DHL delay still on...
A shipment sent out from the U.S. on the 22nd December has been here in New Zealand since the 26th and waiting for customs to clear it.
I called DHL every morning to be told a different story. "Our broker in Wellington is on holiday until next week" (really, so no one in New Zealand's capital is receiving parcels coming from overseas?), or "The shipment came unmanifested, our fault, but we asked for the papers to be faxed already", through "The sender did not provide us with documents, we have called them to ask for those", and other lame excuses.
The fact is that something I needed here before my trip to Las Vegas is not going to arrive. And the DHL service people are not helping at all. They provide mixed information, wrong information and all sorts of excuses.
Is there anyone reading this that can actually reach for someone clued up at DHL New Zealand?
Note that until now I had never had a problem or reason to complain about DHL services, and always used them for my courier needs. But I think I will simply have to shift to FedEx or some other alternative.
UPDATE: manage to get the sender to contact DHL in the U.S., and as expected, it was all clear. So the problem is here. I called DHL again and this time someone actually found out more about this, including the fact import duties are paid, and this is all that needed to be known. They are now sending this to a broker for release from customs - but if I want this before I go to Las Vegas I have to go and collect from their warehouse. No delivery...
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Back in New Zealand
Comment by ray, on 4-Jan-2007 10:21
Cruise down to their dispatch center. its alot harder to fobb some one off when they are in front of you.
Comment by Ivan Porto Carrero, on 4-Jan-2007 11:44
Tell me about it.
I ordered a laptop a while back and it is marked as with local carrier for about a week now but still haven't received anything.
Our company ordered machine parts from France and they have been with customs for the last 2 weeks already.
And if you phone customs (we desperately need that part to continue production of one of our product lines) they will tell you that it are holidays and that they can't cope with the increase in work.
My question is : This is a civilized country right not a developing one. Maybe they can foresee these things or prioritise deliveries for companies..
A 2 week waiting period is unacceptable
Cheers
Ivan
Comment by sbiddle, on 4-Jan-2007 20:19
So have you got it in your hot little hands yet?
Comment by Craig Pringle, on 4-Jan-2007 21:27
I'm having the same problem - but I actually got someone at DHL today that was useful. The problem actually lies with the NZ Customs Service which apparantly has closed the Wellington office for the holidays. Items in Wellington are being cleared by three agents in Auckland who are also dealing with all the stuff that is in Auckland.
However - although fault my not lie with DHL they have completly failed to own the problem up until today. Today I got someone helpful who actually physically walked through to the Customs people next door and found out what the story was. Basically it was stuck in a big backlog but since I called they were going "to process it now". Hopefully that means it will arrive tomorrow.
DHL - even when cirumstances are beyond your control you still need to own the issue and not fob off the customer. Ever.
Comment by Rich, on 6-Feb-2007 12:52
Incredible...horrible Service. And I was thinking that my experience was very unique. I was shipping equiment to a family in Mexico that needed a lifting device for a disabled son. After a bit of due diligence I trusted DHL to be my "Broker" for ensuring that the shipment would be delivered and that there would not be any unforeseen costs.
I actually trusted them......a huge mistake....After a six week delay with the delivery, too many phone calls to count, and a different story from which ever person happened to answered the phone that day, the long awaited shipment was delivered. One month later I received an invoice for $2640!!!!! After several more phone calls trying to find out what the charges were for, I started the "dispute process." No word came back to me, then I called again to learn that there was no charge on my account. Great news to me and I went about my business. Two months passed and I started receiving threatening calls from a collection agency. This is a grinder that will suck the life out of a person.
Apparently, DHL decided to simply turn the matter over to a collections without letting me in on the plan. I called the Commerce Dept for help but learned that DHL had no legal obligation to do help me and do what the "said" they would do andwere within their rights (very small gray print)to do what ever they felt like doing.
As it turns out, the Mexican Customs decided to charge duties on a non-duty item (medical equipment)and DHL as my broker failed to catch it. Too bad, the mistake cost me a bunch of money and even more time.
So DHL is fired and I am telling everyone in my $15 Billion industry to use anyone other than DHL.
To date I have been successful with three National businesses....It is a start, I guess we all need a worthy cause.
