Parcelforce purposefully delivered my package to a complete stranger and didnt even tell me (Parcelforce)

Member Name: apricorn

Product:	Parcelforce
Date:	03/01/02 (1531 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Quick

Disadvantages: Hard to get hold of, Driver who didnt seem to care to much

I've read a number of reviews about Parceforce on this site and was totally shocked to see that they are consistently so bad. I have had parcels delivered twice by parcelforce now, the first time was fine, absolutely no problems atall. The delivery man came while I was at work and I phoned to arrange redelivery the following day (which I had booked off) The person I spoke to when arranging this was helpful, and sure enought the parcel was delivered the next day. So thumbs up so far....

BUT...

The next time I received a parelforce delivery, things did not run so smoothly.
These were computer parts that I needed quite urgently, and after being told by the site I purchased them from that there was a 99 per cent chance that I would receive the goods the next day, I decided to phone the national helpline to find out if they were definitely coming that day. As it was, I was work and so would not be in but at least I could get a lift up to the depot to pick them up.
Upon phoning I was told, that yes the goods certainly were being delivered to me that day. Therefore I expected to find a card through my door when I returned home from work which I could take to the depot and use it to collect my goods.
However, when I returned home, there was no card. I had half an hour to get to the depot before it shut, but In case the delivery driver hadnt been yet, I didnt want to be out in case he came. So I decided to phone the depot. This proved very difficult without the card. The entry in the phone book and the yellow pages gave only the free phone national enquiry number. I called it - and it had closed for the day!
So i tried directory enquiries asking specifially for my local parcelforce depot by name. Once again I was given the nation enquiry number. Upon asking me if they could supply the number of the local depot, they said there were no numbers listed. I can only assume that Parcelforce depots are ex directory because they dont want anyone
to contact them!
In the end I waited in. Surely, as there was no card there and I had been told I was to get the delivery that day, it was just a matter of waiting. Wrong.
By six thirty I had given up hope of it arriving, and to make matters worse it was a firday night, meaning I had to wait until monday before I could get it redelivered.
Monday came, and I managed to get the number for the local depot by phoming the national line.
Upon giveing them my reference number, I was told that the parcel had been delivered on firday. "No it bleeding well hasnt!" I retorted "Well not to me anyway!" The reply of the parceforce man was that it had been delievered and actually signed for by me, and he confirmed my name.
At this point I began to panic. Had a thieving neighbour intercepted my parcel and pretended to be me to gain possession of my goods. Or was there a squatter living somewhere in my house who had answered the door and accepted my delivery. Upon expressing my concern the parcelforce guy said he would get back to me.
To his credit, I only had to wait around fifiteen minutes before he got back to me (I was expecting longer) after which I was told that the parcel had actually been signed for by a Mrs Freeman.
"Never heard of her" I replied. I was pretty sure that neither of my neightbours had such a name. So I asked him to find out at which address it had been delivered, and why oh why was no card put through my door to let me know. After another 15 minutes (credit given again) the guy got back to me to tell me that the delivery dirver had delivered it FOUR doors down on firday, to somebody I had not met before, and hadnt left a card because the old lady had told him that she would take it round straight away! (which she obviously didnt!)
What kind of justification is that? And no apology either!

I think I'll wait and see what happens to my next parcelforce delivery before I make up my mind.
But having read the opinions on here and after my own experience I am cautious to say the least.
It seems that the driver in my case was more interested in getting ANYONE to sign for th eparcel so it was no longer his problem. Ensuring that I got the parcel safely seemed to be the least of his worries. It is fair enough to leave a package witha neighbour, but to leave it four doors up the road, and not even leave a card to inform me where it was is bang out of order.

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