DHL delivery (because even in N1 I now can’t get a SRV for several weeks).
Five cases expected. Three delivered. Where are the rest?
“I’ve no idea. They might be damaged. Someone will be in touch.”
Virtually every DHL delivery to us has had a problem. It’s getting to the stage when I’m reluctant to order from the Society because the follow-up will be painful.
I spoke to member services who said the lack of WS vans in N1 was due to the driver shortage. However… I have just booked a one for Monday 27th Feb so if you check now you might see one available.
Think there was also one available in early March.
Just had a delivery from the WSRV, as usual spot on time and always with a cheerful greeting.
Well done Chris
I also had a delivery today but from DHL as no WSRV here.
Was emailed a slot this morning and he was here 10 mins before the start, dodging the workmen who have dug most of the road and pavement up. Very friendly and polite.
Pretty much my experience this morning! 
A single bottle was needed before the weekend as a present - a rarity here, I should add - a gift for the SiL in Belgium (she’s developed an obsession with Nyetimber!). The DHL guy polite as ever and arrived about half an hour earlier than expected.
It’s such a shame that DHL seems to perform so differently and badly for others here. I haven’t had an issue yet - not just with wine, but other orders too. Baffling!
The lovely Michael in his TWS van came today, on time, polite, never broken a thing. We have a brief natter while he unloads the wine, I think he is the only person I have actually met from the wine society and the mere sight of him is a tonic. Bravissimo Michael! He is more than enough reason to go on buying from this lot. Courier forsooth!
I was thinking about TWS and DHL deliveries the other day and was wondering how many TWS deliveries are warehouse to door, or warehouse to depot to door, and how many handovers there are on a typical DHL delivery. It occurred to me that DHL perhaps work much more of a “relay” distribution system. In this case there would be a lot more loading and unloading before end delivery. This might be part of the reason for an apparently much higher failure rate (loss /breakage /etc). Whether this is true or not I have no idea but they must have to operate something in this nature to make any profit I would think.
Just had a DHL delivery this morning, all bottles really cold so I guess stored in some warehouse overnight
Bringing my “whats in your basket” delivery rant to more appropriate thread….
4.30pm, driver on delivery slot 70 - my slot is 122. At least she / he is more than half way here, but the other side of that coin is that the van departed the depot at 9am this morning - so already more than 7 hours on the road.
Feature of my North London address that I often seem to be at the tail end of DHL routing…. but that starts to make ordering from TWS something of a problem.
Have to think this does not turn up today- will not be the first time this has happened. WFH Friday a great opportunity to take deliveries, but no help at all when they do not show… red van not an option I have seen for recent deliveries (and certainly not on a Friday)
Really feel for the poor drivers who are knackered when they arrive (having taken a load of grief for something they cannot control).
TWS delivery used to be the best in the business and now it is repeatedly crap. Very reluctant to have “fine wine” spending multiple days in the back of a DHL van = more money spent elsewhere. Plus I have a load of EP purchases (and others) in reserves.
I am just not sure how it is acceptable to schedule so many slots… assuming a 10 hour day, that is 12 deliveries per hour. I know I am in a location with dense population - drive distance between slots is short… but roads are very congested, often nowhere to park etc.
Cheap / free delivery is all very well but this is physically demanding work, long days, driving on congested roads = dangerous. Someone in the chain eats the cost of this stuff, and arguments about capacity in the delivery networks do not fit my experience.
I haven’t yet used DHL with TWS, wondering if the number of available slots takes into account likely local conditions.
Only a single other recent data point, but had a DHL delivery this week (not wine/TWS). Was scheduled to be drop #60 with a slot of 14:30-15:30, delivery arrived at 13:30. This driver had managed to get though 60 drops by that time of day.
More generally, I find courier services are often highly dependent on the quality of the local depot / driver, often resulting in very different opinions on a given provider. In my area, the service from DPD and Evri (ex-Hermes) is very good, DHL is ok but variable, UPS can be a real pain (especially if you need to contact them to change anything). Amazon is, of course, ruthlessly efficient. Others will have a different satisfaction level with each company.
Can understand the frustration for many though, especially if the previous service level was high. I guess for TWS the volumes are much higher now and can’t be handled themselves, at least in the short term (possibly compounded by staff shortages), so no choice but to use a courier. It’s hard to imagine that changing supplier would necessarily make it better, you’d probably just make some members happier and others less happy.
I am trying to do a Reserves withdrawal and there are no TWS van slots out to 1st April, only Carrier (which I don’t want to use for a Reserves withdrawal for obvious reasons). I can’t see any further than that, no option. Is this a case of just wait, checking every few days to see if anything opens up, or call MS?
I would advise you email member services. Explain why you will only have your reserves delivered by WSV and ask why there isn’t one available currently and whether this will change in future.
Email should give them the time to properly investigate rather than a phone call where they might be tempted to just look at the available schedule and not dig any deeper than you already have.
Phone them (and they do work Saturdays) - genuinely I have found the nice people at TWS to be as helpful as they can be. If there is a solution they will suggest it.
Email takes longer and lacks the personal touch, but that’s just my opinion…
But I totally agree - if it’s reserves you don’t want to take a gamble (however small) on the gentle caress of DHL.
Yes similar here - pulling out a couple of dozen from reserves. Next SRV not until 11/4 here in wild Wales. Thats OK but glad I dont need them in a hurry.
Would endorse comments on MS also strong agree re reserves by carrier 
I had this issue, the local guy was on holiday and it wasn’t possible to book further ahead, I phoned TWS and some guy did something and made it all work out once the other guy was back from his holibobs.
Perfect excuse for a cheeky trip up to the showroom? Who knows what you might find in the fine wine cave!
If it’s the same Michael he delivers to me and I second your comments.
01438 741177
