Rant of the Day v2.

[tango15]

I have had very few dealings with Hermes, but the lady who had the concession in the immediate area was very efficient and pleasant on the few occasions when she delivered to me. However, she's now packed it in, and from anecdotal evidence on FB, the delivery system has now gone to hell in a handcart. Rather like postal deliveries, I suspect it very much depends on the individual. However, of the major courier companies, they seem (on the evidence I have seen), to have more problems than most.

[G-CPTN]

AFAICT, Hermes employ 'amateurs' doing the job for extra money rather than dedicated career professionals.

As a self-employed courier with The Parcel People you’ll collect your parcels from the local Hermes Delivery Unit in the morning (in more rural locations the parcels would be brought to you!) then you have the freedom to work independently in your local area, planning your own routes and making contact-free home deliveries.
Individual rates are negotiated but typically you would have the opportunity to earn on average £10-£15 per hour.
All you need to get started is a suitable vehicle with a valid MOT and SDP insurance, a full valid UK driving licence, the right to work in the UK and no unspent criminal convictions.
So, whether you’re ready for a whole new career or just looking to earn an extra income don’t delay… apply today...

[Pontius Navigator]

G CPTN by no means is it extra money. It might be supplementary income for a pensioner and its not a career that many would want.

Hermes pay the minimum and can require many hours work. When my friend stopped an older man took over for what you might say was pocket money.
While he was local he was unfamiliar with the detail. He found himself working 10-12 hours. Getting in and out of his car did neither him nor his car any good.

[CremeEgg]

All you need to get started is a suitable vehicle with a valid MOT and SDP insurance, a full valid UK driving licence, the right to work in the UK and no unspent criminal convictions.

Pretty sure that SDP insurance wouldn't cover you when driving for paid employment. I used to need Class 1 Business use insurance when travelling between clients to provide quotes for work.

[1DC]

WE had a brilliant Hermes lady she was Vietnamese, when this covid crap kicked off she gave up to school her kids and one of the local taxi firms took over as a sideline and treat it as such.

[CharlieOneSix]

.....Hermes does seek feedback and adverse feedback is fed directly back to those that don't meet the mark. I don't recall being asked for feedback by Amazon, DHL, DPD etc

I had a good laugh at that first sentence. In respect of this delivery Hermes asked me to contact so called "Customer Services" so I could help them resolve the problem and they asked for a phone number so they could contact me. Result? Zilch. Nothing happened, not a peep from them. My farmer friend said today that he wrote twice to the CEO to complain. The first time Customer Services replied and resolved nothing, the second time his communication was ignored.

You don't recall being asked for feedback by DPD? Every time they email or text to say the parcel was delivered they ask for feedback within that communication. Yesterday I gave their cheery driver Bruce a 5 star rating and said his efforts were great appreciated. DPD deliver to us on average once a week. They have never ever let us down - deliveries are always within their one hour time slot.

I have always had a policy of trying to catch someone doing something right and complimenting them on that, rather than endeavouring to catch them doing something wrong. Sadly Hermes rarely give you the opportunity to catch them doing something right.

Where I can, I contact a retailer to ask which carrier they use before I conclude a purchase. Having been let down so many times by them I would rather pay more from another retailer than use one that uses Hermes. Unfortunately in this case we had no option as the delivery was a gift from Mrs C16's nephew.

[CharlieOneSix]

Here I go again - this time it's Audi Roadside Assistance operated by the AA on behalf of Audi. As part of the car purchase a 3 year Audi Roadside Assistance package was applied to whoever was driving the car. When it ended I renewed it by Direct Debit at £89 per year. The DD was activated in July 2019, payment was taken then and again in July 2020 with cover expiring in July 2021.

I phoned them a couple of days ago to get them to come and pull my A6 off the deep hardened snow and ice that I had managed to get stuck on in my long driveway. I was told my cover had expired in July 2020. I was in the house and not near the car so whilst on the phone couldn't retrieve the membership card from behind the driver's sunshade. The guy at the AA was insistent I didn't have cover and at the time I couldn't recall how I had paid for it. I let myself be cajoled into taking out a new membership for two years at a cost of £160 - but I wasn't permitted to call them out for 24 hours. After the call I retrieved my membership card and located the DD payments in July 2019 and 2020 - all showing my membership was current. You can imagine the phone call I made back to the AA. I've told them that I want my £160 credit card payment refunded plus a pro rata premium refund from July 2020 to date because as far as they were concerned they were not holding me in cover. Imagine Mrs C16 trying to sort this out having broken down on a motorway late at night - it doesn't bear thinking about. It took me almost two hours to persuade them I did have current cover.

