Trouble with delivery

Buckinghamshire-based Hays DX took over the reins of Optical Courier Services back in 1996 and now handles more then 12 million packages for the optical sector each year. But according to some optical practices and suppliers the company is failing to deliver the service levels its customers expect.
Inconsistent delivery times and a lack of response to complaints are among the most common grievances, but the problem of missing packages is perhaps the most serious.
Ian Taylor, director of independent Cheshire practice Taylors Opticians, recently highlighted the problem after a package of designer frames worth more than £1,000 went missing on its way back to the supplier (News, January 9). According to Taylor, Hays DX did not flag up the loss and the practice was unaware that the frames had failed to arrive.
Other customers report that packages regularly go missing and resolving the problem causes long delays for patients.
Tim Sigsworth, manager of Nottingham-based Trent Optical, explains: 'Once in three months you get a lost package. In such a situation Hays DX will not do anything for 10 days and then it takes another four or five days to get that order re-started and re-delivered. That is unacceptable as our patients are waiting.'
Peter Clarke of Derby-based Prime Optical adds that it is not just the odd parcel that goes astray, sometimes it can be a sackful.
'I have been waiting for three days for packages and have heard nothing from Hays DX. They can't seem to trace them. Why not? They have to be somewhere. Sometimes after waiting for three days our stock is dried up and we just sit around and wait longer,' he says.
Sheffield company Ski Optical has had similar problems with lost and delayed deliveries, as works manager and director Vic Muress explains: 'Some packages just miraculously disappear and next-day deliveries can sometimes take up to three days to get to a customer.'
However, he concedes that there has been some improvement in recent times. 'To be fair the loss of parcels is not as bad as it used to be. At one point it was running at about once a month, but now I can't remember the last time it happened,' he adds.

TIME TO DELIVER
For Muress, the primary concern is that Hays DX should be delivering products to his practice earlier in the day and at the same time each day.
'We used to have a delivery driver who was brilliant, turning up here at 7.30am. Now we have a different driver who doesn't get here until 8.30am or 9.30am. Because our employees start work here at 8am these deliveries arrive far too late to align with our working day.'
Subsequent deliveries to local opticians, which are also due to begin at 8am are, therefore, affected. 'It's chaos. We still carry out some of our deliveries at 8am but because the Hays DX delivery is so late it means we have to do another trip in the morning Ð two trips instead of one.'
Muress blames the inconsistency in delivery times on the company's policy of subcontracting its distribution.
'The time a package arrives all depends on who the delivery driver is. Hays DX does not seem to hang on to drivers too long Ð as soon as they get used to our system they've gone. Also, we understand from drivers we've spoken to that they have more and more deliveries to do nowadays. Three or four more deliveries are being stuck on to their delivery route which means they get to us later.'
Other customers are concerned about the lack of experience and local knowledge among drivers.
Prime Optical has had several major problems with drivers in the past, although Clarke says that the current one is 'excellent'.
'The problems occur when drivers and delivery contracts are changed. One person will take over a round and do it for two to three years and then they find themselves squeezed out for operators willing to do deliveries for a lower price. That's when things go pear-shaped,' he says.
Clarke recalls the tale of one new driver: 'He was from Great Yarmouth and just didn't not know our region at all Ð in fact, he'd never been to Derby before. I remember him telling me that he had to get up at 4am to start his shift. He looked so exhausted that I joked to a colleague that he'd never see his first week out if he continued. He soon returned to Great Yarmouth and I never saw him again.'
For some customers, the company's complaints procedure also falls short of expectations. Clarke says he has tried complaining to Hays DX about lost packages and delayed deliveries but has not been satisfied with the response.
'When you ring up and tell them there's a problem they just can't be bothered,' he explains. 'They tell you they're looking into your problem but never get back to you. It's very frustrating because our patients are just sitting there waiting. Maybe it's because we are an independent and not Dollond & Aitchison or Specsavers that we get no redress. I don't know.'
Both Muress and Sigsworth empathise. 'It's a waste of time to complain,' says Muress. 'I've called to speak to the manager but I just get fobbed off. Nothing ever happens.'
Sigsworth adds: 'If you phone head office they give you a complaints number. But it takes such a long time to get any feedback.'
So if these customers feel the Hays DX service is unsatisfactory, have they looked elsewhere?
Clarke says that his company has not actively sought alternatives, but it does receive enquiries from other couriers over the telephone. So far, these companies have not proved suitable. 'A lot of them don't want to take single parcels. They're just not interested. We're not of the size to shift a lot of goods,' he explains.
Despite these criticisms, most concede that the company's prices are competitive. 'Other carriers are far more expensive. Hays DX does offer its service at a fair price,' says Muress.
Nigel Harris of Poole-based Williams-Harris Optical is another customer who has actively looked into alternatives, but says Hays DX cannot be beaten on price. However, he believes that de-regulation of the Post Office would introduce more competition for this type of service. 'Then Hays DX will really struggle,' he says.

