Yodel failing to deliver around 15,000 parcels daily

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An unprecedented surge in internet shopping this Christmas has caused chaos for retailers and parcel delivery companies, who are struggling to deliver orders on time and admit they were unprepared for the sharp rise in demand.
Yodel, the UK’s largest consumer delivery company after Royal Mail, has told the Financial Times it is failing to deliver around 15,000 parcels daily in the run up to Christmas, as its depots struggle to handle 1.5m deliveries a day over the seasonal peak.



Jonathan Smith, Yodel’s chief executive, said demand had been 20 per cent greater than forecast in some areas of the country, including parts of the south-east, the north-west and Leeds.
“This appears to have been a very strong online Christmas, and I don’t think anyone would have put their money on that in the summer,” he said. “The high street seems to be in a different place.”
Yodel carries out deliveries for more than 200 retailers, including Amazon UK, Marks and Spencer and Littlewoods. In the run up to Christmas, thousands of Amazon customers have complained about late-running and missed deliveries on the online shopping giant’s website, some starting an e-petition to stop Amazon using Yodel.



“We do take all customer feedback on board and monitor the performance of our carriers in order that we can provide an even better service in the future,” said a spokesman for Amazon. “We are very confident that customers who are expecting deliveries before Christmas will receive them.”
A 300 per cent annual increase in online orders has also caused problems for luxury retailer Fortnum & Mason, which admitted on Thursday it will struggle to fulfil hundreds of deliveries of Christmas hampers, despite taking on 100 temporary staff.
“Volumes this Christmas have been monumental, and planning for that capacity is very difficult,” said Alan Braithwaite, chairman of supply chain consultancy LCP Consulting. “Retailers have tried to capture higher volumes by giving away free delivery, leading to margin pressure in the logistics and retail industries. At the end of the day, retailers will have to make choices between margins and customer service levels.”
Yodel was formed following Home Delivery Network’s acquisition of DHL’s UK parcel delivery business last year. However, Mr Smith confirmed that the company is still running “two separate systems and networks”, with integration due to be completed in June next year. It plans to close half of its regional network of 102 service centres by that date, concentrating demand on its four giant national hubs.
At non-peak times, Yodel handles 500,000 deliveries a day, a third of peak demand. Mr Smith said the “biggest challenge” was maintaining enough flexibility in the business to handle such large swings in demand.

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More,also,couldn't they of used the reverse shot of that pic...
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[1969tonka]

yodel have been paying parcelforce to deliver parcels for them as well (and we charged them more than they charged the customers !)

[Straight4ward]

yodel have been paying parcelforce to deliver parcels for them as well (and we charged them more than they charged the customers !)

Now that really is Downstream Access in operation!