Ocado smart pass trials, tribulations and tiers

[Milky77]

Background

On March 23, Ocado divided anytime and midweek smartpass members into random groups for access then realised that didn't work so divided us again into most loyal, loyal and near to miscellaneous tiers with having different levels of frequency for order delivery and indeed how many slots you can book in advance.

Certainly the most loyal and probably generally high average spend compared to local populations are the only ones being treated well. They are allowed to still book every seven days, can book 2-3 weeks in advance and are encouraged to book several slots over this time.

The rest of us are being treated with varying levels or service, disappointingly some have not had a single email since March 23 and still don't have access.

Those anytime pass members on the extremely vulnerable list by NHS England should be able to book every 7 days though aren't given the ability to book 2-3 weeks in advance. A few are apparently being called for fortnightly orders.

Ocado has been too greedy. They blame poor service on helping the extremely vulnerable but actually they let too many new and infrequent shoppers place orders putting too much stress on the system.

Complaints on social media are typically met with cut and paste replies. Both the call centre and chat comms have been shut down.

Those with weekly Reserved slots have had their places cancelled. The technology failed, or maybe actually wasn't fit for purpose anyhow

Here was our first thread
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/3862959-Ocado-Anytime-Smart-Pass-holders-have-you-received-priority-access-yet

Let's hope we don't go to a third

Top tip is to try other companies including Morrisons who also deliver from warehouses.

Good luck to all

They seem to be getting the message to “some” of their customers via email - they have an email database, of current customers, they have a system that already sends bulk emails out (as do EVERY other company I’ve ever shopped with over the last 10 years).

I don’t think it’s fair to say that those of us that have been screwed over by them haven’t been proactive - we’ve looked on their social media sites, we’ve emailed and direct messages and private message them. Point is THEY have not been clear on social media (trawling through all their responses on 2k postings is NOT clear Comms) or to their whole database.

If they can write a blog and send it to half their database customers, they can send it to all of them!

Oh and through all the emails, PMs and DMs we’ve not had a single response that doesn’t suggest we keep trying to log in

I don't think Ocado will fare any worse than other Supermarkets in the aftermath. The facebook pages of all of them are full of people complaining about not being able to book deliveries. It's difficult right now to secure a slot with any supermarket, it's taking patience and persistence to get a slot for most people. Ocado, have in the main, prioritised their weekly and fortnightly shoppers, because after all, they are the ones who will be still shopping there when this is all over. Those who usually shop i stores will go back to doing just that in the long-term. And apart from what appears to be a small minority of people where something has gone wrong, the regular customers are being successful in getting slots. When I read Ocado's facebook page there are more comments from people who are getting deliveries than not. They are obviously delivering to more customers now than they were before this crisis so a few pissed off regulars is not going to affect business long term- all supermarkets have some pissed off customers!

I think a lot of people will judge all business in how they’ve reacted to the vulnerable. Ocado have not done as well as others. That will definitely be judged. Iceland will be seen as one of the heroes of the pandemic - grantees they’ve seized an opportunity and run with it and good on them!

Incidentally - I cleared cookies again, got in, booked a slot, added a couple of items, then got told to fuck off again it makes no sense to allow all of that (furthest I’ve got in weeks) and then chuck me out again. 🤦‍♀️

I cancelled my smart pass from the 5 March as I mostly shop at tesco and only used ocado once a month for naice things so I didn't want to pay the increase from £3.99 to £5.99 a month

So clearly you shouldn’t be getting priority for slots then, or actually since they can’t service their regular and vulnerable customers you shouldn’t be able to get a slot at all.

Completely agree @wordofwarning

I seem to be able to book every 14 days as per the email I received, but what's the point when so many of my favourites are out of stock with no alternatives available?

So you really think Ocado customers will defect to Iceland? I for one have no idea what Iceland are doing- they're not even on my radar- any customers are getting regular orders from Ocado won't really know what other supermarkets are doing with their own customers. And how do you know what Ocado have done for the vulnerable? I don't, seeing as we're not on the vulnerable list. I do know that Ocado have provided me with a weekly slot, and because of that I can also order for two sets of our elderly and vulnerable parents, which I'm grateful for.

I managed to get a click and collect from Asda for last Saturday. I'm incredibly grateful for that as it plugged the gap between 14 day Ocado deliveries. However I won't be shopping with them when this is over.

The beef roasting joint we had was very poor quality - lean, but tough as old boots. We had a lovely piece of beef from Lidl a couple of months back and there was no comparison. We also had to chuck away 2 bags of kale as it was going black and had dead caterpillars in it. I hate wasting food at the best of times, but it seems positively criminal right now.

