For the second year in a row, delivery company Evri has been named Britain’s worst performing parcel delivery company, with almost half of its customers reporting problems.
According to Ofcom, the UK postal regulator, 44% of customers using Evri in the past six months experienced delivery issues – the highest of all ten companies assessed.
Evri, formerly known as Hermes, rebranded two years ago amid widespread criticism over package mishandling. Common complaints include delays, packages being left in the wrong location and delivery drivers not adequately notifying recipients by knocking or ringing the doorbell.
Ofcom’s findings, based on a survey of more than 4,000 customers, found that only 32% of Evri users were satisfied with the way their complaints were handled. However, the company has shown some improvement; the satisfaction score with resolving complaints has increased from 26% in 2023 to 32% this year.
The Evri spokesperson commented: “2024 was a year of significant investment and listening to our customers to improve our service. Our ambition is that every customer’s experience with Evri is positive.” They noted that despite the challenges, Evri’s rising parcel volumes indicate continued confidence from both customers and residential customers.
Rival delivery company Yodel comes in second with a 38% satisfaction rate, while Royal Mail, which is undergoing a £3.6 billion takeover by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky, scored 43%. Royal Mail’s performance shows a partial recovery in parcel volumes following last year’s strike-related disruptions, although the company continues to struggle with losses and productivity issues.
At the other end of the spectrum, Amazon topped the satisfaction rankings with a 56% approval rating, closely followed by DHL with 55%.
The Ofcom research also points to an overall increase in customer satisfaction when contacting delivery companies about issues, from 41% in 2023 to 44% this year. In addition, complaints about delayed or undelivered packages have decreased, indicating a gradual improvement in industry standards.
However, the regulator remains concerned that disabled customers are still more likely to face challenges in the delivery process than other users, underscoring the need for couriers to ensure an accessible and reliable service for all.