Shop n Ship Aramex has pathetic customer service

[sid_donnydarko]

Onn the night of April 11 IST, i unwittingly purchased the wrong product from Amazon which could not be cancelled via their website after 30 mins from the order being created. When i contacted Amazon CC, they said that in such situations they can intercept the package in-transit through the carrier and have it returned to their nearest facility. Unfortunately the package was delivered within 24hrs, well before Amazon CC could contact them.

I contacted Ms.Anuradha regarding the return policy for such packages and since it was morning of 12th i asked her to send them a priority mail informing the in-charge staff to block the package from being shipped. Again, unfortunately, Ms.Anuradha replied that the package was connected to a flight while on my SnS account it clearly mentioned that the package was in account. She said that it would cost me a total of 18USD+12.36% service tax + 48 USD to have it returned.

What is strange is that she also mentioned that the customer needs to inform them well in advance(before delivery at their NY SnS facility) regarding any packages that have to be returned. But this information does not tally with what Ms.Kerriann Miller(extn# 1255), an SnS dept. staff in NY, offered as an option with one of my earlier packages that i felt needed to be returned, but ultimately never did. With regards to one of my earlier packages(a mobile phone), Ms.Kerriann told me that it would cost me only 15USD(i'm guessing this amount excludes 12.36% ST) to have it returned to the merchant.

Secondly, i was given a totally different story when i contacted two Aramex NY CC reps by the name of John and another lady(whose name i don't remember) of mexican origin. Both CC reps were very sure that the package had not yet left their facility and educated me on how to pay for return packages which involved contacting my local Aramex office in Chennai. Then i called them again and asked them to put me through to someone from their SnS dept. which is when i spoke to Kerriann who informed me that the package was already on a flight to DXB?!? When i asked why is it that my SnS account was not updated, she said that the flight manifest records are generated later. How does a freight forwarding firm ship a package without generating a flight manifest record beforehand?

Thirdly, i tried appealing to Ms.Anuradha's good nature by explaining that as a customer i'd done everything to the best of my abilities and i was right(again as far as the customer is concerned) in asking her to waive 48USD since Aramex/SnS did not update their shipping records on time while excluding the bit of misinformation regarding return packages between NY and MUMBAI(read para 2). From our email, she apparently did her best to grant me a discount but to no avail. Even sillier is when someone fails to recognize a win-win situation - i suggested Ms.Anuradha that in both of our best interests, the wisest decision would be to have the package blocked at the NY office or if it were actually on a flight to DXB then have it sent back to the NY office once it reached there while waiving the 48USD fee - both situations guarantee a win for Ms.Anuradha/SnS since i make a payment of 18USD+12.36% ST, i.e, to have the package returned to Amazon; and i win by having Amazon refund my money once they receive the return package. Hell!, i even offered to give Ms.Anuradha the link for the Amazon Return Label thinking that it would cut her losses.

What is even more ridiculous is that my SnS account shipment details was updated only by the afternoon of April 13 IST?!? This was 20hrs after i brought it to Ms.Anuradha/Ms.Kerriann's attention!!!

 

[avi]

tldr;

I am new to Aramex. I opened an account yesterday & submitted proof of documents & still my account isn't activated. I contacted Anuradha, today around 12 noon, she said she will activate it asap. Lets see how my experience goes with their customer service. So far, not so happy.

 

[sid_donnydarko]

^^ Well it is a Saturday and you did open the account on a friday. Wait until monday i guess.

On the other hand i wonder if Anuradha/Karan will explain how they reached 20USD(18USD+12.36%ST) for returns while their NY facility charges only 15USD. Or maybe they just won't take my thread seriously. Even Amarbir never tried to fleece his customers although his attitude towards them was less than acceptable.

 

[mutant]

Would be interesting to see how it goes, I have been charged around $50-$60 2 times, when due to some reason I had to sent the package back and exactly same stuff happened to me, but in the end I had to pay

 

[avi]

Wow, I didn't knew one has to pay this much to have the package returned ! 50-60USD ! Isn't it too much ??

#

sid_donnydarko - so how much you paid ??

 

[agantuk]

For returning a package to the US, their rates are 'standard' rates. I had a similar requirement, and they said they would charge the regular courier rates. I went with DTDC instead.

