Our first call went to Track 29 Express Systems at
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10:02hrs on day one, Monday. We were put through to a laid-back man who laboriously took down all our details only to reveal that the best he could do was guarantee us a three-day service to Penzance. We hung up.
At 10:10hrs we got through to an efficient and pleasant woman at TNT. We asked to pay in cash, but she said she would have to invoice us instead. But she let us pay by cheque when she realised we would take our
business elsewhere. TNT's drivers are not insured to carry money. She warned us the mirror would not be insured and that we should therefore package it securely. And she said we should write next day-delivery on the package and to have it ready straight away.
We moved on to DHL at l0-20hrs. We were helped through the usual questions on the details of the job, amid an irritating hubbub of other staff at DEIL chatting in the background. We were told that the parcel would probably get there in the morning "weather permitting", but would definitely get to its destination by close of business the next day. The salesperson was noncommittal on the time the driver was likely to pick up the parcel: "Ircould be five minutes or five hours," we were told. However, we were given a promise that the parcel would be insured for up to 150.00, so long as we left it open so that the driver could inspect its contents. "We don't carry things like money, so the drivers have to check everything," we were told. We could pay with cash or cheque.
At 10:30hrs we tried to get through to ANC four times. Each time the phone was engaged and we gave up in frustration.
Our next call went to Amtrak Express Parcels at 10:351us. We were assured that the mirror would not be a problem. "Of course we can do that," the receptionist said. But the parcel would not be insured. We were asked to pay by cash.
At 10:43hrs we tried ANC, this time successfully. The transaction was hassle free. ANC warned us that we were handing over the mirror at our own risk—the price did not include insurance. We could pay cash or ■
cheque. At 10:45hrs we phoned Parcelforce-'it was engaged the three times we fried, so we gave up.
On to Parceline at 10:50hrs, We were passed through to two different people before being helped. We gave all the details of the job, only to be told at the end that Farceline could not carry the parcel because it was glass and therefore considered a safety risk to its staff if it broke.
We decided to give Parcelforce another chance at 11:02hrs. This time we got straight through and were quickly given a flat rate for the job and assured that although the parcel was glass it was insured for up to £1,000. We then had to phone another number to arrange for the parcel's collection. Fortunately we were answered immediately and given a reference number for the job. They would take cash or cheque.
Bullet Express was next at 11:13hrs. We were told by a charming man that the company would get our parcel to Penzance before 17:00hrs the next day and that a driver would be with us within an hour.
The parcel would not be insured, but we could pay cash.
Interlink Express answered the phone at 11:16hrs, We were put through to a helpful assistant. There would be no problem with insuring the glass up to I:12.00 per kilo, so long as it was packaged carefully, We were told it would probably arrive at its destination at around 11:00-12:00hrs the next day. We were assured that he driver would be with us by 15:00hrs to collect the parcel and the cash.
Red Star took our call at 11:26hrs. Unfortunately unless we were prepared to take the parcel to the local train station or pay with a credit card or open an account, the company could not take our parcel. We turned the offer down.
On to Group 4 Securitas Nightspeed at 11:35hrs where we were answered by a friendly, efficient voice. We were told it could not insure the mirror, but would be happy to carry it. We were given a price very quickly, asked to pay by cheque and told the driver would be with us by 16:00hrs We tried Sinclair Freight Courier Service at 11:451irs which told us it would insure the glass for up to £10.00. We agreed to pay the driver by cheque and the transaction was completed quickly and simply Lynx Express turned away our business at 11:49hrs because we refused to open an account. It would not let us pay by cash or cheque unless we took the payment into the depot with the parcel. We turned down its offer.
Business Post appeared to be in a hurry at 12:131u-s, Again we could not get insurance for our package, but did get vague guidelines that the parcel would probably get to its destination by the next morning. Its driver would happily take a cheque.
True to its name and promise of being with us within the hour, Bullet Express was the first carrier to arrive at 12:00hrs, only 45 minutes after our call. A smartly dressed man in blue trousers and a matching jacket was scanning Ailsa Truck & Bus literature as we arrived-which he later took with him, .perhaps to use in a pitch for more work. As agreed, we gave him cash and he offered us change out of his own pocket. He gave us a receipt and left in a smartly liveried Kregistered Renault Trafic van, seven minutes after his slick introduction.