Comment by Juan Carlo, on 7-Mar-2007 19:10
You know what? I have just finished 5 agonizing days of phones calls and more phone calls with the idiots in DHL Philippines. These people are in cahoots with the corrupt customs people in the Philippines (Oh YES, the customs people in the Philippines are hell corrupt).
After 3 days of phone calls I was able to track which DHL warehouse my package is stuck in. If I hadn't called the warehouse, they would not have started the clearance process!
So dont EVER send anything via DHL. Yes, your package will arrive at its destination country but DHL is so inefficient in processing it through customs.
Comment by disgruntled, on 11-May-2007 03:20
A Similar story with me
My shipment via DHL from the UK to NZ has been stuck at Wellington Customs for 3 week while my brokers do sweet FA in chasing up.
Countless phone calls and emails have got me precisely nowhere.
Avoid using DHL Brokers in New Zealand. They are veeeeeery slooooooooow.
Comment by Eileen Jordan, on 3-Jan-2008 03:11
I have a small flat in Tenerife and managed to get hold of a tiled table that can be raised or lowered for dining or coffee. These are German and I had not seen one since the 70s/80s. A pal found one for me and we brought it up from Surrey to Yorkshire. On the 12th December it was picked up by DHL from my house and by 13th December gone to Madrid via Barcelona!! I went to Tenerife on 15th September and came back in the early hours of this morning - 2nd January!! I have been "confined to barracks" for 4 days on the promise of delivery, made hours worth of phone calls to Madrid, UK and much of the planet. The costs incurred and time spent are now off the scale. Promise follows counter-promise and yes it is still in Madrid showing "Clearance Delay". I have had every excuse in the book and my table has now been in Spain longer than I have. People on the site in Tenerife know the story too well - I just wish I had typed "DHL Clearance Delay" into Google before I started and not after. There is no service, no backup and no results.
The company are rubbish with a non existant Customer Backup System. Their UK representative assured me at one point that their on line tracking system was faulty as it is scanned every day - er, Not True, Actually!!
The Rottweiler
Comment by neo, on 22-Feb-2008 21:17
yeah just found this by googling "DHL Clearance Delay", yeah they are crap.... my box is still stuck in Auckland customs for 7 days now and just today got a notice that it was cleared, if i did not call them they will not even let me know that i need to apply for customs import code code before customs can process my package.
In-efficient DHL i will not ever use them again!
neo
Comment by Ricardo Dizon, on 26-Feb-2008 18:47
yes same what happen to us up to now they still not track were the shipment is, i send it last Dec 3 2007 and up Dec 4 2007 on ly to their tracking information, even them they dont know where it is now the shipment, the sad is all that document are all priceless, is a complete my wife work history, certificates from hospitals and companies, recomendation letters, nursing license and diplomas and transcript of records from Universities and all are original.
The last follow-up I made from the office of their President are no respond.
In-efficient and un-reliable DHL, its a nightmare to use them.
Comment by norvy, on 6-Jun-2008 03:41
I very much agree with you guys. Don't ship through DHL. I recently shipped a package to Bangladesh thru DHL Philippines.It took more than one month to clear the package at Dhaka custom because of the ERROR IN THE INVOICE DHL PHILS. SENT. It is really a nightmare. I am preparing to sue them in court. Two bags and two silver accessories were missing from the package I sent.
Comment by Gary, on 19-Jun-2008 09:18
DHL are incompetent.
My shipment has been sitting in DHL Auckland for 10 days now. They kept blaming Customs, so I eventually rang Customs to be told that DHL had done nothing about moving it.
Customs gave me some useful job numbers and direct-dial phone numbers that enabled me to ring people and apply pressure. Better than talking to one of their call-centre bimbos.
I will never use DHL again.
Try EMS. It costs a little more, but it's fast and efficient, and New Zealand Post will broker the Custome entry for you for a $nz60 fee.
Money well spent.
I am finding TNT a lot better than DHL too.
