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Thievin' Couriers


Recently I decided to buy some computer parts for a friend's PC that I was building for him. I'd heard of Maplin, but hadn't really tried their services. It's only now, on hindsight, that I wish that I'd stuck with my usual crowd. But, nevertheless I decided to use Maplin's services to see how good they were. As it turns out, they're not. Despite having several stores nationwide, they're still a bunch of useless imbeciles, who only reply to e-mails once a week.

So, a friend asked me to build them a new computer for their home business. I've built computers before, so this was an easy task. Or so I thought. I'd managed to source some budget parts from various websites that I have previously had dealings with and I know that they are reliable. I hadn't really heard of Maplin before now, so I noticed a few things that I'd add onto the package before handing it to him. I decided to throw caution to the wind and ordered them online.I noticed that the delivery company they use was DHL, not a company that I have had any dealings with, but I thought that as they are a worldwide company, they can't really be all that bad. I was to be proved very wrong. I called up Maplin a few days after placing my order and was told by the customer service rep. that it would arrive on either Monday or Tuesday of the following week. So I waited in all day Monday and all day Tuesday. No sign of the courier, so I presumed that something had happened. I waited until the end of the week before filing a complaint with Maplin. I explained that the goods weren't delivered and asked for their response. I was quite surprised when they e-mailed me back this response:


The Email


Dear Sir

Thank you for your email

The goods left by DHL, I have tracked the parcel to show this was delivered and signed for on the 28.01.08 signed <My Name>, please if you have any further queries, please reply

Kind Regards

Kerry

Customer Services

I know for a fact that the goods did not arrive and they were not signed for by myself. So, it seems that the DHL courier has signed for a package in my name and kept it for himself. I then sent them a reply to their e-mail:


Our Response

Thank you for replying to my original complaint. As I previously mentioned, the goods have not arrived and were not signed for by myself. I shall be taking this matter further with yourselves and DHL.


The same day, I wrote a letter to DHL's UK Headquarters (after spending an agonizingly long time looking around their site for the address) by recorded delivery.

Dear Sir/Madam,
                      I recently placed an order online with Maplin Electronics Ltd. which was to be delivered by DHL.

On the day the order was due to arrive, I was at home all day and the delivery did not arrive. It was only when I contacted Maplin Electronics Ltd. several days later that I realized that order was delivered on 28 January 2008 and signed for by “<my name>” I can assure you that this item was not delivered and was definitely not signed for by myself.

It gives me great cause for concern that an employee of yours has signed for a package which he was supposed to deliver. I am still without my package and for this I shall be seeking compensation. If no response is received, I shall not hesitate to take this matter further.

Please also forward a copy of the signed and dated delivery note forthwith.

I await your reply.

Cogsy@ST

According to the Royal Mail's tracking device, the letter was delivered the following day. As yet there has been no reply to DHL's letter. I did, however, receive another e-mail from another customer service rep. at Maplin though.



Email response from Maplin

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your email

I will request a POD from DHL for us to look into this for you.

Sorry for any problems caused.

Kind Regards
Donna Clegg
Customer Service
Admin Team
Maplin Electronics

Email response from DHL

So both Maplin AND DHL are at fault. It takes Maplin ONE WEEK to reply to each e-mail you send to them, so I expect this will be quite a lengthy complaint file.

One week later and we have replies back from Maplin and DHL. Both companies are blaming each other for the screw-up. Let's take a look at the letter we received from DHL the other day:

Dear Sir

With regards to your letter dated the 12th of February 2008, we apologise for the late reply and the parcel that is still missing.

What you would need to do is to contact Maplin Electronics, as they are the account holder.

They will then settle the claim for you.

Kind regards

Customer Care Claims

The following day, however, we received a phone call from Maplin Electronics informing us that they were looking into this complaint now and would call us back with any details they had. So far, they haven't called us back.