More like Pinehurst Mail & Skip
I paid for DHL's fastest regular service to Asia online and dropped off my time-sensitive business documents at Pinehurst Mail & Ship at 10:55AM. Advertised pick-up is 2:00 pm. The woman working at the counter took my DHL envelope and handed me a receipt with a DHL number and a package ID. The next day, early afternoon, there is still nothing in the DHL computer (I'd been checking since the previous day.). I ring up DHL. They have nothing. I ring up Pinehurst Mail & Ship. The owner informs me that she still has my envelope.
*paraphrase of conversation*
Me: Why do you still have that envelope!?
--silence--
Owner: Uhhh...DHL didn't pick it up.
Me: DHL said they did not receive any pick-up notification from you.
Owner: I contacted DHL, but they did not show up.
Me: How did you contact them?
Owner: I sent them an email.
Me: Could you forward a copy of that email to me?
Owner: *indignant* No.
Me: Why not?
Owner: *angrily* Because you are calling me a liar!
Me: I am not calling you anything. I would just like a copy of that email.
There were a few other words exchanged. She seemed pretty angry, informed me that "She was the owner," and told me that I should "Come get my package." I realized there was no going forward with this individual. I said "Okay. Goodbye." and hung up.
I had initially wanted her to send me the email so that I could hold DHL responsible - but the owners overreaction quickly led me to believe that her shop was to blame. Whatever. It was clear someone had dropped the ball. I just needed business to get done.
I rang up DHL and told them the situation. They confirmed there was no way for me to get it to another local DHL facility in time for pickup that day, so I was looking at a loss of two days. I asked that DHL call Pinehurst Mail & Ship on my behalf. They balked at first, but eventually did - and after lots of hold time - informed me that they had arranged to make the pickup at Pinehurst Mail & Ship.
At my request, DHL launched an investigation into the delay the next day. Several days later, their investigations department's conclusion was that DHL had not received any email from Pinehurst Mail & Ship. I wonder if the owner had angrily refused to forward the email to them too? Curious. It seems like she would have wanted to do so if there was a communication problem. Perhaps she just yelled at them that "She was the owner!" accused them of calling her a liar, or just yelled at them to "Come get their packages!"
It would seem that someone *is* lying here. Is it a cover-up job by a multi-billion-dollar shipping corporation? Or is it an owner, seemingly lacking in professionalism, whose store mostly contains buyer's remorse (knickknacks) and examples of sub-par business cards? I don't know.
To me - even if it was DHL's fault, the behavior of the Pinehurst Mail & Ship owner on the phone was enough to ensure that I will never return. In the end - the loss of that day cost me both money and reputation with my business partners. Excuses are like gym socks, right? Consequently, I now do my business directly with a parcel carrier. I call them and they pick it up. It's much easier and I skip the middle man entirely. In my opinion - so should you.
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