... Initial City Link, the courier delivery service that could make a worthy adversary to Dr Who (if he ever, y'know, ordered a sonic screwdriver from Maplins and ICL were delivering it).
Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, the muppets at ICL. Bear in mind this review relates entirely to getting a ... Read review
Advantages: I managed not to kill anyone Disadvantages: Total lack of customer service; depot miles away from anyone
...think I have the answer. Initial City Link, the courier delivery service that could make a worthy adversary to Dr Who (if he ever, y'know, ordered a sonic screwdriver from Maplins and ICL were delivering it).
Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, the muppets at ICL. Bear in mind this review relates entirely to getting a delivery made to me in the Edinburgh area (since that's where I live, it would be silly getting something delivered to me ... ...every step of doing so as difficult as possible; if ever there was an organisation that seems to revel in putting itself out of the way; if ever there was a reason to shop at your local store rather than have things delivered; satan, thy name is Initial City Link. ... more
If you've ever wondered where the people who were not quite intelligent or human-looking to work in Argos ended up then I think I have the answer. Initial City Link, the courier delivery service that could make a worthy adversary to Dr Who (if he ever, y'know, ordered a sonic screwdriver from Maplins and ICL were delivering it).
Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, the muppets at ICL. Bear in mind this review relates entirely to getting a delivery made to me in the Edinburgh area (since that's where I live, it would be silly getting something delivered to me elsewhere).
I'm not sure if it's because I was being sent expensive items, or because they were large, but the place I bought my new bike wheels from decided to send these by ICL. If I'd known this in advance I would gladly have gone elsewhere, paid 20 quid more for the wheels, and repeatedly punched myself in the face. But as it was I found out when I logged in to track my order and found the package was already on the van for delivery.
Fast service only a day after I'd ordered them, but woe betide you if you're not in when ICL come knocking on your door.
I can't get things delivered to my work (and anyway, I'd make for a comical figure cycling home with two new wheels strapped to my back - not that I haven't done that before mind you) so always know that I'm going to have to get a card through the door and go and collect my wares at a later date. Royal Mail; Parcel Force; UPS; DHL - all have been pretty easy to retrieve my stuff from.
ICL's practice is more akin to an Ealing comedy (except not quite so lighthearted and with more swearing). The card tells me in no uncertain terms that if I want to collect the parcel I MUST (note the big capitals) telephone the number on the card. I also MUST (seeing a pattern here?) collect within 5 days and I MUST wear green to visit their depot (okay, I made that last bit up... It's yellow).
Ringing the '08' number on the card my heart sinks as I'm met with an automated voice which, I understand, has been scientifically designed to deliver its messages in such a tone as to leech all hope of seeing your parcel from your soul and command you to kill the President of the US (so it's not all bad). Again here there are dire warnings about going to collect your parcel before completing this brain scan, and five thousand instructions on how to use your phone. I'm told there's an 8 digit consignment number written on the card ('scrawled' might be more accurate), and that I should type in the last 5 digits (so why not make it five digits long instead of 8?).
Hurrah! They've found my parcel. Hurrah! I'm allowed to collect it! And I MUST do this before next Tuesday (I know it was a voice, but those capitals were there).
Given I was out the next two nights, and travelling the third, I figured I'd better get there straight away, so looked up the address of the 'Edinburgh' collection point. It DOES have an 'EH' postcode, but then so does Livingston, 30 odd miles away, and that's where it was. Or rather, it was outside Livingston, on an industrial estate not directly accessible from the motorway running alongside it.
And once in the industrial estate it's hard not to imagine you're going to end up the star of an 80s cartoon series, forever trapped in the network of roads and looking for the Dungeon Master (or a sign) that will lead you both to ICL and out again. It's worth noting that if you don't have a car then you can kiss goodbye to seeing your parcel because there's virtually no other way of getting there. Indiana Jones (to be all contemporary - roll on May 22nd!) had an easier time getting that idol from the cave at the start of Raiders.
To gain access to the hallowed building you have to hit a buzzer and hope that there's a member of staff inside. Which there isn't. Ever. Someone passing on his way home lets me in to what can only be described as a corridor with a desk in it. Everyone coming through the door has tales of trying to find the place (including one person who took a wrong turn and found Elvis Presley living with Princess Di in an underground bomb shelter. True story).
Ten minutes pass and a surly gent walks in and demands our cards. Ten minutes later and packages start arriving for the waiting masses (the warehouse must be like, if this review can stand another Dr Who reference, the Tardis given the length of time it seems to take to walk about it). Five people are given their boxes and the trolley is empty. But lo, what light through yonder windows breaks... Tis an orange hi-viz vested yoof carrying my box.
