Parcel delivery firms must improve handling of complaints, Ofcom warns

theguardian.com:

Parcel firms must improve how they deal with delivery errors or face enforcement action, the industry’s regulator has warned.

Ofcom said people in the UK who send and receive parcels would receive greater protection under new rules designed to improve how companies handle complaints.

During the pandemic, tighter Covid rules made many more shoppers reliant on parcels, and Ofcom’s own research from last year found that almost two-thirds (64%) of customers had experienced problems with deliveries over a three-month period.

Consumer groups have claimed the sector is rife with issues, some of which have been blamed on the pressure put on delivery drivers to meet targets, with commonly reported problems including parcels being left in insecure places, such as doorsteps, and companies refusing to take responsibility for mistakes.

The regulator said it was tightening up the rules on how firms deal with complaints, as well as making it easier for people to contact companies and bringing in better protections for disabled customers.

Its new guidance on the handling of customer complaints will take effect from April 2023.

Ofcom said millions of people increasingly relied on parcel deliveries, “so it is crucial that delivery firms have strong systems in place to deal with any problems”.

The customer service that some people have been getting when a delivery goes wrong “simply hasn’t been good enough”, said Lindsey Fussell, its networks and communications group director.

She added: “If we’re not satisfied with how parcel companies respond, they could face enforcement action or tighter rules in future.” Enforcement action could include financial penalties.

Research last year by the regulator found that about a quarter of parcel senders found