Voices of support
While some customers are strongly critical of the company's service levels, their views are not universally shared and others are much more supportive.
'I have heard unhappy mutterings at manufacturers' meetings Ð there are rumblings every now and again. But we've rarely had any problems with Hays DX. We're happy with the speed of delivery we get,' says Tim Tucker, manager of Cambridgeshire-based Gemini Optics.
'When a driver is ill or there's been an accident, they let us know. We can even collect the affected deliveries from them.' Tucker does admit that packages are occasionally lost, but says that Hays DX is approachable at such times.
'Yes, it is a pain when these go astray but we can get to speak to Hays DX about it. It even asks us how desperate we are for our delivery.' He believes that only 'pockets' of the industry are unhappy with the company's service.
'Perhaps it depends on your location. All I can say is I'd hate to see the industry sway to some other carrier. Remember we pay Post Office rates not premium rates for the Hays DX service Ð we are paying the right money. I've taken calls from other couriers offering their services but they can't compete on price.'
Tucker's advice to other suppliers and practices is to talk to Hays DX about their concerns. 'Yes, sometimes they do change routes but we have talked to them and worked out a solution which benefits us. It's all about communication. Some opticians just moan, moan, moan. They need to negotiate.'
So if customers had the chance to sit down and talk with Hays DX, what points would they raise?
Prime Optical, for one, would welcome more contact with the company and faster resolution of problems. 'I would ask why, when things go wrong, can they not deal with it more efficiently. If parcels go missing you have no idea where the driver is. You used to have mobile phone numbers for the drivers so you could phone them direct, but not now. I just want problems sorted out a bit quicker,' says Clarke.

FEEDBACK WELCOMED
optician raised these concerns with Richard Bennell, sales and commercial director of Hays DX, who says he would welcome direct feedback from these customers and wants to hear about the specific problems they had experienced.
While conceding that there are sometimes delays and losses, Bennell says that these are 'very rare'.
'It's fair to say that we want to give an outstanding level of service to our customers. We move in excess of 12 million optical items through our nationwide network a year, so it's inevitable that service failures will occur and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.
'We do carry out surveys of our customers and they consistently show that the percentage who are happy with our delivery performance through our carefully managed sub-contractors is in the high 90s. But there is always room for improvement. In fact, a few weeks ago we met with a large number of manufacturers to discuss the areas in which they felt we could improve our performance. It was very positive and we're now arranging another meeting.'
Bennell refutes any suggestion that Hays DX has a monopoly on optical deliveries. 'Some of the letters we read in optician say that we have a monopoly on this service. This is not true. We enjoy a high market share but there is no monopoly. The manufacturers use us because we give a good service at a highly competitive price.'
He also argues that the company has a flexible approach to the timing of deliveries 'We run a next-day delivery service, an overnight mail service and before 9am next morning service. Our customers can also have a timed option. We have the flexibility to tailor our service to the needs of our customers.'
As for the company's complaints procedure, Bennell says recipients are encouraged to first get in touch with their optical suppliers or manufacturers and Hays DX will then investigate.
'We have the processes in place. If the practices optician has spoken to have not been happy with the results of their complaints, I'd be delighted to look into these cases. Maybe we are missing opportunities to hear them Ð I think if we came together we could both make big gains.'
Asked about the future of Hays DX, Bennell points out that the company is presently up for sale as a result of a re-organisation programme at Hays plc but says that this is unlikely to affect customers.
'If there is a potential future change of ownership at Hays plc there will be absolutely no change in our commitment to the optical sector. We're still being invested in to a high level and we're not losing staff Ð in fact we're boosting our management team. We have a very solid business,' he concludes. Buckinghamshire-based Hays DX took over the reins of Optical Courier Services back in 1996 and now handles more then 12 million packages for the optical sector each year. But according to some optical practices and suppliers the company is failing to deliver the service levels its customers expect.
Inconsistent delivery times and a lack of response to complaints are among the most common grievances, but the problem of missing packages is perhaps the most serious.
Ian Taylor, director of independent Cheshire practice Taylors Opticians, recently highlighted the problem after a package of designer frames worth more than £1,000 went missing on its way back to the supplier (News, January 9). According to Taylor, Hays DX did not flag up the loss and the practice was unaware that the frames had failed to arrive.
Other customers report that packages regularly go missing and resolving the problem causes long delays for patients.
Tim Sigsworth, manager of Nottingham-based Trent Optical, explains: 'Once in three months you get a lost package. In such a situation Hays DX will not do anything for 10 days and then it takes another four or five days to get that order re-started and re-delivered. That is unacceptable as our patients are waiting.'
Peter Clarke of Derby-based Prime Optical adds that it is not just the odd parcel that goes astray, sometimes it can be a sackful.
'I have been waiting for three days for packages and have heard nothing from Hays DX. They can't seem to trace them. Why not? They have to be somewhere. Sometimes after waiting for three days our stock is dried up and we just sit around and wait longer,' he says.
Sheffield company Ski Optical has had similar problems with lost and delayed deliveries, as works manager and director Vic Muress explains: 'Some packages just miraculously disappear and next-day deliveries can sometimes take up to three days to get to a customer.'
However, he concedes that there has been some improvement in recent times. 'To be fair the loss of parcels is not as bad as it used to be. At one point it was running at about once a month, but now I can't remember the last time it happened,' he adds.

