What is key with Hermes is the person who does the deliveries. My current one is very good and reliable, the one before that was a nightmare. I avoided them when he was doing it but am happy to use them now.
This - same fella for Hermes comes down our rd twice a day, has done for weeks, good as gold
Re the ‘don’t buy from companies who use Hermes’ solution - one of the problems is that you don’t necessarily know the company uses Hermes for its deliveries until after you’ve paid and you get a nice email from Hermes.
It is true, no delivery company is perfect but some are less perfect than others. For some reason Hermes do better with larger items. Maybe they are harder to lose!
Have found products I want to buy, found company uses Hermes, phoned company and said I want to buy but absolutely now way will I use Hermes. Some are suprised (because they don't realise they are losing trade that way) and have had some that will send my order through normal Royal Mail (not without its own problems and randomly-located black holes (Lewisham Sorting Office certainly used to have its own inexplicable space-time continuum), but agree with above: Hermes are dreadful.
Do think worth telling suppliers this though, because these things are usually for a period contract and if they know that people are shopping elsewhere because they actually want the thing to arrive, and if it does arrive, not be broken, eventually Hermes will lose enough business that they either give up or sort it out.
What is key with Hermes is the person who does the deliveries. My current one is very good and reliable, the one before that was a nightmare. I avoided them when he was doing it but am happy to use them now.
This - same fella for Hermes comes down our rd twice a day, has done for weeks, good as gold
Before turning to the dark side, I used to drive for Securicor-Omega/DHL after takeover (the depot is now Yodel)
A delivery/courier company is only as good as its staff. If your loaders can't be arsed to pack containers/vans properly (heavy items to the bottom and in order of delivery) the chances of even the best liveried driver delivering on time and in good condition is reduced. The most important thing is that the driver knows their route (as I learnt to my cost when covering rural routes when the regular drivers were on holiday), sat navs can really ruin your day.
Most drivers are sent out with volumes that are impossible to deliver within their hours and without breaking the speed limits. There's often a huge amount of pressure placed on their shoulders.
Hermes use a lot of owner drivers, many part time and driving a range of vehicles, including private cars. That's great if they're from the delivery area and know where and when they can deliver (the number of people who used to order mobile phones, which required signatures, to be delivered to their home addresses during the day, when all resident at that address would be out never ceased to amaze me). I've been very pleased to get deliveries from Hermes at times when almost no-one else will deliver.
I've had great, and awful, experiences with virtually all the courier companies, none of them are perfect, especially when we're talking about imported goods subject to a Customs declaration and charge.
When placing an order with an organisation, you should be able to select your carrier. That would incentivise carriers to up their game, rather than be complacent, just because eg Next only ever uses Hermes.
Agree that Hermes are shockingly bad, but there are other contenders vying for the title of worst company ever.
Yodel are also chite. Parcelforce can be more “Parcelfarce” at times. the biggest issue with *all* of them is that it’s almost impossible to speak with someone when there is a problem. Everything is automated and online. I once had a DPD delivery re-routed to my local Johnson’s dry cleaners as it’s a pick-up point. That was what I needed at the time - but now *anything* a company sends via DPD is sent automatically there despite me making changes to have it default back to my home address instead. 🤬
I have never had a problem with deliveries I have sent or items I have recieved, Hermes have always given me a first class service. I have sold a number of items over the years on ebay and always use Hermes to send the item. I have over 250 positive feebacks on ebay and have never had a complaint about my Hermes delivery being late or damaged.
Agree that Hermes are shockingly bad, but there are other contenders vying for the title of worst company ever.
Yodel are also chite. Parcelforce can be more “Parcelfarce” at times. the biggest issue with *all* of them is that it’s almost impossible to speak with someone when there is a problem. Everything is automated and online. I once had a DPD delivery re-routed to my local Johnson’s dry cleaners as it’s a pick-up point. That was what I needed at the time - but now *anything* a company sends via DPD is sent automatically there despite me making changes to have it default back to my home address instead. 🤬
Sounds like they have really taken you to the cleaners on this one.
It is true, no delivery company is perfect but some are less perfect than others. For some reason Hermes do better with larger items. Maybe they are harder to lose!
Was reminded how terrible Hermes was when I received a ‘sorry you’re weren’t at home’ message on Friday at 17.01 (somewhat coincidentally at 5pm given I was working from home so definitely was home) and am now away for the next few days.
Is it that hard to provide the option to redirect a delivery to someone other than an immediate neighbour? I’d even pay a bit for the convenience! Apparently it is too hard...
It is true, no delivery company is perfect but some are less perfect than others. For some reason Hermes do better with larger items. Maybe they are harder to lose!
Or steal!
This can be a genuine issue. Happens with the Royal Mail too. But ultimately, what is important is the checks and balances the company puts in. I think there is a need for Government standards in relation to dealing with complaints. I can think of mail services and airlines at the top of my head who use the lack of legislation against the customer.
Other half is selling some stuff we cleared out in lockdown on Ebay. She's switched to Hermes after getting downvoted (or whatever it's called) on Ebay after Royal Mail didn't deliver something on time. So far, so good. There's nearly always someone in at ours so we generally get good service from delivery couriers, but the post is shocking these days (and I don't blame the postie, he's generally reliable).
Was reminded how terrible Hermes was when I received a ‘sorry you’re weren’t at home’ message on Friday at 17.01 (somewhat coincidentally at 5pm given I was working from home so definitely was home) and am now away for the next few days.
Is it that hard to provide the option to redirect a delivery to someone other than an immediate neighbour? I’d even pay a bit for the convenience! Apparently it is too hard...
