I'm mourning the loss of the previously speedy delivery times from our homebrew supply companies. It was great when hbc would deliver next day if ordered by noon. Unfortunately they no longer do so and it's usually a couple of days but nothing guaranteed. I've had to cancel a few brew days as I adjust to the new slower delivery times. So while I appreciate the selection and member discount and that these guys are running a business I'm having a moan.
Are the guys gone part time or something? Or is this down to the couriers? Is there any likelihood of getting next day delivery back? In any case the current situation is a royal PITA! >:(
I normally order a week in advance unless it is an emergency. It gives me time to look at and fantasise about using my ingredients for the days approaching the brew day.
I'm curious to know what is slowing down the deliveries though.
The slower deliveries came with lower price points. That at least is my perception of things.
Quote from: shiny on July 04, 2013, 01:36:24 PM
I normally order a week in advance unless it is an emergency. It gives me time to look at and fantasise about using my ingredients for the days approaching the brew day.
I'm curious to know what is slowing down the deliveries though.
So do you add a note to your order or something saying that you would like it delivered next Friday or whatever?
Quote from: Eoin on July 04, 2013, 01:47:59 PM
The slower deliveries came with lower price points. That at least is my perception of things.
I don't think so. Delivery price has been the same €5.95 with hbc. In fact, I it was free on orders over €60 previously.
They're just busier Id imagine. I always leave a note if Im really in a hurry or phone in advance & ask if it can go same day.
Quote from: imark on July 04, 2013, 02:04:47 PM
Quote from: Eoin on July 04, 2013, 01:47:59 PM
The slower deliveries came with lower price points. That at least is my perception of things.
I don't think so. Delivery price has been the same €5.95 with hbc. In fact, I it was free on orders over €60 previously.
I definitely think that it is the case that times have suffered with change in price and courier. I'm sure that delivery used to be closer to €7 a couple of years ago, and normally via fastway, and was nearly always next day. Now it is some other crowd, and takes a bit longer. I blame the great delivery price war that happened a couple of years ago!
HBC Delivery is with DPD which is next day service as always & they're a far superior courier imo.
Quote from: delzep on July 04, 2013, 01:49:11 PM
So do you add a note to your order or something saying that you would like it delivered next Friday or whatever?
If I'm brewing on a Saturday I put in the order on the Monday that week which is around 5 days in advance. Normally it will arrive on the Wednesday and if something goes wrong then Thursday/Friday. The best I have seen is ordering it before lunch and having it delivered the next day but I would never rely on this unless it was an emergency.
Quote from: imark on July 04, 2013, 02:04:47 PM
Quote from: Eoin on July 04, 2013, 01:47:59 PM
The slower deliveries came with lower price points. That at least is my perception of things.
I don't think so. Delivery price has been the same €5.95 with hbc. In fact, I it was free on orders over €60 previously.
I didn't mean delivery prices, it was when the prices were pressed on the stocks and also when they went to free deliveries, more the competition that pressed prices rather than the actual price of delivery itself.
If prices lowered something was bound to suffer, we're lucky that the delivery times were the only victim to so speak.
Unpredictable delivery date is a big problem for me since I can't get parcels delivered to work. So I need to be at home when it's delivered and I have to schedule my orders around that. So if it's consistently 1/3/5 days is irrelevant (obviously 1 would be best) as long as it's delivered on time.
Also, I don't think the problem is the courier because once the parcel has been dispatched I (almost) always get it next day with DPD. They have delivered to the wrong address on one occasion. So it seems to me the difficulty is with the ability of the stores to get the parcel out.
I have seen the front and back end of the 2 major players in the South and even loaded the delivery van that calls anywhere between 3 and 5.
Its a tough business getting 30-40 orders out a day ensuring all the ingredients are there and then fellas ring them, I kid you not to check it has been received, to check it is being packed and the next day to check it has been dispatched, which all takes away from their time of processing orders.
Its full on from the point that they arrive in the morning till the point that they shut, I also have seen the positive attitude they show to problems.
I would cut them some slack and look at things like parcel motel if you need an exact delivery or you can collect from your local DPD depot late as I do and I dont know any other service provider that offers next day delivery for fiver.
p.s. btw i have no vested interest in either
Ordered from the hbc at 08:30 yesterday and received delivery at 1pm today. As reliable as always!