 

[sid_donnydarko]

Wow, I didn't knew one has to pay this much to have the package returned ! 50-60USD ! Isn't it too much ??

#

sid_donnydarko - so how much you paid ??

So far Anuradha has asked me to pay 68USD out of which the 48USD includes a custom assessed fee from their DXB hub.

For returning a package to the US, their rates are 'standard' rates. I had a similar requirement, and they said they would charge the regular courier rates. I went with DTDC instead.

Would be interesting to see how it goes, I have been charged around $50-$60 2 times, when due to some reason I had to sent the package back and exactly same stuff happened to me, but in the end I had to pay

As far as i can tell Aramex/SnS has done nothing wrong in charging a fee for returning packages. What i want to know is why Kerriann lied about the package being on a flight to DXB and why she didn't offer to help like before?

Furthermore wouldn't any customer find it annoying if the shipping details weren't updated on time? The problem with us Indian customers is that we overlook little things like this so as long as we get our package.

This is all that there is of a return policy on Aramex.com and it doesn't even mention if it encompasses SnS. If the SnS team feels that they can tailor rules at their personal whims, then they better realize that their customers can do the same.

Does anyone remember how much KMD charged for having packages returned?

 

[madnav]

I am yet to see a courier company that updates status prior to committing that action.

 

[sid_donnydarko]

1ST Package

*****************************************************************************************************************************

*****************************************************************************************************************************

2ND Package

Concerning the 1st package, Kerriann told me that the package reached on the 11th and was left the same day on a flight for DXB citing this as the reason why she would not have it returned. But the shipping details indicate that this package left only on the 12th at 18:41.

Concerning the 2nd package, the shipping details clearly mentions that it left on the 12th at 19:05, 24mins after the 1st package left. This is further proof that Kerriann was lying and unwilling to help.

 

[shopnshipindia]

hi!

hope its activated

tldr;

I am new to Aramex. I opened an account yesterday & submitted proof of documents & still my account isn't activated. I contacted Anuradha, today around 12 noon, she said she will activate it asap. Lets see how my experience goes with their customer service. So far, not so happy.

HI Sid,

To give you a break up of the charges, 15 USD as said rightly, is the US return charges and the 20 USD is the SNS charges and the balance 28 USD approx is the charges for return from DXB to JFK as this charge is not covered under sns

^^ Well it is a Saturday and you did open the account on a friday. Wait until monday i guess.

On the other hand i wonder if Anuradha/Karan will explain how they reached 20USD(18USD+12.36%ST) for returns while their NY facility charges only 15USD. Or maybe they just won't take my thread seriously. Even Amarbir never tried to fleece his customers although his attitude towards them was less than acceptable.

Hi Sid,

As for us in India, We get the conenction information from JFK and that is the same we communicate to our clients. But if you feel they are lying.. I shall surely take this up with their manager in JFK and escalate this matter.

1ST Package

*****************************************************************************************************************************

*****************************************************************************************************************************

2ND Package

Concerning the 1st package, Kerriann told me that the package reached on the 11th and was left the same day on a flight for DXB citing this as the reason why she would not have it returned. But the shipping details indicate that this package left only on the 12th at 18:41.

Concerning the 2nd package, the shipping details clearly mentions that it left on the 12th at 19:05, 24mins after the 1st package left. This is further proof that Kerriann was lying and unwilling to help.

Dear All,

PLease understand that this is not an ideal situation.Our return policy from JFK facility is 15 USD.which is put up on our website too. But since according to the JFK office since the shipment was out for connection to DXb and could not be stopped, and has now reached DXB and is on hold, if it has to be retuned , then is when there will be an additoinal charges of 15USD +20 USD SNS charges the balance is charges for the transit from DXB to JFK.

PLease do not confuse this with normal shipments for other clients.

More over as mentioned, infact, we do not have a system to hold shipments in JFK on client's request. The shipments are help only if they are unaccetable. In case , the clients wish to hold shipments, they need to inform us prior the shipment reaches our faclility so that we can temporaraly deactivate their account , so that the shipment does not move automatically and then we activate the acocunt once the shipment is returned to the supplier. This is a customized service.but, once the shipment reaches thr Origin office they would not be able to hold shipments in normal cases as they are processed immediately.

