Opinions on DHL shipping

[dhk]

As a Canadian the only service that makes any sense at all is USPS!

Brokerage fees by FedEx and UPS are incredibly high! I have no idea how DHL handles brokerage fees.

Some items from HS are just not worth the cost or hassle if they can not be sent via USPS.

This is especially true if you want/need items to be shipped to a post office box. UPS and FedEx won't allow shipping to a post office box so items coming via them mean wasting a whole day waiting for them to arrive, or making a very long drive right across to the other side of the city to pick it up myself.

Both FedEx and UPS have been known to leave a package outside my apartment door where anyone walking by could pick it up and walk off with it!

USPS/CanadaPost make things so much easier, and a heck of a lot cheaper (no brokerage fees) than either UPS or FedEx and presumably DHL.

My vote: USPS
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[jackpod]

Here is DHL for ya...

I was home yesterday, expecting a package via DHL, now here is the scenario. I live on 2.5 acres, my house sits back off the road, its about 200 feet from my front gate to the front door. I have a big shiny brass doorbell button next to the gate latch, which via DS10a when pressed fires an event that speaks and displays on the betabrite that someone is at the front gate (and the betabrite continues to show this message until I press a button on a touch screen). I waited all day, nothing showed. So I went out to get the mail and the newspaper and viola there is a DHL tag on the latch of the gate saying no one was home. So i called them and left specific instructions to leave the package inside the gate. Today again I waited, out of frustration I checked the website, there it said Delivery attempt no one home. So just to be sure I went out and pushed the big shiny brass doorbell button and when I went back in the house the log showed that Susi spoke "There is someone at the front gate" and the BetaBrite was displaying its message. So I once again got on the phone with DHL demanding that they redeliver my package. The customer service rep called the local DHL hub, they called the driver and the driver told the customer service rep "Well I honked my horn and no one came out".

Obviously I live in the country and If I did hear a car horn I doubt I would think it was for me. What about the big shiny brass doorbell button, it has to be 3" in diameter on a painted white wooden fence post right next to the gate latch

So Now I have to wait a 3rd day for my package because of the continued incompetence of DHL

Anyone care to guess what my vote would be??

[jackpod]

I wonder how this guy passed his drivers test

[AutomatedOutlet]

USPS does offer tracking now, we are looking into offering this service.

Rich, I don't think this is tracking, it's delivery confirmation - big difference.

[DC]

jackpod, why didn't he just open the gate and walk to the front door? Is it locked?

[Rupp]

jackpod, why didn't he just open the gate and walk to the front door? Is it locked?

No offense, but I wouldn't walk up to Jack's house. That's a lot of ground to cover if there's a big dog roaming around or even worse someone is sitting inside with a double barrel.

[jackpod]

jackpod, why didn't he just open the gate and walk to the front door? Is it locked?

DC, I guess you could consider it locked if you don't know how to raise the lever you know the typical flip up U shaped latch

[jackpod]

No offense, but I wouldn't walk up to Jack's house. That's a lot of ground to cover if there's a big dog roaming around or even worse someone is sitting inside with a double barrel.

Rupp, Thanks for the laugh, even Leslie (my wife) laughed

And then to top it all off, a couple hours later a CSR from the Phoenix DHL hub called, snidely asked "so you are having a delivery issue" well that went over like a lead balloon, and then she asked "are you sure your doorbell works" I told her the driver told the other CSR that he honked his horn and she again asked about the doorbell. I tried to explain to her that the gates and such are on sensors and that the house would have told me, she spouted "oh! I am not going to talk to a crazy person and hung up on me

Of course thanks to caller ID I was able to immediately return the call and spoke to a supervisor...

We will see if my package arrives and in what condition tomorrow

Jack

[completelyhis]

Jack,
I totally get your frustration. In fact, as an industry insider I would like to address the issue a bit. I've been in the industry for over 13 years, and I've done every thing from package handling, delivering, customer service, quality assurance, driver training, and much much more. I'm not saying that you have an ureasonable expectation of the driver to ring the bell, but I'm curious as to the orientation of the bell compared with the driver's approach on the driveway. Here's where I'm going with this:

1. The driver should not assume that he is going to enter through the gate. Even if it is not locked, as Rupp indicated (especially in rural areas), there could be dogs, animals that could get out, etc. Once a delivery driver strikes up a "relationship" with a "regular" and is given permission to go through the gate, this would be different, of course.

