay (using DHL) for the last 2 years and used to be great on cost and service. Now DHL domestic services have sold out to 'Yodel'/Home Delivery Network and their service now is next to useless, I've had more upset customers in the last few weeks than I've had in the last 2 years altogether.

Any recommendations gratefully accepted!

Thanks.

Ian.

[Paul Bulpit]

Depends how many parcels you send but Interlink get good reports at the moment and email the customer with a delivery slot;

Fedex don't cause us many problems but expensive for parts of Scotland - so we use CityLink as well, though any service is only as good as the driver.....

[Sean Williams]

As usual I recommend UPS. Never lost a parcel. Next day very reliable. Customer receives emails as the status of the package/delivery progresses/changes.
TIP: their sales peeps have just been instructed with better discounts off the standard tab for new customers, which makes them competitive for overseas and European stuff now.
They are a bit pricier than the opposition, but worth every penny for the peace of mind IMHO.
DHL (YODEL) have become unreliable I agree.

[chris ashdown]

We ditched DHL last year after loosing a nmber of parcels and basically not giving a damn

We went to DPD who surprised us with cost to both Near Europe and UK along with emailed or sms delivery time messages

Royal Mail also have a new service they were trying to sell me which might be worth looking into

[Ian Clyde]

Paul/Sean/Chris,
Thats great, thanks for those thoughts, I'll make a start by following up on these suggestions first...thanks again guys.

Ian.

[Darren B]

we have been using UPS for a while and all seems good.

If you dont have many parcels and cant get the pricing then you can use some of the companys that take a margin but you book everything with them, theres a number on the internet. If you do choose this root avoid interparcel their customer service is has to be the worst i have ever come across, it took me 10 weeks to settle a claim for a lost item by DHL, who as it happens i wont use anymore due to failed collections and lost items.

so for me UPS and Royalmail

[mje]

I ship perishable goods and use Interlink Express "by 9.30" or "by 12.30" next day, best part of 10 years now and never been let down.....yet.

For orders over 2kg that are not perishable we use "Fastaway Couriers" ....... supposed to be next day, and mostly it is, but can take longer, but for £5.95 / £7.95 plus VAT for up to 30kg, it's OK.

Anything under 2kg is sent Royal Mail.

[Paul Bulpit]

"Fastaway Couriers"

Incorrect spelling but I know who you mean - NOT RECOMMENDED.

For a start, you have to pay upfront to buy 'tickets'; secondly, if you lose your local depot your tickets are worthless; thirdly, they do not have nationwide coverage, if they don't have a franchise where you are sending, they give it to P/Force - that's why it sometimes takes longer.

MJE, PM me if you are interested in a quantity of brown tickets, as my local franchisee went bust so I can't use them.

Paul

[mje]

I think the problem with Fastway is that it is fragmented, but if you can work with in their limitations then you can save a good deal of money on deliveries that are not urgent.

Maybe we are just lucky but the gut who owns the franchise here works very hard, is reliable and always contactable....clearly not the same everywhere, but for now suits my needs.

[gpzzone]

DPD Get my vote, with Parcelforce a close second, especially if you ship worldwide.

I endorse everything you say about DHL, they are on the slide in a big way. they have recently sacked most of their delivery drivers, and now rely on part timers who get it delivered into their garage, and deliver to your customers whenever they fancy - dreadful business model, dreadful quality of service.

[Paul Bulpit]

I think the problem with Fastway is that it is fragmented, but if you can work with in their limitations then you can save a good deal of money on deliveries that are not urgent.

Maybe we are just lucky but the gut who owns the franchise here works very hard, is reliable and always contactable....clearly not the same everywhere, but for now suits my needs.

Mark, 'mje', move into the real world. You are in business, you know how it works, you know what it's like.

FW is a dead duck - would YOU take on a FW franchise?

A huge proportion of new clutching-at-straws businesses are dead ducks.... don't get me started. Sign of the times.

[mje]

I would ditch them in the blink of an eye if they let me down, but to date I have received the service I pay for, not sure what more anyone could ask for?

Of course Fastway will of let others down,like wise they will have satisfied customers, just like all couriers have.

35th year in "retail" this year so have earnt my place in the "real world"

[Paul Bulpit]

In that case Mark, a tip - did you know that you can buy FW tickets on eBay and save yourself some money? You'd be doing a favour to the people selling them on there.

[mje]

My understanding is that you can only use tickets purchased from the franchise or local depot ?

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/fo...d.php?t=103380

You will enjoy that thread Paul......

I have only ever relayed who we use, not insisted others do the same.

[Paul Bulpit]

That thread is over two years old and the last post, #9, supports my view. They don't track the labels.

Granted, in principle to use such labels would be doing your RF & CF out of funds but they wouldn't know unless they were told - and if told, they'd be bound not to accept them wouldn't they.

Personally I prefer this more up-to-date thread.