I ordered three HDMI cables from Amazon, which I usually use with no problems whatsoever, and that I can say after ordering from them since 2008.
Yesterday I waited in all day as the Amazon Tracking informed me the order was out for delivery by...HERMES. I kept myself busy, but by 1930 hours there was no sign of the delivery. Checked the order Tracking and it stated HERMES was "sorry" but the order would not be delivered "today; it should be delivered between the 12th (today) and the 21st of June!!!!
I was not happy and got in touch with Amazon's Customer Services Department, via an initial system email asking them to contact me by telephone. To be fair the call back was instant, and I ended up talking to a very helpful, professional and well trained Customer Care operative. Let rip about the awful service from their contracted courier, HERMES, infamous for failing in NOT delivering parcels. She immediately agreed to give me a refund of the delivery charges and £5 discount on any future orders from Amazon, whilst communicating my complaint to another team to deal with HERMES.
This morning I checked with the Amazon site on any latest news about the delivery. Tracking stated that the item had been "Delivered" at 8:13pM on Tueday!!!
I blew my top, recovered, and went into professional mode and another conversation with Amazon. From stating the fact that the Tracking info had gone from "it won't be delivered until to between the 12th-21st" to "delivered", when it had not and in fact at that claimed time I had been talking to their colleague about the problems, all recorded. I gave some experienced retailers advice on the monsters HERMES are, how they have a very bad online and media reputation doing what they have done to me, and how the Amazon business would lose customers, such as me, by using such a company who lies and fails to give the retailers customers excellent Customer Care. I stated I can go anywhere locally, to all the national major retailers, and purchase what Amazon, by default, have failed to deliver, but HERMES do not worry themselves about that! I requested that the order be cancelled, all monies be refunded, and stated I would not use Amazon again. At this the operative responded in the same professional way as before and did what I asked, but also agreed to arrange a £10 discount on any future orders if I gave Amazon another chance.
After that call the previous Customer Care, highly professional lady operative phoned me and asked what had happened; had the order been delivered as suggested by HERMES. I then gave her full professional advice on what should be fed back to her managers about THAT company and their appalling record. I repeated that courier could destroy any retail business if their contract was not terminated. She admitted I was far from being "not the first to complain about that company, and she would make a special effort to give my feedback to the management. I have also stipulated that I would not place an order if HERMES is the courier, a note of which has been placed on my account.
How that company keep going I shall not know, but, if, just if, my communications with Amazon help to terminate their contract with that company and stop others going through all the hassle, then that will be great!
In the meantime I have purchased my HDMI leads from B&Q, and also have a £15 discount for my next purchase with Amazon.
Sorry for the long winded post, but I needed to let as many know as possible, who do not know already, how they should avoid using that courier