Comment by Alpine~, on 4-Nov-2008 02:04
Ya, I recently had sent some things into Aussie to be upgraded. I sent them via USPS post. They got there and fixed just fine. Then the guy sent them back to me Via DHL express. Now they have been in LA Cali gateway for roughly 5 days? What gives? I am going to be calling customs there today like the guy said above me, so I don't have to deal with the Bimbo at their service center and hopefully I can get some vaild people to call to get this taken care of! We have a public saftey expo here the 15th of NOV and these devices where needed for that expo! This was expressed to the guy in Aussie, although I guess i'm just not a priority to him? He might be getting a kind email as well, to stop shipping with DHL. This is truely upsetting!
Here we go yet again with another company that should have been trustable, that is a disaster, and more hoolahoops and more phone calls. Just to get something I paid 100 dollars to have shipped to me! When it only costed me 50 to ship it there in the first place!
I'm hot!
AlPiNe~
Comment by marvin de leon, on 18-Nov-2009 02:38
i bought an item from the USA and they already received the item last oct. 27 but until now its already nov 17 and i still have not received the item, their reason is that they cannot find my house, what a stupid reason, they have my contact number so why are they not calling me to confirm my address, or if they asked anybody in town every body knows the village where i live. so if i were you i will not trust this stupid company
Comment by Pushpinder, on 19-Nov-2009 08:28
DHL is really worst at custom clearance. My shipment is at DELHI at their sort facility from last 3 days.
Called them number of times every time different response.
Don't rely on DHL
Comment by hsaf, on 9-Mar-2010 22:36
I HATE ALL THE WORLD DHL AND THIER SERVICE. WILL NEVER EVER USE DHL UNTILL I ALIVE...
Ya this is very bad service from DHL. they have there own costumes. bloody sht cotumes never ever answers the call. the left voice mail "please leave your message and we will get back to you as soon as possible. I left 20 messages but reply from thier sht costumes.
Its been almost 2 weeks that they kept my parcel on hold. Again and again clearance delay.
Finally I called up New Zealand costumes and they told me they are totally different from dhl costumes. and also advise me if the dhl costumes service is bad and slow then I can download the form from thier website and fill it out and send back to New Zealand costumes and they will clear within a day.
Comment by Debra, on 30-Mar-2010 12:41
Yep, I live in the US and had some documents coming from China. Nothing big, like Passports and such. Just a job offer letter, and the medical forms that I had originally sent to China. But it's been locked up in customs for the past week and they are saying that it could take one day, or it could take 30. No way to know because they have to verify that the documents are legitimate. What? Are terrorists forging medical documents that show they are up-to-date with their tetanus vaccines?? Is it the latest scare tactic to fakea job offer letter TO another country??? I can see how that could subvert security! oOOh!! SCARY!! Well, I guess the desk jockeys are warned about piracy from China and they just don't know where to draw the line. Idiots. So it seems nothing has changed in the three years since you originally wrote your post. Obviously, customer satisfaction is not huge on their list.
Comment by mike, on 5-May-2010 07:04
My school transcripts and diploma are on clearance delay...LOL.../sigh. That is not even a one pound package :(
Comment by Abe Spain, on 16-Sep-2010 06:56
I didn't think that DHL had anything to do with the clearance on these items? Customs are run as a government body and as such, DHL do not get access to these items until customs release them. Technically, they are not even in the country. At lease that is my understanding of how customs works. Now, if the problem is that DHL have not passed on messages from customs then this is indeed bad but in my experience they tend to call when they know more information.
Oh, I have a delivery stuck in clearance delay for the best part of 5 days so if anything, I am looking for someone to blame :D
Comment by albert, on 5-Oct-2010 10:03
DHL ARE THIEVING CROOKS!!!! THEY 'MISPLACED' MY GOODS. THEY CLAIMED ROADSTAR HAD IT, THEN THEY CLAIMED NZ CUSTOMS HAD IT, THEN THEY CLAIMED THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE IT IS.
DHL WILL STEAL YOUR GOODS, DO NOT USE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Jeff, on 22-Oct-2010 08:55
Listen one mistake and you abandon them you are a no good bastard . I am sorry but people make mistakes and with shipping the mistakes always happen when the worst time possible.
