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Our 1994/5 parcels survey was carried out at the height of the Christmas rush to test the mettle of the UK's parcel carriers in their busiest season. All but one of the 12 unwitting carriers made the next-day deadline, although one package arrived badly damaged.
This year CM set a challenge for 15 companies to take a 1.5kg consignment of documents from Pontypridd in Mid Glamorgan to Great Yarmouth in Norfolk by 12:00hrs the following day.
But three of the 15 companies failed to make a collection. Another was nearly three hours late delivering. And the most expensive carrier, Red Star, charged more than twice as much as the cheapest, Parcelforce (we had to opt for Red Star's pre10:30hrs service as it did not offer a beforenoon option).
Panic Link, Tuffnells Parcels Express and Securicor Omega Express were non-starters: Panic Link and Tuffnells had no drivers available to pick up the parcel; we rang Securicor twice but got no answer.
Captain Cargo took the parcel, but it reached its destination two hours and 40 minutes late.
One condition we insisted on setting was that we should settle the charge on the spot, either by cash, cheque or credit card; we did not want to set up an account or be invoiced. But only one of the drivers had change available when we offered to pay Another stipulation was that drivers must pick up before 17:00hrs, and preferably
Colloctions
INTERLINK PARCELS 11:33hrs. The first to arrive was Interlink Parcels, just over half an hour after we made the call. A driver in a casual uniform arrived in an M-registered liveried Ford Transit. Even though we had agreed with Interlink to pay cash the driver had no change. He took the money and parcel and left us a consignment note.
RED STAR 11:40hrs. A scruffily dressed man turned up in a Transit van liveried Vaughan Transport Systems. We had to ask for a consignment note and follow him out to his van for one. He did not offer to fill out the form for us and left us struggling to write it out standing outside his van.
PARCELINE 11:50hrs. Parceline had promised its driver would arrive between 11:00hrs and 13:00hrs so the driver was bang on time He was dressed in a smart uniform and was polite. He filled out a consignment note himself without being asked but said he had to be paid by cheque, even though we had been told he could take cash. He drove away in an L-reg Mercedes-Benz box van.
CITY UNK 13:52hrs. The City Link driver arrived in a liveried J-reg Ford Transit. He had already filled out a collection order before he approached us. And, as promised, he was happy to take cash or cheque. He was smart and efficient and was only let down by not carrying any change. He even took the trouble to give us a wave from his cab as he left.
CAPTAIN CARGO 14:25hrs. The Captain Cargo driver turned up at in an F-reg liveried box van. We had to send him back to his cab for a consignment note, which he had the initiative to fill in. He was smart and pleasant. We gave him the cheque and he left.
GROUP 4 SECURITAS NIGHTSPEED 14:27hrs. Group 4 Nightspeed's driver drove up in a J-reg liveried van. We had to keep him waiting while we finished with the Captain Cargo driver and although he was only kept hanging around for a few minutes he grew very impatient. He had already filled out a collection form. We gave him the money and he left in a hurry.
TNT 14:33hrs. TNT's driver arrived in a K-reg Iveco Ford. He reluctantly took a cheque • from us, explaining that his company would invoice us instead. He huffed and puffed when we said we had already agreed with TNT to pay the driver. He then tutted when we said we did not have an envelope for him to put the cheque in. He then huffed I've got no paperwork for you." We asked him to write us out a receipt on the spot. He did not check that the parcel was marked with "next day am" as his office had asked. After he left we checked again with his office that he could take a cheque and it said there should have been no problem.
AMTRAK EXPRESS PARCELS 14:50hrs. A very presentable Amtrak driver drew up in an L-reg Mercedes-Benz liveried van. He was the only driver to wear a tie, hand in a sales brochure and have change in his cab. He was very professional and friendly and only let himself down on one point, we found out later: he undercharged us!
PARCELFORCE 14:52hrs. A smartly dressed Parcelforce driver turned up in a J-registered Leyland Daf liveried van. He did not have any change so we had to write him a cheque. He did not waste time with pleasantries and handed us a printed consignment note before leaving.
