Exactly. It comes down to figuring out where the person's discretion is and using that to achieve a desired result.
If you use somewhere like B&Q regularly, then some vouchers or a store credit are an acceptable recompense.
.andy
To email, substitute .nospam with .gl
Don't wish to dishearten you, but the only delivery which failed to reach me next day, was one where ANC was the courier. All my other deliveries via Parcel Farce (yes, I know) where delivered on time.
An order placed with Toolstation on Thursday, again despatched to ANC, arrived Tuesday, after they insisted that they tried to deliver on Monday and had no reply, so they left a card. My wife is housebound!! No card, and definitely no attempt at delivery.
Screwfix gives you a tracking option with ANC. When I checked with them, and pasted my tracking number into their website, it brought up an invoice dated last November, made out to a company in Gloucester. (Probably a violation of the Data Protection Act). The following day, the same tracking number showed my parcel as "Missing".
Scewfix told me that ANC's tracking system was "not to be trusted". I think the same can be said of their service in general. Pity screwfix and others have yet to catch on.
OTOH you can easily waste almost as much time traipsing round the sheds & merchants. I just try to keep as much of the bread and butter stuff in my stock and schedule jobs I'm ordering stuff for to allow time - _plenty_ of time - for it to arrive.
FWIW I've had a Screwfix before-10am delivery that didn't turn up all day (ParcelFarce to thank for that one), rarely had a next-day delivery, and had various mistake items in deliveries (mostly to my advantage!). However when it's come to returning dodgy or unwanted items they've been as good as gold. BES for their part almost routinely screw something up on each order: usually stuff out-of-stock, some wrong items, and twice they've forgotten an order placed by their web site (because apparently they _print_ _off_ orders placed by the www and carry them over to where they process orders received by phone etc!). Also their stock database is seriously defective: go to
The only mail-order lot I haven't had any trouble with is toolstation.com, but I've only placed one order with them so far - no doubt they'll rise to the challenge :-)
So WTF are they using them?
The delivery industry seems to think that it can get away with lying and cheating when something is lost or they run out of time to deliver.
I gave up using "best efforts", "usually next day" services some while ago, and just pay extra for timed delivery. This does seem to result in a higher success rate of receiving goods on time and if the extra cost reduces the amount of time taken titting around securing delivery then it's worth it AFAICS. If the delivery doesn't happen on time, the charge is refunded which covers the cost of chasing.
.andy
To email, substitute .nospam with .gl
I have used Screwfix regularly, so maybe they will play dice. But then again.....
I am considering phoning my credit card company to cancel the transaction - Screwfix have charged me for something they didn't deliver (the fast delivery option), and delivered half what I wanted. Credit card cancellation charges from the card companies do hurt.
PoP
-----
My published email address probably won't work. If you need to contact me please submit your comments via the web form at
Yep do it. The do the follow up letter of complaint to Kingfisher
.andy
To email, substitute .nospam with .gl
Even BES can screw up, I ordered some stuff from them soem weeks ago. I ordered on Tuesday for some work I was aiming to do the next Saturday. The delivery finally arrived the Monday after and was simply refused and returned. (We'd bought what we needed from a local plumbers merchant instead, a bit more expensive but needs must) I have to say that BES didn't quibble about the return and my payment was credited in full.
This I will continue to use BES but no mail-order supplier is perfect as they all have to depend on imperfect delivery companies.
My experience of ScrewFix is (still) better than BES but we have a good ParcelForce depot locally.
"PoP" wrote | I'm thinking about setting up a ScrewfixSux web site
Looking at the closeness of i and u on the keyboard and the number of times they are probably mistyped anyway, you might as well register screwfux.com (I haven't checked if it's still available).
Also you wouldn't be including the screwfix word in your website name so less danger of a passing-off or libel action.
Owain
Have had nothing but hassle with all goods delivered by ANC, including several from Screwfix. They're online tracking system is a complete joke. When it works. And when it does it seems to churn up something different each time.
Tim..
" Tim \(Remove NOSPAM." wrote in news:c134al$avq$ snipped-for-privacy@titan.btinternet.com:
I have to hand it to ANC today - delivered around 13:30.
Just one problem - broken! Freud router - bits of plastic rattling around in the box. Poor packaging by Freud, no additional help by Screwfix (thin plastic outer). Box obviously damaged - but you can't see that until you open the plastic wrapper.
Screwfix offered to pick it up on Monday - and then send another one out. Not happy - Why should I have to wait 5 days extra? Anyway they did agree to send out a new one to arrive on Monday.
Apparently in some parts of the country they are trialling a "pick up and drop off" system for replacements - can't happen too soon.
Makes a change - I am with you all on ANC - they usually mess up the delivery rather than damaging the goods.
Rod
I no longer use Screwfix. they never deliver on time and always miss items on the order. it's b&q in disguise. it did used to be a good company.
Is there an alternative company like screwfix? I havent come across one yet.
Re service standards, its often the way that a business tries extra hard during its market share gaining time, then once its really busy, its busy, and you dont get much of a look in.
Regards, NT
Still waiting.....
PoP
-----
My published email address probably won't work. If you need to contact me please submit your comments via the web form at
As of this morning I have acquired the
It sure would be simpler and cheaper for them if Screwfix decided to deal with my complaint!
PoP
-----
My published email address probably won't work. If you need to contact me please submit your comments via the web form at
Wow PoP! You go girlfriend!
Suz
Toolstation(.com) - a lot of the same stock as Screwfix but generally even cheaper, but not such a wide range
Pete C wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:
Thanks for that info - as a man originally from the south west that gives me enough incentive to no longer order from ScrewFux.
Actually to be honest I haven't ordered from screwfux for quite a while anyway because none of my orders from them have ever turned up on time - I'd rather go to Travis Perkins or PlumbCenter or whatever and see and feel the goods (for quality) and pick them up when I want them.
Quite like them but they do tend to concentrate on the smaller and cheaper end of the market. Seems quite like an early days ScrewFix, hardly surprising when the original directors seem so closely related. It seems that SF is slowly morphing into 'B&Q-Online' aarghh!
So a few alternate suppliers to cover all needs BES, TLC, CPC and Jewsons (but using the much more friendly pricelists from TP)
Clearing the psychological barrier and being comfortable shopping at the Jewsons counter is a great help; free coffee, witty repartee?, hit & miss pricing (solution: nah that's too much - oh ok knock off 35% - that's more like it)
Best time to go is before work on a weekday, then have a shave etc when you get to the office.
Thanks to both of you for the suggestions. I had a look at toolstation, and their prices are better but a lot of things lacked basic necessary information. I dont know what quality their stuff is yet, I'll find out.
TLC strikes me as pricey on most things, but not all.
Regards, NT
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.