So buck up and don't be such a sell out over one mistake
Comment by jan, on 25-May-2011 19:57
pls someon help me
send me ans
jan_khan_00@yahoo.com
20 May 2011 16:18 Lisbon - Portugal Clearance delay
20 May 2011 09:28 Lisbon - Portugal Departed from DHL facility in Lisbon - Portugal
20 May 2011 09:11 Lisbon - Portugal Processed at Location Lisbon - Portugal
20 May 2011 08:34 Lisbon - Portugal Processed for clearance at Lisbon - Portugal
20 May 2011 08:28 Lisbon - Portugal Arrived at DHL facility in Lisbon - Portugal
20 May 2011 07:00 Vitoria - Spain Departed from DHL facility in Vitoria - Spain
20 May 2011 06:58 Vitoria - Spain Transferred through Vitoria - Spain
20 May 2011 01:59 Leipzig - Germany Departed from DHL facility in Leipzig - Germany
19 May 2011 23:29 Leipzig - Germany Processed at Location Leipzig - Germany
19 May 2011 22:27 Leipzig - Germany Arrived at DHL facility in Leipzig - Germany
19 May 2011 11:08 Dubai - United Arab Emirates Confirm Uplift
19 May 2011 05:20 Hong Kong - Hong Kong Confirm Uplift
19 May 2011 05:09 Departed from DHL facility in
19 May 2011 04:46 Processed at Location
18 May 2011 20:33 Arrived at DHL facility in
18 May 2011 19:10 Hong Kong - Hong Kong Departed from DHL facility in Hong Kong - Hong Kong
18 May 2011 18:50 Hong Kong - Hong Kong Processed at Location Hong Kong - Hong Kong
18 May 2011 16:56 Hong Kong - Hong Kong Image Available
18 May 2011 16:29 Hong Kong - Hong Kong Weight and Dimension
18 May 2011 15:44 Hong Kong - Hong Kong Shipment picked up
View more
Comment by seb, on 24-Aug-2011 02:46
arrived at Montreal two days after I ordered. Clearance delay since three weeks. Calling the support service did'nt help. They tell me custom has the package, custom tell me they cleared the item one hour after it's arrival I don't know if they wait for something from my side but if they need to contact me they have my cell phone, my job phone, my email and my home address.
Did I miss something here?
8/23/2011 8:22 am Clearance Delay Montreal, Canada
8/22/2011 3:05 pm Clearance Delay Montreal, Canada
8/19/2011 8:04 am Clearance Delay Montreal, Canada
8/18/2011 7:42 am Clearance Delay Montreal, Canada
8/17/2011 7:34 am Clearance Delay Montreal, Canada
8/16/2011 7:37 am Clearance Delay Montreal, Canada
8/15/2011 9:24 am Clearance Delay Montreal, Canada
8/12/2011 7:35 am Clearance Delay Montreal, Canada
8/11/2011 8:04 am Clearance Delay Montreal, Canada
8/10/2011 7:22 am Clearance Delay Montreal, Canada
8/9/2011 7:57 am Clearance Delay Montreal, Canada
8/8/2011 11:04 am Clearance Delay Montreal, Canada
8/5/2011 9:21 am Clearance Delay Montreal, Canada
9:21 am Processing for clearance Montreal, Canada
9:21 am Transit through DHL facility Montreal, Canada
5:27 am Depart Facility Cincinnati Hub, Oh
2:42 am Processed at DHL Location. Cincinnati Hub, Oh
12:31 am Transit through DHL facility Cincinnati Hub, Oh
8/4/2011 11:07 pm Transit through DHL facility Cincinnati Hub, Oh
8:59 pm Depart Facility Columbus - West, Oh
8:59 pm Processed at DHL Location. Columbus - West, Oh
6:03 pm Shipment picked up Columbus - West, Oh
Comment by stuart parker, on 22-Sep-2011 09:53
Wish i had seen this site before posting a few of my sons belongings to tenerife from england, sent his old playstaion with a few of his games and a pair of trainers, cost £69 with dhl. After 3 weeks of clearance delay, parcel was delivered, he had to pay 87 euro before the delivery man would let him have it, made up of 24 eur import duty and 63eur admin charge.
After several phone calls to DHL told this was for customs broker, what a rip off, will never use DHL again
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Comment by juha, on 4-Jan-2007 10:08
Maybe DHL's read about the laptop controversy and have decided to take the moral high road here, to save you from the "blogger kryptonite"? :)
Seriously though... that's appalling service. Lack of service, that is.