Dear Sid,

Will try and do the best for you.As of now it on hold in Dubai

Regards

So far Anuradha has asked me to pay 68USD out of which the 48USD includes a custom assessed fee from their DXB hub.

As far as i can tell Aramex/SnS has done nothing wrong in charging a fee for returning packages. What i want to know is why Kerriann lied about the package being on a flight to DXB and why she didn't offer to help like before?

Furthermore wouldn't any customer find it annoying if the shipping details weren't updated on time? The problem with us Indian customers is that we overlook little things like this so as long as we get our package.

This is all that there is of a return policy on Aramex.com and it doesn't even mention if it encompasses SnS. If the SnS team feels that they can tailor rules at their personal whims, then they better realize that their customers can do the same.

Does anyone remember how much KMD charged for having packages returned?

So far Anuradha has asked me to pay 68USD out of which the 48USD includes a custom assessed fee from their DXB hub.

As far as i can tell Aramex/SnS has done nothing wrong in charging a fee for returning packages. What i want to know is why Kerriann lied about the package being on a flight to DXB and why she didn't offer to help like before?

Furthermore wouldn't any customer find it annoying if the shipping details weren't updated on time? The problem with us Indian customers is that we overlook little things like this so as long as we get our package.

This is all that there is of a return policy on Aramex.com and it doesn't even mention if it encompasses SnS. If the SnS team feels that they can tailor rules at their personal whims, then they better realize that their customers can do the same.

Does anyone remember how much KMD charged for having packages returned?

 

[sid_donnydarko]

Does it cost 28USD or 48USD to return a package from DXB to JFK?

Where does it state that the return charges are 15USD in USA?

In the past Kerriann offered to have one of my packages returned that had already reached her office. Both #agantuk and #mutant could've avoided having to pay 50-60USD had they contacted Ms.Kerriann. Why is this so? Why couldn't you offer them the same option or atleast inform them that they can avoid extra charges by contacting Ms.Kerriann? When i spoke to Ms.Kerriann on the 12th she never said anything about SnS customers having to keep them informed well in advance like you did in our emails. Why is there so much inconsistency and misdirection?

Your return policy is non-existant in writing(TOS included) and in such a case the least you can do is give the customers the benefit of the doubt. Why the double standards? The first rule they teach you are taught when it comes to customer service is that you never bend the rules let alone lie.

The pattern i see here is people trying to avoid taking the blame. All of this could've been avoided if you'd simply obliged my urgency in having the package returned.

 

[Sarath_]

I hope that solves OPs problems. Nice to see come one come up with clear facts.

 

[sid_donnydarko]

@Sarath - Let me explain with an example. I worked for a while in customer service and one of my clients was Vonage, a VOIP service provider.

There was one elderly Vonage customer who surrendered his DSL landline and switched to Vonage to make cheap international calls without informing the Sales Customer Service Rep that his wife was bedridden and her condition was being monitored by the hospital using equipment connected to a phone line.

Vonage is notorious in the States for not living up to their advertised network uptime and this customer unfortunately happened to reside in an affected area. The Customer Rep is not at fault because the customer did not mention then what his specific requirements were and neither does Vonage's TOS mention a clause specifically related to such healthcare equipment.

Everything was fine and dandy until the customer's Vonage Box VDV21 router(Piece of Sh*t equipment) started acting up. It was only on the third troubleshooting call, that the customer mentioned the urgency behind his requirements. The Technical Rep solved the problem for the time being and did his best to convince the customer that Vonage's advertised network uptime was infallible. But like all third-rate ambit-processor based devices it failed again. The customer escalated the following troubleshooting call to the Team Leader who referred to the Terms of Services to support Vonage's advertised network uptime. When the customer honestly accepted he never mentioned that his wife's health depended on a fool-proof phone line when taking up the connection, the Team Leader told the customer that he should've so that the Customer Rep would've advised him against taking up the plan since Vonage guarantees a 99.9% percent uptime unlike a landline that offers 100%. Customer then rebutted by saying that the chances that a Customer Rep would've given such advise was minimal because a technically unsound Customer Rep, unlike a Technical Support Rep, would refer to the Terms of Service which does not include a clause for such healthcare equipment. And the customer had a sound point.

