Fraudulent NZ Couriers delivery contractors

[harm_less]

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?

[king1]

I have concluded there all pretty ugly ATM. I can't get them to even drop off a parcel, both Aramex and NZ Couriers for some reason that escapes me will never deliver the parcel on the first visit. They drive up, leave a card in the letter box then drive off, don't even come on the property, regardless of time of day. They're all wankers. I'm starting to think they get paid extra for the redelivery

[Oh_hunnihunni]

These are individual couriers. The people delivering to me are very different, from both companies. Our boxes are on a public walkway so I always request front door delivery, and while I often see ATL (at the letterbox) marked on tracking info, the photo usually shows my front door. And when I get confused about a parcel and contact the call centre, NZPost staffers are unfailingly helpful, as are the Aramex people.

So, call the company and complain about your courier person, but don't broadbrush all of them. 'Cos my lot are really great.

[harm_less]

These are individual couriers. The people delivering to me are very different, from both companies. Our boxes are on a public walkway so I always request front door delivery, and while I often see ATL (at the letterbox) marked on tracking info, the photo usually shows my front door. And when I get confused about a parcel and contact the call centre, NZPost staffers are unfailingly helpful, as are the Aramex people.

So, call the company and complain about your courier person, but don't broadbrush all of them. 'Cos my lot are really great.

I'm well aware the problem is due to individual couriers but the prevalence of these 'individuals' is far too great and in our experience increasing in number.

ATL is the courier companies' abbreviation of Authority To Leave, which may be in a letterbox in some instances, but more commonly an item left in a letterbox is recorded as "signed by 'letterbox'" and is accompanied with a photo of the item in question sitting in someone's letterbox, usually with the pink Please Obtain Signature sticker in view  

Every few days recently I'm hearing news items reporting the prevalence of thieves uplifting courier items from insecure drop off locations, often with the thief stalking couriers on their route in a 'fishing' expedition. Gaining a signature is intended to prevent such theft but the couriers themselves are playing into the hands of the thieves by not following stated deliver protocols.

I've contacted our local manager numerous times on this matter but it seems he is fighting an uphill battle in trying to impress on lazy and dishonest couriers/contractors of the problem.