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

When all this is over Ocado will need their regular customers to maintain their business.

Yes, absolutely agree. Ocado can't tell bumped off regular customers that they can shop in their stores because there aren't any.

So the pissed off Ocado regular will go to one of the other supermarkets and be unlikely to ever come back.

I'm not on the vulnerable list myself, but I am a key worker and I'm also shopping for two sets of vulnerable relatives who are on the vulnerable list, but because they don't have the internet they can't shop online for themselves. I do not feel guilty for using Ocado when I have shopped with them weekly for almost 15 years.

There is a limit to the number of customers they can deliver to and there has to be some way for them to prioritise customers without disadvantaging themselves too much. They are a business after all- and as others have said- if you shop at Sainsbury's for example but can't get a slot you can go to the store- if you shop at Ocado and can't get a slot- you will have to also go to Sainsbury's- they can't lose! Ocado is online only- they will lose long term custom if they don't prioritise their regulars.

Freak I'm not sure anyone has said you should feel guilty, but there are lots of customers that are long term and regular that have been bumped off. When all goes back to normal, and you stop shopping for relatives, the 1/2 customers that have been bumped off to accommodate your shopping are unlikely to be back. Ocado will be down on your shopping but also the other customers who have gone elsewhere.

This isn't an issue with you getting shopping, but there is no denying that for many the communication has been dreadful and some long term customers are not getting a service. My free trial ends soon, no doubt they will email me to ask me to renew (and pay) do you honestly think I will give them my custom, when the only communication I have had is the "sorry, you are not good enough" loading page?

@Milky77 Really pleased you got one!

@LoudBatPerson Thank you for the Tesco slot notification! I managed to get one that day for this Tuesday :)

@FreakStar Excuse you?! I'm classed as extremely vulnerable and am also a disabled single parent with no friends or family around to help. This has absolutely nothing to do with money and loyalty!

@FreakStar You're not even on the vulnerable list and you think you should get priority over those who are?! I've your head a shake!

This country is just filling up with more & more of the "Everything for me & mine and did the rest" mentality and it's really worrying as a parent.

@TheGreatWave- I understand what you're saying and I don't know why some people who say they are regulars are not able to get deliveries- I feel sorry for them. That's not what we discussing just now though- I was being questioned about if I was on the vulnerable list and it is implied that some believe anyone on the list should get priority over regular customers, eve if they are not a regular Ocado shopper- which I disagree with.

I do think that anyone shielding should get priority over everyone else, and I say that as someone who is vulnerable, currently housebound and an anytime smartpass customer who hasn't had a delivery for a month.

I'm in the same position as FreakStar. Regular Ocado customer, key worker and buying for vulnerable relatives. I agree I'm very grateful to Ocado for recognising customer loyalty and giving me a regular slot. I expect them to prioritise shielding and vulnerable customers first but don't think you can expect priority as a non customer. Ocado stated from the beginning that they could not take on any new customers. If they got rid of all their regular customers for new ones that only needed deliveries while lockdown is on they wouldn't have much of a business when this is all over.

Where did you usually do your shopping HavenDilemma? Have you got a slot with another supermarket?

But the thing is lots of people shielding wont have needed to use online delivery before so then they wont be on anyone's list..where does that leave them? A lot of people shielding will previously been leading totally normal active lives.

I've been with Ocado for 10 years. I spend several thousand £ with them each year .
I am shielding I've told them and they assure me they have the list.
I have just had my first delivery since February with them. It's weeks of trying.
They have ignored emails or0 sent bot replies. They have sent really condescending tweets.
As a shielded person I don't have the luxury of turning down slots if they come up but when this is over my money will go to the supermarkets who listened and helped where they could (Tesco) and who did deliver to me Amazon and Musxle Food.
Ocado I don't know what list they had me on but they obviously don't think much of my custom

But the thing is lots of people shielding wont have needed to use online delivery before so then they wont be on anyone's list..where does that leave them?

It leaves them not being able to shop with Ocado.
They can get deliveries from other supermarkets. Not sure about Tesco but Sainsburys and Morrisons are taking on new customers and both had slots when I checked yesterday.

Tesco are taking new customers I I didn't realise Sainsburys were.

Sainsbury’s were the first supermarket to say they were working with the government list and prioritising vulnerable and shielding people. Slots were closed to everyone, I thought, while they sorted out their priority customers (I know I couldn’t get one, despite having had previous occasional deliveries).

Morrison’s have definitely taken on new customers, as I had a delivery from them when my Ocado reserved order was cancelled. I’m not vulnerable or shielding, but I am a single parent to 3 disabled children, and I haven’t been able to shop in actual supermarkets for many years (have had a weekly delivery from Ocado since dc1 - now 16 - was a baby as it was so hard to get around the shops).

Asda have also taken on new customers, as ExH has managed to get a slot with them for next week.

But the thing is lots of people shielding wont have needed to use online delivery before so then they wont be on anyone's list..where does that leave them? A lot of people shielding will previously been leading totally normal active lives.

I use online because I work full time with a long commute and find it preferable to spending precious free time in a supermarket. I use Ocado because it’s online only and therefore the stock control works and normally there are no subs and the stock has good dates. I flirted with Waitrose briefly but every delivery had subs, missing items and ridiculous short dates. As it happens I’m shielded, but I’m also a loyal customer who will still be a customer when this is all over. Of course it had to be partly about money and loyalty.

Many vulnerable or shielded customers that are only trying to get spots now had to have used other supermarkets before and when this is over will no doubt go back to them. It'd be a shame if through something like loyalty point card histories that their regular supermarkets didn't recognise their shopping and help them out. Maybe they did, I don't know.

I also feel for any regular Ocado customer who is bumped and many have been treated terribly. People will have used online shopping for many reasons and those factors shouldn't be forgotten.

I also have a suspicion the deal with M&S will mean changes to the membership so maybe Ocado were less bothered about losing customers.... Or they are expecting many to sign up after their M&S delivery starts.

Ocado canceled my order for weekend. Fortunately Prime Now is working for Amazon and Morrisons. I can't even be bothered to complain to Ocado. I've given up. It's just not worth it.

Oh? For what reason, Milky?

Maybe they were sick of you complaining @Milky77

Oh no, Milky! I'm always worried about that happening. Glad you've found an alternative already

milky that's dreadful, did they give a reason?

Capacity, apparently. Having to be shielded, having an anytime pass for £10 a month and ordering every week for the past 5 years bar a few holidays.

Have mentioned before DH works for the NHS, is working all hours and is hundreds of miles away. Noone local can help me.

Ocado don't care about any of this at all. They can fuck off. Suffice to say we won't ever be ordering from Ocado again.

At least they gave you a bit of notice but that is still beyond crap.

That's so rubbish.

Capacity? So either poor planning on their part by releasing more slots than they could fulfil; or something unexpected has come up and they couldn't come up with a better solution, despite having 3-4 days notice of it.