PACKAGE (DOCUMENTS) STILL NOT DELIVERED AFTER 8 DAYS

On the morning of Monday, 9 October 2017 I sent a package from Postnet via DHL to Singapore. The package consisted of documents of no more than 15 pages.

Very efficiently, almost as soon as I had walked out and paid, I got an e-mail saying that my document was on its way and would arrive by end of day on Wednesday 11 October. On 11 October I got a call from the Postnet saying that my delivery was on hold because DHL needed a copy of my ID. I immediately sent a copy of my ID via e-mail (I was travelling at the time) and believed all was sorted. In fact, on Wednesday 12 October I got yet another e-mail (2:53 PM) informing me once again that the package was on its way and would be delivered by end of business on Friday 13 October. NO FURTHER COMMUNICATION AFTER THAT.

I assumed all was in order. After all, DHL had efficiently contacted me to let me know that the package was on its way. Surely they would contact me if there was a problem with the delivery - Ya Right (not).

On Monday morning I awoke to a flurry of not so polite e-mails from my Singapore counterparts enquiring after the documents. I, of course, in the absence of any communication to the contrary from DHL, assumed that they had been delivered by End of Day on Friday 13 October. Surely DHL would have e-mailed me if there was a problem.

It is now Monday, 16 October. I logged onto the tracking function and to my horror found that the package was sitting in Johannesburg with status "on hold". IT HAD NOT GONE MORE THAN 20KM IN A WEE**** I called the DHL help line and spoke to Zanele or Violet (I get confused who is who). The person who answered the call tried to transfer me to the other but she was"on lunch". This was just after 1:30PM. She assured me that she would pass on the message and that I would receive a call back by 3pm. I impressed on the lady on the other end of the phone the urgency of the matter and asked if there was someone else to whom I could talk. She said 'no'. The other Zanele/Violet was the one. Now, it is stunning to me that DHL's global courier business is on hold because Zanele/Violet is on lunch. The whole entire operation grinds to a halt while she re-energises. This must be one remarkable woman. Just from my experience, people from Johannesburg to Singapore (and beyond) are at the mercy of Zanele/Violet's culinary processes (and limited e-mail habits as we will see below). Needless to say, my call was not returned by Zanele/Violet after lunch (I suspect that she is permanently 'out to lunch'), or at all, and the document is still "on hold".

I called again this morning and spoke to the same two ladies. When I asked the Violet/Zanele lady why she did not return my call from yesterday she said that she only checks her e-mail once a day in the morning and as the message to call me was sent by her colleague during the afternoon yesterday, she di not get the message yesterday – she would have returned the all today. I kid you not – DHL, the multinational courier company operates at the pace that the Zanele/Violet lady dictates through her eating habits and 24-hourly e-mail checking. If you think that I am kidding or exaggerating, listen to the recording. Nevertheless, she said that she had tried to call me which may or may not be true – the Postnet guys put the wrong telephone number on the waybill. However, DHL had effectively communicated with me on e-mail previously (to give me part of the story) - why not continue to use this mode of communication which is traceable?? When I challenged her on this she got aggressive and said that I must take it up with Postnet because they are the contracting party with DHL, not me – I.E. I have no say in the matter.

As I write, my package is still ‘on hold’ (8 days after initially sending and 7 days after the initial promised delivery date) and I have no way of progressing the matter because, according to DHL I AM NOT THE CUSTOMER. Yep, believe it, use DHL at your peril. They can’t even deliver a measly few sheets of paper and will shirk off any responsibility for their ineptitude and failure to do what they promised.

Of one thing I am certain – this sort of behavior can only take place in a corporate culture that allows, or fosters, this type of laissez faire attitude to performance and boldfaced dereliction of duty. Although this episode has caused deep damage, I hope that in time I come to view it as a cheap lesson to not use DHL. You, the reader of this review, need not suffer my pain and anguish – just choose someone else from the outset.