So the question we all need to be asking is where does it end?

The problem could've been solved at the earliest when the customer mentions his specific requirements ONLY if the TOS included a clause(that free's Vonage of all liability in the event of any h/w or server or technical failure) for such hospital equipment.

 

[Sarath_]

The problem is neither Ms.Anuradha or Ms.Kerriann is here to clear things up on their end. Unless you get them to respond here, the conflicts will pertain with no logical conclusion.

shopnshipindia rep is here just to clear things up on a general query. I am not sure how he/she will be able to respond to your very specific query in a satisfactory manner, especially when references to certain individuals is done. He/She might be able to clear things up in a general note and on behalf of SnS but not on behalf of Ms.Anuradha or Ms.Kerriann. Also I don't think unless their inputs come in, SnS here would be doing anything with such limited info at hand.

It would be more beneficial if you contact them directly and let us know, their attitude towards your problem. That would also benefit others into better understand how to go about a similar problem if it ever occurs.

 

[smnrock]

Ok, i'm not supporting SnS here.. but i'm telling this from my experience so far with SnS. First all, SnS tracking is not always correct, for eg in my last consignment, the shipment has not even reached, but as per the tracking it reached mumbai with in 30 hrs after it left from NY. but again after some time(usual time it takes to reach DXB) it received DXB as expected and got scanned one more time. Another statistic here, so far all my shipment took at least 36 hours to reach DXB from JFK and the time slots are always like your 2nd shipment,

Around 18-19.30 from NY(in NY local time) it will be forwarded and it will reach 3rd day, around 16 - 18 dubai local time. so your 2n consignment matches exactly all my consignments. According to the first consignment tracking info, if it was really forwarded on 12th(same day as 2nd consignment), it shoud have reached DXB on the same time like 2nd consignment. but tracking says it reached morning 9.36, which looks erroneous to me. So my doubt was how it was possible, one reaches at 9.36 and another one reaches 16.40 if both have forwarded at the same time? so there is a possibily, it might forwarded on 11th itself.

As i mentioned, all my shipments were forwarded from NY around 18-19 local time and reached dubai around 16-17 local time, very very rare case it reached morning around 11.30 dubai time. But i'm yet to see the time 9.30 dubai time...

hope this info clear some your doubts!

BTW you will be having more trouble with this your 1st consignment

Better get it and send through speedpost or worldnetexpress.., could be cheaper than aramex

 

[varkey]

^ There are two direct flights from JFK to DXB which leaves at around 11 AM/PM and reaches DXB around 8 AM/PM. So it might be possible that the first shipment came in the earlier flight and second came in the next flight. And it doesn't really take 36 hours from JFK to DXB (flight time is just ~12 hours) so it might be possible that the shipments are processed in batches much earlier but actually departs from JFK much later.

 

[smnrock]

^when i say 36 hrs - time difference shown in tracking page.. irrespective of considering local times...not the actual flight transit time. it could be possible that it might shipped in the first batch.. but whatever i mentioned is so my experience with 20+ shipments... i never received anything in the time frame mentioned in 1st consigntment.. also the time difference between 1st consignment & 2nd consignment is just 24 mins, this also gives room for authenticity of the tracking info!

 

[sid_donnydarko]

The problem is neither Ms.Anuradha or Ms.Kerriann is here to clear things up on their end. Unless you get them to respond here, the conflicts will pertain with no logical conclusion.

shopnshipindia rep is here just to clear things up on a general query. I am not sure how he/she will be able to respond to your very specific query in a satisfactory manner, especially when references to certain individuals is done. He/She might be able to clear things up in a general note and on behalf of SnS but not on behalf of Ms.Anuradha or Ms.Kerriann. Also I don't think unless their inputs come in, SnS here would be doing anything with such limited info at hand.

It would be more beneficial if you contact them directly and let us know, their attitude towards your problem. That would also benefit others into better understand how to go about a similar problem if it ever occurs.

Ms.Anuradha is logging in as #[member='shopnshipindia']

Plus i always contact Ms.Anuradha when i need to clear my doubts regarding shipments.

Got off the phone with Anuradha last night. She explained clearly how the shipments are processed. She also explained why i felt that Kerriann was lying. But i still have not managed to help her acknowledge the fact that there needs to be an allowance towards the customer since the timezone difference leaves that same customer at a disadvantage when trying to return packages.

