In my self-appointed role as international gadget consumer extraordinaire, I have occasion to purchase vital items from overseas.
Sometimes these come via ordinary mail, which can involve a delay as the local post office gets its arse in gear before eventually sending me a tiny piece of paper informing me that my goods have arrived. I then hurry down to the shrine of parcels, pay some duty, and pick up my toy.
More often, I pay the extra for a courier service. This usually results in a knock on my door about 3-4 days after I place the order, and the knocker is a pleasant chap from the courier company who hands me my package in exchange for customs duty. It’s an extraordinarily efficient service and, I think, reasonable for the level of service provided.
And I was expecting that level of service when I received advice that my latest “must have” had left the UK and was heading this way courtesy of TNT.
On the 9th April the tracking information indicated that my parcel was sat in Bangkok airport and was “Held Customs, Awaiting Clearance Instructions From Receiver”.
Receiver, that should be TNT, but when the status had not changed the following day, I called their customer service line on the evening of the 10th. A charming lady answered and said she would take my phone number and someone would call me back the following morning. Excellent, let’s see what the following morning would bring.
The morning of the 10th April brought many things but it didn’t bring a call from TNT. So at 11:10 I called them again.
Aha, said a similarly charming lady, we can’t process your package because we don’t have your phone number. I gave it to you yesterday, check your computer. *Oh. Well, I will transfer you to Khun Chantana at the airport, she is dealing with your item. *
There was a click and I was put on hold and subjected to endless recorded nonsense about the wonderful TNT service. After seven minutes of waiting it was clear that nothing was going to happen, so I hung up.
At 11:26 I called again and yet another charming lady answered. I explained my problem. Let me transfer you to Khun Chantana at the airport…. I explained we had just tried that. Oh. OK well I will make sure someone calls you back within the hour.
Nobody called me back within the hour. I searched their website and found a contact form; filled it with the story so far and sent it off.
At 13:14 I picked up the phone and another charming lady answered the phone. TNT must have a well-staffed customer service helpline; just a shame that providing customer service is not on their priority list. I explained my problem. Let me transfer you to Khun Chantana at the airport. I explained what happened last time. She transferred me anyway. Five minutes of TNT platitudes and I had had enough, Khun Chantana was not going to answer her phone.
At 13:20, with a heavy sigh I dialled customer service again. The next in line of charmers answered. Got the “we don’t have your phone number” story again. I asked her to check my account. She read off my phone number. So, you do have it. Yes. Now what? Someone will call you back. I went through the events of the day, amazingly without losing my temper. I will elevate to the supervisor and they will call you back within one hour.
You would be amazed to learn that, 34 minutes later, the supervisor called back. So would I, because they didn’t. Nobody. Nothing. Nada. Bastards.
Now it is 14:45 I am realising that this may never get resolved, but it is developing into a blog post; so I resolve to call them every hour for ever. So I call again and the latest cutie tells me that this matter has been escalated (escalation presumably not involving informing the customer). As a result, someone WILL call me back within fifteen minutes. Guaranteed. Bet your life on it.
And? Yep, you guessed. Nothing.
So the current tally was four promises to return my call not actioned and two futile attempts to transfer me to someone who apparently knew what was going on. The TNT slogan is “Sure we can”; that presumably does not extend to providing any form of customer service.
And then, at 15:41, a call from TNT!! But not a late fulfilment of the four customer services promises; instead it Khun Pongsak who is an operations supervisor who has seen my contact form message, and decided to do something about it.
He tells me that customs are holding my parcel until they get a copy of my passport. I have no idea why this particular shipment needs a copy of my passport; I have never,ever faced this issue before. Still, investigation can wait and I send my new friend a passport copy.
This morning the status has changed to “Held By Customs, Awaiting Payment Of Duties/taxes By Receiver”, a process that Khun Pornsak tells me can take 2-3 days to massage through customs; and customs disappear for their Songkran holiday as from tomorrow…..
So, had the parcel come with Fedex, it would have been in my hot little hands on or before 9th April. Thanks to TNT and whatever pathetic, and no doubt cheap, process they use, it’s probably going to be at least another week.
Never mind, I can wait; at least Khun Pongsak tried to help; unlike the total waste of space and phone time that is the TNT Thailand customer support line, motto: “Sure we can, but we won’t”.
Comments 🔗
2012-04-12| Camberley saysIt’s the not losing your temper bit that amazed me. So what is it?
2012-04-12| Chang Noi saysAnd the worst thing is ….. TNT is worldwide expanding so this crap will be coming near you much sooner and much worse as you would like! I had the same story twice in Europe and once in Thailand.
Have a gadget Songkran!
2012-04-12| antz saysIt’s not just TNT, it’s all of them… Fedex, DHL, the lot. Service is shit and they always blame customs (who often are to blame with their money grabbing approach to all things)….. it’s hard to stay patient….
2012-04-12| Robin Parmar saysSorry to hear about this!
Couriers seem great until something goes wrong… and then one is likely to get the run-around. Working for years in N.America I found the absolute worst was UPS, since it was not only the implementation but the policies themselves that were rotten. In Europe I haven’t found much difference but still refuse to deal with UPS as a matter of course.
2012-04-12| Spike saysIt’s a thing with three legs.
2012-04-12| Spike saysNever had a problem with any of them, until this shitfest. I am not, of course, an importer of dubious substances like what you are.
2012-04-12| Spanky saysIf I guess what it is can I have it?
2012-04-12| Spike saysI already told you what it is, so no
2012-04-12| Spanky saysNo fun! :(
2012-04-14| antz saysYep, but at least I’m clean and smell good… (well, so I’m told)….
2012-04-15| Galumay saysI deal with TNT almost daily with my business as an Apple Reseller & they are truly awful, like all couriers the local contractor has an effect and in my case they are very good, but the rest of the TNT network makes the indian public service look efficient. Mind you as pointed out most of the rest are not much different, Fedex i find good, but Allied Express, UPS, DHL etc all suck.
2015-01-03| Pete saysits fallen on me now .. (I kind of expected it, as I am importing 2-kilos of powders ) , but what i diddnt expect was TNT to release item from customs .. takke to hub … then send it BACK to the airport … release it AGAIN … THEN SEND IT BACK AGAIN …. then release it AGAIN .. then send to hub.. 2 days later ’they are waiting for a customs inspection’ WTF !!
2015-01-04| Grant says…and when it’s finally cleared they’ll kick it Express right to your door…
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11378283