09-12-2022, 01:34 PM
We have an ongoing issue with NZ Couriers failing to obtain signatures from our customers. The issue first became problematic during the COVID lockdown periods when social distancing caused difficulties in obtaining confirmation of delivery. NZ Couriers put a protocol in place which maintained physical distance between courier and recipient, except this morphed into an excuse to leave items at recipient's address with 'CD' (Contactless Delivery) being entered into the courier's device.
Then lockdown was relaxed and couriers are now increasingly entering the recipient's name (as per the address label) in a fraudulent way of claiming confirmation of delivery. This is despite us now putting a hi-viz pink "Please Obtain Signature" label to every urban addressed item we send with NZ Couriers, as rural delivery contractors confirmation of delivery is outside of NZ Couriers' tracking system.
It is now getting to the point that a genuine receipt of a signature is a surprise to us, and we are repeatedly being advised by customers that they have not signed for an item despite the tracking data saying otherwise. Today's occurence even included a photo of the item (complete with pink sticker) having been left on a Tauranga customers' doorstep. Are they taking the piss?
According to NZ Couriers' own website if the recipient is absent, and there is no ATL (Authority to Leave) in place a deliver card should be left. NZ Couriers are operating in breach of their own T&Cs.
As Christmas approaches news articles are being broadcast about the prevalence of thieves observing couriers delivering items to insecure locations and then uplifting those items so signature confirmation is a necessity in our view.
In the last year we have lodged two loss claims with NZ Couriers for items lost due to their incompetence with pitifully small (self discounted) payments being made in both cases. And loss claims do not include a refund of the deliver cost despite it being patently obvious that the service they offer has not been successful.
Initial communications with Aramex who have been trolling for our courier account for some time have come to naught as when we attempted to sign up with them almost two months ago the process stalled at the point that the local agency was to contact us. 'Crickets' so far, so doesn't bode well for a good standard of customer service.
NZ Post have also contacted us from time to time but the interaction definitely didn't inspire confidence and from previous experiences of them losing items in delivery to us and refusing to devulge WHERE the item was actually delivered to after their tracking informed that it had been "delivered".
So where to from here? How to bring NZ Couriers to heel? Is it worth taking action through small claims court? Is there a better performing courier company that I'm unaware of?
Then lockdown was relaxed and couriers are now increasingly entering the recipient's name (as per the address label) in a fraudulent way of claiming confirmation of delivery. This is despite us now putting a hi-viz pink "Please Obtain Signature" label to every urban addressed item we send with NZ Couriers, as rural delivery contractors confirmation of delivery is outside of NZ Couriers' tracking system.
It is now getting to the point that a genuine receipt of a signature is a surprise to us, and we are repeatedly being advised by customers that they have not signed for an item despite the tracking data saying otherwise. Today's occurence even included a photo of the item (complete with pink sticker) having been left on a Tauranga customers' doorstep. Are they taking the piss?
According to NZ Couriers' own website if the recipient is absent, and there is no ATL (Authority to Leave) in place a deliver card should be left. NZ Couriers are operating in breach of their own T&Cs.
As Christmas approaches news articles are being broadcast about the prevalence of thieves observing couriers delivering items to insecure locations and then uplifting those items so signature confirmation is a necessity in our view.
In the last year we have lodged two loss claims with NZ Couriers for items lost due to their incompetence with pitifully small (self discounted) payments being made in both cases. And loss claims do not include a refund of the deliver cost despite it being patently obvious that the service they offer has not been successful.
Initial communications with Aramex who have been trolling for our courier account for some time have come to naught as when we attempted to sign up with them almost two months ago the process stalled at the point that the local agency was to contact us. 'Crickets' so far, so doesn't bode well for a good standard of customer service.
NZ Post have also contacted us from time to time but the interaction definitely didn't inspire confidence and from previous experiences of them losing items in delivery to us and refusing to devulge WHERE the item was actually delivered to after their tracking informed that it had been "delivered".
So where to from here? How to bring NZ Couriers to heel? Is it worth taking action through small claims court? Is there a better performing courier company that I'm unaware of?