NSD - arrived broken!

WiresDreamDisasters

The person who sent it should be set on fire. No question. 

jonnyburgo

Poor pay, unrealistic targets and poor conditions means resentment, the only thing they can take it out on are parcels. 

danishbacon

What if the parcel toppled over during a roundabout curve? Or fell off a conveyor belt during its time at a national distribution centre? What if it driver had to do an emergency stop and someone’s order of a years supply of hairgel slammed into the synth? 

Around here the drivers are all quite friendly and I get a sense that they handle the parcels with care but I’m sure there is the odd resentful one who doesn’t care. 

There are myriad reasons beyond neglect that the damage could have occurred. Better packaging could likely have prevented it. 

It’s a shit situation to be in and you have my sympathy emp. 

Emp_Fab

Absolutely - better packaging would have made the world of difference.   I'm just objecting to TTony's argument that it's OK to behave like a dick if the wages are crap.  IMO, it doesn't make one iota of difference if you're paid £50 per parcel delivered or £50 for 100 parcels - you do the job as best you can.  

chillidoggy

One would hope the driver training course includes clear instructions on how carriage packages should be treated. You can’t just pitch up for a job these days to be given a van and a list of addresses, and told to get on with it.

A mate of mine was a retired baggage handler/loader at Heathrow. He told me the mechanical parts of the process, ie conveyor belt systems, were usually 100%, but they used to deliberately play football with some packages and suitcases so see if they could break them, just for the hell of it. Wherever there was human interaction, there was the possibility of abuse.

So, I agree with Emp, it matters not what the job is, nor how much you’re paid to do it. Deliberately damaging people’s property is not acceptable (actually it’s criminal), and if you don’t like it, then fuck off and find another job that suits you better.

GoldenEraGuitars

@Emp_Fab im sorry your synth has been broken in transit, it’s pretty crap when you’re looking forward to something and it arrives knackered. But, if I may put forward some numbers here...

Ive used Parcelforce for years. I print my labels and walk across to the post off (literally across the road from my house) and leave them off. I’ve sent over 100 items so far with them and nothing has arrived damaged - insert how would you know if an aged guitar got damaged in transit joke -.

As with most of the damages that occur with couriers it sounds like your synth was poorly packaged. It might have not taken a hard knock, just enough to do the damage and no more. Your issue should be taken up with the seller and his/her half assed approach to packaging, not the courier. 

welshboyo

That’s shit Emp, it really is!! Hope you get something sorted.

The couriers round here are generally all good eggs apart from one - the ParcelFarce driver who is a complete bellend - we’ve got a big fuck off doorbell button on our front door which even Stevie Wonder could see, however this guy fails to use it and just gently knocks and then runs - it’s as if he’s on a bonus for the amount of “we’ve missed you” cards he delivers...I’ve caught him out a few times and it’s generally when there’s a damaged box or something.

Sassafras

I was a postman years ago.
While you did find the odd dickhead there, most of us were respectful of other people's goods.
They don't all smash packages just for the hell of it, accidents will happen.
Blame whoever packed the thing.

TTony

Emp_Fab said:

  I'm just objecting to TTony's argument that it's OK to behave like a dick if the wages are crap.  

That's not really the point I'm trying to make.

My experience of the drivers isn't that they deliberately set out to "behave like a dick" and damage parcels.  But they are targeted on shifting a van/truck load of parcels in a set time.  That means that they have to work (and drive) fast.   As does everyone else in the process chain.  Damaged parcels are a consequence of the business model that is set up to achieve what we want - fast and cheap.

"Sorry I missed my targets again today, boss.  But I did treat every package with loving care, parked carefully, waited a few minutes to make sure that the recipient wasn't busy when I knocked, and didn't break any speed limits all day".  

"You're sacked".

If we wanted ultimate care, we'd pay someone to go collect the package and deliver it straight back to us (those operations exist too), or we'd do the job ourselves.  

Emp_Fab

In this case, I think the problem really was the poor packaging.  My bitching about ParcelFarce is largely fuelled by my anger at him carding me on Friday like a ninja when Mrs Fab was in.  I'm not suggesting that any courier driver deliberately tries to damage parcels and I accept the 'fast and cheap' idea TTony puts forward.  However...  I don't agree that badly handling customers' packages is an acceptable practice just because the business model they operate on is tighter than a duck's arse.

