That is shocking Ben, I have always wondered about Hermes deliveries as all of the vehicles have been unmarked (private cars) and thought it was a bit strange not having any vehicle with their logo on. Also makes you wonder even if the vehicles are insured for business use which they would legally have to be. I even wonder how many couriers delivering food be it Chinese, Indian or from Kentucky, McDonalds have business insurance.
When I had to have a complete career change after my HGV Licence was revoked on medical grounds and after fruitless searches on the jobs market, I was asked if I would consider Employment Training as a sales rep for a parcel delivery company. Desperate for work after being on the sick for over 2 years ( 4 operations and physio) I agreed.
This was with Panic Link (which was taken over by French Company GeoPost now gone into administration). Went for the interview at a depot in Lincoln which was basically a franchise for the main company operating in Leicestershire.
I did not receive any training and was there until just four days before Christmas when I was told my job had finished, the chap who bought the franchise was nearly £60,000 in the red!!
During my four months there I had found quite a number of new customers, this was in-between having to muscle in with collections and deliveries, there were a lot to be honest, stretching all across Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire but the biggest stumbling block then was down to payments.
To give an example, a parcel is being delivered from Lincoln Depot to Southampton now that parcel would have cost say £9 (discounts were given depending on the number of items) so if batched it could be around £7 or less (this was back in the early 1990's) The despatching depot (Lincoln) would get 25% as would the receiving depot with the main company HQ getting 50% of that package so when you actually take in all costs such as wages, fuel, vehicle purchase or hire, costs of maintaining the depot, business rates, telephone charges etc etc. it all added up to a very poor deal for the franchise holder who had to let go of the franchise or suffer more losses hence being told my job was no more.
I did enjoy the challenge but when getting a large order from a manufacturing company in Nottingham which would have meant a heck of a lot of movement per day I had to approach head office for special rates and, as you can probably guess, they took on the company directly leaving Lincoln out in the cold!!
My working day started at 07.30hrs and sometimes I did not get home until 23.00hrs all for unemployment pay plus £10 as well as sometimes having to use my own car!!
Regards
Nigel.
I used to be an optimist but with age I am now a grumpy old pessimist.