P2G - Goodwill Gesture questioned

[HewGin]

Hello,

 

I am writing about a company Parcel2Go...the number of issues with them grows and the worst is that you can never reach anyone other than online and it just goes so badly with what seems almost intentional poor service - if they can act like they don't understand, it never has to be remedied?

 

But the reason I come on here is one in particular that I am sure cannot be right, though I cannot get anyone to address it - with intelligence and common sense as the landscape from which to work...

 

2 years ago I received bad service from Yodel, and this was commissioned through Parcel2Go as a comparison website. As they are the mediator, all complaints, issues, queries must go through them...not much was ever really resolved and the parcel which was delayed getting to it's recipient, I eventually picked up and personally delivered, 2 hours away. Seriously. Parcel2Go offered a 10 pound goodwill gesture for my experience. I am sure they are compensated by Yodel, but I'll never know that.

 

I'll explain that any goodwill gesture goes into a pre-pay account for you to use with Parcel2Go (and only Parcel2Go - so it is a blackmail goodwill gesture that has you continue to use your bad experience money, with them). That's fine and I did. I also since replenished my account, paid for other shipments, and on and on.

 

Fast forward 2 years later, and after a number of times working with Parcel2Go, and some of them going very badly, I said - please may I exit from working with you. I'd like to cash out my account and have it returned to my bank account. They reported that any goodwill gesture would be forfeit and I would receive the balance.

 

I said, well I received something 2 years ago, used it and now the money in this account is mine, that surely cannot be subject to this 'policy'. No, they contended with lack of understanding bordering on insanity - they cannot refund you money that was paid in goodwill. I explained, again, the money in my account was no longer part of a goodwill gesture. I wanted to know that when I was refunded after leaving, that something given 2 years ago, was not going to be minus from my account. Apart from the fact that a goodwill gesture is not often seen as a loan, to be paid back if you should ever leave a company, when it is used - you can't hold the person ransom, nor their bank account. I explained this to the person, online, and again they contested it is P2G's policy. I said, so if my pre-paid account was zero - would you debit my bank account for this? No, answer and round we go.

 

Finally, I wrote to some names of higher ups at the company I found online. I was responded to and again, after explaining very detailed, that the goodwill gesture was long since used and now they are holding my money ransom, I received the following message from same evasive message about policy, and not how it was corrupted or misused.

 

Please someone tell me I am not insane with this, that it is illegal, immoral and that something stinks of intentional incompetence so that areas of sensitivity don't have to be addressed?

 

I feel like I am losing it with something that seems rather simple, but has been over-complicated by evasiveness and/or incompetence in general reading comprehension.

[honeybee13]

Hello and welcome to CAG.

 

I've moved you to the section that deals with P2G issues and left you a link to follow. Please continue to post here.

 

My best, HB

[HewGin]

thank you!! : )

[aburobert]

Much depends on how certain you feel about taking them on for the money you feel they owe you. The problem with outfits like Parcel2Go is they will prevaricate and procrastinate hoping you will give up - knowing the vast majority do give up.

 

If you are certain of your ground and have proof of the money in your account (a print off of the current balance) send them a letter before action. They will, if they run true to form, totally ignore this so do not send one if you do not intend to carry through. The fun will start when you issue the Summons - they will run true to form and prevaricate and procrastinate and attempt to bury you under mounds of paper most of which will have nothing to do with your case. What they will try and do is frighten you thinking you are wet behind the ears.

 

Usually they will concede before any actual hearing takes place particularly if they are on weak ground as it sounds they are here. If it does go to a hearing then it will depend on you proving you had the unpaid balance with them - if you can do that you will win and they will end up paying you and the costs of issuing the Summons.

 

Regarding morality - these outfits have very little. They cut costs to the bone by paying peanuts to their sub contractors and always denying any responsibility for any problem. This being mostly true to their smaller clients - they probably give better service to their corporate clientele.