Coles Delivery Driver Threatens to Cancel Order

Yoopy on 25/07/2022 - 17:10

Hi

I wonder if anyone ever met a driver who refuse to deliver groceries because apparently its too difficult to get to my apartment from the street. I've been ordering from Coles to the same address and getting everything delivered for the last 3 years, and never had an issue.

In the end he left the groceries on the ground floor, and I had to carry it myself to my apartment. I have a medical condition, and that is why I get things delivered. I've never had this experience with Coles before nor with Woolies.

Is this common? or is this a bad driver?

Thanks

Food & Grocery

Related Stores

Coles
Coles

Comments

  • boomramada on 25/07/2022 - 17:12
    +37

    Talk to the Coles customer service? And ask, is it this hard?

    • Yoopy on 25/07/2022 - 17:19
      +3

      coles's hotline goes straight to a chat system, you can't by pass it to talk to a human anymore.
      otherwise its an email to a blackhole

      • askbargain on 25/07/2022 - 17:23
        +3

        What did the bot say about their delivery policy?

      • Gervais fanboy on 25/07/2022 - 17:31

        If you call during business hours, I am sure there’s a way to reach them.

        I have contacted coles online in the past.

        • Yoopy on 25/07/2022 - 17:31

          what number did you call?

          • Gervais fanboy on 25/07/2022 - 17:36
            +10

            @Yoopy: 1800 455 400

            I just called them again before replying back.
            When prompted by the digital assistant I said ‘general assistant’ and they put me in the hold que. Waiting time - 15 minutes.

            • Yoopy on 25/07/2022 - 17:37
              +2

              @Gervais fanboy: ok thanks. I'll give them a call

              • Gervais fanboy on 25/07/2022 - 17:39
                +1

                @Yoopy: Good luck

                Hopefully, they somewhat compensate you for your troubles.

            • bluesky on 25/07/2022 - 18:19
              +1

              @Gervais fanboy: Just saw your comment after I commented. Good, you even have some info on waiting time.

              • Gervais fanboy on 25/07/2022 - 18:45
                +1

                @bluesky: Its random though, isn’t it

                Sometimes they tell you the waiting time, sometimes they don’t..
                Same thing with the Commbank customer care line,

                • bluesky on 26/07/2022 - 04:09

                  @Gervais fanboy: Doesn’t matter that it's random and your 15 min waiting time is only one sample - it is still quite reassuring, after what I've been through with Telstra and Commbank. Could not reach anyone even after a few tries at different times, since my endurance for waiting time max out around 45-90 mins. In the case of Commbank, that was during the lockdown period, so fair enough. Hopefully, things have improved. Telstra is still hopeless. And I have been reading about Qantas - their waiting times can span hours.

      • bluesky on 25/07/2022 - 17:50
        +3

        I shop at Woolworths and they have a responsive customer line. I am contemplating placing my first order with Coles soon, so this aspect (being able to contact customer care easily) does interest me.

        I just found this page, and rang the number. The automated voice asked for the nature of the query, which I provided as 'customer care', then 'delivery', and it placed me in the queue to be answered. Since I was just checking, I hung up - so cannot tell you the typical wait time till it gets answered.

        Try the contact:

        1800 455 400
        Customer Care Hours
        Weekdays 6am - Midnight
        Saturday 7am - 10pm
        Sunday 7am - 10pm
        All times are AEST

      • stueyh on 26/07/2022 - 16:55

        Got social media? ask in their Messenger account, they're good at responding there

      • HeWhoKnows on 26/07/2022 - 21:06

        Time to change to Woolworths

    • DashCam AKA Rolts on 25/07/2022 - 18:23
      +6

      I have a medical condition, and that is why I get things delivered.

      I bet you want those pesky ramps taken out as well.

  • tsunamisurfer on 25/07/2022 - 17:16
    +1

    I didn't think it was common when in an apartment a delivery will mean getting past concierge, up the elevator (most of the time secured) and to your front door.

    • askbargain on 25/07/2022 - 17:19

      OP already mentioned his apartment is unsecured.

    • Yoopy on 25/07/2022 - 17:20
      +3

      I thought that was the norm. I've never had any other driver say that it is too hard.
      I don't have concierge, just a couple of flights of stairs.

    • jacross on 26/07/2022 - 10:57
      -2

      Concierge? La di da.