I have yet to receive an order in under 3 days from any of the 3 main HB stores here. Don't know what the issue is and i am certainly not blaming anybody( shocking i know), however i recently received a major delivery from UK in 3 days from posting so i don't know whats going on here. I hear what Ciderhead is saying but i am with imark on this, its not good enough really to have consistently slow deliveries, not in this day and age. Allowances must be made but come on HB stores not all the time.
Twice in the last month i have had to cancel orders because the stores involved could not garauntee delivery for Friday when ordered first thing Wednesday morning or even Tuesday night, to me thats poor service IMHO.
Its got to be expected. The home brew community is growing at a staggering rate. Never mind opening a brewery, I should start a home brew business!
That's the problem! Too many excuses. If the HB companies ship straight away then it's up to the couriers. If the couriers don't deliver in a certain time frame well there are other companies that can do the job properly.
If there are people out there saying well they have to do this and that, give up, others will step in and take over. I'd pay an extra to know that I'm going to get my goods at a specific dead line. If something happened to delay, well let me know at least and that would be fine. I agree with imark
Not sure what you are referring to Mettatron but i dont see why we should have to put up with endemic slow deliveries across the board. This typical "a sure till be grand" oirish attitude of the past should be well dead by now.
Dodge hit the nail on the head, the HB stores here dont even bother to inform us when there is a delay or if they are even out of stock of an item when we order.If it means going from a fiver to a tenner for delivery to garauntee on time or next day the ffs do that, i think all of us would pay that for a better service?
Is it any wonder ebay and amazon do so well? :-\
Fair point but i wasn't really comparing like with like anyway,i was merely using them as an example to say that businesses that deliver promptly tend to do better than those that don't. I recently ordered hand made kit from a lad in UK that works from home and i had it 3 days after he posted it, a month ago i ordered an item from USA that i could not find locally and i had it in less than a fornight, think it was 8 days actually. :o
3 days from the UK guys also by courier and i cant get a feckin tin of extract here in that time or shorter. That lad in UK operates on his own from his own house and he could manage it Tube so sorry m8 but i dont believe the shops here have any excuse IMHO. :-\
This is a growing industry but if you cant do it correctly now you never will, start as you mean to go on.
I personally have no issue with the service from any of them, it used to be very fast all the time, prices have dropped at the same time as the hobby taking off big time around the country.
I think they do a great job under the circumstances, and as some say on the thread here they do get stuff next day sometimes.
Do you want to have you cake and eat it?
Cheap or fast, take your pick.
At Eur5 or Eur6 I'm guessing that delivery is not following day, but 1 to 2 days depending on when the order comes in.
Do the HB shops have an order cutoff time? Its not been a problem for me, but maybe they should have and should advertise this.
Orders need to be picked and packed after they come in so if there is a spike in business for any reason not all orders may make it to the courier for that days collection.
Check the Ts&Cs for the HB store in question, if you have a gripe with one of them, raise it with them directly.
Quote from: johnrm on July 07, 2013, 09:37:16 PM
Do you want to have you cake and eat it?
Cheap or fast, take your pick.
1) Yes why not ?
2) Why should i have to choose between the two ?
I said nothing about the prices so i don't know why that is an issue. As for the orders being picked and packed after they come in, i would hardly expect it to happen beforehand in fairness ???
Don't know where you are situated but i imagine anywhere up around Dublin or that end of the country would get it faster allright. It has been an issue on every order so far across all 3 main HB stores for me personally.I did mention in my previous comment that this was IMHO.
Put up delivery to 10 euro and garauntee 48hrs anywhere in Ireland, problem solved. Ireland is what 400 miles aprox top to bottom, really no excuse not to have a faster service. ;)
All i am saying folks is spare a thought for those of us that don't have access to transport, don't live in big cities or near any HB stores, that rely soley on the speed and efficiency of the online HB stores to get orders here in a timely fashion.
Dublin has everything, but theres no HB store there...
Galwegians and Mountmellicans - to quote Monty Python, "You lucky lucky bastards"
Quote from: johnrm on July 07, 2013, 09:37:16 PM
Check the Ts&Cs for the HB store in question, if you have a gripe with one of them, raise it with them directly.
...up to and including asking them for quicker delivery for a premium price.
Fair enough John, kinda surprise the pale has no HB store, what about MBW ? Dublin still gets stuff faster though than down South. I don't expect miracles really ( don't fall down with shock now), however when i ordered DME and yeast on Tuesday night at i think it was 22.00hrs i would expect it to be at my door sometime Friday evening at the latest, wishfull thinking? perhaps.
