Moray SNP News

LOCHHEAD MEETS HERMES TO DISCUSS FESTIVE PARCEL PROBLEMS

Richard Lochhead MSP has met with Hermes’ Director of Customer Experience, Sinead Croke, and Head of Public Affairs, Helen Barker, to discuss concerns about delayed and missing parcels over the festive period. 

Reports of parcels being held up for several weeks and even going missing in some cases had been raised with the MSP by constituents from across Moray, with many expressing their frustration at being unable to make enquires about their parcels with Hermes’ customer service team.

Hermes admitted that the festive period had seen many challenges that impacted deliveries across Moray and led to customers waiting unacceptable lengths of time for their parcels, however they have committed to ensuring these issues are not repeated in future as well as improving the level of service in Moray.

Speaking after the meeting, Moray’s SNP MSP said:

“It was good to meet with representatives from Hermes to talk through the issues that were raised with me by constituents from across Moray and I am glad that Hermes have recognised that the service many shoppers in Moray received over the festive period was simply not good enough and that lessons will be learnt.

“Given the rise in online shopping since the onset of the pandemic, it is important that courier companies like Hermes are making sure that rural areas like Moray – which are more dependent on online shopping than more urban areas – are able to receive their parcels in a timely manner.

“Assurances were given to me that changes are already in the pipeline for the coming months, with new channels of communication for customers to chase up and report issues with parcels and a much clearer tracking system.

“The opportunity to convey points raised with me by local couriers employed by Hermes in the area was also welcome and it was reassuring to hear Hermes reaffirm their commitment to the welfare of the many couriers who work incredibly hard to ensure parcels make it to customers on time.”