Why Do DHL lie?

Hussman

Hussman

Hussman

Associate
Joined
1 Nov 2003
Posts
1,263
Location
Maidstone, Kent
I ordered some metal rods via ebay at the start of the week and was told they would be with me today (Friday).

I received notification that they had shipped via DHL. I even received an email from the courrier company telling me what hour to expect the delivery today.

I live in a cul-de-sac off of a cul-de-sac so traffic in minimal to say the least. Thus any traffic movement is obvious. You hear the engines.

Currently, due to Covid, I am working from home. It's actually fairly warm today so I have my window open too. My "office" is at the front of my property.

Around 30 minutes into the time when I was told I could expect my parcel a van pulls up. I look out of the window and it is indeed DHL. Great I thought. My parcel is here.

I go downstairs and wait by my lounge window, observing the van, so that as the driver brings the parcel up my drive I can open the door to him and allow him to get on his way as soon as possible.

He then proceeds to spend around 5 minutes rummaging around in the back of his vehicle. After a while he returns to the cab and drives off. No parcel, no "we missed you" card. Nothing.

Now, I fully accept that on occasion parcels go missing. It's frustrating but courier companies deal with tens of thousands a day and so a small percentage will get lost etc. I have no issue with that other than the frustration it causes.

What I do have an issue with though is companies who blantantly lie to me. :(

I've just received an email from DHL. If it had said, "Sorry we've lost your parcel" I would have accepted it. But no.

The reason why I never got my parcel was apparently because the driver was unable to gain access to my property!

Now, I live on a residential street. I have no gate, hedge or fence, my garden is adjacent to the pavement. There is a concrete path and driveway from the pavement directly to my front door. A distance of apporximately 5 metres. My house has both a door bell and a door knocker. How can the driver have not be able to gain access to such an address??

DHL's reason for non-delivery is complete BS.

I'm not bothering to contact them directly. I know from past experience with some courier companies they couldn't give a flying fig about customer care.

I just really don't undersand why they can't tell the truth.

Why am I telling you Guys this? Well if you own a company that ships goods and use DHL, please just be aware they lie. I know that I won't be buying from any more suppliers who ship with DHL.

Issues with delivery such as lost consignments I can accept. Lies, I can't.
 
To be fair, I have never had an issue with DPD. They, for me at least, have always been exceptional.

I know little about courier services, are DHL one of the "cheaper" ones? I assumed that would be Hermes / Yodel etc?
 
Feek said:
Why didn't you wander out, attract his attention and ask if he was there to deliver to you? You were there, watching him do this so you could easily have spoken to him.

It's not difficult to say "Excuse me, I'm expecting a delivery today from DHL, do you have it?"
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I didn’t get outside to speak to him as by time I saw he had returned to the cab I went to my front door but he’d pulled away. I suppose I could have run down the road calling after him but I’m sure he won’t have “seen” me.

Also if they are prepared to lie over making no attempt to deliver it would only be my word against his that I spoke to him and asked where my parcel was.
 
Feek said:
That's as maybe but he was watching the driver. If he really wanted to know what was happening, all it would have taken was a quick call out to him but no, he'd rather watch someone fail and then whinge about it on the internet afterwards.

"Excuse me, I'm expecting a delivery, do you have it?"

"Yeah, it's on my list but I can't find it in the van, sorry about that"

"Aww OK, thanks"

Then he would have known exactly what the situation was and could have taken the appropriate action to contact the seller, DHL, whatever.

Or is that too much common sense?
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With respect, I am not whinging about it.

I clearly stated that mistakes happen and I am ok with that.

I am asking a question. Why do companies feel the need to lie.

There have been some reasonable answers given above, which clarifies things to an extent.

Please don’t have a pop at me, it’s not necessary.
 
Thank you Feek. Appreciate that. Not many would offer an apology.

Let's see if it arrives Monday. I've got road blocks ready, and I'm thinking of hiring a pursuit helicopter too....just in case

;)
 
Ironic Namesake said:
Yeah DHL don't have any issues - and you can speak to a human in the correct department to resolve any delays if they do occur at least.
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Hi,

Can you tell me how to do that please?

When I rang I get the choice to book a delivery or track a delivery. If I go for track I'm asked to enter my consignment number. An automated voice then asks me to confirm the postcode and then I'm told, "The parcel is out for delivery, it will be with you by 18:00hrs".

Which is, see below, another lie.
 
Ok, an update from Monday.

As you know the parcel was due to be redelivered on Monday (26th).

I received an email again from DHL stating the parcel would be with me between 13:54 and 14:54. I saw there was an option for an update to be sent to me when my parcel was next to be delivered. So I entered my email and phone number.

At 13:54 I did what was suggested previously. I took a late lunch and stood in my lounge waiting. Looking out of the window.

At 14:12 I received an email from DHL, you will be next. The driver is enroute and will be with you between 5 and 15 minutes time. Great!

45 minutes later I was still waiting. I gave them till 15:00hrs but still nothing. I returned to my office (upstairs, front of the property) and had the window open. All day only one white van entered my street, this was a decorator working next door.

At 3pm I tried to call DHL. I was given the option to book a delivery or track one. I selected track and entered my consignment number when asked. I then had to confirm the postcode. I was told, by an automated voice, the parcel was out of delivery and would be with me by 18:00hrs. Guess what? I'm still waiting.

I contacted the eBay seller. He told me DHL are now saying there was no contact.

Well, to an extent, that isn't a lie. As no DHL van entered my street then indeed there was no contact! Funny that they have both my mobile number and email and yet they couldn't get hold of me. I have not left my home on Friday or Monday. The neighbours opposite, and to both sides of me, are retired and are therefore in all day. The parcel is not high value or breakable. It could be left with any neighbour.

I never received a "we missed you" card when they allegedly knocked and got no contact.

I'll leave you to decide whether this would frustrate you or not...
 
Personally, I've never had a problem with DPD. I know others can probably tell different stories, but for me, DPD are the best by far. I would happily pay (slightly) more, or wait longer, if I knew the delivery was done by DPD.
 
Update...

Parcel has finally arrived. :)

When I asked the driver what had caused all the delays he wasn't able to answer.

I think Fez (above) has summed it up really, still no excuse for blantant BS though.
 
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