Massive Overbilling, No response, Bad and Lying Employee Attitude

<p>Hopefully the second time around actually concerns somebody.</p> <p>I signed up with what appeared to be a good value for money courier service, when I did my research, the website says all the right things... but actually using the service turns out to be the most expensive courier with the worst and most frustrating customer service in the country.</p> <p>So let me start at the beginning of my experience so far:</p> <p>I am opening an online store and need to ship country wide at the best rates possible, for a collect parcel "account" you need to pay R1140 upfront in a pay as you go fashion, which I did.</p> <p>At R95 + Vat for under 15kg I expect to send 10 boxes under 15kg right? WRONG! I can't even send 3 based on your billing.</p> <p>If I budget on a courier fee to send products to my customers, how long will I last if the courier company keeps billing me more than triple of what they advertise and I expect to pay? Just reading some of the reviews (too late to save myself the frustration and money, I admit) on hellopeter.com, I see a trend and many similar experiences. The only good comments are all rated 5 stars? Seems very improbable given the ratings of the majority of reviews and very unhappy customers and more like making up excellent reviews to offset the many bad ones.</p> <p>--------------------------------------------------------------------</p> <p>Shipment #1 2 boxes, each within the 15kg price bracket.</p> <p>Here is my complaint to head office on 09/02/2017 at 12:38, who have still not contacted me as of 15/02/2017 14:33.</p> <p>To whom this may concern.</p> <p>It has been explained to me by the Nelspruit sales rep, Burnedette and confirmed by Marinus at the branch - exactly how the parcel sizing and weight structure works.</p> <p>Length x Width x Height in cm divided by 4000 equals a volumetric figure, OR the actual mass in kg, which ever one is most is used for the pricing.</p> <p>I have sent the first 2 parcels on this account but when I received my invoice/statement it was FAR from what I measured, weighed and expected as both were under the 15kg limit when I checked using the above formula.</p> <p>However my account showed:</p> <p>Waybill: OLW ********** Billed at 28kg Charge Mass - R191.52.<br />Waybill: TCG ********** Billed at 49kg Charge Mass - R335.16.</p> <p>I phoned the Nelspruit branch and asked for the manager who was called Blessing. I asked him to investigate the problem and keep me updated, I also asked him to get Burnedette to contact me.</p> <p>I got a clear sense by his tone and choice of wording that he seemed to not want to help, do any actual work or investigate the problem, more like... I don't really care, someone else will try help you, and then nobody contacts me.</p> <p>I really felt like I was led to believe and understand the pricing and was able to budget for shipping costs but then get *****ed when actually using the service and being laughed at... in a "thanks for the up front payment... so long sucker" sense!</p> <p>By 11am the next day I had still not heard from anybody, I called Burnedette who got on top of the problem quickly and kept me updated regularly, it was also alarming that nobody could initially pick up where or what status of the parcels were! (an hour later she told me it was delivered and that the billing/volumetric mass error had been solved and my account would be credited accordingly)</p> <p>GREAT service from Burnedette!</p> <p>--------------------------------------------------------------------</p> <p>Shipment #2 3 boxes, each within the 15kg price bracket.</p> <p>These 3 boxes which by their formula, was within the 15kg limit, this was also double checked and confirmed during the drop off at the branch by dimensions and by weight on their scale. I specifically said to the clerk (Melissa) that I dont care if it takes a whole week, but I want the cheapest rate, I elaborated on this more than once. After the first account stuff up which was over triple the expected cost, I made sure to drop of the next shipment at their branch myself and make it clear what I wanted.</p> <p>I received the bill for this shipment but once again, instead of 3 x R95 + VAT = R324.90 it came to R1639.32, the mass for all 3 boxes was right (43kg total) but certainly not the cheapest rate possible or the advertised R95 + VAT for up to 15kg</p> <p>The sales rep Bernadette, who is the only person that has maintained communication with me came to see me around mid day on Wednesday the 15th Feb personally as Melissa had said at around 8:00 on Monday morning, that she suspects there will be a customer problem with this shipment, Bernadette told me that when she asked Melissa if she informed me that there was an extra charge for overnight<br />Melissa said no because I (the customer) rushed in, dropped the boxes and left. I wonder how the waybill got filled out and all that time spent checking weight and dimensions, not to mention specifically asking for the cheapest rate.</p> <p>Bernadette and I phoned Melissa on Speakerphone, where her story changed to that she forgot to tell me about more expensive rates (that I didn't want anyway) but if you didn't understand, PLEASE... COMMUNICATE, also If I left in a hurry as she claimed, my phone number was on the waybill!</p> <p>When I started talking and she realized she had been caught in a lie, she started shouting at me and tried to defend her incompetence. It seems the entire Nelspruit branch is useless apart from 1 person who tries to help the customer but ends up hitting brick walls in the company she works for, if I could afford to employ her, I would, she understands customer service and where her income actually comes from.</p> <p>--------------------------------------------------------------------</p> <p>I have been VERY careful about double checking and confirming the parcel pricing formula which I was told was Length X Width X Height then divide that total by 4000 to get the volumetric mass, or by the actual weight in kg (whichever works out to more). I write this on the top of the box in pen along with the receivers details without fail.</p> <p>If the staff are not interested in helping customers why put them at the front counter where they have to deal with customers or know their own services and rates at least well enough to inform the customer of potential issues which she did based on what she told Burnadette on Monday morning but just did not care or give a damn.</p> <p>Please go read your home and about pages of your website, either change it to the truth or live up to what you are advertising.</p> <p>Is there anyone in the company that cares about how the business is doing? I need that person to contact me please.</p>