  • Tomhaigh1 on 25/07/2022 - 17:24
    +2

    bad driver I guess, they get specific training in both Woolies & Coles for the behavior, so this guy might require it.

    • Yoopy on 25/07/2022 - 17:25
      +4

      Well I thought door to door service is suppose to the door, not at the ground floor of the apartment.
      I know that was the case prior to Covid, where door to door means deliver to your front door, but I don't know if Covid changed anything.

  • bobbified on 25/07/2022 - 17:25
    +6

    I've always wondered what delivery "to the door" means to everyone.

    On the odd occasion that I order ubereats, etc, I always go and meet them down in the foyer of my building. Technically, I pay for fee for delivery but I also realise it takes a while for them to wait for the lift and then have to come up and then wait for the lift to go down again. Time is money for them so I try and make things as easy as possible.

    But my friends tell me that they always ask the delivery person to bring it up to their door (and they always do).

    • Yoopy on 25/07/2022 - 17:28
      +4

      I would do that if I could. I have a medical condition, thats why heavy grocery delivery to door is important for me. I would order from Woolies now if it means Coles delivery will depend on the drivers ability to walk up the stairs

      • bobbified on 25/07/2022 - 18:06
        +2

        Don't get me wrong.. I'm not having a go at you or anything - I'm just wondering what the normal expectations are around delivery to the door.

  • nephilim on 25/07/2022 - 17:29
    +1

    Ask for a buff driver like singham

    • Gervais fanboy on 25/07/2022 - 17:33

      Hahahah, I doubt the op will get that reference.

  • try2bhelpful on 25/07/2022 - 17:33
    +1

    what floor are you on? do you have a lift?

    • Yoopy on 25/07/2022 - 17:34

      2nd floor, no lift
      never had any issues with Woolies or Coles deliveries in the past. this is the first time, someone complained about my place.

      • cookie2 on 25/07/2022 - 19:38
        +5

        The no lift is a bit tricky for employees as the drivers may not necessarily be able to carry the goods upstairs. If there was a lift then I'd say that 100% they should be delivering it but without a lift, maybe they have a policy of dependant on the driver or weight or something. Either way Coles should advise clearly so that you can decide what works best for you from there.

  • Franc-T on 25/07/2022 - 17:45
    +1

    Partnered delivery or was it a coles truck?

    • Yoopy on 25/07/2022 - 17:47

      coles truck

    • PensionerXXL on 25/07/2022 - 19:12
      +4

      he has a back problem from bashing the last 3 drivers that refused to do their jobs

      jokes aside, every now and then you run into a lazy person who self-defines their job description. call into that coles and speak with a manager and ask what their policy is. do they bring the order to your door regardless if you are in a house or the penthouse of a skyscraper?

      up to you how you go from there

      • cookie2 on 25/07/2022 - 19:40

        How do we know that the driver is lazy? For all you know, they may also have a medical condition that impacts their ability to carry heavy goods up flights of stairs. We shouldn't be so quick to judge and label peeps.

        • Gervais fanboy on 25/07/2022 - 19:56
          +15

          Well, then they surely got into the wrong profession, didn’t they ?

          • cookie2 on 25/07/2022 - 19:59
            +2

            @Gervais fanboy: Well that makes it all so simple. Stupid lazy human who is 100% at fault. (I don't know the coles rules btw, just a thought that I feel is worth being mentioned).

            • Gervais fanboy on 25/07/2022 - 20:07
              +5

              @cookie2:

              Stupid lazy human who is 100%

              Relax, I am not bashing anyone. Just making a point.
              Mate I have been working those underpaid physically strenuous jobs since I was 15 years old.
              Hard for me to look down on someone, when I am down there in the mud myself.

              I don't know the coles rules btw

              Okay, because you say that
              These supermarket brands in their online applications, specifically ask you if there’s a reason why you might not be able to perform repetitve/heavy lifting.
              You have an option to click yes/no.
              So it’s common sense actually, that someone with serious back issues shouldn’t work a job that requires heavy lifting.

          • [Deactivated] on 26/07/2022 - 01:02
            +1

            @Gervais fanboy: he might have thought / been misled (it happens all the time) that he would only really be driving and delivering to doorsteps, not carrying however many days worth of groceries up 2 flights of stairs.

            • Gervais fanboy on 26/07/2022 - 01:12
              +3

              @[Deactivated]: I understand your pov but drivers quite often do need to load up their trucks with little to no help.
              Also delivering to apartment buildings can be quite the hassle.

