Worst parcel firms for customer complaints named and shamed including Evri and Yodel

Evri and Yodel have been ranked as Britain’s worst parcel firms for customer service. Both were singled out in new research by industry regulator Ofcom.

It comes amid a boom in demand for courier deliveries, fuelled by online shopping. Ofcom’s report found the number of parcels handled across the UK rose by 8.3% to 3.9 billion in the last financial year, close to the four billion Covid pandemic peak in 2020/21, when lockdown rules saw internet orders soar because many people were stuck at home.

Parcel deliveries are now big business, with stiff competition between rivals. But households have been left frustrated after waiting in for items that don’t arrive, or that turn up late or damaged. Industry regulator Ofcom gathered this type of feedback as part of its annual Post Monitoring Report, which sets out data and trends in the sector, including people’s experiences of sending and receiving post.

, whose track record has been slammed in the past, again came bottom on a number for measures. For example, just 32% of customers were satisfied with how Evri handled a complaint, against an industry average of 45%. Yodel was second bottom, with a score of 38%.

Amazon came top for this measure of complaint handling, with 56%, followed by DHL, with 55%. Some 44% of Evri customers said they experienced issues of any kind, the worst of any firm, and against an industry average of 34%. Looking in more detail, 12% of Evri customers complained of parcels being left in inappropriate locations, nearly double the industry average 7%. It also came out worse for items not being delivered or turning up damaged.

Despite the lowly ranking, Ofcom’s research did reveal improvements in Evri’s service. The 32% satisfaction score for complaint handling was at least up from just 26% last year. And, overall, 72% of Evri customers said they were satisfied, up from 67% last year.

Ofcom said it had strengthened regulations to make sure people are treated fairly by parcel companies, adding it was “speaking to companies to understand how they are improving their service.”

It went on: “Parcel operators have made a number of improvements to complaints handling, including better information on their websites; improvements to phone lines and live chat; and introducing options for customers to request an email or call back.

“We expect further, sustained and continued improvement. We remain particularly concerned that disabled consumers and those with limiting conditions are still more likely to encounter difficulties with the delivery process (71%) compared to other people (63%).”

An Evri spokesperson said: “2024 has been a year of significant investment and listening to our customers to improve our service. Our ambition is that every customer’s experience with Evri is a positive one. We recognise there remains more to do, but Ofcom found that we are making year-on-year improvements and our rising parcel volumes are proof that customers and retail clients are voting with their feet and trust us with their deliveries.”

It went on: “Evri handles 730 million parcels a year with 99% successfully delivered on time – and is committed to instilling a culture where every parcel matters.” Yodel was contacted for comment.

A Yodel spokesperson said: “The overwhelming majority of the 200 million parcels we handled over the last 12 months were delivered correctly on the first attempt. While we welcome feedback and work tirelessly to make improvements to our service, this report does not reflect our real-world parcel data. Our ‘Have Your Say’ feedback survey encourages all customers to review their delivery – in the last 12 months we have received over 5.5 million responses and 86% of our customers have had a positive experience.”

Sue Davies, Which? Head of Consumer Protection Policy, said: "Year after year, we hear from consumers who have experienced delivery disasters – such as parcels being thrown over fences, items lost in the post and deliveries eaten by foxes.

“Delivery firms are one of the most complained about sectors for poor customer service. Any companies falling short need to up their game and ensure that people's parcels arrive on time and in good condition.

"It's important for consumers to remember that if something goes wrong with their delivery, it's the retailer and not the courier that they need to ask to fix the problem. If their parcel goes missing or is damaged, they should speak to the retailer to help them track down their delivery or send a replacement."