Why you should never use Chronopost if you fancy your packages getting delivered on time. or at all.
Thinking of mailing a package or urgent document from France? You might naturally be inclined to pick French transporter Chronopost: after all, they are the official offshoot of the French Postal Services and you can use their service through any French post office. OK, if you have any experience with the latter, and their dysmal record in both regular and special mail delivery, knowing that they officially “recommend” Chronopost wouldn’t be a big boost in their favour, but still, the point is: they are the default, ubiquitous, choice for parcels in France… marginally cheaper than DHL or Fedex and much more conveniently located.
Over the course of those past three years in Paris, I have done my best to avoid Chronopost and the French Post: never ever relied on them for anything critical, whenever I could help it.
And when I couldn’t help it… well they never once fulfilled their promise. I’ve had “Express 48h” delivery brought over to my doorstep, 3 weeks late and half torn-out, relatives to whom I’d send birthday presents abroad would get them a month after their birthday (that’s despite paying $100 for a pocketbook-sized parcel), I’ve had to go pick-up packages at the local delivery point countless times because “Recipient not at home at time of delivery” (never mind the fact I’d have been sitting by the door all morning and had my cellphone number printed on the delivery slip)…
To sum it up, out of about a dozen interactions with Chronopost during my time here, I don’t think they’ve held up their end of the contract more than once, twice at best.
Every time, I feel I should blog about them. Warn random googlers, particularly non-French-speakers who might blindly trust their brand name, of their pitiable overpriced services. Each time, I just decide to let it slide and get on with more positive things in my life.
Here is the last straw that made me change my mind:
- Cue back last Wednesday (2 days ago). ‘Tis Christmas season, time to send out gifts to my loving world-scattered family. I won’t be hiking out to the Great Ass-Freezing White North this year to see this side of the family, but little brother, who currently spends time in the south of France, will. His plane leaves on Saturday morning.
- Why, no problem: 3 days is ample time to get a small package rush-delivered from France’s largest city to its second largest city, located 5 hours away by train.
- Since I’m not feeling very peachy (i.e.: surviving on pharmaceutical-grade painkillers), I foolishly opt for the easy solution: walk over to my local Bureau de Poste, hand over my package, pay the $40 fee in exchange for their top-speed overnight “delivered-by-1pm-the-next-day” service. This, I thought, gives it a whole extra day security. Even factoring in their usual incompetence in door-to-door delivery, that leaves enough time for little bro to go pick it up himself.
- Sure enough: next day at 3pm, when I go online to their website, their tracking service informs me that an “Unsuccessful delivery attempt” was made at 11:24am (did I mention that the delivery address is a standalone building with no doorcode, a doorman that had been warned to expect a delivery and my brother’s cellphone number clearly printed out on the delivery slip).
- That’s when I notice that, according to the full tracking listing: “Recipient refused delivery”. Which, is so blatantly impossible that I guess it is the delivery-guy’s way of saying “Gosh, I have way too many packages to deliver today, let’s lighten up the load a bit”.
- Better yet, the listing reads that the package has been scheduled to be sent back where it came from (to me), by end of day.
- Half-an-hour on their overcrowded customer service number (billed .15 euros/minute, of course) and much irritating scripted speech with painfully incompetent personel later: package scheduled for new delivery attempt on next day (Friday), same time.
- Brings us to Friday – today – 11am: my cellphone rings. Delivery guy wanna know how he is supposed to get past the doorcode. What doorcode, do I politely inquire while screaming very loudly in my head, then repeat the delivery street address once more and recommend he contacts my brother – the recipient – on his cellphone to arrange the handout directly.
- A couple hours, many more fruitless customer-service exchanges and still no package delivery later: I am informed that my package has been handed over to the caretaker in my building.
- Chronopost has managed to send my package to its destination city, and back. In two days.