              They are told and trained about all of these somewhat demanding situations as a part of their jobs.

              not carrying however many days worth of groceries up 2 flights of stairs.

              Good point but to be fair, in such situations their training manuals would suggest them to carry smaller loads and make more trips to successfully deliver all that stuff. Don’t worry about saving time, safety first…the usual drivel. You know.

              Because if they do just that, then it only could be a cardio issue. And I mean this isn’t much. Lets be fair here.

              • [Deactivated] on 26/07/2022 - 01:18
                +1

                @Gervais fanboy: that is a good point.

                Good point but to be fair, in such situations their training manuals would suggest them to carry smaller loads and make more trips to successfully deliver all that stuff. Don’t worry about saving time, safety first…the usual drivel. You know.

                the manuals might say that, but they may have bad bosses who are putting pressure on them to be faster as well, who probably wouldn't be happy if they took their time (like they're supposed to) with it.

                • Gervais fanboy on 26/07/2022 - 01:55
                  +1

                  @[Deactivated]:

                  but they may have bad bosses who are putting pressure on them to be faster as well, who probably wouldn't be happy if they took their time (like they're supposed to) with it

                  Now I am sure there would be some sort of competition amongst the drivers and a few supervisors cracking down about the time spent on each delivery. But that’s every job though.
                  You just learn to manoeuvre and get through.
                  BUT if you are a driver with a bad back - 2 floors of stairs - large grocery order - customer can’t come down - time constraint - pushy supervisor, seems almost impossible statistically but still if it happenes, the driver should prioritise his safety and well being and then if need be rely on sources like the union, HR, worksafe etc to help them out.
                  Again, we are talking about the most unlikely of circumstances here.

                  Btw I have been employed by Woolworths for over 5 years now and I know how they operate…
                  Assuming of course, that Coles is more similar to Woolworths than dissimilar.

              • iCandy on 26/07/2022 - 17:16

                @Gervais fanboy: They use trolleys, they don’t literally carry all of the bags up the stairs.

                • try2bhelpful on 26/07/2022 - 17:19

                  @iCandy: It might depend on how well the trolleys work and how many bags need to be carried up.

        • PensionerXXL on 26/07/2022 - 07:32
          +1

          I did not say the driver was lazy. I said people who self-define their roles can be lazy, you've never heard someone say "thats not my job to do xyz" ??
          like this driver saying "thats not my job to walk upstairs!!!!" when in fact it probably is?

          a good one was schomo saying "thats not my job! i dont hold a hose mate" during the bush fires when he was on holiday

    • Charity on 25/07/2022 - 19:34

      Pre-covid that question might have been private and personal, but why not in 2022?! Totally valid since gov, employers, shops and strangers consider it ok. In fact, it should be insisted on! lol

      • Drakesy on 25/07/2022 - 23:44
        +1

        I do like how quickly people will neg when you ask a question on here

    • Presence on 25/07/2022 - 20:47
      +2

      So whats the medical condition that stops THE PAID DELIVERYMAN from carrying a bag of groceries out of interest?

      • Geoff01 on 26/07/2022 - 10:13

        Groceries are in a plastic crate weighing 10-15kg a crate. Delivery drivers are normally contractors assigned times by the supermarket.

  • Hardlyworkin on 25/07/2022 - 20:09
    +2

    When you place your next order can you indicate in the text that delivery to 2ns floor apartment required - please cancel order if unable?

  • Empharand on 25/07/2022 - 22:15
    +5

    Sounds like you need to take that up with Coles customer service ASAP so they can identify the driver and put him through another round of training.
    It's his job to deliver the groceries to your location, he should be aware that not every location is ground floor. I have done delivery related jobs and so have friends of mine, you come to expect that not every delivery will be peachy but that's your job.

    The only thing I can think of is whether this driver has a health issue himself and whether the coordinator that booked his runs overlooked that, but if that was indeed the case it shouldn't be your problem and he should have taken that up internally.

    This shouldn't be your issue OP.

  • try2bhelpful on 25/07/2022 - 23:16

    Frankly it depends on what is considered reasonable from a delivery perspective. In Paris it is not unusual to have 5 storey flats without lifts.

    I would be discussing this with Coles to ensure you get a delivery person who will carry your groceries up to your door. Explain you have a medical condition which is why you need groceries delivered to the door.

