I'm sure most here will be cheered by arch parcel basher's City Link
having gone phut:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30602326

Sad for the drivers, natch - IME /some/ of then were very good.

--
Scott

Where are we going and why am I in this handbasket?

On 25/12/14 18:01, Scott M wrote:

I'm sure most here will be cheered by arch parcel basher's City Link
having gone phut:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30602326

Sad for the drivers, natch - IME /some/ of then were very good.


Suspicious timing - going bust on Xmas Eve...

Will Yodel start worrying or just pick of the cheap end of the business...

"Scott M" wrote in message
...

I'm sure most here will be cheered by arch parcel basher's City Link
having gone phut:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30602326

Sad for the drivers, natch - IME /some/ of then were very good.

--
Scott



To be honest, I'm never cheered by the news that anyone has gone bust, no
matter how inept they appeared to be. In today's mad world of business and
fierce competition, it's all too easy for a company to fail through the
slightest mistake. I used to ship a lot of my stuff through them, and a
number of my suppliers shipped to me by them as well. In the time that this
went on, I never had any failures to collect or deliver my parcels on time,
nor did I have any problems with stuff delivered to me. I always felt that
their rates were very competitive as well. Maybe that was ultimately their
downfall ...

The guy that did my collections and deliveries was very pleasant, and always
went out of his way to find somewhere to either deliver to or leave my
parcels, if I was not in. Maybe I was lucky, but I have to speak as I find.

Shame.

Arfa

On 25/12/2014 20:54, polygonum wrote:

If they have any penalty clauses about delivering on time, and they
failed in a big way, that could have precipitated the collapse.

Or they might just have pulled the plug when the debts were at a minimum.

Andy

On 25/12/14 21:30, Vir Campestris wrote:
On 25/12/2014 20:54, polygonum wrote:

If they have any penalty clauses about delivering on time, and they
failed in a big way, that could have precipitated the collapse.

Or they might just have pulled the plug when the debts were at a minimum.

maximum surely.

go bust owing billions with it all stashed away in directors fees in a
swiss account.

Andy


--
Everything you read in newspapers is absolutely true, except for the
rare story of which you happen to have first-hand knowledge. €“ Erwin Knoll

Scott M wrote:

I'm sure most here will be cheered by arch parcel basher's City Link
having gone phut:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30602326

Sad for the drivers, natch - IME /some/ of then were very good.


I assume that the company, being owned by a hedge fund, has no assets
and is operating on borrowed capital which some stupid bank has loaned.
So it was purely a matter of time before the bank pulled the plug. In
the days when companies went into liquidation, the company had to have
assets in order to borrow. In today's world where companies just rip off
their suppliers and go into administration losing their debts, anyone
giving credit to the operation needs their head examined. I had a rather
nice A4 screed defining in humourous terms the company's approach to
providing goods on credit which was required reading for anyone who
worked with me. It reminds me of the Nigerian scams, which still bring
in a new set of idiots every year to part with their money.

The Natural Philosopher wrote
Vir Campestris wrote
polygonum wrote

If they have any penalty clauses about delivering on time, and they
failed in a big way, that could have precipitated the collapse.

Or they might just have pulled the plug
when the debts were at a minimum.

maximum surely.

That isnt going to be the case just after the Xmas surge.

go bust owing billions with it all stashed
away in directors fees in a swiss account.

Even sillier than you usually manage.

On 25/12/2014 20:54, polygonum wrote:


When we had a local CL depot, they were quite good and I sometimes found
it difficult to believe some of the worst stories. When that depot
closed, and our nearest depot was then almost 40 miles away, then I came
to realise how bad they could be.


I wonder what is the first time delivery success rate when delivering to
domestic properties only on Mon-Fri, 8am to 5pm?

A lot of these delivery companies seem to be closing 'local' delivery
hubs in favour of a centralised hubs which means for a lot of people
means a round trip of possibly 100 miles if they wish/need to collect a
package if the delivery driver does not find the recipient at home. It
also means that many the delivery vehicles are needing to do this
mileage before any package can be delivered.





--
mailto: news {at} admac {dot] myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

"Capitol" wrote in message
...
Scott M wrote:

I'm sure most here will be cheered by arch parcel basher's City Link
having gone phut:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30602326

Sad for the drivers, natch - IME /some/ of then were very good.