BUSINESS POST 15:35hrs. A casually dressed driver for Business Post arrived. He had no idea of how much the job should cost but offered to ring his office on his mobile phone. We said it was okay we knew the price. We wanted to pay cash, but the driver did not have any change so we wrote him a cheque. He did not have any paperwork to leave us so we asked him to write us a receipt. He had a bit more interest in the job than other drivers and asked: "How come there's only one parcel?" He drove off in an unliveried J-reg Ford.
ANC 16:42hrs. A rather uncommunicative driver arrived from ANC in a tatty-looking unliveried F-reg Transit. He was dressed in a casual blue uniform and, once again, had no change, so we had to pay by cheque. Again, he did not leave any paperwork.
HELLMANN PARCEL SYSTEMS 17:00hrs. The Hellmann driver arrived spot on our deadline. This was another case of no change and no paperwork. He wasn't particularly smart but did seem to know what he was doing and was very quick. He drove off in an F-reg Freight Rover.
The Deliveries
The following day we waited, along with the circling gulls, for the 12 parcels to arrive at our appointed depot in out-of-season Great Yarmouth.
In last year's test—from Glasgow to Penzance—none of the parcels arrived until after 10:00hrs. We suspected that this year's test, on a tricky east/west route with a remote coastal destination, would present parcel operators with just as demanding a task, even with a run of less than 300 miles, compared with last year's 566 miles.
In the event, the operators surprised us by their promptness: all but one of the parcels arrived well before the noon deadline.
First past the post was ANC at 08:20hrs, shadowed closely by Amtrak at 08:40hrs. A short lull followed before "'arcane arrived at 09.30hrs, making a very professional delivery with the details set out clearly on the driver's paperwork.
The next three, Parcelforce, TNT and City Link arrived in convoy at 09:35hrs. This will be a relief to Parcelforce, in particular, which completely missed last year's next-day deadline, turning up a day late without apology or explanation.
However, Parcelforce still managed to blot its copybook by arriving with a parcel so badly damaged that the contents were clearly visible inside. The driver told us we were not obliged to accept the parcel in that condition.
City Link's delivery was made by a young woman who particularly impressed us by her combination of politeness and friendlines.s.
This trio had hardly become dust on the horizon before Interlink arrived, at 09:37hrs, with no paperwork to keep track of the delivery time. Red Star rolled in at 10:15hrs with paperwork revealing, unsurprisingly, that the Cardiff to Paddington part of the run was made by rail.
With just an hour to go to beat the noon deadline, three of our four stragglers arrived. Group 4 came into goods inward on the hour at 11:00hrs. The L-reg Transit was noticeably in need of a wash but its driver was the only one of the 12 to ask for the addressee by name. Business Post, which last year was runner up in Penzance after Amtrak, came hurtling in at 11:25hrs in one of the company's familiar black/yellow liveried Mercedes vans. That just left Hellmann Parcel Systems, arriving at 11:35hrs in an unliveried vehicle, to deliver before midday.
When Captain Cargo did eventually deliver, at 14:40hrs, the driver failed to apologise and offered no explanation. But, judged by the low standards set last year by Parcelforce and DHL who both failed to meet the next-day deadline, this was not a disastrous performance.
Conclusion
This year, with the exception of Captain Cargo, most operators turned in a credible performance in terms of getting the parcel delivered within the deadline. Parcelforce damaged its package (although not the contents) but its rate of £14.50 included a generous £500 insurance which would have more than compensated for the value of this consignment. Only three other operators—TNT, Red Star and Group 4—offered inclusive insurance that was anything more than negligible.
Each package included the name of an addressee but only one carrier asked for the named individual: this shortcoming has not improved since last year's survey.
So who provided the best deal on the day? That accolade must surely go to Parceline which offered a competitive price married to excellent service and an early delivery. City Link also put in a very strong performance on service and speed but fell into the upper price band. Amtrak, last year's overall winner, proved its consistency by performing strongly for a reasonable rate. And what of ANC which sped to its delivery point like a bullet? Full marks for speed of course but let down by some aspects of its service and the second highest rate for the job.
Judged on this showing UK parcel operators can justifiably claim to offer a reliable next-day service which, on the whole, can be counted on to deliver the goods by the appointed time. Variations in pricing means that shopping around is a good idea for customers who have the time. Paying the highest price, as Red Star's average showing proves, is no guarantee of the best service.
H by Juliet Morrison and Patric Cunnane