Secret Farnell employee - stand up and declare yourself !

[Arfa Daily]

Following on from last week's discussions about how companies ship their orders, I have today ordered another quantity of small parts from Farnell, and once again, like last week, they are coming by Royal Mail rather than UPS. Have we got a lurker on here, who works for them, and has actually taken some notice of what was being said about choosing the most appropriate packaging and shipper for each order ?

Just as an amusing side on the same subject, I have just ordered an item direct from China. The email that I got from them today regarding shipping, has a lovely charm springing directly from its author's limited command of the English language. Here it is to cheer up everyone's day ... :-)

Your product was sent to shipping agent to make line in customs to go out of china. Your tracking number is ************** Remember this product make customs in your country before getting into your hands, and the time in that procedure is unknown by me. And my calculations are based on experience before with other customers. and you can track in

in about 2 to 3 business days. The package will be in your hands in 6 to 10 business days after the product is out of china. NOTE: PLEASE REMEMBER WE SHIP BUT YOU NEED TO TRACK AND MAKE SURE INSIDE YOUR COUNTRY THE PACKAGE DO NOT GET DELAYS OR IS SENT BACK TO US, ANY RESHIPPING COST IS ASSUMED BY THE CUSTOMER Thank you so much

Sweet, eh ? Reminds me of one many years ago when I had to install an early

12v Jap transistor PA amp onto a Rotary Club Float for the local carnival parade. In the instruction book was a totally random sort of 'cartoon' drawing of an American - style cop on a Harley. Underneath, the caption read "Policemen on white motorcycles use our equipment" ...

Arfa

[Dave Plowman (News)]

My choice living in London would be anything small enough to be delivered by the postman is sent by Royal Mail since I know when to expect him. Anything too large by *anyone* other than Parcel Farce. I can't understand how two companies under the same sort of umbrella can be so different.

[Corporal Jones]

It must be a London thing. I prefer Parcel Force, they always arrive around 8am, postman arrives between 10: 30 to 11: 30. Other carriers arrive anytime between 11:00 - 16:00, bit of a pain having to be in earshot of the door bell all day. I live in south Beds.

[Man at B&Q]

Why not just ask them what their policy is?

MBQ

[Jim K]

"whim du jour" ?

Jim K

[Jim K]

"whim du jour"?

Jim K

[Man at B&Q]

I got a perfectly understandable answer form Rapid when I asked the same question.

MBQ

[Graeme]

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

Two parcels were posted to me, on Monday. One RM first class, no guarantees, the other PF24, guaranteed next day delivery. Needless to say, the first class item arrived early Tuesday morning, but the PF parcel did not arrive until today (Wednesday).

[Adrian C]

Ye can blame the Italians for that stance ...

[Tinkerer]

I once had a moped built by Steyr-Daimler-Puch. The handbook had many oddities in translation but my favourite was the section on "Lubrifying the vehicle".

[Tinkerer]

Very nice with chips and a fried egg.

[Huge]

Weird. Some years ago I worked for the Tech Pubs arm of Xerox who, among other things, were responsible for translating product (copier, printer, computer, etc.) manuals. The bulk of most translation was done by machine (*) but the final results were always polished up by a native speaker of the target language. Doing it this way was 2 or 3 times more efficient than human translation from scratch. I can only asssume that most of the bonkers translations seen in the wild are done by someone in accounts who speaks a bit of English ...

(* SYSTRAN - the nightmare behind Babelfish.)

[S Viemeister]

Many years ago, my mother had a Pfaff sewing machine, which came with an English-language manual. When I serviced it for her, I found the 'English' text less than useless, and had to use the German version instead.

[Dave Liquorice]

Naw a "just where you are thing".

Late afternoon for us.

0830 to 0930 but we are near the start of the round. I see "our" postman doing the end of the round right up to 1300.

1000 to 1600 but each will normally arrive within an hour window in that period. So City Link will deliver 1500-1600, UPS nearer 1400, DHL after 1600. We also tend to see the same drivers.

[Arfa Daily]

You are lucky then. The same UPS driver seldom calls twice to me, and at any time from about 8:30am to 5:30pm. I once asked one why the time was always different and he told me that they varied the routes "for security mate". I don't know whether that's true, or whether it's just that being a different driver each time, they all have their preferences as to which way to drive around their area for the day. Or maybe it's a depot manager thing ? Whatever the reason, it's frustrating not knowing when an order will arrive within a 9 hour timeframe ...

Arfa

[Peter Twydell]

It happens with other languages too.

SWMBO translates from English into Dutch, her native language. Mainly technical stuff (with me as a backup as I translate NL-EN). The reference material sent by the end customer is often poor. Translated by a native speaker, but one who has no idea about how machines work or what the parts are called (in either language).

As for the 'English' source material, that is frequently unintelligible. She once had to refuse a job for a Korean company because the document was absolute nonsense.

[Steve Firth]

Dunno, but if there is a secret Farnell lurker, thanks to the team at Farnell who shipped the wrong part to me a couple of weeks ago. Genuinely not their fault - it had the wrong label applied to it and they clearly pick by barcode.

I called Farnell to explain the problem and asked for a replied-paid bag to ship the wrong bit back with and to replace the part when they could get the stock sorted out. No quibble, part received next day.

Umm and if anyone from Farnell wants the wrong part it's still here in the bag.

[Steve Firth]

Or even in different areas. Parcel Force are the only competent service other than the postman in these parts. With one exception, deliveries from the USA that are subject to excise and VAT. Parcel Force deliver these, and demand VAT/Excise before handing the item over. When I aske for a VAT receipt for the VAT paid, they refuse claiming PF are not VAT registered therefore can't charge VAT. "Fine" I say "give me back the VAT I just paid you."

This never works.

[Tinkerer]

That is because PF are only claiming from you money that they have already paid out on your behalf. The actual recipient of the money is the Customs. As far as PF are concerned it is no different to any other COD parcel and the label on the parcel (plus I suppose the parcel itself) is the only receipt you will get. I know this because I wrote the original computer application for dealing with these parcels.

[Man at B&Q]

It's worse than that. They used to take payment at the point of delivery but now the goods are held at the depot until you have paid.

I have successfully had International express post charges refunded (best part of =A3100) because the system simply doesn't allow them to meet their stated 24 or 48hr service once the goods have cleared customs.

They are collecting the VAT due on the goods. They are not charging VAT for their services.

MBQ