MBW do hardware, no ingredients.
Major metropolitan areas do tend to be better serviced in every way.
Your example of Tues nite is really a Wed Morning order.
Thursday delivery would have been hopeful, Friday expected, Monday late.
Email the HB Store and ask them what the story is.
Explain that you are unhappy.
They should at worst be apologetic and might offer some credit as a goodwill gesture.
Agreed about Wednesday morning, i cancelled the order anyway as it happens, i was not going to spend the money and not have it Friday, i put the money towards other stuff instead. Actually i have had this issue since i started home brewing with all 3 HB stores, nothing i can do i know, have tried explaining but all i got was "what can i do" from the bigger 2. What all this means is that i can not do anything on the fly as most things go here.
I for one would not mind paying 10-11 euro for a garaunteed 48hr delivery.
I think that the service from HBW and HBC is excellent.
I put an order into HBW at 10pm on the thursday the 4th and I had shipping confirmation on friday the 5th.
A few hours later I had another email from DPD containing a tracking number and saying that the package was with them and will be shipped soon.
I should have Kevin the delivery guy knocking on my door in the morning.
If you don't like the service from Irish homebrew companies, use the guy in the UK that you're so keen on.
If you have had this issue since you started home brewing with all 3 HB stores, find one that better suits your particular demanding needs.
Otherwise, learn to manage your time better, or find a HomeBrewShop within driving distance.
and stop cancelling orders simply because you got the level of service you were expecting when you placed the order.
@deadman, did you cancel the order from Tuesday/Wednesday?
Had you had any order confirmation or delivery notice by Friday?
This is not a great example if you don't give all the facts.
Do you live In a hard to find/remote place?
Not had your coffee yet then i see Eoin ;D
1) If i had a car i would not have this problem i could travel and pick up myself.
2) I prefer supporting Irish if i can, even if the service is bad IMHO
3) I did not realise i was not allowed to moan on a moaning post?
4) Within reason the shops are supposed to work around the customer's time frame not the other way around somy time management is fine thank you.
5) The guy in UK is an online friend so of course i supported him in his startup shop.
John I emailed Tuesday night asking about ETA and got a reply Wednesday lunch time, was told could not be garaunteed delivery before Tuesday of the following week. They had not started my order yet so i cancelled it. Got alternative ingredients elsewhere.
It can be hard to find the house but i have received goods from all 3 main shops now so they know where i live. Still my point was why would it take 4 days to deliver a couple of packs of DME and yeast? Get the smaller prders out first out of the way and then work on the bigger ones, common sense to me anyway.
Quote from: Il Tubo on July 08, 2013, 11:26:55 AM
1)I don't think it takes more than a day to deliver to anywhere. It's assembling the order that will take time, and could take longer than a day.
2)At a guess this could be because you ordered something that went out of stock (pesky customers coming into the shop and buying stuff willy nilly), or too many customers came in on the one day etc.
3)No business is perfect, and there is always room for improvement, but I don't think any of our suppliers are less than well run.
1) Agree completely with the first two parts, but then again i already knew this. If it takes a day or longer to assemble a couple of packets of DME and yeast then the shop is off to a bad start already IMHO.
2)This is beyond my control, as are most things,however better stock keeping and updating would solve a lot of these issues, again in an age of stock scanners and barcoding no excuse for poor stock updating notices to customers.
3)Agree with the first two parts, however for me the jury is still out on the last bit.#
Your points are well taken Tube however there does seem to be an air of the Oirish " ssssh don't complain, this is Ireland after all, sure you will be ok" attached to these things. Sorry but not good enough, the little guy with a fiver in his pocket counts just as much as the guy with a wad of money. By the same token the guy ordering 2 packets of DME and yeast has every right to prompt delivery as much as the guy spending hundreds. Idealism, yes it is, however if we don't strive for that how will things ever improve in the supply chain ?
No business is perfect as you said Tube but they should at least make SOME effort to improve their service and i don't feel the shops here are currently doing that, cheap prices mean nothing if you cant get your order in a timely fashion.
Just so ye know i come from a background of working in an industry where stock keeping and updating were every bit as important as quality. I am not talking out of my ass (no really i'm not) and i feel i have enough background that i can say i know what i am talking about on this subject in particular, others may disagree but that's their perogative. ;D
Yay! All of my stuff arrived, exactly when planned for ;D
Quote from: deadman1972 on July 08, 2013, 12:22:37 PM
they should at least make SOME effort to improve their service and i don't feel the shops here are currently doing that, cheap prices mean nothing if you cant get your order in a timely fashion.