  • EFC94 on 26/07/2022 - 00:04
    +1

    If you know what store your shopping is being delivered from, call that store as well and ask to speak with the online department/store manager. I believe Coles delivery drivers are employed directly by Coles, and hence should all then be allocated to a store, whereas Woollies are outsourced via Linfox.

    • Gervais fanboy on 26/07/2022 - 00:24

      Everytime I try contacting my local Coles/Woolworths supermarket, I never managed to get anyone to pick up the phone…
      I thought that was a common problem all over.

    • Lastchancetosee on 26/07/2022 - 08:15

      We had a delivery with three bags belonging to someone else from Coles when isolating. Called the store and explained, and they were back in an hour to collect the bags and bring ours. The wait time on the phone was about ten minutes.

    • Yoopy on 26/07/2022 - 09:20

      I don't know which store its from. I use Coles Online. The only number I can find, is the 1800 number.

  • apple2016 on 26/07/2022 - 00:52
    +2

    is this a bad driver?

    Yes very bad driver

  • [Deactivated] on 26/07/2022 - 01:16

    i found some conflicting information online, including this article, which states that some do deliver to the door while some don't. that article might have outdated information, as most, if not all areas are easing up on covid restrictions, but they may not have changed the policies.

    according to coles own website;

    To allow our Customer Service Agents to deliver your order safely we ask that you respect our decision not to park in residential driveways (unless you are in a rural location) or take our trollies into your home.

    Your Customer Service Agent will find a safe parking location nearby and use a trolley to transport the order to your door. Then of course we can carry your groceries to the kitchen benchtop if you like.

    it doesn't seem to cover going to your door if you live in an apartment.

    there is some information about apartments with partner delivery, but you stated a coles truck was the deliverer, so i don't think that applies, it was also ambiguous and didn't directly state that they would deliver to your door.

  • cazulu3 on 26/07/2022 - 05:31
    +2

    I had the same issue. However, it was my first delivery. I just received an email saying Coles won't be delivery my goods. I've seen many Coles trucks deliver to these premises for other people. That was it for me. Woolies I've had no issue.

    A one off, I wouldn't worry. If it happens again then at the very least, speak to Coles.

    • Yoopy on 26/07/2022 - 09:23
      +1

      Did Coles give you a reason why they won't deliver to your place?

      Coles have been delivering mine for 3 years to the same address and up those stairs, and yesterday was the first time someone said it was "hard". Also I never received any emails from Coles about my place.

      • cazulu3 on 26/07/2022 - 10:42

        Yes, said they couldn't get into the driveway. Its difficult as it's off a main road (even though countless others have done it without issue). Driver was just lazy and couldn't be bothered.

        They suggested I could drive to the distribution centre if I would like to pick it up. Defeats the purpose and it was 10 km's away. My local Coles is 1 km away if I wanted to pick it up which is eventually what I did. It was a while ago when all the covid stuff was new.

        • Yoopy on 26/07/2022 - 10:49

          can't they park in your driveway temporarily? or on one of the side street and wheel it to your place?
          or do they only deliver to houses where its perfect and easy for them?

  • ozboygsl on 26/07/2022 - 09:24
    -1

    phone them
    record the conversation
    advise them you are recording {VERY important}
    ask for a reason why your health is being put at risk due to their bad service
    ask if they are aware of any others like you can , so you can make a combined effort to address the problems cole/woolies have caused.
    accept their insencere apology and enjoy the knowledge that the sc@m driver will be having a new one ripped into him very soon. { from exp, they take this seriously}

  • EFC94 on 26/07/2022 - 12:05

    Also reading through your other posts, are there any companies in Australia that you haven't had an issue with having things delivered?

    • Yoopy on 26/07/2022 - 12:13

      everyone usually delivers to my floor (unless its a really lazy driver like from Aramex which they will usually leave at the ground floor)
      but im assuming smaller packages are different from groceries which is a couple of bags

  • Storm2022 on 26/07/2022 - 12:25

    Pizza Hut do this to my delivery every weekend. The delivery person calls to ask me to come down to meet them to which i refuse. I inform them that if they don't deliver it to my door, which i have paid for, I will call the store and speak to the store owner/manager. Works every time lol.

    • askbargain on 26/07/2022 - 12:38

      Does your name also start with a K?

  • Storm2022 on 26/07/2022 - 12:44

    Nope

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