Another 'Hurrah!' broken only by the gruff 'Mr Robson! ID!' and a demand that I sign in a couple of boxes that for all I know could have been signing me off to slavery, but which I would have gladly signed to make my way out of this place.
Now in truth this does mean that I got my parcel the night after it was delivered, and for that I must be thankful, but if ever there was a shower of eejits that make every step of doing so as difficult as possible; if ever there was an organisation that seems to revel in putting itself out of the way; if ever there was a reason to shop at your local store rather than have things delivered; satan, thy name is Initial City Link.
Advantages: Sorry, can't think of any Disadvantages: Too many to list
...retailers who somewhat misguidedly think Initial City Link (hereafter known as ICL) provide a delivery service.
THE COMPANY
According to their web site (city-link.co.uk), ICL were founded in 1969 and pioneered same day and next morning delivery services. They are part of Rentokil Initial plc, although it would appear that Rentokil’s expertise hasn’t been used to rid ICL of bugs. Their head office is in Hounslow, Middlesex and their distribution ... ...branches in the UK and also deliver to 25 European cities and New York.
THE SERVICE
ICL offer a next day delivery service, the cost of which varies (see their web site) depending on the weight of the parcel and the required delivery time. The options are:
By 7.30am (Major Cities) By 9.00am By 10.30am By 12.00 noon Next Afternoon by 5.30pm Next Day by 5.30pm For the princely sum of £47.70 plus £1.85 per kilo, they will even deliver at a specified ...
jez_taylor 11.10.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Initial City Link
Advantages: None Disadvantages: inefficient, rude members of staff, difficult to get hold of,unreliable
As a mail order customer I have a lot of experience of different courier companies. I also work for a mail order mobile phone dealer and our main courier is city link. Out of all the courier companies of today city link is definitely not the one I would choose.
When you order something via mail order and they say next day delivery then that is what you would expect, providing you ordered your items before a certain time in the afternoon. This is ... ...delivery on time if you pay the surcharge to receive your goods before 12.30pm that day.
If you’re not in then a card is usually left, not by city link though. Oh no. They try to avoid this where they can get away with it. I called them once to complain about this because they said they never had anything for me and I called the company who I ordered from and they told me the courier reference number and I contacted them again and told them this ...
coolchanty 21.01.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Initial City Link
Advantages: none at all Disadvantages: rude staff, unhelpful, inefficient, say one thing and do another
I am writing this review as a person who has received items deliverd by CityLink.
Last year I received a card through my door telling me that CityLink had attempted a delivery.
This card stated that the parcel had to be signed for at the address and could not be delivered elsewhere. The alternative is to collect the parcel from them but they will only keep it for 5 days.
I telephoned the Exeter office to request that they deliver to my office, ... ...at my house and a signature obtained. I had quite a lengthy conversation with the man, saying that I lived 20 miles from their depot and was always out at work, but nothing would shift him.
(You can only have a different delivery address if you contact the company you ordered the item from and they advise CityLink, but seeing as they will only keep the parcel for 5 days, you could run out of time here!)
I then advised them that we would have to ...
kismet 07.03.2005 (22.02.2006)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Initial City Link
Advantages: None Disadvantages: Everything possible
Back in 2004, I would have typed a positive review and given them five stars. After my recent experience, well, I'm well and truely disgusted...
This is started when I ordered a laptop through Rizeon. Everything went smoothly with the company Rizeon itself. I have no complaints against them, only compliments. They informed me it had been dispatched with City Link and provided me with the consignment link. Eargly waiting for my laptop on the Monday, ... ...the status first thing in the morning, so far everything was looking promising according to it. They had loaded my package onto a van for delivery. By afternoon, I knew my chances were very slim of actually recieving it in time by 5:30pm. At 3pm, the status had updated to me apparently not being at home to recieve the order and I had been carded with contact information. A complete lie of course as I was in the entire day with three family members, ...
hughesmonger 29.01.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Initial City Link
Advantages: None Disadvantages: they lose stuff and are totally incompetent
As the proprietor of a mail order company, I have a lot of experience with UK courier companies; after bad experiences with Parcel Farce and Night Fright, we switched to Shitty Link about one year ago, and I can honestly say this company is by far the worse courier service in the UK.
It's not just the fact that they seem to regularly loose stuff, do not come to collect parcels when we have booked them in, or deliver goods to the wrong customer, ... ...use City Link, but it's also their inability to sort anything out, once they have screwed up. Let me explain some of the horrors with City Link
They lost a parcel containing about £400 worth of goods, and then denied that they ever picked it up, so we were unable to claim anything from their "insurance"
They lost about £1500 worth of goods being sent to Southern Ireland - about 6 weeks later they did actually find them and the reason they gave ...
TotnesHemp 05.11.2007 (13.11.2007)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Initial City Link