Great to see we are all in agreement.
...but did you tell them they should improve when you were cancelling your order from Tue/Wed?
Without feedback, nothing will change.
Rattle the HB stores cage.
Maybe a compromise could be that if an item is down to say the last 5 in stock, it could be noted on the website so that the web customer knows and then can call ahead to ask the person at the other end to grab it from the shelf before a potential customer walks through the door?
Deadman I appreciate your frustration but constant moaning (Yes you are allowed to moan on here :P) from the side lines about current service levels isn't constructive if we are to work with these enterprises going forward, your ideas are all valid but resources required to control stock and inventory costs thousands and ultimately we will pay for that.
They do not offer a JIT service and if you need something for next week, order it today.
If I am going for a collection, I always order 24hours in advance online and even once I showed up and my product was dispatched to a postal customer, the hb shop in question just posted it to me the following week which was fine.
If you have a specific grievance or low cost service improvement idea pm it directly to the member of the shop involved, they are both on here, I know if its positive for their business they will respond as they are all about trying to constantly improve their package.
I received a message from one of the 3 stores explaining how things run there on a typical week and it went 99% of the way to explaining away the delay in service. That being said i am not going to ring up for every little 20 euro order and ask for fast delivery, that was the solution offered. Still does not get goods to me any faster though or people down my neck of the woods. I am going to leave it at that as i don't feel its constructive for me to continue.
Quote from: deadman1972 on July 08, 2013, 08:05:22 PM
I received a message from one of the 3 stores explaining how things run there on a typical week and it went 99% of the way to explaining away the delay in service. That being said i am not going to ring up for every little 20 euro order and ask for fast delivery, that was the solution offered. Still does not get goods to me any faster though or people down my neck of the woods. I am going to leave it at that as i don't feel its constructive for me to continue.
You live in a beautiful spot and even though its the arsehole of nowhere there is a price for that.
I also live in the sticks and accept that a longer delivery is a fact of life here.
I was thinking about this, how would you feel about working for one of them foc for a day and writing an article for the NHC about whats involved in getting the product from order to your door?
Well i am down here in kerry, every order i have put through to HBC on a weds, has arrived down on a friday, when I say weds normally about 2am thurs morning. So one happy camper down in Kerry, even sponsored my courier guy to do the ring of kerry cycle on last delivery.
Be interesting to know if Deadman is getting deliveries from Cork or Waterford, I suspect its Cork.
Deadman ask you driver where the delay is?
Do you get these emails ?
Your order is due for delivery today between 10:30 - 12:30
Your order is out for delivery today between 10:30 - 12:30. Can you please ensure that someone will be available to sign for the parcel at your delivery address below.
If today is not convenient, please click below to change the date.
Your Delivery Details
JOHN OCONNELL
XXXXXXX
XXXXXXX
Contact:
Contact Number: 08798702XX
DPD Ireland Consignment Number: 7277401
Your Local Depot Details
WICKLOW
UNITS 11/12 CHARVEY WAY
CHARVEY LANE, RATHNEW, CO. WICKLOW
RATHNEW
CO. WICKLOW
Office hours: 9am - 6pm;
You can track your order at any time by clicking the link below.
We trust that you are happy with our service and thank you for your order.
Kind Regards,
DPD Ireland
Ciderhead no i have never got an email like that off any of the HB stores or couriers. Tube of course where you live affects delivery times, why wouldn't it?
Agreed CH i do live in the arse end of nowhere(well sort of), jaysus even you found the house :o However all 3 stores have my location now so at this stage they should at least know how to get to Dungarvan and call. And remember they have GPS in those delivery vans.
You are lucky there AdeFlesk,wish i could say the same.
Quote from: deadman1972 on July 08, 2013, 10:03:44 PM
Tube of course where you live affects delivery times, why wouldn't it?
from my experience with couriers, large national company not a small HB store once shipped its 2-3 day delivery
we used dpd and currently gls for shipping are replacement equipment and generaly if i place the order today the warehouse will ship it the next day and the courier will deliver it the following day.
the dpd main depot is in athlone so they would pick up the days orders on day 2 probably in the evening and it would be scanned in after midnight then shipped to the local depot. then delivered the following day. so for us its a 3 day delivey, could be 2 if the company was a bit more efficent
so once the courier collects it delivery should be the following day, location would not affect it the way they structure the delivery routes. the main delivery delays is the irish rural address system
name
local area
larger area
county
fine for your postman who works the area every day but i imagine headwrecking for couriers who might only deliver there once in several months. imagine posting a letter to a dublin address without putting a house number on it, only the street.