[Pontius Navigator]

I used to use Green Flag. After first year premium doubled, online price same as year before. Rang up, got lower price. Same every year.
One year, took out EU extra, went on trip, returned within the 14 days, rang them and cancelled the cover. They refunded the fee even though at risk.
Refuelling error once, they came to our home, freezing winter night, drained both tanks and provided a free 5l of diesel.
Another time, alternator failed, towed car to destination to a garage my daughter arranged before we arrived. Plus for independent garage too accepting us after hours..
Only catch was they weren't allowed to have dogs on the car.

[4mastacker]

Both headlight bulbs failed this morning, one when the car was started, the other after I had changed the first bulb - buggah!! High beams were ok, it was the dipped beams wot went u/s.

[OFSO]

You pay with Audi? Ford recovery and assistance is free, mind you never used it. Yet, ye Gods listening to my hubris.

[ian16th]

Both headlight bulbs failed this morning, one when the car was started, the other after I had changed the first bulb - buggah!! High beams were ok, it was the dipped beams wot went u/s.

Wouldn't have a clue where to start with my Mazda's headlights.

Probably have to start by removing a wheel!

[Alisoncc]

Aah !! But not just any wheel Ian. Would suggest the one diagonally opposite the recalcitrant headlight for starters.

[4mastacker]

Ford's instruction for changing the front bulb required the removal of the wheel arch cover which was held on by, IIRC, 18 studs. Could only find 14. Rather than do it myself, I took the car the Halfrauds and paid the extra fiver to fit the new bulb.

I went for a wander round B&Q whilst they got on with the job; they were still looking for all the studs when I returned. They ended up taking the car into their workshop, putting it up on the vehicle lift where one of their mechanics done the business. I didn't pay any extra because they advertised that they would fit new bulbs for £5 - how they went about it was up to them. I think they may have black-listed my Focus after that.

I was rather thankful that was the only time I had to do a bulb change on that car before I changed it.

[Pontius Navigator]

On my Merc a bulb change was not difficult, just awkward. I can't remember the details but swapping the dip to continental was just awkward.
Fog lights were different, a workshop job.

[ExSp33db1rd]

Fog Lights ? 2008 Honda Accord Euro. Stone chips cracked the glass on both low slung lamps. Man Wot Does refused to sign off the annual warrant of fitness as he said that the cracks in the glass could cause dazzle for oncoming drivers. New glasses required, which would cost more than the cost of a replacement second hand car in my opinion ( I've only ever once bought new, when it then cost me £850 ) so what to do ? No problem, he said, we can just fit black patches over the lens. This means that because they are fitted as standard and therefore have to work to pass the check, they still do, illuminating behind the covers but are therefore useless ! Bureaucracy wins. However, since leaving UK for Singapore and Northern New Zealand some 40 years ago, I've never seen any fog, so don't care.

[Pontius Navigator]

ExSp, now I remember they used to fit black covers, very handy, night, dark, foggy. Stop car get out, remove covers..

I had fitted a pair of excellent lights in a stainless steel rather than shinier chrome. I got them from a garage in Wales. When I went to Cyprus I took them with me to fit to a new car. I needed a new lens and they posted one out to me together with the invoice.

Postage was far more than they billed me but as they trusted me to pay I increased the payment to cover the extra cost. I had those lights for 10 years.

[ian16th]

Family in Oz, going through the naturalisation process.
Need a copy of a document that I have.
Search of my filing cabinet fails to find it.
So I decide to 'slim down' the filing cabinet.
This leads to shredding 13 year old bank statements and cancelled cheques.
Shredder stops!
Looks like its main multi-way switch, which I ain't going to be able to source, so it looks like I need a new shredder.

At vast cost.

[Boac]

Got an incinerator? Cheaper than a shredder and more reliable.

[TheGreenGoblin]

Got an incinerator? Cheaper than a shredder and more reliable.

Wood chippers are very efficient, modestly priced and available at B&Q (when they are open)...

[4mastacker]

Anglian Water!!!! Tried to report a street leak near to home. Rang the emergency number only to be told by a mechanical voice that I was in a queue and waiting time for an "agent" to become available was four to seven hours (due to Covid, weather, price of fish, etc) and recommended to report on line. Went on line only to find the reporting site is down with no forecast for it being available... and the water utilities keep telling us to save water.