Yodel releases statement over Dispatches documentary

The Executive Chairman of Yodel has released a statement in response to the Dispatches documentary shown on Channel 4 on Monday 1st February 2016 that made allegations against the practices of the company in its care for parcels both at sorting offices and while out on delivery.

Undercover footage used in the documentary seemed to show staff at a sorting office throwing parcels around a sorting office either to transport them or even recreationally, as well as ignoring notices on fragile packages. Accusations were also made about parcels being left in unsafe locations by drivers employed by the courier.

Dick Stead, on behalf of Yodel, put a statement on the company’s website which says “The allegations brought to our attention by Dispatches indicated some unacceptable practices. There were some specific and isolated incidents that were brought to light that we are investigating and are taking appropriate action on. We are very sorry for the occasions when we let customers down.”

Yodel is one of the largest courier companies in the UK and as well as being popular amongst smaller businesses it also provides delivery services for Amazon, Tesco and Argos. Businesses have alternatives, with other large courier services available and companies that can help provide tailored solutions are an attractive option. As such, the allegations made in the Dispatches programme are being taken seriously but Stead has argued that the cases are not common across the organisation.

He said: “We handle over 155 million parcels every year and the vast majority of these are delivered successfully thanks to our committed and valued people. Clearly there are still improvements to be made and we will accelerate activities which have already seen our customer satisfaction score increase from a disappointing 35% two years ago to over 80% today which is among the best in the industry.”

There is a clear concern that confidence in Yodel will drop following the documentary, which is what Yodel is trying to address by focusing on the much-improved satisfaction scores in the past two years. However businesses need to be comfortable in the courier they use to ensure their customers are happy, and using a company that can find the best courier service for you and be sure of safe delivery is one way of seeking such reassurance.

Yodel vans crossing London Bridge by YodelNews is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0