Quote from: deadman1972 on July 08, 2013, 10:03:44 PM
And remember they have GPS in those delivery vans.
really only helps if your exact coords are taken and passed to the delivery company
In my experience most couriers don't use GPS.
I used to run a small business and needed a few small deliveries a week (not very far out on the sticks), as soon as the was a change in driver you were shagged.
Fill-in drivers for Holidays, sick days, or when they were extra busy.
Phone calls to and from drivers were the norm.
I was bemused at this as GPS was one of the things I was selling at the time.
Beerfly all 3 have my exact GPS coordinates , as CH said earlier there can be problems locating my house on a map though i don't live up a mountain.
John both the DPD and Fastway couriers so far have all had GPS in their vans and actually come to think of it bar the first two times none of them since have ever had any major trouble finding the house.
Beerfly thanks for that, if 3 days is the norm then i guess it's the norm and i am stuck with that. Nobody is going to change just because i moan to them :'(
Did i say earlier i was going to shut up ? ???
I'm so glad I didn't cancel my order because it took it's normal, expected and quoted delivery time.
This brewing lark is fun, 'specially when DPD bring all the stuff right to my door just on time! ;D
Thank god for that time management learning I did at work. It allows me to easily plan 3 days in advance, it's like seeing into the future...
Are we digressing into Theory again.
Can I lock this thread now?
Now now Eoin no need for that :P For those of us living in the South of the country that are living in somewhat remote locations, but not half way up a mountain, its kinda important to have a dependable timetable for deliveries don't you think ?
Tube i have learned that you cant rely on the Irish delivery system.
Quote from: johnrm on July 08, 2013, 11:24:20 PM
Are we digressing into Theory again.
Can I lock this thread now?
What's with the eagerness to lock threads on here?? Haven't seen it on any other forums!
I buy from the main 3; HBW, HBC & MBAW. All are delivered by the same driver from DPD. I give him a bottle every now and again because I do live off the beaten track and feel a bit guilty about dragging out here! I even told the driver to only call to me if he had another drop locally.
I haven't had any problems with late deliveries. I would allow myself at least a week before ordering but I'd say the average is about 2-3 days. I put in an order for 14 items with HBW yesterday. I got an email this morning saying it was ready but 1 item was out of stock and they offered me a replacement. You can't complain with that?
I've got a friend who owns a motor factors and I give him a hand every year when he's doing his stock take. I can see how much work there is in controlling stock. Its not easy and I think the home brew suppliers here are doing a good job.
Quote from: Lars on July 09, 2013, 07:48:19 AM
Quote from: johnrm on July 08, 2013, 11:24:20 PM
Are we digressing into Theory again.
Can I lock this thread now?
What's with the eagerness to lock threads on here?? Haven't seen it on any other forums!
Very occasionally. Yes it happens.
Can't really complain about HBW or HBC. 3 days max for a delivery (sometimes next day) and I live in the arse end of Tipp. Only small complaint is that they'll drop the parcel to the nearest shop if they don't get through to you straight away on the phone. While this isn't really a problem, not telling me that it had been dropped off was a bit irritating.
Overall +1 for the couriers.
To defend HBC, one of the users on here Lordarpad, made an order yesterday for some PBW from Shane, he didn't have PBW, so he phoned last night and the chemipro Oxi which he has offered as a replacement arrived there a few hours ago.
Sometimes the overnight delivery is still happening in fairness.
Yes but how far is Lordpad from HBC ? Not really a fair comparison if they are relatively close. Fizzypish if you are in Tipp then you are already close to HBC so not a great comparison IMHO.
I am not blaming any shop in particular, amazing that there is so much next day delivery going on ???
Quote from: deadman1972 on July 12, 2013, 02:04:03 PM
Yes but how far is Lordpad from HBC ? Not really a fair comparison if they are relatively close. Fizzypish if you are in Tipp then you are already close to HBC so not a great comparison IMHO.
I am not blaming any shop in particular, amazing that there is so much next day delivery going on ???
The package has been delivered to our common workplace today in Ballycoolin in Blanchardstown, so pretty far from the HBC to be fair.