I assume that the company, being owned by a hedge fund,

Like hell it is
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Link_(company)

has no assets

Wrong again.

and is operating on borrowed capital which some stupid bank has loaned. So
it was purely a matter of time before the bank pulled the plug. In the
days when companies went into liquidation, the company had to have assets
in order to borrow. In today's world where companies just rip off their
suppliers and go into administration losing their debts, anyone giving
credit to the operation needs their head examined. I had a rather nice A4
screed defining in humourous terms the company's approach to providing
goods on credit which was required reading for anyone who worked with me.
It reminds me of the Nigerian scams, which still bring in a new set of
idiots every year to part with their money.

On 25/12/14 22:14, alan_m wrote:
On 25/12/2014 20:54, polygonum wrote:


When we had a local CL depot, they were quite good and I sometimes found
it difficult to believe some of the worst stories. When that depot
closed, and our nearest depot was then almost 40 miles away, then I came
to realise how bad they could be.


I wonder what is the first time delivery success rate when delivering to
domestic properties only on Mon-Fri, 8am to 5pm?

Quite good I would imagine if you use technology rather than scratching
your butt and living in the pleistocene ere.

DPD mean not having to be in for more than an hour - or not having to be
in at all if you are happy to elect a safe delivery place.

However, the likes of Yodel and ****tyLink refuse to evolve and as you
say, make a vast number of unnecessary delivery attempts needlessly.

Apart from feeling sorry for the poor good ****tyLink staff who got
boned for Xmas, in every other respect I'm glad this pathetic excuse for
a company has finally curled up and died. Wonder how long Yodel have left?

On Thursday, December 25, 2014 6:01:56 PM UTC, Scott M wrote:
I'm sure most here will be cheered by arch parcel basher's City Link
having gone phut:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30602326

Sad for the drivers, natch - IME /some/ of then were very good.

--
Scott

Where are we going and why am I in this handbasket?

Very sad for the drivers. No doubt they have been working their nads off attempting to get the Christmas deliveries done and now being self employed mostly (I assume) are just another creditor and may not even get paid. They will also have spend plenty on their van, insurance and diesel.

Philip

On 25/12/2014 22:26, Tim Watts wrote:

Apart from feeling sorry for the poor good ****tyLink staff who got
boned for Xmas, in every other respect I'm glad this pathetic excuse for
a company has finally curled up and died. Wonder how long Yodel have left?


Hopefully not until after the new year.

They have a parcel for me. I can easily collect it from the local depot
as its only 5 minutes walk from where I work. Unfortunately the local
agent repeatedly attempts to deliver it despite putting through a card
saying that they have already tried 3 times and its now back at the
depot. Until the local agent physically returns the package to the depot
I cannot track it, arrange delivery to an alternative address or pick it
up myself.

--
mailto: news {at} admac {dot] myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

Rod Speed wrote:
CRAP.


Rod try reading the Wikipedia link. It was owned by a hedge fund and
has no assets.

In article ,
says...

I wonder what is the first time delivery success rate when delivering to
domestic properties only on Mon-Fri, 8am to 5pm?


Shirley the 'delivery' model which works best for households where
everyone works full time is delivery to, & customer pick-up from, a shop
which the punter passes on his/her way home[1].

Home delivery is a pita for both delivery service and customer when you
can't guarantee that someone will be home.

[1] Might not work too well if you're after a new fridge or settee.

--
Sam

On 25/12/2014 23:32, Sam Plusnet wrote:
In article ,
says...

I wonder what is the first time delivery success rate when delivering to
domestic properties only on Mon-Fri, 8am to 5pm?


Shirley the 'delivery' model which works best for households where
everyone works full time is delivery to, & customer pick-up from, a shop
which the punter passes on his/her way home[1].

Home delivery is a pita for both delivery service and customer when you
can't guarantee that someone will be home.

[1] Might not work too well if you're after a new fridge or settee.

Mind it would have to be one with parking, and that opens late enough,
and is not so overrun with others picking their things up you have to
wait ages.

Further, you'd want the process to work whoever of the household goes in
to pick it up. So not something that requires anything to be printed or
needs a particular person's credit/debit card to be presented.

--
Rod

Capitol wrote
Rod Speed wrote:

Rod try reading the Wikipedia link. It was owned by a hedge fund

It doesn't say that.

and has no assets.

Or that either.

Vir Campestris wrote:
On 25/12/2014 20:54, polygonum wrote:

If they have any penalty clauses about delivering on time, and they
failed in a big way, that could have precipitated the collapse.

Or they might just have pulled the plug when the debts were at a minimum.

Andy

Firms pull the plug when debts are at a maximum.

Bill

"Bill Wright" wrote in message
...
Vir Campestris wrote:
On 25/12/2014 20:54, polygonum wrote:

If they have any penalty clauses about delivering on time, and they
failed in a big way, that could have precipitated the collapse.

