What Delhivery Delivered
The message promised the delivery of a parcel by the
courier service called Delhivery. I had been waiting eagerly for it because the
parcel carried a cure for a virus disease that afflicted my chilli plants.
Since there was no sign of delivery and also since Delhivery’s local branch in
my hometown is notorious for pathetic service, I called up their office. The
man was shockingly rude for no reason except that he had “other clients too.”
I had a reason to be in the town the
next day and I thought I would take my parcel personally from Delhivery’s
branch. How the man behaved is in the video below. He never once looked at me
throughout my interaction with him. It was as if the clients were nuisances for
him. Later I noticed that he behaved in the same manner with everyone. Pathetic
creature!
He went inside apparently to take my
parcel, came out emptyhanded and told me that the delivery man had carried it
and I would be getting it at home.
But it wasn’t delivered. I knew I was
being taken for a ride merely because I had suggested in my first phone
conversation with him that a courier service provider didn’t necessarily have
to be rude.
Instead of handing over the parcel to
me personally and finishing the affair, the man chose to send it to another
branch, Aluva, which is quite far from my place.
I complained to both the sender and
the headquarters of Delhivery. Both apologised politely and promised prompt
action.
Finally, another branch of Delhivery
delivered the parcel four days after it was scheduled to be delivered – too
late and in very bad condition. Luckily my chilly plants showed improvement without
the medication.
Somewhere in our interaction on the
first day, I told the man that there were dozens of clients who had written
extremely negative reviews about his branch. Without looking at me, he mumbled
that they write about every company. “Not really,” I said.
The only time he looked into my eyes
was when I remarked in a whisper (loud enough for him to hear) to my cousin
whom I had taken along on my second visit to the branch that the fellow was a
potential criminal. “What did you say? Am I a potential criminal?” The anger
that seethed within him was palpable. The man was indeed a pathetic creature
who carried a volcano within.
I wonder why Delhivery doesn’t give
him some other job which doesn’t require human interaction since he seems to
hate himself and everybody.
While I was in his office, another
courier, DTDC, gave me a call. “There’s a parcel for you,” the caller said. I
knew it was Sonia Dogra’s book which I
had received as a prize in a blog hop. DTDC never delivers anything at the
destination. They ask the destination to go to them and collect. Quite rudely
too. That made me wonder whether there was something in the DNA of courier
services in Kerala that worked up the adrenaline of their staff.
I have made it explicitly clear to
all those who usually sent me books that they should use India Post for the
service. It’s infinitely better than any private courier. The moment the
article is booked, a message reaches both the sender and the receiver along
with a link for tracking. The tracking is smooth and perfect. The final delivery
is preceded by another message. India Post is probably the only government
service that works so efficiently. Why don’t more people use that, I wonder.
17 Feb is the day I visited the branch the first time. The article was there and the man refused to hand it over to me.
On 18th, even the tracking system is confused. The article went somewhere!
On 18th, it appeared in Aluva, apparently on its way back. Maybe, the man had returned it. Many Google reviews mention that behaviour from the branch.
Comments
Post a Comment