Supermarket driver nearly two hours early

[StillCoughingandLaughing]

I had a Sainsbury’s delivery booked for 10 - 11 tonight. I wasn’t particularly fussed about having a late slot, but it was the only one with no delivery charge, so I booked it. I wasn’t planning to go anywhere.

Earlier today, a friend invited me for a drink. I said I’d have to leave at 9.30 to be back, which she said was fine, so I went. At 8.20 I got a call - it’s my delivery driver wanting to know why I’m not answering the door. I explain my slot isn’t until 10, but he tells me I’m the last delivery of the day, so he’s there now and can I answer the door. He doesn’t speak great English, so it takes several attempts to explain that I’m not at home.

Eventually he gets that I won’t be there before 10. After a big sigh, he eventually says again, ‘I’m here now - you’re my last delivery’ - but then says he’ll wait for me. As I was arriving home at 9.45 he was on the phone again, wanting to know where I was.

This has happened to me before with Sainsbury’s, and from the missed calls on my phone, I can see it’s the same driver. I’m torn, as it’s massively frustrating when you’re trying to plan your day to get irate phone calls asking why you’re not in 90 minutes - two hours before your booked slot. I absolutely wouldn’t have minded an early delivery if I had been in, but I can do without being treated like an inconvenience. Because it’s happened before, part of me wants to complain. On the other hand, I wouldn’t want the driver to get the sack over it either.

Should I say something or not? Obviously it’s not a big thing, but shouldn’t I be able to plan around a slot rather than two hours either side ?

Yes I would say something, it’s so bloody annoying when they do that. I order morning slots and Tesco have woken me up being more than an hour early more than once!Not impressed.

It’s ridiculous and unprofessional

Ofc you should complain, you should have complained the first time it happened OP!

I would. He's clearly wanting to clock off 2 hours early and is likely still being paid for that time?

This is super annoying. I plan my deliveries around meetings and online lectures. I don’t want my shopping turning up while I’m teaching 30 students live!

I would complain. I have had drivers call and say they are round the corner, can they deliver to me now, anything up to an hour before my slot but they are always clear that if it's not ok they will come back during my slot.

I would complain. Youve booked a timeslot for your own convenience, not his.

I would only make a formal complaint as its your second instance. Realistically hes been paid for 2 hours sat in a warm van so I'm not feeling very sympathetic to him!

Yanbu. I’ve had early deliveries before but they’ve always rang to check first and even then, it’s only been a half hour early.

Yep, definitely complain. It’s not a favour if you’re not in, and he’s blowing up your phone in a mood.

This happened to me before with a courier company. I selected a 7am slot so I could give them a parcel before rushing off to work but they ended up coming much earlier. I had to answer the door straight from my bed, in my dressing gown, at 6am.

We had that on holiday once. I booked it for 5pm as we couldn't get in the accomodation until 4.30pm. The delivery guy from Tesco rang me at 2pm saying he was there to deliver my shopping. I explained we weren't there and I didn't even know the lodge we were in. He was so rude. He dumped my shopping with reception. I complained and got a voucher. Here the drivers are lovely.

Complain! He's done this to you twice. No telling how many others he may be inconveniencing.

An important part of his job is to come at a pre-arranged time. His timing needs improvement, or failing that, he needs to be told that he can't treat paying customers like they're in the wrong when he is the one breaking the agreement! He shouldn't be pressuring people to change their plans to fit his unpredictable schedule when he's turning up extremely earlier than expected.

Happened to us too, an hour and a quarter early. He asked if he could just leave the shopping “round the back”. Yes, please just leave all my food in the garden to defrost and/or get rained on - cheers!

Ocado are extremely good on this. They do quite often ring to say that they're in the area doing another delivery, and is it okay to deliver early? However they will happily accept a no. On one occasion I explained that I was teaching until 7.30, so the chap parked outside and waited until then. Recently they arrived 20 minutes early and my teenager told them we'd be home soon, and they put no pressure on her to accept the delivery, either.

I work in a similar sector. We wouldn't be allowed to do this - fine to ring and enquire, but if it's not convenient then the driver would need to wait for you. They are paid to the end of the shift which would include your drop off time. Complain.

Glad it’s not just me!

By contrast, I’d booked an Iceland delivery last week that was delayed, but the app was saying it was completed. When I phoned up they explained that ‘completed’ meant packed and sent out, rather than actually delivered, but still checked with the driver, phoned me back, got him to call me when he was in his way... they couldn’t have done enough for me.

I would definitely complain.

I had an Asda delivery Almost an hour early once but the driver said he was running early so decided to come & knock on to see if I was available.

Dd gets paid to do audits on delivery drivers. (& she gets to keep the shopping for free)

Yanbu

I remember years ago having this with a driver - either Tesco or Sainsbury - he was really early (an hour or so) and I was just getting in from work when he arrived. The guy started having a massive go at me about not being there. I was quite young and he reduced me to tears (probably wouldn’t have done now!). I did call customer services and complain, it was really awful.

I only seem to have really lovely people deliver the food these days though!

I never book late slots, I did once or twice but the drivers often come really early and I totally understand it - imagine sitting in your van for two hours and not being able to go home to your family. So much more likely to happen in those last slots. Could you book early mornings or just a day that you're in at an earlier time?

Also, please don't complain. It's a shit job and so very stressful atm.

I would say something. Great if you're home to accept the delivery (has happened to me recently with Waitrose and they're always apologetic) but if they turn up 90 mins early they have to accept gracefully that the customer might not be home.

Well of course I could, @AlwaysLatte, but I didn’t.

It wasn’t about the time - I booked an available slot with no delivery charge. It certainly wasn’t because it was more convenient for me - if anything, I’d have thought that slot came with free delivery because it was unpopular.

Tesco delivered early, did nit call and just unpacked it on my doorstep so when i got home 15 minutes before my time slot it was wet and defrosting (was pouring) and the driver was just sat in the van then acted like I was late. Rude. I didn't complain as the driver was a client of mine and I didn't want to cause a problem but I was so pissed off.

Not*

Of course complain. Why would you allow yourself to have your personal life managed by a supermarket?

I've often had drivers call to say they're running early and would it be ok to come early. I can say yes, or no.

Also, please don't complain. It's a shit job and so very stressful atm.

Well that’s why I don’t want to complain - but at the same time, I don’t get to knock off at 4 if I’m ahead of schedule.

Also, don't overestimate the power of your complaint. If they're in the habit of doing this, it's probably because they're allowed to do this.

Different supermarkets have very different approaches to customer service.