Or they might just have pulled the plug when the debts were at a minimum.

Andy

Firms pull the plug when debts are at a maximum.

This one clearly didn’t. They would have had to be
making a loss on every transaction for the debt to
be at a maximum after the Xmas surge and I just
don’t believe that they were making a loss on
every single transaction.

"Scott M" wrote in message
...

I'm sure most here will be cheered by arch parcel basher's City Link
having gone phut:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30602326

Sad for the drivers, natch - IME /some/ of then were very good.


Running a delivery company is not as easy as most of these that moved into
the Royal Mail's business thought.
Bound to be inefficent when there are several vans/depots/organisations
covering an area when before, there was just the one.

There are some things that should be kept nationalised.
Just politicians letting their mates make a quick buck.
Short termism at it's worst.

harryagain wrote
Scott M wrote

I'm sure most here will be cheered by arch
parcel basher's City Link having gone phut:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30602326

Sad for the drivers, natch - IME /some/ of then were very good.

Running a delivery company is not as easy as most of
these that moved into the Royal Mail's business thought.

Yes.

Bound to be inefficent when there are several vans/depots/organisations
covering an area when before, there was just the one.

You can run the same mindlessly silly line about supermarkets too.

There are some things that should be kept nationalised.

Delivery isnt one of those.

Just politicians letting their mates make a quick buck.

Even sillier than you usually manage.

Short termism at it's worst.

Even sillier than you usually manage.

In article ,
alan_m writes:
On 25/12/2014 22:26, Tim Watts wrote:

Apart from feeling sorry for the poor good ****tyLink staff who got
boned for Xmas, in every other respect I'm glad this pathetic excuse for
a company has finally curled up and died. Wonder how long Yodel have left?


Hopefully not until after the new year.

They have a parcel for me. I can easily collect it from the local depot
as its only 5 minutes walk from where I work. Unfortunately the local
agent repeatedly attempts to deliver it despite putting through a card
saying that they have already tried 3 times and its now back at the
depot. Until the local agent physically returns the package to the depot
I cannot track it, arrange delivery to an alternative address or pick it
up myself.

I think I read somewhere the depots will be open for one day only
(Monday?) for customers and recipients to collect parcels in
transit, and that's it. I can't find where I read that now.

--
Andrew

I think I read somewhere the depots will be open for one day only
(Monday?) for customers and recipients to collect parcels in
transit, and that's it. I can't find where I read that now.

I think that's rather unlikely as such limited access would risk legal
action - and I'm not sure but think the administrators might even be on
the hook if they are blatantrly unbeasonable.

I also think it's worth bearing in mind that with parcels sent in
fulfilment of online shopping by consumers they face inconvenience
rather than financial loss in the majority of cases: if they don't get
their shiny new angle grinders or whatever they notify the retailer and
the retailer has either to refund them or send a replacement.

OTOH I suspect quite a few businesses will be worried about the number
of items in transit with CL which will turn out to have gone missing
when they try to retrieve them from depots next week. After all, if
anyone knows which boxes have eBay-able goodies........

--
Robin
reply to address is (meant to be) valid

Robin wrote

I think I read somewhere the depots will be open for one day only
(Monday?) for customers and recipients to collect parcels in transit, and
that's it. I can't find where I read that now.

I think that's rather unlikely as such limited access would risk legal
action

Nope.

- and I'm not sure but think the administrators might even be on the hook
if they are blatantrly unbeasonable.

They aren't anything like that if they do that.

I also think it's worth bearing in mind that with parcels sent in
fulfilment of online shopping by consumers they face inconvenience rather
than financial loss in the majority of cases: if they don't get their
shiny new angle grinders or whatever they notify the retailer and the
retailer has either to refund them or send a replacement.

Not in that particular situation they don’t.

OTOH I suspect quite a few businesses will be worried about the number of
items in transit with CL which will turn out to have gone missing when
they try to retrieve them from depots next week. After all, if anyone
knows which boxes have eBay-able goodies........

On 26/12/2014 00:20, Rod Speed wrote:


Capitol wrote
Rod Speed wrote:

Rod try reading the Wikipedia link. It was owned by a hedge fund

It doesn't say that.
and has no assets.

Or that either.

Correct, it doesn't say that. It does say this:
"Rentokil Initial sold the business to corporate restructuring firm
Better Capital in April 2013."