TIME TO DELIVER
For Muress, the primary concern is that Hays DX should be delivering products to his practice earlier in the day and at the same time each day.
'We used to have a delivery driver who was brilliant, turning up here at 7.30am. Now we have a different driver who doesn't get here until 8.30am or 9.30am. Because our employees start work here at 8am these deliveries arrive far too late to align with our working day.'
Subsequent deliveries to local opticians, which are also due to begin at 8am are, therefore, affected. 'It's chaos. We still carry out some of our deliveries at 8am but because the Hays DX delivery is so late it means we have to do another trip in the morning Ð two trips instead of one.'
Muress blames the inconsistency in delivery times on the company's policy of subcontracting its distribution.
'The time a package arrives all depends on who the delivery driver is. Hays DX does not seem to hang on to drivers too long Ð as soon as they get used to our system they've gone. Also, we understand from drivers we've spoken to that they have more and more deliveries to do nowadays. Three or four more deliveries are being stuck on to their delivery route which means they get to us later.'
Other customers are concerned about the lack of experience and local knowledge among drivers.
Prime Optical has had several major problems with drivers in the past, although Clarke says that the current one is 'excellent'.
'The problems occur when drivers and delivery contracts are changed. One person will take over a round and do it for two to three years and then they find themselves squeezed out for operators willing to do deliveries for a lower price. That's when things go pear-shaped,' he says.
Clarke recalls the tale of one new driver: 'He was from Great Yarmouth and just didn't not know our region at all Ð in fact, he'd never been to Derby before. I remember him telling me that he had to get up at 4am to start his shift. He looked so exhausted that I joked to a colleague that he'd never see his first week out if he continued. He soon returned to Great Yarmouth and I never saw him again.'
For some customers, the company's complaints procedure also falls short of expectations. Clarke says he has tried complaining to Hays DX about lost packages and delayed deliveries but has not been satisfied with the response.
'When you ring up and tell them there's a problem they just can't be bothered,' he explains. 'They tell you they're looking into your problem but never get back to you. It's very frustrating because our patients are just sitting there waiting. Maybe it's because we are an independent and not Dollond & Aitchison or Specsavers that we get no redress. I don't know.'
Both Muress and Sigsworth empathise. 'It's a waste of time to complain,' says Muress. 'I've called to speak to the manager but I just get fobbed off. Nothing ever happens.'
Sigsworth adds: 'If you phone head office they give you a complaints number. But it takes such a long time to get any feedback.'
So if these customers feel the Hays DX service is unsatisfactory, have they looked elsewhere?
Clarke says that his company has not actively sought alternatives, but it does receive enquiries from other couriers over the telephone. So far, these companies have not proved suitable. 'A lot of them don't want to take single parcels. They're just not interested. We're not of the size to shift a lot of goods,' he explains.
Despite these criticisms, most concede that the company's prices are competitive. 'Other carriers are far more expensive. Hays DX does offer its service at a fair price,' says Muress.
Nigel Harris of Poole-based Williams-Harris Optical is another customer who has actively looked into alternatives, but says Hays DX cannot be beaten on price. However, he believes that de-regulation of the Post Office would introduce more competition for this type of service. 'Then Hays DX will really struggle,' he says.

