UK mail.

[Richard.]

We are all (inc myself) quick to slate those careless poor time keeping couriers when they let us down but rarely do we mention the better ones. Well over the last 6 months I’ve sent dozens of parcels with UK mail through P2G and I have to say it’s my favourite so far. I always send Stuff insured and always send it via 24hours. I hate keeping people waiting. Never has it cost me more than £10 and usually around the £5-£8 mark. Its always delivered in perfect condition and within the 24hour period. I get a text to say it’s been delivered or attempted to be delivered. They knock on the door and actually wait and The pick up has always been before 2pm. Well impressed with this bunch and I hope they keep it up cos I’ll continue to use them. Just had one picked up 15 mins ago and I’m confident the recipient will get it tomorrow before lunch in the condition it left me (touch wood). If your looking for a good service I’d recommend them based on my personal experiences so far.
Edit it’s a personal review based on my own experiences not others.
I don’t work for UK mail.

 

[HughF]

Good to hear Richard... I also use P2G exclusively but tend to stick with UPS as they deliver a lot of our higher value work stuff and I know the driver...

Just sent 3 crates to France with TNT - my advice, don't. They've lost one of them.

 

[MattH]

We use DPD for work and I find them very good.
1 hour delivery window text to the customer.
Proper tracking etc.

 

[Richard.]

We use DPD for work and I find them very good.
1 hour delivery window text to the customer.
Proper tracking etc.

I like DPD too but find them expensive. Great service especially if you need to know when to be in but you’ll pay for it.

 

[HughF]

We use DPD for work and I find them very good.
1 hour delivery window text to the customer.
Proper tracking etc.

We've been using them more and more recently - PCB to Singapore, £18 - bargain.

 

[cumbriasteve]

I have everything crossed and touching wood as I state this because I have 7 parcels out at present

Over 1000 parcels with Hermes, one slightly damaged but useable and with full compensation right away when I informed them and one delivered 6 days late, good online tracking info, easy parcel booking and a nice friendly drop off 300 metres from the house.

Also the Hermes lady who delivers to the house is spot on, has my moby number and gives me a ring if she needs to.

Previous to that was the Royal Mail, 350 parcels, 6 lost, at least 20 that could have walked there faster also a nightmare claiming compensation.

 

[HughF]

I use Hermes a lot, only had 1 issue and that was where a parcel was left and subsequently stolen by a passer by.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I use MyHermes up here too, because it doesn't really matter who you specify [other than Royal Mail Parcelforce] because it gets sorted/split up in Inverness between them or Menzies. The respective drivers often meet and split their loads up en route, as I've mentioned in a previous thread.

 

[Richard.]

I use Hermes a lot, only had 1 issue and that was where a parcel was left and subsequently stolen by a passer by.

Had no end of issues with em here. Parcels lost, parcels late, drivers not turning up and the last one arrived on time but the packaging looked like it had been through a wood chipper. Some people are just unlucky I guess.

 

[aguycalledsteve]

I used to use Hermes but just recently had to claim damages back from them (on several occasions) for not handling my recipients parcels with the care that they ought to.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

We've got to know the drivers, like @cumbriasteve - must be a rural thing.

They come round the back if I'm in the shed [I put a notice on the front door which reads "I'm in the shed" alongside this pic.... ] to deliver or uplift, or will leave with a neighbour if my car isn't here and they know I'm out.

 

[cumbriasteve]

I used to use Hermes but just recently had to claim damages back from them (on several occasions) for not handling my recipients parcels with the care that they ought to.

In fairness if you are getting a lot of items damaged then the packaging is not doing it's job, I always reckon if you can't drop the package 20ft onto concrete without damage it's not protected enough.

I have only had one package damaged, it was going to Norway and they managed to bend the 25mm box section, I suspect to save time landing they threw it out of the plane when at 30,000ft over his shop .

 

[bigegg]

When I first started selling on eBay, way back in 2003ish, one of the first things I sold were some pre-war 45 vinyls (probably not even vinyl back then - cellulose?)

To test my packaging - 6mm mdf sandwiching the record, then bubble wrap, then 6mm ply, then cardboard, then wrapped in brown packing tape - i wrapped a worthless one and played frisbee with it with the dog for an hour.
And it was undamaged!

(Some of them I sold were £50 - £300 each, and they were being sent worldwide).

Australia...
Canada...
USA...
South Africa...
Europe...
All arrived perfect and undamaged.

I sent one to Manchester via royal mail special delivery, so about 50 miles.
It arrived bent in half and smashed to pieces.

£127 - I still remember cos it was the first time I ever had to claim.

 

[Richard.]

I always reckon if you can't drop the package 20ft onto concrete without damage it's not protected enough.

I’m not agreeing with that one Steve
Certain items you’d never be able to do that with. Items that I believe cannot withstand a good drop from height I’ll mark up very clearly as fragile but they will still chuck em about. If I packed up my water coolers to withstand a 20ft drop onto concrete they’d have to go into steel cages and be loaded with fork lifts. It’s got to be practical

 

[cumbriasteve]

I’m not agreeing with that one Steve

You may not but I bet there is not a courier that at some time or other does not throw them that distance

Every firm has the occasional bad employee who will see a fragile sticker as a challenge.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

"...I always reckon if you can't drop the package 20ft onto concrete without damage it's not protected enough."

There's no way I'm climbing onto the roof to test my packaging skills.... .

 

[Robotstar5]

In fairness if you are getting a lot of items damaged then the packaging is not doing it's job, I always reckon if you can't drop the package 20ft onto concrete without damage it's not protected enough.

I have only had one package damaged, it was going to Norway and they managed to bend the 25mm box section, I suspect to save time landing they threw it out of the plane when at 30,000ft over his shop .

Slightly OT, that reminds me of the early PLC (industrial computer) specs, stated "can be dropped 17 foot onto a concrete floor and survive", it always made me wonder about their testing labs, 16' - OK, 17' - OK, 18' - oh dear

 

[cumbriasteve]

Slightly OT

You think so?

 

[ukracer]

We use DPD for work and I find them very good.
1 hour delivery window text to the customer.
Proper tracking etc.

My last delivery from DPD said he still had 29 deliveries and was 8 miles away.....when i had the knock on the door.

 

[tlovatt]

Good to hear Richard... I also use P2G exclusively but tend to stick with UPS as they deliver a lot of our higher value work stuff and I know the driver...

Just sent 3 crates to France with TNT - my advice, don't. They've lost one of them.

So TNT managed not to lose 2 of them, for TNT that is not bad going!

My worst experiences of courier companies have mostly been with TNT - these are the people who on one occasion returned a parcel as they were 'unable to find the destination address' - it was going to Heathrow Airport, how can you be unable to find that!