On several occasions with Hermes I've been informed that the parcel has been delivered when it hasn't having stayed in to receive it and its subsequently turned up two or three days later. On one of these occasions the item was badly damaged.
I'm not clear why they lie and why its impossible to contact their customer service. It's almost like they want to p*** you off.
The only other alternative is to use a local Argos etc to get it delivered to so at least you don't have to stay in and waste your time.
One of the biggest problems i find with couriers say against royal mail, is my post/parcels are delivered between 10.30 and 11.00 every day with royal mail. with couriers it could be anytime in the day, if i am expecting something and it hasn't come by 11 I know it isn't coming that day, cannot say the same for couriers, although i have had the odd message it will be delivered between 9-1pm and err never arrived from a courier.
The Hermes delivery people round my way used to be a nightmare, volleying stuff onto the garage roof leaving packages on the door step for the day and the crowning glory was when one of their drivers was recorded dumping a load of parcels at the side of the road in a final act of defiance
Since then the lad who delivers stuff is bang on, lovely bloke
I ordered an item from John Lewis last Thursday (14) and as you all know they use Hermes. I have checked their website and it has been promised for
delevery yesterday,monday between 2pm and 4 pm,and never came. The same goes for today 2pm-4pm still not arrived. I have tried phoning Hermes and
John Lewis both with no response. Should I be cocerned yet or wait a few more days. After reading all your bad messages about Hermes I'm a little
worried.
Standard practice for Herpes is to not bother delivering the first two times, then poke a card through your letterbox saying you were out on the third attempt. They'll then say you can go and pick up at your local depot in Addis Ababa or rearrange delivery for a fortnight's time.
I ordered an item from John Lewis last Thursday (14) and as you all know they use Hermes. I have checked their website and it has been promised for
delevery yesterday,monday between 2pm and 4 pm,and never came. The same goes for today 2pm-4pm still not arrived. I have tried phoning Hermes and
John Lewis both with no response. Should I be cocerned yet or wait a few more days. After reading all your bad messages about Hermes I'm a little
worried.
Nope that is the norm , it will arrive 3rd or 4th time . I’d rather the bullshit didn’t happen of ‘it’s gonna be delivred between this and that time’ and then the further bullshit of ‘we attempted to deliver but no one was in’ fuck off im a hermit and I’m always in you pricks .
Has anyone used Royal Mail Tracked 24 via click and drop before? If you have, let me know if it's a reliable service. Looking at selling a few items on eBay and considering using this.
I once spent one of my summer breaks from Uni working in a Hermes distribution centre. It was shocking. We were trained to throw stuff into the lorry as fast as possible and with no thought that it'd damage the product and if we took care and placed things down we would get shouted at for not meeting targets. There was also a whiteboard that was regularly updated to show how many arrests there had been on site each month (staff would commonly open packages and steal items if it was of value), it was commonly in the double digits. Avoid Hermes if you can.
Has anyone used Royal Mail Tracked 24 via click and drop before? If you have, let me know if it's a reliable service. Looking at selling a few items on eBay and considering using this.
If you're selling anything valuable or fragile then steer clear of Hermes. I've not had a problem with deliveries from Royal Mail but some of this comes down to cost and whether you need the item tracked.
Tracking gives you peace of mind if selling on Ebay.
Comments
A delivery/courier company is only as good as its staff. If your loaders can't be arsed to pack containers/vans properly (heavy items to the bottom and in order of delivery) the chances of even the best liveried driver delivering on time and in good condition is reduced. The most important thing is that the driver knows their route (as I learnt to my cost when covering rural routes when the regular drivers were on holiday), sat navs can really ruin your day.
Most drivers are sent out with volumes that are impossible to deliver within their hours and without breaking the speed limits. There's often a huge amount of pressure placed on their shoulders.
Hermes use a lot of owner drivers, many part time and driving a range of vehicles, including private cars. That's great if they're from the delivery area and know where and when they can deliver (the number of people who used to order mobile phones, which required signatures, to be delivered to their home addresses during the day, when all resident at that address would be out never ceased to amaze me). I've been very pleased to get deliveries from Hermes at times when almost no-one else will deliver.
I've had great, and awful, experiences with virtually all the courier companies, none of them are perfect, especially when we're talking about imported goods subject to a Customs declaration and charge.
the biggest issue with *all* of them is that it’s almost impossible to speak with someone when there is a problem. Everything is automated and online. I once had a DPD delivery re-routed to my local Johnson’s dry cleaners as it’s a pick-up point. That was what I needed at the time - but now *anything* a company sends via DPD is sent automatically there despite me making changes to have it default back to my home address instead. 🤬
There's nearly always someone in at ours so we generally get good service from delivery couriers, but the post is shocking these days (and I don't blame the postie, he's generally reliable).
I'm not clear why they lie and why its impossible to contact their customer service. It's almost like they want to p*** you off.
The only other alternative is to use a local Argos etc to get it delivered to so at least you don't have to stay in and waste your time.
Since then the lad who delivers stuff is bang on, lovely bloke
Apologies for the late arrival on this thread. I have two words for Hermes:
Thieving C***s!!!!
Best of luck to you
it will arrive 3rd or 4th time .
I’d rather the bullshit didn’t happen of ‘it’s gonna be delivred between this and that time’ and then the further bullshit of ‘we attempted to deliver but no one was in’ fuck off im a hermit and I’m always in you pricks .
There was also a whiteboard that was regularly updated to show how many arrests there had been on site each month (staff would commonly open packages and steal items if it was of value), it was commonly in the double digits.
Avoid Hermes if you can.
Tracking gives you peace of mind if selling on Ebay.