jlo Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 I am not very happy with Ocado at the moment. Two weeks ago I signed up for a year's worth of deliveries. The first delivery after that, I was playing golf and asked OH to stay in. He wasn't very happy but I assured him that they were always on time. They weren't - they were half an hour late. Today I was going out at 8 and needed the delivery for breakfast for the children. I got a phone call from the driver at 7.15 to say that a van had broken down and it was going to be at least three hours late. I said to cancel it and he told me that I would have to do that. He gave me the number; I rang it but they weren't around until 8. At 8 I rang (having nipped out to get bread and milk in the meantime) and was thirtieth in the queue. I sent them a quick email and just tried again when I got in. I would still be thirtieth in the queue!! I think that they are having major problems today - don't know if anyone else is having issues with them! Off now to do some shopping that I had hoped to avoid! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbier Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 I've totally given up on them after the last fiasco when the van "broke down". We were due a delivery at around 6pm, he rang about 9pm to say the van had broken down, and it was too late for a replacement. Too late for me to do much else, either, by then! I arranged a delivery for the next morning, which was a saturday, and that didn't turn up either. I was a bit cheesed off by then, although the third attempt did arrive on saturday evening. I'd had enough issues with them in the past to take that as the final straw and give up on them. They keep sending me 20% off emails, but it isn't tempting me, given the potential stress factors! Needless to say, I didn't take them up on their kind recent offer of buying shares in the newly floated company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaireG Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 They are having major problems today. Something to do with computers and the warehouses so my driver told me. My delivery was just over two hours late. My husbnad did however receive a text and two phonecalls keeping us up to speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 the only problem I've ever had with them in the three years I've used Ocado was in the snow when they were slightly late, but the driver called me to keep me updated. I don't have an order due today, so can't shed any light on that one. I hope that you get it sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 I haven't had any problems, in fact it's the only grocery delivery i use and our driver is lovely and helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlo Posted August 31, 2010 Author Share Posted August 31, 2010 I haven't had any problems, in fact it's the only grocery delivery i use and our driver is lovely and helpful. Do you always get the same driver? I don't think that we have had the same one twice. The last one excelled himself by not being able to find the front door! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 Yes they had problems today and were 1/2 late but they rang and explained and I had no problem with that. When the driver delivered he said that some people had been really rude to him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 I have another friend who has posted a very simil;ar post on fb I wonder if the 30th things isn't actually true Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 I can't fault the drivers - alwasy courteous and friendly. Normally I take the bags in myself, but a couple of years ago when I'd just had an op, they were wonderful about bringing them in and putting the bags where it was easy for me to reach them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 Yes they had problems today and were 1/2 late but they rang and explained and I had no problem with that. When the driver delivered he said that some people had been really rude to him They must have had major problems today, so I can forgive them as it's been the first let down for me after a couple of years of 100% reliable weekly service. However, it did cause me major headaches because the rest of my day was dependent on my usual 6.30 slot which wasn't just late, it was completely cancelled. At nearly 8 a.m. I logged on to find a general message on the website, and an email to me sent at 4.27 am; wish I'd opened that first! A text would have been good as my phone is on 24/7. I've been running round like John Cleese ever since as Tuesdays run to a tight schedule, I've usually batch cooked Mother's meals by 9 am and given her lunch by 12, and today was marmalade day too. It's made me nervous to rely on it again, but I'm hoping it's a one off here. I did see a van go past my house this afternoon, so perhaps they caught up later, but too late for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 That's a shame as Ocado is the only one I haven't had problems with. More often than not they ring my mobile to ask if they can deliver a bit earlier. I hope they're not having major problems as my BIL works for them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 I have never had a problem with them but have with all of the others. I really hope that it is a blip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaches Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 Really envious .... they don't deliver up here in Richmond! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docsquid Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 I've never had any problems with Ocado after using them for several years. I do the annual delivery thing too, as among other things it gets you priority slots for Christmas. I've always had late deliveries, missed items, inappropriate substitutions and things from other delivery services, but never from Ocado. However this week the delivery was scheduled for 7.30-8.30 on Monday evening and it came around 10.15. No explanation and no phone call. That was the first time ever that has happened. I guess it must be just this week. As it happened it didn't affect us because we'd already decided to eat something from the freezer for dinner. Hope they get it sorted, as I've always been delighted with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 My husband works in fresh chilled food distribution as a Transport Manager (Not ,I hasten to add ,for Ocado)..the deliveries his company makes are on articulated lorries to various major supermarkets (Not Sainsburys' they do their own). I'm interested to read your comments because currently supermarkets are being increasingly unreasonable with the delivery slots alloted at the warehouses and distribution centres and make little allowance for delays for traffic etc. If a load arrives late they are just as likely to reject the lot..(even though they are often in need of the product ) and my husband spends a lot of his day firefighting. (Incidentally because so much fresh produce is packaged with a date stamp it is often not salvageable (it would cost too much to repack) and ends up in the skip. All that time, effort, cost, and air miles wasted. How does that sit with their green credentials you ask? To top it all they fine the supplier for being late or failing to deliver. So it's win win for the supermarkets...again . I am, as you can tell, no lover of supermarkets. However, I'm going to say that I'm amazed that Ocado are able to be on time as often as they are. Unlike other supermarket deliveries they are not just coming from the local branch, but from the nearest distrbution hub...which could be along a motorway, and subject to all the problems and delays that anyone, who covers any number of miles on a regular basis on our busy roads, will be all too familiar with. Be gentle with the drivers..they are doing their best for you..and sometimes can't help being a bit late..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlo Posted September 1, 2010 Author Share Posted September 1, 2010 I do try to be gentle with the drivers - honest! To be fair, I have only had problems with Ocado in the last couple of weeks and have always been impressed with them before. I received an email from them today apologising for the inconvenience and offering a £25 voucher. As long as normal excellent service is resumed - I am happy with that and have thanked them for their prompt response. If others were affected yesterday, it is certainly worth raising it with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 My local Ocado hub is in Daventry, a good 40 minutes drive on a clear day. Except for when we had the really bad snow at the beginning of this year, they are always within the time slot, and usually phone to ask if they may deliver early. Several of my neighbours have now been converted to Ocado, and it was a standing joke in the snow and ice that while our local council refused to grit our road because they considered it to be too dangerous, the Ocado deliveries were still able to make it. The drivers were all muffled up and kitted out with shovels and lengths of sacking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