Parcelforce was next at 12:25hrs. The driver had an amiable manner and his uniform was smart. He noticed that the spelling of the receiver's name was unusual and took the trouble to question it. He asked for the cash we owed him, gave us a receipt and left in a K-registration Leyland Daf liveried truck.
Amtrak's smartly dressed driver arrived at 13:55hrs. He tried to win his company business by asking if we wanted to open an account. But it was a soft and unobtrusive sell and as soon as we said that we were happy with our existing arrangements he made his way with our cash, leaving a receipt behind him. He left in a K-registration clean and tidyllitercedes-Benz van.
At 14:10hrs it was TNT's turn. A friendly but less smart looking driver than those before him took our parcel. He appeared to be wearing what was a less formal uniform, comprising grey trousers and an army-style matching jumper. He said he was told to pick up an envelope as well as the parcel, but did not know what was to be enclosed in the envelope. We guessed it was the cheque he needed to take and he left without giving us a receipt. He left in a slightly dirty Gregistration truck.
At 14:20hrs Business Post's friendly but very laid back driver sauntered into the reception area. He was dressed in a black and grey uniform, set-off with an earring and fashion boots. He took our parcel and would have left without our cheque had we not asked him if he wanted the cheque. He took the cheque and went to leave again without offering us a receipt. But when we asked for a receipt he was happy to get one out of his Mercedes-Benz 308D van. He then sped away in the rather dirty liveried van, with the radio blaring and its door still open.
Next to arrive was ANC at 14:40hrs. Again the driver was dressed in a navy-blue uniform. He knew how much the cheque should be for, but did not have a receipt to give us. However, trying to be helpful he offered to sign a receipt if we would prepare one. He left in a rather battered J-registered truck, which was unliveried and dirty.
Fast on his heels came Interlink at 14:50hrs, 10 minutes earlier than we were told to expect hirin.A very alert and friendly driver appeared in a neat blue uniform which included a cap and was only let down by the driver's concession to fashion, a dangling ear-ring. He assured us the glass would be okay in his hands, but asked us all the same if we would like to take out insurance for it. He gave us a receipt and pointed out a reference number to quote if we had any problems with the delivery. He drove off in a smart K-registration liveried Mercedes-Benz van.
At 15:15hrs a company called World Xpress arrived. We had not placed an order with this company, but the driver, dressed in a navy uniform, soon pointed out that Sinclair Freight Courier had asked it to make the collection. He asked for the cheque and the loan of a pen to fill out a receipt for us. And he left in a dirty, liveried van with our cheque.
The last but one to arrive was DHL at 15:50hrs. We had deliberately undone the package for DHL, because its office staff had told us the driver would want to inspect the package before taking it. We explained this to the driver and he asked "what have you got, a bomb in it or something?" He did not inspect the contents and asked us to re-wrap it. He was smartly casual, wearing a shirt and a DHL anorak. He asked for the cheque and apologised he did not have a receipt, but made us one out on our pad. He left in a wellkept J-registration Ford Sierra.
Finally Group 4 Securitas Nightspeed's driver arrived at 15:58hrs in his own not very smart clothes. He quickly took the cheque and filled out a receipt which he left behind. He left in a J-registration liveried van.
On Tuesday, at South West Power Tools in Penzance we waited with bated breath to see which parcel would arrive first. Branch manager Clive Kennard had a hunch Amtrak would be first past the post and at least two packages would not arrive that day. Events proved him to be right.
At 10:02hrs a spotlessly clean L-reg Mercedes van drove into the yard neatly decked out in Amtrak livery; which included a prominent freefone number. The driver, in smart uniform, shirt and tie, was John Chambers from Redruth, who explained he had just taken over the franchise for the area.