I was also buying for my daughter who is on her own with 2 small children and the semi skimmed milk was out of stock in the Sada order. My husband had to brave Sainsburys on the way home just to buy milk and vowed never to go into another shop again while this pandemic is going on. He hated it.

If I have to do another Asda shop I will forget the meat and veg and order from local suppliers ie veg boxes.

@Freakstar - no I don't think Ocado customers who are being serviced will defect, however Iceland have made all efforts to contact vulnerable customers and that is likely to be remebered.

I am truly glad that you are able to get orders for your vulnerable parents/ il. I am a similar customer to you and I can't, the vulnerable weekly ordering smart pass paying parent cant get anything either. So I think when it comes to know what they are/aren't doing for their vulnerable customers I can base this on my own experience with them.

I am also basing it on 'hearsay' from social media posts from vulnerable customers who have been with ocado for years and are not able to get any sort of response.

All I want is to be able to log on and try and choose a delivery date - I am able to do this with both Waitrose and Morrisons even if they don't have slots available. Not being able to even access the site is demoralizing, not getting any answers is demoralizing - frankly let me queue to get on the site is more than frustrating.

When I have cleared cookies and been able to get on the site (1 in every 10-15 goes) I have clearly been able to see that there are delivery slots available in my area (if I am logged in then they MUST know where I am) I then almost immediately get kicked back out again. So there is obviously availability there, other people in my area keep calling and saying "try now" there's loads of slots for the next week.

So if it isn't about slot/product availability, I can only assume that at some point in the recent past I must have REALLY pissed off the IT Guru or someone else .

As I originally said, this isn't about me, I don't care about me. This is about my vulnerable recently widowed mum and keeping her safe. I can't do that if I have to go out into the supermarkets and then take her produce to her - at least not as easily as I would like. Having lost a parent very recently, there is NOTHING I wouldn't do to keep her safe. She's all I've got left. So my emotions are heightened way beyond what they would usually be.

However, the silver lining of Ocado's treatment, I do get to see a lonely widow every now and then when I drop off necessities to her. But obviously I am breaking all protocol set out by the government and making unnecessary journeys. All of which are a big MN no no .

• frankly NOT letting me queue" -

God I must be bored- just checked Icelands facebook page out of curiosity- same on there- people in comments saying they are on vulnerable list and can't get a delivery!

Just to share my experience, I booked a delivery for the 1st of May but then realised I would be at work. I tried to change it at it told me there was nothing available. So I said a prayer to the patron saint of supermarkets and cancelled my delivery to rebook. There was loads of availability for the 1st! I could book pretty much any time that day.

As someone on the extremely vulnerable list Ocado caused totally unnecessary grief, and having an anytime pass made fuck all difference.

@FreakStar 😂 I haven’t looked at Iceland FB it’s just been touted on all the Ocado sites as being better - quite probably to try and raise a reaction as they aren’t seen as at the same level 😁.

I think I’m better off just stepping away from the online delivery pages - they aren’t good for blood pressure!

I hope when it is all over that they issue some form of communication - falling off the edge of the world is very disconcerting - the only people who seem to contact me now are wowcher (never bought anything so this is v strange) and Sainsbury’s 🙄

Also paying £10 a month I'd hope for some decent level of service. That hasn't happened. It's not what has gone wrong but how Ocado have handled it and treated their customers. The what comms and what a pickle message was so out of touch.

@wordofwarning ocado definitely owe you and others they seem to have forgotten exist an apology. It's appalling.

Iceland work on a completely different model though, prior to this their main selling point was that you could shop in store and they would drop your shopping off. I am not sure if they ever really had the means to increase capacity.

Morrisons still doing well for DHs deliveries.

Morrisons has also now got a number that anyone elderly, disabled, vulnerable, shielding or self-isolating can ring to arrange next day delivery of a range of essential items.

They've also teamed up with Deliveroo for same-day deliveries in selected areas.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/3880160-Morrisons-has-set-up-a-dedicated-phone-line-for-the-elderly-disabled

Haha

What timing for this
www.medallia.com/press-release/ocado-group-chooses-medallia-for-experience-management

So we have the 7 day tier, and the 14 day tier

I'm on the ten day tier according to my email. Cant see anything past my April 30th slot, but assume once my 22nd delivery has arrived I will.

@Milky77 you asked about Waitrose. I used them just as the panic buying was starting to set in, I'd been looking for an Ocado alternative so decided to give them a go. I was extremely impressed. I got almost everything including loo roll and one of my ready meals was free as it was a short date. If I could get a slot I'd use them over Ocado.

Also pretty sure someone on one of these threads said they were on a 5 day tier!

That's good to know. Thanks @Fuss. Great service re the short date food too.

Here's today's update about Smart Pass refunds. No news about what happens if your pass is less than this.