Interlink “Express”
Posted: Thu 24 November, 2005 Filed under: Customer Services, Thoughts 1 Comment »Well, not just Interlink, but a large number of delivery companies in general.
In a similar vein to the Parcelforce farce earlier this month, I ordered some stuff from Jessops on-line shop last week. Nothing special, just a soft case for the “old” Fuji S5000 camera, a polarising filter for the new camera, and a couple of spare lens-covers. (I’m forever losing them, somehow, so spares are normally a good idea) I’ve ordered stuff through them before and it’s all come through fine.
This time though, for no good reason that I can find, they used Interlink Express. So on Friday we had a card through the door that basically said “we tried, we’ve taken it back to the depot”. No other information on it at all, and even the tick-boxes on the card for “we’ve taken it back”, “we’ll try again on Monday” or “we’ve left it at a neighbours” weren’t filled in. So – no help at all then. Joy.
It then turns out that the local depot is a) in the arse end of nowhere, and b) is only open 9-5 Monday to Friday. Well, that’s bloody useful. So how’m I supposed to get my stuff if they won’t even be open for me to collect it?
I rang them up, and actually ended up with someone who seemed to know what they were up to. No, we’re not at home for receiving the parcel today. No, we won’t be in during the week at all. Can I get you to leave it with a neighbour? No, I don’t know which one. Oh, I’ve got to give them a card that says they’re authorised to take the package, and only then will your guy give it to them? Fuck that – I don’t know which one will be in or not. Oh, hang on, can you deliver it to my work place? Yeah, no problem. Ok, do that.
It’s worth also bearing in mind that the delivery label when I eventually got the package also says “do not redirect – deliver only to address on label”. Still, at least we’ve got the stuff now. But why do companies insist on using delivery companies that can only handle stuff Monday-Friday? It’s something that constantly annoys me, this seemingly casual attitude towards people/customers, and a lack of understanding that people work for a living, and might not be available at home on Monday-Friday…
By comparison, I ordered a PSP “Giga Pack” from dabs.com / gameplay.co.uk yesterday, and it arrived today in the post. No problem at all, and quick and easy to do. Although Herself has insisted I wait ’til Christmas before I can use it…
In my former life we used interlink because the company said we had to, besides we couldn’t afford the budget to get a decent courier. Time after time things came in broken, damaged, smashed to sh** or in pieces………. hence the nickname ‘intersmash’ was born.