Voices of support
While some customers are strongly critical of the company's service levels, their views are not universally shared and others are much more supportive.
'I have heard unhappy mutterings at manufacturers' meetings Ð there are rumblings every now and again. But we've rarely had any problems with Hays DX. We're happy with the speed of delivery we get,' says Tim Tucker, manager of Cambridgeshire-based Gemini Optics.
'When a driver is ill or there's been an accident, they let us know. We can even collect the affected deliveries from them.' Tucker does admit that packages are occasionally lost, but says that Hays DX is approachable at such times.
'Yes, it is a pain when these go astray but we can get to speak to Hays DX about it. It even asks us how desperate we are for our delivery.' He believes that only 'pockets' of the industry are unhappy with the company's service.
'Perhaps it depends on your location. All I can say is I'd hate to see the industry sway to some other carrier. Remember we pay Post Office rates not premium rates for the Hays DX service Ð we are paying the right money. I've taken calls from other couriers offering their services but they can't compete on price.'
Tucker's advice to other suppliers and practices is to talk to Hays DX about their concerns. 'Yes, sometimes they do change routes but we have talked to them and worked out a solution which benefits us. It's all about communication. Some opticians just moan, moan, moan. They need to negotiate.'
So if customers had the chance to sit down and talk with Hays DX, what points would they raise?
Prime Optical, for one, would welcome more contact with the company and faster resolution of problems. 'I would ask why, when things go wrong, can they not deal with it more efficiently. If parcels go missing you have no idea where the driver is. You used to have mobile phone numbers for the drivers so you could phone them direct, but not now. I just want problems sorted out a bit quicker,' says Clarke.

FEEDBACK WELCOMED
optician raised these concerns with Richard Bennell, sales and commercial director of Hays DX, who says he would welcome direct feedback from these customers and wants to hear about the specific problems they had experienced.
While conceding that there are sometimes delays and losses, Bennell says that these are 'very rare'.
'It's fair to say that we want to give an outstanding level of service to our customers. We move in excess of 12 million optical items through our nationwide network a year, so it's inevitable that service failures will occur and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.
'We do carry out surveys of our customers and they consistently show that the percentage who are happy with our delivery performance through our carefully managed sub-contractors is in the high 90s. But there is always room for improvement. In fact, a few weeks ago we met with a large number of manufacturers to discuss the areas in which they felt we could improve our performance. It was very positive and we're now arranging another meeting.'
Bennell refutes any suggestion that Hays DX has a monopoly on optical deliveries. 'Some of the letters we read in optician say that we have a monopoly on this service. This is not true. We enjoy a high market share but there is no monopoly. The manufacturers use us because we give a good service at a highly competitive price.'
He also argues that the company has a flexible approach to the timing of deliveries 'We run a next-day delivery service, an overnight mail service and before 9am next morning service. Our customers can also have a timed option. We have the flexibility to tailor our service to the needs of our customers.'
As for the company's complaints procedure, Bennell says recipients are encouraged to first get in touch with their optical suppliers or manufacturers and Hays DX will then investigate.
'We have the processes in place. If the practices optician has spoken to have not been happy with the results of their complaints, I'd be delighted to look into these cases. Maybe we are missing opportunities to hear them Ð I think if we came together we could both make big gains.'
Asked about the future of Hays DX, Bennell points out that the company is presently up for sale as a result of a re-organisation programme at Hays plc but says that this is unlikely to affect customers.
'If there is a potential future change of ownership at Hays plc there will be absolutely no change in our commitment to the optical sector. We're still being invested in to a high level and we're not losing staff Ð in fact we're boosting our management team. We have a very solid business,' he concludes.