• The annual Commercial Motor UK parcels survey has traditionally
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been an overnight test, but having picked Devon and the Scottish Highlands for this year's start and finish we decided to make it a little bit easier for the courier companies by testing their two-day services.
Nonetheless this test revealed the poorest levels of service we have ever recorded. One of the country's biggest parcels firms never arrived to pick up our parcel, a 50cm lock ring. Others delivered almost a week late, and one company wanted to charge us more than £300.
Our collection point was a truck and bus wheel firm, Wheelbase Steel Wheels, in Ashburton, Devon, just off the main A38 road. This busy firm supplies wheels to companies around the world and often has to deliver a wheel or part to a customer by the next day, so it relies on efficient delivery firms. We contacted 15 firms -which advertise express deliveries around the UK, telling each that we had an urgent parcel which had to be delivered to Mallaig in Scotland within two days, pre
ferably to arrive before 12:00hrs.
Five immediately said that they could not get a parcel up to Mallaig in two days. ANC offered us a three-day service; DHL's subsidiary Elan said it would take five days. United Carriers and Placketts said no way. And Amtrak told us it could provide a six-day service, saying: "We have asked if any other courier company can do it but it is way out in the middle of nowhere. You would be better off sticking it in the post as the postman, at least, delivers every day."
We could not get an answer on the phone number listed for Carryfast in the Yellow Pages. Securicor's advertised number was linked to an answering machine. We left a message saying we had an urgent package and gave our name and number along with a plea for the firm to ring us back as soon as possible. Nobody called back.
We also rang a firm called Ace for Pace which advertises "We offer high-speed delivery service to anywhere on the UK mainland." A two-day delivery was no problem, we were told, but at a cost of £310. We declined the offer.
THE CALLS
We started telephoning parcel companies at 09:00hrs. The first firm to take up our two-day challenge was Federal Express, which we got through to at 09:28hrs. The manner was friendly and thorough; we were asked for the package's weight, description and if we used any other carrier. We were given booking and account numbers, and told that the parcel would be insured and picked up some time after 13:00hrs.
Next came Interlink, at 09:37hrs. Its employee asked for details, and told us "Sorry we're not the right depot," and gave us another number. Once through to another site, we gave our details again: "I'll have to check if we can do it. I'll ring you back," we were told. Within the hour Interlink did ring back to say it could deliver to Mallaig and would collect the package in the afternoon.
At 09:42hrs we called Parceline. The telephonist was abrupt: "What time does it have to be there? Where is it going to? Where is it to be picked up? OK, goodbye" and put the phone down before we had time to ask what time the parcel would be collected.
At 09:45hrs Red Star picked up the phone and immediately asked: "Can you hold the line?" There was a very long pause. A voice said: "Hold on." There was another long pause.
Finally somebody came to the phone and took our details. We were asked if the parcel could go on the back of a motorcycle and given a reference number "in case there are any problems".
Datapost sounded rushed and abrupt at 09:50hrs. "Hold on, is that a town?" asked the telephonist when we said the package was to go to Mallaig. We were asked how we would pay and given order and reference numbers.