<edit> I didn't mean to make it sound like you were attacking HBC, so sorry if it came off that way. My experience has only been with HBC consistently delivering overnight, not with any other supplier. I think of it more as an exception than the norm, but anyway you look at it, when it happens it's cool.
The guys in the HBC are very helpful in my experience and I would and do recommend them. For example.. I've had to amend orders in the past (no problems) and like Eoin said about calls...I've had the same. It's good to hear the delays are down to them being busy.
I always had next day previously but it looks like this is not the norm based on the comments here and perhaps I was fortunate. So I'm going to phone in future to check if it can go out that day. Simple! :)
I've moved over the past year and have ordered from HBC from both Dublin and Wexford. I've always been very happy with them. I suspect being close to busy dpd routes helps but to be fair i think HBC offer a great service and i'm very glad to have them in Ireland.
Ditto ion this about HBC and HBW are no slouches either. Have ordered from both recently and they have sorted out problems with the minimum of fuss when they have occurred. I can't imagine it is easy to run a small business at the moment and it is good that home Brewers in Ireland can continue to support them and others.
Shanna
Quote from: rukkus on July 12, 2013, 09:50:31 PM
I've moved over the past year and have ordered from HBC from both Dublin and Wexford. I've always been very happy with them. I suspect being close to busy dpd routes helps but to be fair i think HBC offer a great service and i'm very glad to have them in Ireland.
Eoin that's fine i did not think that anyway. I am just amazed that nobody is saying anything negative about deliveries,since the whole of Ireland appears to be happy with deliveries except me i guess its all in my head? :P
Sent in an order today to a different shop in the north of UK for yeast that cant be got here from what i have seen(and yes i did check),it's already posted off,less than 4 hours after i sent it in. Also a small business but he seems to manage expediency. ???
Look guys i love the Irish HB shops i really do, and all my stuff so far except the AG gear has been bought here, all of it. All i was saying was that if you were in a hurry you would be in trouble and you shouldn't have to ring to see if they could do it faster, especially if similar size shops in UK for instance can get it here just as fast, that's all i was getting at.
Its not up to me to solve this and come up with ideas, if it is not the shops fault, and i reckon nowthanks to that PM that it isn't then it MUST be the couriers, so what do we as customers do about that ? ???
Just wanted to stick in my 2c. I ordered on Tuesday lunchtime from Homebrew West, and it was delivered this morning - less than 48 hours. Can't say I've had any problems with speed of delivery; perhaps it's because I'm in the big smoke?
And anothe 2c:
Ordered from thehomebrewcompany Sunday afternoon, dispatch confirmation received Monday morning, Goods arrived midday Tuesday!
What more could you ask for!
Quote from: Will_D on July 25, 2013, 02:19:53 PM
And anothe 2c:
Ordered from thehomebrewcompany Sunday afternoon, dispatch confirmation received Monday morning, Goods arrived midday Tuesday!
What more could you ask for!
Well I could hark back to the many times I ordered at 2000 in the evening to have a courier knock on the door next day at lunch time, they can be really good, this is not always the case more recently, but I'm not complaining, just being honest.
I've been ordering from the HBC for a while and have never had an issue with the products.
The delivery on the other hand has always been poor and the last mess up has forced me to start looking elsewhere. I have never had a delivery on time from them.
I ordered some supplies including liquid yeast on a wednesday morning and they were collected by DPD that afternoon, you could not ask for better than that in fairness.
I received a text message from DPD the next morning to say the order was out for delivery, fantastic, 24 hours from order to getting the goods, couldn't be better I thought.
I had my mother on standby at home to recieve them but at lunchtime they still hadn't arrived. After many phonecalls to DPD I finally got through to the driver at 5 and he informed me that the package was not due for delivery that day at all but would definitely be delivered between 10 and 10.30 the next day (Friday). I again had my Mother on standby for the delivery which again never arrived. The excuse DPD gave was their driver didn't turn up to work.
The delivery was again arranged for the following monday at my girlfriend's office as I was away on business and my Mother was no longer speaking to me after wasting 2 days. Unfortunately it still failed to turn up!
The delivery was again arranged for the next day at my Girlfriend's office on the Tuesday but when it hadn't turned up by lunchtime I'd had enough and she cancelled the order with the HBC and I was promptly refunded my money.