He certainly seemed keen to build up the business, enquiring whether we sent many parcels and leaving an Amtrak price list along with his card. He then left a price list at the engineering firm next door. Like all the deliveries to come, the mirror arrived safely. We were asked to sign for the parcel but although it was addressed to an individual, Amtrak failed to ask for the addressee before handing over the package. This turned out to be a common failing during the day The next delivery, from Business Post at 0:40hrs, also maintained a high standard. The vehicle was a fairly clean F-reg Mercedes-Benz van with the yellow/black livery kept fairly clean. A friendly driver, casually imiformed in a Business Post jumper, checked that he was giving the parcel to the addressee—the only driver to do so all day—and asked for a signature in a column which said the package was "received in good condition". We said that we had not opened it to check the contents: he suggested we qualify the signature by writing "unexamined" next to it. He also asked us to fill in the time of receipt. Altogether a thorough approach to delivering the package.
At 11:10hrs the familiar red livery of a Parcelforce van appeared in the yard—but we were to be disappointed. A parcel was delivered to our neighbour and the van drove away.
The last operator to arrive during the morning was Interlink, at 11:28hrs. Again a Mercedes van, but this time D-reg and conspicuous for the bumps and patches of rust which adorned the vehicle. The driver was reasonably smart in a casual uniform of badged jumper and blue trousers. His attitude was also casual—he pushed the clipboard wordlessly toward us for a signature although he did make an enquiry about hiring a chain saw for his own use. The package was clearly marked "Penzance" below a bar code and another code which we took to indicate the area of delivery.
Then followed a long gap until at 13:18hrs things began to get interesting with the simultaneous arrival of Bullet Express and Sinclair Freight (which had been collected by World Xpress), The two packages had been collected by separate drivers more than half an hour apart in Glasgow but arrived on a single, unmarked, dirty white van which picked them up in Exeter. The delivery driver seemed suspicious of the pair of identical parcels: "Why they sent two separate parcels, I don't know,' he said. Both delivery notes mentioned World Xpress as the carrier, although one named Bullet Express as the sender and the other named Ailsa Truck & Bus. Both packages were labelled Acclaim Apex Parcels Express.
Next along at 14.15hrs was TNT Express driving a scruffy Iveco Ford 7.5 tomer from Bodmin—although by this point in the day heavy showers were beginning to make it difficult to blame vehicles for getting mucky. The driver was polite, wore a uniform and said he did this run "every day". The parcel was clearly marked although part of the address was printed incorrectly as Stable Harbour (it should have read Stable Hobba).
Another curious double act surfaced at 14:266rs with the simultaneous arrival of the ANC and Group 4 parcels on an unfiveried Mercedes E reg van run by a local carrier, Kernow Express of Launceston. The driver, casually dressed in check shirt and trainers, seemed puzzled that he was delivering what appeared to be identical packages for two separate carriers. He gave us an ANC delivery note and asked us to sign a clipboard.
And that was it. Although we waited until close of business at 17:00hrs on Tuesday, two carriers failed to deliver within the guaranteed period. Step forward DHL and Parcelforce.
On Wednesday neither of the late deliveries arrived until well after lunch. Parcelforce turned up at 14:30hrs in a Leyland Daf L reg van. The driver explained that the package had not arrived in Cornwall until that morning but he didn't seem surprised that it was so late. No apology or explanation of how compensation for late delivery could be sought was forthcoming.
The parcel was clearly marked, "24-hour servicd".
We were almost beginning to give up on DHL when our final parcel straggled in at 15:45hrs in a clean but unmarked L-reg Astra estate. The uniformed driver offered neither apology nor explanation for the fact the parcel was a day late.
The Winter 1993 parcels survey has shown that paying the most does not guarantee a good service—typified by the performance of DHL which charged more than three times as much as the cheapest carrier but was the last to arrive. However, DEIL's price did include insurance that more than covered the item being sent, unlike most of the others. Parcelforce also disappointed by its poor showing this year although it was the cheapest and provided insurance cover worth £1,000.
It would be hard to beat what Amtrak offered on the day--number one for service, a quick delivery and a competitive price. Both Interlink and Business Post also produced strong performances, well within the time limit and reasonably priced. Business Post particularly shone for its speed and standard of deliveiy.
The most consistent shortcoming was a failure to identify the addressee. But with two exceptions all the carriers met the obligations of a service guaranteed to arrive by close of business next day---not a mean feat as Glasgow and Penzance are 566 miles (911Iun) apart. All the carriers delivered the truck mirrors intact and all those chosen made payment convenient by accepting cash or cheque.
ii by Patric Cunnane and Juliet Parish