quiltman

anyone had any experience with sending documents to UK via the Express Mail Service (EMS) ? It's a lot cheaper than LBC etc.

Feidlimid

Quiltman, I was in exactly the same predicament as yourself last December when I wanted to send some documents to UK. EMS were certainly cheaper and as they promised a track and trace service, I thought to myself, "what could go wrong?" The short answer to that is, 'EVERYTHING'. Here's and extract from one of my many e-mails to EMS customer Care Department when my documents got no further than Manila Airport. Note: by this time, I had already sent about 10 e-mail and they had only responded to a couple. I had started out with a softly, softly, diplomatic approach but they just ignored my e-mails. By e-mail No 10, I had given up any hope of locating my documents or even getting a response.

1. PhlPost's Customer Care Department Ignoring e-mails.
It is truly remarkable that your office continues to ignore most of my e-mails, then when you do respond, it is usually with platitudes.
2. Track & Trace Service.
PhlPost claim to provide a track and trace service, yet as of today, the only data entered on your tracking system is for the 29 Dec. When I ask you to update the system, you ignore me.
3. International Delivery Time.
PhlPost website claims that delivery to UK is 3-5 days but the Customer Service Department claim it is 5-7 days. Somebody has got it wrong, but when I query this, you ignore me.
4. Request for information pertaining to the location of the document.
PhlPost ignore my request.
5. Request for a supervisor to contact me.
PhlPost ignore my request.
6. Providing customer with incorrect information.
On 11 Jan, you told me that the document arrived in UK on 29 Dec. If the document was in the Philippines on the 29 Dec, how could it possible be in UK on the same date? When I query this, you ignore me.
7. Using generic, 'off the shelf phrases' to placate customers.
Examples include, 'the item still in transit'. Yes, of course the item is still in transit otherwise we wouldn't be having this e-mail communication. How about using your 'track and trace' system to tell me precisely where the document is?
8. Refusal to outline PhlPost's Complaints Procedure.
When I ask for information on this subject, my request is ignored.

Bottom Line. Give EMS a wide berth, an extremely wide berth; they managed to lose my documents and then rather than address the problem, they chose to ignore my e-mails. Fortunately I had kept copies of my documents and the organisation concered was willing to accept copies. LBC use DHL at the UK side. Both LBC and DHL were professional and delivered on time. Shame I didn't do what you did and make some enquiries before using EMS. I hope you manage to read this in time before making your decision. Even if other members have had success with EMS, in my experience, you can't always tell how good (or bad) a company really is until something goes wrong. I understand that mistakes happen and mail can get lost. But for a customer service department to ignore customers, that say's it all about EMS. If EMS offered to send my mail free to the UK tomorrow, after my experience with them, I'd say, "Thanks, but no thanks".

quiltman

Thanks fieldlimid , you confirmed what I'd heard! Trouble was I had got both sides - arrived in UK in 5 days and, like you, disappeared into the heavens!The main problem is that if there is a hiccup no one wants to try and sort it at this end.
for the sake of 3/400pesos It'll be good old LBC - as you know they hand over to DHL at Manila and I've never had any problems with tracking. In fact I can even follow the DHL plane on flightradar! Sad, but that's what old age does for you. Thanks again for the input.