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. 

 And, for a change for the better, here are some of my chilli plants.