I was recently cajoled into setting up a Parcel Motel account to complete an online buy from a private individual .
Against all my better judgement I did it , because they guy insisted it was the only way he would do business .
Anyway I set up my account , ,he sent out the package , I went to the local parcel motel delivery point to pick up my goods and the thing wont accept my phone number/redeem code and I cant release the package .
Anyway the parcel collection window expires ,I get a message saying my goods are being returned to their warehouse .
Their support link on the website leads to an expired webpage , the telephone number listed for customer care contact is also no longer opperational ,
In order to generate a quiery and trouble shoot the system I end up sending myself a parcel ,
I drop it off at the PM location , sometime later I get an email and text saying my package,which I sent to myself is ready for collection , in the exact same box I left it in .
At this stage I had managed to get a complaint to the customer service and I wrote a note on the package explaining to the driver I was having an issue with opening the box .
This morning no contact back from PM , I decided to take a train upto where the parent company is based around 10 miles away (UPS) .
Even though I was having trouble containing my rage , I maintained my composure with the staff member and explained in crystal clear terms the issue ,
So now we have a situation where the sender is out of pocket from a delivery that simply wasnt possible , he has to pay again to get his package back , and if he wants to send it back out to me , he needs to pay more money .
Im down the cost of sending a parcel to myself , around two days in lost productivity , a train ticket to go to UPS warehouse and back , 5 euros call credit trying to contact their helpline only to eventually get a man in Bangalore before my credit was eaten up and the line went dead .
They incentivise their users to get people to sign up by offering the cost of a free delivery in the form of account credit
now its cocked up monumentally the sender is left looking like a douche , theres reputational damage and wasted time on him also .
Ive managed to locate the issue that prevented my parcel being released , its down to the an IT glitch and how you enter the phone number field when you sign up .
Anyway now I managed to get the issue sorted ,off my own bat , I'm not an IT professional , Im also not getting paid to troubleshoot their internal IT system for them ,
I am seriously thinking of taking legal advice and possibly lodging a case with the small claims court .
Its nearly lunchtime now and the promised call back from customer service hasnt come through yet , they best get their finger out fast ,because Im ready willing and able to start doing them serious reputational damage online if someone doesnt pull their head out of their arse .
Against all my better judgement I did it , because they guy insisted it was the only way he would do business .
Anyway I set up my account , ,he sent out the package , I went to the local parcel motel delivery point to pick up my goods and the thing wont accept my phone number/redeem code and I cant release the package .
Anyway the parcel collection window expires ,I get a message saying my goods are being returned to their warehouse .
Their support link on the website leads to an expired webpage , the telephone number listed for customer care contact is also no longer opperational ,
In order to generate a quiery and trouble shoot the system I end up sending myself a parcel ,
I drop it off at the PM location , sometime later I get an email and text saying my package,which I sent to myself is ready for collection , in the exact same box I left it in .
At this stage I had managed to get a complaint to the customer service and I wrote a note on the package explaining to the driver I was having an issue with opening the box .
This morning no contact back from PM , I decided to take a train upto where the parent company is based around 10 miles away (UPS) .
Even though I was having trouble containing my rage , I maintained my composure with the staff member and explained in crystal clear terms the issue ,
So now we have a situation where the sender is out of pocket from a delivery that simply wasnt possible , he has to pay again to get his package back , and if he wants to send it back out to me , he needs to pay more money .
Im down the cost of sending a parcel to myself , around two days in lost productivity , a train ticket to go to UPS warehouse and back , 5 euros call credit trying to contact their helpline only to eventually get a man in Bangalore before my credit was eaten up and the line went dead .
They incentivise their users to get people to sign up by offering the cost of a free delivery in the form of account credit
now its cocked up monumentally the sender is left looking like a douche , theres reputational damage and wasted time on him also .
Ive managed to locate the issue that prevented my parcel being released , its down to the an IT glitch and how you enter the phone number field when you sign up .
Anyway now I managed to get the issue sorted ,off my own bat , I'm not an IT professional , Im also not getting paid to troubleshoot their internal IT system for them ,
I am seriously thinking of taking legal advice and possibly lodging a case with the small claims court .
Its nearly lunchtime now and the promised call back from customer service hasnt come through yet , they best get their finger out fast ,because Im ready willing and able to start doing them serious reputational damage online if someone doesnt pull their head out of their arse .