If I were a driver, I would treat packages in my care with care - that would be my number 1 priority.  If the only way I could complete my round and keep my job was to throw everything in the van like it was bundles of meat and then drive like a twat, then on principle I'd quit.  I'd find another job where I wasn't expected to bring shit and disappointment into the world.  Also, Tony's argument implies that all drivers employed by a specific carrier have to chuck parcels around because there simply isn't enough time for someone to take reasonable care of them.  I don't buy that.  There are clearly drivers who do take care of the packages otherwise we'd all be opening boxes of smashed parts all the time.  If they can do it, they all can do it.

Sassafras

Life is so simple for you.

TTony

Emp_Fab said:

Also, Tony's argument implies that all drivers employed by a specific carrier have to chuck parcels around because there simply isn't enough time for someone to take reasonable care of them.  I don't buy that.  There are clearly drivers who do take care of the packages otherwise we'd all be opening boxes of smashed parts all the time.  If they can do it, they all can do it.

The workload for each round is different, on each day. 

One day, a driver might have 100 parcels to deliver, the next day he's got 50.  There's some load-balancing between routes/areas, but ultimately route optimisation means that you don't get an equal number of parcels per driver each day. 

There are also the trigger points at which additional capacity is brought in.    If that trigger point is (say) 120 parcels/load, then the driver is ridiculously busy every day he's got 100-120 to deliver.  When he hits 120 for X days, and the additional capacity is brought in, he's suddenly down to 60 parcels/load and he's a fair bit calmer!

Hence, some days a driver will be slightly more relaxed than other days.  

(That's a simplistic example for illustration, there are more  factors at play).


Since lockdown #1, we've really relied on couriers and the supermarket delivery services, to deliver just about everything.    Not been into "a shop" (do they still exist out there?) since probably last Feb, other than a couple of visits to the village shop and the petrol station.  Over that time, I've had a fair few chats with the different drivers from the different couriers.    

It's not a job I'd choose to do.

Emp_Fab

It's funny how you forgive delivery drivers for doing a substandard job "because of the workload".  You wouldn't excuse it from a pilot or a doctor though would you?  "Yeah, I know we've landed in Brussels instead of Brindisi but I've got three more flights today so are you getting off or what?"

"I'm sorry Mr Jones, those tablets I prescribed last week... you haven't taken any yet have you?"  Well yes actually Doc, and my pee has turned blue, but hey, it's ok...  I know the stress you're under!  Don't worry about it."

Whatever way you dress it up, it boils down to this; Regardless of the reason, are you prepared to treat other folks' property like shit?

Clearly there are many in the courier industry for whom the answer to that is 'yes'.  For me, that answer would always be 'no'.

Emp_Fab

Sassafras said:

Life is so simple for you.

Sometimes life isn't complicated.

That's what principles do for you.

Jalapeno

Why blame the driver when the depot, and trunk routes could easily be the culprits - same argument applies for minimum wage & mental targets.

Overall ParcelFarce are bottom feeders, I wouldn't use them

WiresDreamDisasters

Shock horror, I agree with Kev.

Emp_Fab

Jalapeno said:

Why blame the driver when the depot, and trunk routes could easily be the culprits - same argument applies for minimum wage & mental targets.

Overall ParcelFarce are bottom feeders, I wouldn't use them

Ok, in this case "the driver" refers to anyone that handles a package on its journey.

In my specific example, I think 80% of the blame lies in the inadequate packaging.  I think it would only have taken a reasonably heavy box placed on top, or the box being placed face-down for the damage to have occurred.  Neither of those scenarios is what I would call mishandling.

But the fucker carding me then legging it most definitely IS the driver's fault.

TTony

Emp_Fab said:

It's funny how you forgive delivery drivers for doing a substandard job "because of the workload".  You wouldn't excuse it from a pilot or a doctor though would you?  "Yeah, I know we've landed in Brussels instead of Brindisi but I've got three more flights today so are you getting off or what?"

I'd probably think twice* before I got on a plane being flown by someone on minimum wage, when I knew that they were targeted on completing a number of flights in a day that needed them to work 15hrs straight.

But YMMV.



*No, of course I wouldn't need to have that second think.

TeleMaster

I guess it’s because largely, being negligent as a courier and breaking something that you’ll get your money back for, or that you should’ve insured isn’t the same as being negligent during an operation or a commercial flight. One is an inconvenience the other is literally life and death. 

Not really comparable are they. 

Emp_Fab

Yes they are - whilst the potential outcomes may vary, the principle remains the same.  Either you're doing your job to the best of your ability or you're not.