Ok, i'm not supporting SnS here.. but i'm telling this from my experience so far with SnS. First all, SnS tracking is not always correct, for eg in my last consignment, the shipment has not even reached, but as per the tracking it reached mumbai with in 30 hrs after it left from NY. but again after some time(usual time it takes to reach DXB) it received DXB as expected and got scanned one more time. Another statistic here, so far all my shipment took at least 36 hours to reach DXB from JFK and the time slots are always like your 2nd shipment,

Around 18-19.30 from NY(in NY local time) it will be forwarded and it will reach 3rd day, around 16 - 18 dubai local time. so your 2n consignment matches exactly all my consignments. According to the first consignment tracking info, if it was really forwarded on 12th(same day as 2nd consignment), it shoud have reached DXB on the same time like 2nd consignment. but tracking says it reached morning 9.36, which looks erroneous to me. So my doubt was how it was possible, one reaches at 9.36 and another one reaches 16.40 if both have forwarded at the same time? so there is a possibily, it might forwarded on 11th itself.

As i mentioned, all my shipments were forwarded from NY around 18-19 local time and reached dubai around 16-17 local time, very very rare case it reached morning around 11.30 dubai time. But i'm yet to see the time 9.30 dubai time... hope this info clear some your doubts!

BTW you will be having more trouble with this your 1st consignment Better get it and send through speedpost or worldnetexpress.., could be cheaper than aramex

^ There are two direct flights from JFK to DXB which leaves at around 11 AM/PM and reaches DXB around 8 AM/PM. So it might be possible that the first shipment came in the earlier flight and second came in the next flight. And it doesn't really take 36 hours from JFK to DXB (flight time is just ~12 hours) so it might be possible that the shipments are processed in batches much earlier but actually departs from JFK much later.

^when i say 36 hrs - time difference shown in tracking page.. irrespective of considering local times...not the actual flight transit time. it could be possible that it might shipped in the first batch.. but whatever i mentioned is so my experience with 20+ shipments... i never received anything in the time frame mentioned in 1st consigntment.. also the time difference between 1st consignment & 2nd consignment is just 24 mins, this also gives room for authenticity of the tracking info!

I can live with the fact that Aramex's tracking information is less than accurate. But what i can't stand is when they keep changing the time stamps under shipment history.

This will be my final experience with SnS after i collect the 2nd package. With absolutely no vindictive intention, i feel that I've been outmaneuvered by careful wordplay.

 

[shopnshipindia]

Hi siddarth,

I completely understand your concern! and after our talk as of last evening; there was seldome I could do, as you had already spoken to Cherry on saturdayin dubai and asked to move the shipment to india, where i had asked them to hold it in dubai till we sort this out and on your order they had moved it to India.Yesterday, fortunately I happened to see the mail from cherry stating " the client is ok to move the shipment to india and please move"and i was kind of taken a back.. I was really not aware of this as i was trying to sort this out.may be could not have waived the excess charges but atleast would have tried something better for you

And when I checked the tracking after our telecom yesterday, they had already bagged it.So i quickly contact my Import manager to clear it as per the right value!ed

So there was kind of some confusion too as there were too many people involved into this.Hope we can serve you better in your upcoming consignments

Regards

Anuradha

Ms.Anuradha is logging in as #[member='shopnshipindia']

Plus i always contact Ms.Anuradha when i need to clear my doubts regarding shipments.

Got off the phone with Anuradha last night. She explained clearly how the shipments are processed. She also explained why i felt that Kerriann was lying. But i still have not managed to help her acknowledge the fact that there needs to be an allowance towards the customer since the timezone difference leaves that same customer at a disadvantage when trying to return packages.

I can live with the fact that Aramex's tracking information is less than accurate. But what i can't stand is when they keep changing the time stamps under shipment history.

This will be my final experience with SnS after i collect the 2nd package. With absolutely no vindictive intention, i feel that I've been outmaneuvered by careful wordplay.

 

[sid_donnydarko]

#[member='shopnshipindia'] Anuradha, answer this one question then - if i had called and informed either yourself or Ms.Kerriann half hour after the 1st package reached your NY facility, then would it have been easier to block the package?