After a viral video showing delivery drivers launching packages around a depot, frustrated Christmas shoppers took to Twitter to criticize Hermes’ services.
UK customers complained about delayed deliveries and missing parcels.
A customer lamented the absence of transparency regarding the delivery status and suggested that their tracking app should win a prize for the best fiction writing.
Others slammed companies like ASOS, Mango and H&M for using the courier service, saying it almost guaranteed poor customer satisfaction and vowing to boycott their brands as a result.
Next, Marks & Spencer, John Lewis and Chilly’s water bottles also use the service.
Twitter users vented their frustration at Hermes’ delivery service during Christmas.
One tweeted: ‘It’s so annoying and the fact that company’s will charge you for delivery and use hermes is such a p**s take and form of bad customer service. I’m genuinely p****d off.’
Another posted: ‘Hermes currently lost a package, firm resent it express delivery, Hermes said it was out for delivery but now have decided it’s lost again. You can give these people a dead body if ever you want it.
The third said: “I am trying to stay away from online purchases made by companies using Hermes courier services.” I’ve used their “next day delivery” half a dozen times now and the stuff has *never* actually arrived the next day.’
Another unhappy customer said, “Any company that uses Hermes for delivery couriers I will never purchase from again!” Hermes is the worst company! #hermes.’
MailOnline reached out for comments to Hermes
Customers have reported missing packages, delayed delivery, and package left at wrong address to dozens of companies. One customer said, “All I want for Christmas, is a Hermes delivery on-time.”
The footage was taken days after it emerged that Hermes couriers were launching packages around a depot to save time. In addition, a manager told an undercover reporter to “act stupid” if customers complain.
In the video, a Hermes employee is seen chucking deliveries against cages, walls and onto the floor in the video secretly filmed at the site in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, earlier this month by The Times.
Mark, the depot manager admitted at one time that Christmas orders have risen so fast that next-day delivery deadlines are not met every day. This despite the fact that customers paid for this service.
It’s hard this time of the year, he says. Volumes rise. It is expected that this depot will be clean every day. This depot is supposed to remain empty. This never happens.
The manager offers advice about how to handle customer complaints. He says: “All you can do it is act completely stupid. Say: I really apologize.”
Shopping giants that deliver items through the company – namely Next, Marks & Spencer, John Lewis and H&M – have expressed their ‘alarm’ at the footage and urged the firm to ‘urgently’ investigate.
The newspaper’s investigation further found that couriers joke about throwing deliveries over fences, refer to customers as ‘c***s’ and leave parcels in the rain.
An additional claim was made that Hermes is being sued by hundreds of customers for lost and damaged orders.
The reporter said he earned £8.08 per hour on average – in addition to a £25 new-starter earning – while the national living wage is £8.91 for those aged 23 and above.
Company said that it was conducting an extensive investigation. Senior members of the delivery team are currently undergoing an urgent review. However, they added that the site has been performing well and there have not been any problems relating to service.
It also strongly refuted the claims regarding minimum wage payment, saying the average courier is paid £14.88 per hour after expenses.
Hermes released the following statement: “We don’t pretend to be perfect. We are conscious that an operation as large will have individual problems that we must improve.
“We’re determined to accomplish this, and we’re confident that many of these claims are false and not true to our business and standards.
This comes just days after video of Hermes couriers dropping parcels at a depot was released. A manager told an undercover reporter that he would ‘act stupid’ when customers complained. Above at High Wycombe depot
“We’ve acted quickly and initiated an investigation. The Delivery Unit is currently being inspected by our senior staff. They have also mentioned that they are conducting an immediate review.
“This unit performs well, and there aren’t any issues with service or damage.
We strongly reject his claim regarding minimum wage payments. All courier rounds pay above National Living Wage and the average courier pay is £14.88 per hour after expenses.’
Responding to the investigation, John Lewis told the newspaper it was ‘alarmed’ and had asked Hermes to ‘investigate urgently’, while Next and H&M said they were discussing the footage and Marks & Spencer took the claims ‘very seriously’.
These revelations come after Yodel and Hermes perform the worst in a League Table (pictured above), released last month by Citizens Advice.