Having people wait for that long for the imminent arrival of a delivery is just not acceptable. If I had been told the delivery wouldn't arrive until the following wednesday that would have been ok, but I had to make a lot of arrangements for people to be there to receive the goods over 4 different days. It has left me with a bit of a sour taste and a few favours to pay back with nothing to show for it.
I've spoken to the guys in the HBC and want to make it clear that the fault lies with DPD, although the HBC are the ones contracting DPD to do the job.
I've asked if it is possible to arrange delivery with another courier but they tell me that is not possible as they would have to set up another business account, I'm a bit disappointed with that answer as this should not be a difficult thing to do.
I don't intend to use the HBC going forward so long as they persist with DPD unless I really can't avoid it or I happen to be passing the shop.
Bw
Quote from: Bogwoppit on July 25, 2013, 03:17:26 PM
I don't intend to use the HBC going forward so long as they persist with DPD unless I really can't avoid it or I happen to be passing the shop.
Bw
You might be in trouble there. HBC, HBW and MB&W all use DPD! You are probably off the beaten track for the driver who is assigned to your area? I'd recommend giving him a bottle of beer next time he calls, he might be more inclined to call then? This method has worked for me anyway.
Homebrew.ie use Fastway couriers but their stock is nowhere near the others. Your only other option is to buy from the UK but you'll pay a premium for delivery.
Or use parcel motel and you don't have to arrange to be anywhere for the delivery. Not sure where you are located so I don't know if there is a collection point near you.
Quote from: Garry on July 25, 2013, 03:28:03 PM
Quote from: Bogwoppit on July 25, 2013, 03:17:26 PM
I don't intend to use the HBC going forward so long as they persist with DPD unless I really can't avoid it or I happen to be passing the shop.
Bw
You might be in trouble there. HBC, HBW and MB&W all use DPD! You are probably off the beaten track for the driver who is assigned to your area? I'd recommend giving him a bottle of beer next time he calls, he might be more inclined to call then? This method has worked for me anyway.
Homebrew.ie use Fastway couriers but their stock is nowhere near the others. Your only other option is to buy from the UK but you'll pay a premium for delivery.
If I was located off the beaten track then I would have some sympathy, where I am should not be an issue for any delivery driver being within a mile of the N7 near Naas.
I don't want to be paying for the delivery of something if I then have to go collect it myself!
Bw
I use DPD for my company. Pretty much every parcel I get is through them too. Never any issues. Swings & roundabouts I guess.
I always put the receivers phone number on the parcel so the driver can call if they cant find the house.
I know i said i was going to shut up on this but oh well. I have to say my recent delivery from HBW could not have been faster, got all my tickets tracking it and all Brian sorted me out wonderfully,however i agree with a lot of what Bogwoppit is saying, i am glad that he realised(as did i eventually) that for the most part it is the fault of the courier company and not the HB shop.
HB.ie have always been the fastest most consistent delivery but on the other hand their stock is nowhere near as diverse as HBC/HBW/MBW. That being said brings me to why i decide to break my silence. Why is it that they all HAVE to use DPD ? I have used Fastway for other deliveries and have found them easier to deal with, more consistent, more efficient all around.
I don't believe we as home brewers are at the stage yet where we have enough mass buying power to effect change on a grand scale with the home brew couriers/suppliers. I believe it is going to happen but the present economy is working against us as well, shops will go for cheapest over best "to an extent", its a case of beggars can't be choosers, people or shops just don't have the money to play around. :-[
My phone number is always included with my orders but DPD only ever rang on the day they were delivering so that does not speed it up at all. If the courier collects it within 24 hours of you paying for it then you or i can't blame the shop(i know iam going to regret saying that) its ALL down to the courier at that stage. >:(
I have to say that a lot of courier issues could be sorted if they started hiring some people with common sense and a grasp of spatial awareness(in other words ones that know their arse from their elbows) for drivers. Bogwoppit i also don't want to pay for delivery for something if i have to go collect it myself, however since i can't go collect it myself no point throwing my rattle out of the cradle(also going to regret that). ??? ::)
Ordered today with the HBC at 3.46pm. Just got an email at 4.49pm saying its been dispatched. Wowza!
That's fantastic service is worth acknowledgement.
And the fastest yet - ordered from HBC yesterday at 12.30pm, just arrived here at 11.30 am. 23 hours ain't bad !
ordered from HBW wednesday nightm they called about an item on thursday afternoon, delivered friday afternoon
fantastic service and fast delivery as always :)
+1 to HBC. A couple of days turnaround.