[PL] Claiming a courier service – how does it work?

When you use a courier service, you automatically assume that the package you are sending will arrive intact at the addressee. However: couriers are people too, they can make mistakes. The most common problems with courier services are: failure to meet the deadline (delay of the parcel through the fault of the courier), damage or loss of the parcel. In any case, the customer has the right to lodge a complaint against the courier. What does this look like in practice?

How to make a complaint about a courier (and more)? Basic information

Does delivery quality matter in e-commerce? Absolutely! Almost all online shops cooperate with a certain carrier. If the quality of the service provided by the courier leaves a lot to be desired, you can file a complaint against the courier.

Although each courier company has separate rules and deadlines related to the courier service complaint process, there are a few basic steps that are repeated in each case. A damage report and claim documentation, photographs, will always be necessary. The first document is the basis of any claim – it must be drawn up accurately, without omitting any information.

The most important information that should appear in any damage report accompanying a claim is:

• thenature and extent of the damage to the consignment, its packaging or contents,
• thepresumed causes, time and place where the breach occurred,
• the original condition and value of the shipment (based on the shipping document).

Photographs of the damage should also be taken. Some carriers (e.g. InPost) sometimes ask to see the damaged box in order to prove the damage. Documents such as the waybill, purchase invoice (proof of damage value), proof of posting (proof of contract) are also important.

The deadline for reporting the damage can vary – depending on the courier company. It is best to do this as soon as possible. All carriers offer the possibility to file a complaint online (however, this may not be the preferred solution). If there are any complications (e.g. missing documents) while the complaint is being processed, the courier company must inform you within 14 days. The courier company has 30 days to give a final feedback.

How do I make a courier service complaint with DPD?

Complaints about courier services from DPD should be made directly to the Complaints Department – using the contact form on its website or by telephone. A complaint cannot be made by any person, but only by the sender of the parcel. The consignee has the possibility to file a complaint only in two cases – if the sender has waived his/her rights to claim or if the addressee has the right to dispose of the consignment (he/she is also a consumer).

There are specific deadlines for lodging complaints about domestic courier services with DPD. If the complaint relates to loss or damage, loss of the parcel, unjustified return of the parcel or surcharges (e.g. due to being overweight, the parcel being considered non-standard) – up to 12 months. In the case of delayed delivery of a package, the maximum period is up to 60 days (calculated from the date of delivery of the package). The time limit for filing a complaint for international services with the carrier DPD is different – up to 30 days, in writing only. A complaint for international parcels can only be filed by the sender of the parcel. The documents for the case must be submitted within 14 days from the date of delivery of the summons by DPD.

Complaints about courier services at UPS – what does it look like?

Complaints about courier services with UPS can only be made in writing. If a parcel is lost, the deadline for writing a complaint is a maximum of 21 days. If the package is damaged or the service is not delivered on time, you have up to 14 days to do so. You have a further two weeks, after submitting your statement, to complete the complaint documentation. There is also a deadline of up to 14 days for writing a possible damage report.

In the complaint documentation, as required by UPS, you must include: the date of the complaint, the contact details of the person making the complaint, the title and grounds for the complaint, the amount of the claim with documents proving the amount of damage suffered, a list of the documents attached and a description of the person entitled to make the complaint.

How does it look like to make a complaint about a courier service at FedEx?

Complaints about courier services provided by the carrier FedEx can be submitted to the Claims Department via the claim form on its website. The deadlines are similar to those for DPD. The complaint can be submitted to:

• 12 months – if the parcel or its contents were damaged, there was a delay in the delivery of a parcel weighing up to 20 kg, surcharges were applied for overweight or non-standard items, the parcel was lost,
• 60 days – if there was a delay in the delivery of a package over 20 kg.

You must also not forget the claim documentation, which you must provide to the carrier within 2 weeks from the date of delivery of the call by FedEx. You will receive a reply back from this carrier (about the complete recognition, partial recognition or rejection of the complaint) within 30 days.

Courier service complaint with GLS – what should I do?

A courier servicecomplaint with GLS can be submitted electronically or in writing (to the company’s registered address) within 30 days of receipt of the parcel. If the parcel is lost, you have up to 12 months from the date of posting. Only the sender should make a complaint. The unauthorised person must enclose a power of attorney.

The complaint should contain such information as: details of the claimant, bank account number to which any compensation should be sent, the amount of the claim with justification, relevant documents justifying the amount of the claim, a copy of the PN (proof of conclusion of the contract), a copy of the damage report.

Claiming courier service in DHL – important information

The recommended way to lodge a claim for a courier service with a DHL carrier is to use the claim form on its website. You can complain about such inconveniences as untimely delivery, lost, damaged or defective contents of the parcel. You only have 7 calendar days to do this from the date of delivery of the parcel, so better not to delay. Here are the basic rules on how to make a complaint about a courier.

How to pack a parcel to avoid a courier service complaint?

Thequality and type of packaging, as well as the way in which the parcel is secured, make a big difference to the successful outcome of a courier service complaint. There are a few basic rules you should always follow. Read: How not to pack parcels? 5 rules for e-commerce packaging.

Itwill be necessary to fill the parcel appropriately, e.g. wood wool, skropak, flopak, SizzlePak. When shipping fragile, delicate goods that require special packaging, it is worth sticking a warning label on the parcel, e.g. “Caution, glass!”, “Top/bottom”. Such a sticker is an important indication to the courier that he should handle the package in question gently. To protect the package from moisture, wrap it in stretch film.

Do not underestimate the size of the packaging in which the item is going to be transported. It should fit the contents. It is recommended that there should be about 5 cm space between the item to be sent and the walls of the cardboard box. It is useful to know what can be sent in an envelope and what should go in a cardboard box.

Not everyone knows this rule, which is a pity: it is a good idea to take photos of packages before shipping. A photograph will provide valuable evidence when making a claim about the courier service.

Basic parcel packaging accessories – at RAJA only the best products

As a leading company in the packaging industry, RAJA boasts a wide range of products. Cardboard boxes, adhesive tapes, films, warning labels, fillers – interested parties can choose from a variety of variations of one product. An example? Instead of the basic duo(packaging tape and office tape), customers can also choose masking tape, self-adhesive tape, double-sided adhesive tape, polyester paper tape. In warehouses, to facilitate the routine, repetitive sealing of parcels, tape dispensers can be used – these devices are also in abundance at RAJA.