2. Assuming he is not entering the gate, he should approach your address in such a way as to eliminate or at least minimize the amount of backing he would have to do upon leaving the property. This is a basic professional driving principle.

3. Assuming he didn't drive right up to the entrance of your property and stare right at the gate, he may not have recognized the door bell as a door bell. maybe he wasn't looking for one (though he should have), maybe he was in a hurry, or whatever the case may be. No offense intended, but if it looked more like a conventional intercom station/keypad that one typically finds at a gate, he may have attempted to use it.

4. He probably scanned the property, looked for someone wandering around outside, perhaps looked for signs of life inside, maybe tapped the horn, and assumed no one was home. Most drivers will fill out the "door tag" while in the delivery van/truck, then run up, hang it, and leave. He (mistakenly) was likely not looking for a door bell, so didn't see it staring right at him. I know, its frustrating, and he totally should have seen it. I know - THIS IS WRONG. I am sure he didn't make nearly the effort that he should have. I'm just tyring to help you understand what could have been going on in his head.

So, having spent years in the biz (not with DHL, BTW), my suggestion would be to either display a stupid proof sign if you know you are getting a pacakge. Something like "DHL driver, please ring this bell and I'll come get the package" or something. Make it big and bold, of course. Another option would be to place a more permanent sign at the door bell, indicating it is there to be used for contacting the residents.

I've heard all sorts of complaints over the years, from customers as well as drivers. You would not believe how many drivers were unable to deliver a package because of locked gates, unmarked addresses, etc. I've had drivers get yelled at for going through a gate, and for not going through a gate...in the same day.

I had one driver that got so frustated on his rural route he began hanging wooden planks on posts and spray painting house numbers on them (no longer employed with us). I had another driver that went through a gate, didn't know the latch was defective, the prize stallion got out and was struck by a BMW. A car owner and stallion owner were quite upset that he used the (defective) gate - no longer with the company.

I could go on and on, but you get the point!

Hope all this rambling helps,

Ian

[bdickhaus]

UPS is still the absolute worst of them all.

Even though there is a secure delivery location, some (not all) UPS drivers refuse to deliver without a signature, even though it is not required. Today I signed the yellow "InfoNotice" so that the driver would leave the package. I found the notice I had signed crumpled up and tossed aside, and a new notice posted, and no delivery.

On top of that, I had an overnight, perishable package not delivered, which means the contents will be dumpster fodder by Monday.

I have never had this repeated ongoing low level of service from DHL, FedEx or USPS, only from UPS.

Bill

[Laldaas]

I am sorry to see so many negative responses in reguards to my company.

I am a UPS driver now for 12 years. All I can say is UPS is the best and has been around for a hundred years for a reason.

For anyone having and issues with with UPS take a moment to meet your driver. discuss your concerns and I can assure you after that human element has been established your service will be more sound.

Most people forget the driver is just trying to get the boxes off the truck and go home to his family.

[dhk]

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Most people forget the driver is just trying to get the boxes off the truck and go home to his family.
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Yes, you're right. And that has been the real problem for me. The driver is so keen on getting boxes off the truck and getting home that they will just leave boxes outside my door, visible to all people walking past!

While I don't believe anything has ever been stolen from outside my door it is disconcerting to arrive home and find a box containing items worth several hundreds of dollars just sitting there in plain view.

Other carriers don't do that, UPS does it on a regular basis.
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[Laldaas]

To be honest, you should take some comfort in the fact your driver considers your area driver release safe. I can assure you once you file a claim your house will be flag as no DR and you will have to sign for every package.

This is a pain in the neck. what most of my costomers do is leave a note on the door where to leave the expected packages.

Or If a know the person, As I mentioned previously, Go shake his hand. Express your concerns. he will go out of his way. To date your drivers feels this sitution is win win. for both you and him.

As a final note anything more then $100 should be insured to be honest. it is cheap .35 per $100. Anything not insured well 100$ is all you will recieve as remembursment for a lost or damaged package.

Shake your drivers hand it will change your mindset. There is a reason for the motto "what can brown do for you"

[AutomatedOutlet]

I do have to say that we have used DHL, FedEx, and UPS.

By far, UPS has worked out to be the best for us.

[Majkman]

I think DHL is DONE in the USA.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/stor...065A9025882%7D