It was sold for 1UKP, which is confirmed he
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22335092

From the firms web site he
http://www.bettercapital.london/about.cfm
"The Better Capital Funds focus on providing investment capital for the
acquisition and operational turnaround of underperforming businesses.
Typically, the Funds will invest in businesses with turnover of up to
£500 million, requiring investment of up to £100 million and having
significant operations in the UK, Ireland or Continental Europe."

There is no actual mention of the word "hedge". So Rod is correct in his
usual pointless, pedantic fashion.

Better Capital appears to fit the bill by some definitions of the term
"hedge fund". Or maybe the term "asset stripper" applies?

Bill Wright wrote:
Vir Campestris wrote:
On 25/12/2014 20:54, polygonum wrote:

If they have any penalty clauses about delivering on time, and they
failed in a big way, that could have precipitated the collapse.

Or they might just have pulled the plug when the debts were at a minimum.

Andy

Firms pull the plug when debts are at a maximum.

Barring the poor work force, I wonder if they haven't actually pulled
the plug at the right time? Xmas week must be when parcels in transit
and in storage ought to be at a minimum.

--
Scott

Where are we going and why am I in this handbasket?

nemo posted
On 26/12/2014 00:20, Rod Speed wrote:
Correct, it doesn't say that. It does say this:
"Rentokil Initial sold the business to corporate restructuring firm
Better Capital in April 2013."

It was sold for 1UKP, which is confirmed he
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22335092

From the firms web site he
http://www.bettercapital.london/about.cfm
"The Better Capital Funds focus on providing investment capital for the
acquisition and operational turnaround of underperforming businesses.
Typically, the Funds will invest in businesses with turnover of up to
£500 million, requiring investment of up to £100 million and having
significant operations in the UK, Ireland or Continental Europe."

There is no actual mention of the word "hedge". So Rod is correct in
his usual pointless, pedantic fashion.

Better Capital appears to fit the bill by some definitions of the term
"hedge fund". Or maybe the term "asset stripper" applies?

It's a private equity investment fund, which is quite different from a
hedge fund. Hedge funds buy and sell paper, typically futures. Private
equity buys companies and manages them.


--
Les

In article ,
Scott M wrote:
I'm sure most here will be cheered by arch parcel basher's City Link
having gone phut:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30602326

Sad for the drivers, natch - IME /some/ of then were very good.

I must admit to not being surprised. Some years ago they had a depot
opposite where I worked. So would have been very handy for sending
parcels. But the only payment they would accept was a cheque - and even by
then I hardly ever used cheques.

Not the best for deliveries to here either - although UPS have now taken
over as my pet hate for this.

--
*Despite the cost of living, have you noticed how it remains so popular?*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article , Robin
scribeth thus
I think I read somewhere the depots will be open for one day only
(Monday?) for customers and recipients to collect parcels in
transit, and that's it. I can't find where I read that now.

I think that's rather unlikely as such limited access would risk legal
action - and I'm not sure but think the administrators might even be on
the hook if they are blatantrly unbeasonable.

I also think it's worth bearing in mind that with parcels sent in
fulfilment of online shopping by consumers they face inconvenience
rather than financial loss in the majority of cases: if they don't get
their shiny new angle grinders or whatever they notify the retailer and
the retailer has either to refund them or send a replacement.

OTOH I suspect quite a few businesses will be worried about the number
of items in transit with CL which will turn out to have gone missing
when they try to retrieve them from depots next week. After all, if
anyone knows which boxes have eBay-able goodies........


I suspect someone will come out of the wood work and buy the whole lot
for another quid..

Like they did last time IIRC?...

Make them all self employed, dump a lot of the branches and get them to
adapt the hermes or parcel 2 go type model...
--
Tony Sayer

In article ,
Sam Plusnet wrote:
Shirley the 'delivery' model which works best for households where
everyone works full time is delivery to, & customer pick-up from, a shop
which the punter passes on his/her way home[1].

UPS does that here - with no option for re-delivery.

And they seem to have the cards they put through the door pre-written - so
quicker than waiting for the door to be answered and the parcel signed
for. So they don't bother ringing the bell...

The shop they use is some way off, has poor parking, and assistants who
take ages to do the 'paperwork' when you collect.

--
*If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
polygonum wrote:
Mind it would have to be one with parking, and that opens late enough,
and is not so overrun with others picking their things up you have to
wait ages.

+1

--
*Can vegetarians eat animal crackers?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"harryagain" wrote in message
...

"Scott M" wrote in message
...

I'm sure most here will be cheered by arch parcel basher's City Link
having gone phut:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30602326

Sad for the drivers, natch - IME /some/ of then were very good.


