DSF

Two weeks ago I sent a parcel using the usual courier service.
One week ago the customer emailed me to ask if the items were being sent soon as he had not received them. He has ordered from us previously with no problems.

Obviously I got straight onto the tracking, which showed it had been delivered and signed for (same surname as the customer).
Went back to customer with this info and he insisted there was definitely no one at home at the time it was signed for and he had not had it.
Requested electronic POD, which I sent on to the customer, who insisted it was not his signature.
Opened claim with courier and relayed all previous information.
Have been chasing constantly and finally today the couriers have come back stating that 'the driver cannot remember the delivery as it was two weeks ago now and it has been signed for by the name of the intended recipient, so they can do no more.

Presumably I am going to have to refund or replace on the word of the customer that they have not received the items?

I would of thought the customer would have no grounds to claim anything from you as it was their surname signed etc, but as we all know the customer is always right so to keep the customer as they are a return customer I would offer them a refund or replacement

Such a shame, years ago I used to sell software as I have previously said (day you were born) and the activation key system told me when, and how many times the software had been activated - I still had people swear that they never received the software.. and Paypal would refund them.
Thats with an instant download, a disk sent in the post and a unique activation key generated and sent by me.

What can you do ? apart from give up as I did.

I would send another Mug or what ever it was and watch out for them in future.

Wish it was only one mug, I wouldnt hesitate then - it was 250 keyrings!
Kind of what I was thinking though. I have looked into the legal side of it (could end up going either way if he took it further), and the customer is quite an educated gentleman who I can imagine will pursue as far as he can anyway, so probably better to just end up replacing. Its a bloody pain and expense I could do without as we are so busy at the moment, but I suppose I would want them replacing and would not let it just drop if I were the customer as well.

OK, so a further update. Emailed the courier back, threatened to pursue a claim regarding a parcel being fraudulently signed for by either the driver or someone else and within ten minutes they had retracted their 'nothing we can do about it' and offered me the full claim amount back.

that's great news, just proves never give up with claims

wow that was a nice outcome Karen great to hear... i usually get "not covered by compensation have a nice day" replies and im left screwed but its good too hear if your persistent then your time does pay off

we have had problems with one particular delivery company at my day job. They were forging signatures on deliveries but we finally caught them out when a parcel was supposedly signed for by an employee (who had previously signed for parcels) but had actually left a month prior to the delivery date we were questioning!

This will cheer you up: