Ocado Anytime Smart Pass holders - have you received priority access yet?

[Milky77]

Email sent to anytime pass holders (at least) on Thursday

-
We have experienced such extraordinary levels of demand in recent days that despite our best efforts, we simply have not had enough capacity to serve all our customers.
To put it into context, practically every Ocado customer, no matter how infrequently they may have shopped previously, is now looking to place an order every week. At the same time, with families at home, the average size of orders has almost doubled. This means there is an unceasing level of demand several times our current delivery capacity.
We’ve already taken decisive steps to manage this demand, closing our doors to new customers, and limiting customers to one delivery slot every seven days. However, despite these measures, we can see that not all Smart Pass customers have been able to book a delivery.
As an Anytime Smart Pass member, we consider you to be one of our best customers, so we’ve set up a temporary priority queue to enable you to book a delivery slot each week.
How you will get access:
We have divided all paying Anytime Smart Pass members who joined before 2020 into a number of equal-sized, randomised groups. You will be placed in one of these groups.
At spaced intervals, we will give each group access to the priority queue, enabling them to quickly get in and choose a slot for their weekly delivery. We will do this by sending each group an email and text message between the hours of 9am and 5pm, starting tomorrow.
Once you get your email, you’ll have the rest of the day to place and check out your order. Please wait for your message, as you won’t be able to access the priority queue at other times.
Please be aware that there is still high demand for slots, and you may not see full availability for all time slots. But, because we can now prioritise the customers we let on to the website, and each customer can only have one slot, you can be confident that there are enough slots – and groceries – to go around.
Our developers continue to work on a better solution which will allow us to manage this in a simpler way but, for now, this fix at least helps us to prioritise you in the short-term. It makes access fair, and helps to keep traffic to our website at manageable levels, ensuring you the best possible shopping experience in the circumstances.
Please note: our usually all-knowing Customer Service team can’t set-up or change this temporary process, so they won’t be able to tell you which group you are in, or when you will get your email.
Thank you for your continued understanding and patience. We all understand the huge responsibility placed on us, and we are working tirelessly to help feed the nation at this challenging time.
Your Ocado team
Terms & Conditions

Whilst in place, these measures override the relevant provisions of our Terms & Conditions.
You’ve received this message as it contains important information about your ocado account.
Privacy Policy

© 2020 Ocado Retail Limited. Registered address: Apollo Court, 2 Bishop Square, Hatfield Business Park, Hatfield, Herts, AL10 9EX. Registered in England – company number: 03875000.

---

Will be v glad to have a slot confirmed. I would have cancelled my Ocado subscription otherwise. As a customer who orders weekly and should also be screened, I was getting quite concerned what the next few months would be like.

Anyone had their priority access yet?

I can get on there really easily today, mostly without a queue, but I've been literally on there all day today and there is nothing at all in 2 different areas despite them telling me tuesday was the day I could check. Totally greyed out.

Their facebook page has something about the Access denied issue- it says it's a problem they're trying to fix- something to do with their technical side- not because you are not a priority customer.

I don't have any issues- maybe it depends where you live and how popular Ocado is in that area. I guess we all see different things because the stock levels we see must be based on those in your local warehouse. I'm only a few miles from the warehouse in Leeds- maybe they are prioritising those within easy reach of the depot so they can deliver to more people in a shorter time. ? Just a thought!

I work for ocado and can safely say they are taking good care of us. Full pay if self isolating, providing us with anti bac spray and wipes, providing us with anti bac hand gel, temperature checks at the beginning of every shift.
I can't really fault ocado

I pasted this quote from their facebook page- very reassuring, even if they can't manage deliver to everybody who wants them to.

Ocado are also saying, that if you have a Smart pass you will be given priority access to book slots, that isn't to say that they still won't sell out of slots before you manage to get on the site. I still reckon it's a case of first come first served even with priority access!

I have never been so disappointed in a company as I am in Ocado, honestly.
We’re a priority family. No email received by them despite being on the government list. No proper response to emails, messages via twitter or their case form on the website. I started communication with them two weeks ago. I’ve been a loyal customer with them for ten years. I’m also a SmartPass holder yet have had no email from them as I’ve heard other SmartPass holders have and they’ve left me with no clear idea of when I’ll next be able to book a slot.
I’m shocked by how crap it all is.
They’ll be losing my business for sure.

@YoursTunbridgeWells
I also had 20th and just now 27/28th fully opened!! (London) Been trying every 15 mins today and it’s finally paying off 😂

Thing is, even with priority smartpass I’ve not got past the guardian page in two weeks. Trying many different times if the day. I’ve been promised an email that hasn’t ever arrived (having sent me an email to say I was a priority - it isn’t ME saying I’m special - they said I was 😂) yet a non smart pass holder I know has had 3 slots since 26/3! It’s not been well organised.

I'm so stressed that all the slots will keep going to those who get access two to three weeks in advance. I guess I'll find out on around the 20th how bad it's going to be.

Has anyone else had the email about the low price promise?

Dear Mrs Bates,
We want to make sure you carry on getting good value for money during these unprecedented times, so we’re making changes to the way you receive Low Price Promise vouchers and giving you longer to redeem them.
We’ll carry on checking your comparable shopping against the listed prices at tesco.com. If it’s not already cheaper at Ocado, as always, we’ll give you a voucher for more than the difference. However, instead of sending you a voucher after every shop, we’ll now save up all your vouchers and email you a combined voucher every month. Plus, you’ll have more time to redeem each monthly voucher - up to 28 days.
You will find more detail on these changes in our updated Terms & Conditions.

Ocado Customer Service team

Yes. I deleted and tutted.

My neighbours keep getting Ocado deliveries been twitching curtains

Just seemed a bit bizarre when:

1. They are struggling to ensure everyone is being fairly treated in regards to how often they can book a slot
2. Their prices have gone up hugely over the last couple of weeks so will they be issuing loads of vouchers? If that's the case then why increase all the prices in the first place? Or (and this seems most likely now I think of it) have Tesco also put their prices up so it won't actually make that much difference?

Still 0 slots available here - I can get into the site first time every time, but just nothing to book. I'm seriously underwhelmed by Ocado's failure to prioritise appropriately where other supermarkets seem to have managed it: I'd very happily give up looking for slots if I was confident that they would be going to the vulnerable and shielded groups, but this thread doesn't suggest that is the case :-(

My parents are shielding and Ocado call them and get them a slot every two weeks. They only started using them in January.

I moved just before the shot hit the fan - can't add my postcode although they deliver next door. I've used them for 10 years, anytime pass.

That said the help they have given my parents is exceptional and I'm happy to lose the slots to people like my parents.

@NormaLouiseBates yup I got that, I got the “you are a priority customer and can have weekly slots” one too but no other communication and I can’t get passed the gatehouse page or log in. Two weeks now and can’t do it. They have “said” in social media that slots still being sent out but I believe they are lying.
If you’ve been a customer for longer than 10 years you are obviously not worth the money any more. But you can still be sent emails about low prices 🙄

They still havent charged me for the £150 worth of shopping I had delivered on Monday morning.....

Well, I have foraged night and day ... and finally found a local veg box supplier willing to take on new customers. They're doing crisis-mode pre-ordained contents. Nothing fancy, just basic fresh food. Fingers crossed it will tide various vulnerable elderly over for the time being.

I did spend half the night compiling a dizzyingly complex and varied Waitrose basket containing about three times as I much as I've ever bought from Ocado. (Blinded by all the exotic newness of their website.) Naturally there are no slots whatsoever as far as the eye can see. (End of May!)

Really cannot face the sight of Ocado's 'Calendar Grey' paint again any time soon ...

Has anyone who had the 'you can check after tues' email actually managed to find a slot, I'm wondering whether there is any point in keeping checking or not, but I've literally been checking constantly and nothing.

Tangled I had that email and can still only see 3 days with no slots .

@wendz86 Hmm.. do you have like 3 slots circled in green that are grey and then the rest of the calendar is grey too?

Yes that’s exactly how it looks . Had a delivery yesterday so thought I might be able to see a few days ahead now but no .

I don't want to read the whole thread but...

I have a midweek pass.
I have had no email.

I am able to see some slots sometimes but not now.

I have a current order placed for later this week for a family member who is a key worker and not able to use the supermarket easily and when they do all food is limited supply.

I wonder if once their order is delivered I will be able to see more slots?

jinglinghellsbells. I wouldn’t count on it.
It’s like they have just pulled names out of a hat to decide who has the privilege of seeing and booking any more slots.

I got the priority email and have been able to book a slot for tomorrow and the next two weeks. It's a relief. I'm a bit surprised to be considered one of their most loyal customers because I spend an average of £80-90 a week with them, 2 weekly deliveries of over £40, which can't be at the top end. I suspect location has a lot to do with it. My area appears to be among the least affected currently.

Keep checking periodically if you're getting the grey calendar with 3 dates squared off in green. I got that for days after my email but then managed to see future slots to book.

I'm in the one slot every 10 days group where they said we would see slots a week in advance. I have a delivery on the 18th which means I can't order next until the 28th so I won't see anything until the 21st. Ocado is crap.