Running a delivery company is not as easy as most of these that moved into
the Royal Mail's business thought.
Bound to be inefficent when there are several vans/depots/organisations
covering an area when before, there was just the one.

There are some things that should be kept nationalised.
Just politicians letting their mates make a quick buck.


Actually, I really do think that the politicians who derived this scheme
(which was long before anyone had thought of selling off RM)
genuinely thought that the resultant competition would be good for
"consumers"

tim

In article ,
Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
polygonum wrote:
Mind it would have to be one with parking, and that opens late enough,
and is not so overrun with others picking their things up you have to
wait ages.

That's what City Link was like round heer.

--
From KT24

Using a RISC OS computer running v5.18

On 26/12/2014 13:54, tim..... wrote:

Actually, I really do think that the politicians who derived this scheme
(which was long before anyone had thought of selling off RM)
genuinely thought that the resultant competition would be good for
"consumers"


Well Royal Mail and Parcel Farce are not too good around my way. Just
think how bad they would be now if they hadn't had any competition?


--
mailto: news {at} admac {dot] myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

Scott M wrote:

I'm sure most here will be cheered by arch parcel basher's City Link
having gone phut:

I'm sure the administrators have had the Christmas lull planned as the
"ideal" time to pull the shutters down for a week or two, makes it a
******* for the workforce, but sounds like it was hardly unexpected.

I don't tend to have much arrive via City Link, they've not been *un*
reliable whenever I have, but I much prefer the advance notice and ease
of control offered by DPD

I'm sure some of the others think they now have similar offerings but
(and I'm looking at you Royal Mail) sending an email from a dont-reply
email address, without any consignment number or obvious way of
contacting you, to say that an item that has been crawling its way from
America for a fortnight will be delivered in two hours time *after* I've
already left for work doesn't help me or them ...

On 25/12/14 19:42, Tim Watts wrote:
On 25/12/14 18:01, Scott M wrote:

I'm sure most here will be cheered by arch parcel basher's City Link
having gone phut:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30602326

Sad for the drivers, natch - IME /some/ of then were very good.


Suspicious timing - going bust on Xmas Eve...


Probably because Christmas Day is a Quarter day when rents traditionally
fall due.

Another Dave

Tim Watts wrote:

Wonder how long Yodel have left?

I think there's space for a couple of Hermes/Yodel type services, with
some suppliers you know they won't use the chuck-it-n-scarper outfits,
sometimes you never know who'll be delivering, choice would be nice.

tony sayer wrote:

I suspect someone will come out of the wood work and buy the whole lot
for another quid..

I'd have thought the administrators would have arranged a "pre-pack" if
they thought anyone was waiting to open their wallet ... The Christmas
Eve administration date smells of being planned in advance.

Sam Plusnet wrote:

Shirley the 'delivery' model which works best for households where
everyone works full time is delivery to, & customer pick-up from, a shop
which the punter passes on his/her way home[1].

Might be for a range of "non-urgent" stuff, if it didn't negate the free
2-3 day delivery, as seems to happen with Amazon.

On 26/12/2014 14:08, charles wrote:
In article ,
Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
polygonum wrote:
Mind it would have to be one with parking, and that opens late enough,
and is not so overrun with others picking their things up you have to
wait ages.

That's what City Link was like round heer.

And here. Until they closed the depot several years ago.

--
Rod

On 26/12/2014 12:29, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
Scott M wrote:
I'm sure most here will be cheered by arch parcel basher's City Link
having gone phut:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30602326

Sad for the drivers, natch - IME /some/ of then were very good.

I must admit to not being surprised. Some years ago they had a depot
opposite where I worked. So would have been very handy for sending
parcels. But the only payment they would accept was a cheque - and even by
then I hardly ever used cheques.

Not the best for deliveries to here either - although UPS have now taken
over as my pet hate for this.

I had an order from CPC 'sort-of' delivered by Citylink before Christmas.

Placed the order, had email confirmation, nothing happened for 10 days.
Chased CPC - who blamed Citylink. Then CPC did some 'digging' and
reckoned that they (CPC) had only consigned one of the items in the
order (a dryfit battery - hazardous item & all that) - but not the
battery-operated Christmas lights, or the batteries to run them.
CPC couldn't get Citylink to answer the phones - so didn't know where
the parcel was.

CPC were apologetic - but reckoned they'd re-send, except that all the
Christmas lights were now out of stock - so would I just like the
batteries ?

I told them to cancel the order - which they agreed to do.
Two days later - local courier turned up with a badly bashed box
containing the dryfit, the christmas lights and the batteries to run
them....

Disorganised or what?