Need I mention that any potential complaint I may have regarding their service cannot be registered at the local post office, who will gladly take your package and your money, but not much else (“Chronopost is a fully independent contractor, we are only a pickup place”). In fact, was I to really want a refund for that useless return-trip stampage fee, I am invited to write a letter, stating my complaint and bringing proof of their failure to follow up on the most basic level of service, and might expect some sort of refund voucher in the mail within a couple months (assuming they do not use their own services to send it). If you just said “web” or “email”, you are a sweet, sweet, innocent person who hasn’t dealt with many consumer-oriented services in France so far.
Anyway, I’m off to send my package to Canada via DHL, but decided to post this rant first, if only to remind myself not to fall for the Chronopost scam ever again. If this can help out a few other English-speaking Internet passer-bys, it won’t be all wasted spit.
I lived in France all my and despised “La Poste” as much as everyone
but it’s not until you’ve lived in Japan and experienced real postal service that you can fully understand how bad it is at home
I feel for you…
I sent a package “express mail” (3-5 days service) from the USA to France in November and after a month it came back to the US with a label from Chronopost with something scribbled in French which nobody could even read. The recepient says they never tried to contact him. The address and telephone number for him on the package were confirmed as being correct and nobody at chronopost can explain why the package was returned undelivered and why it took a month for it to come back. To top it all off, their customer service phone number in the USA has been disconnected!
RE: Chronopost is a scam
Dave, I read with horror you Chronopost epic as we are in the process of going through same only all indications are that our ending will not be as happy as yours. We have just moved to France from Australia and posted through Australia Post Express International, a 20kg, yes 20kg parcel, complete with tracking number, guaranteed delivery to our door in France. Now we llive in an hameau with only 13 houses – the address was correct (we have had this house for 10 years) and I provided a phone number as well. According to the tracking info, delivery was attempted on 2nd Dec – we certainly did not see any sign of a courier, only La Poste. And even if delivery was attempted, there was no pyhysical evidence eg card in mailbox advising us of attempted delivery. La Poste I might add, know us well, even though we have not lived here previously, only visited, moving here permenantly 4 wks ago. So to continue – from the tracking info i saw that the parcel had been returned to Poitiers (we live in the Vienne), then to Charles De Gaulle Roissey, to be returned to Australia. I rang the free call number for Australia Post International on Skype (thank goodness for Skype) and was given the Chronopost Paris number: 01 55 01 38 79. I found someone who was very helpful and spoke english. This was 2wks ago. He said that he would try to put a stop on the parcel being returned to Australia and would call. Ok, so we waited, and waited. I called again, talking to a very helpful, reassuring person who said that when they track down the parcel, we would be able to pick it up from Poitiers. Ok, we waited and nothing. Remember this is now the 30th and delivery was supposedly attempted on the 2nd. This morning I rang again, found another helpful but not so reassuring person who said that Charles De Gaulle have not been able to locate the parcel, there is in fact, no record of it having been returned to Charles De Gaulle. This means that said parcel has disappeared from Poitiers. According to Mr nice guy on the phone this morning, Poitiers sent the parcel to Dept 93,, why dept 93? Guy on phone didn’t know and apparently neither did Poitiers. Phone call ended with me in tears beacuse mr nice guy basically said that he thought the parcel had been stolen. This parcel contains personal items, framed photos etc, things we could not pack at last minute, but were irreplaceabl. As I said I was in tears. Exactly does a tracking number meen? It means you should be able to track, well that’s what I thought silly me. Somebody must know where this 20kg parcel is. Does anybody out there think we have any chance of getting our parcel? Have been cursing all day (I know it only increases blood pressure, anxiety levels etc etc), vowing to take out full page advertisements of an accusatory nature against Chronopost. Don’t know know what the libel laws are in France, but fantasize anyway. I live in hope
I hav so much to say but I cannot expres myself in english. I’ african from Gabon. The parcel left China 6 december 2008. No news since then. Help me please! I call Chronopost and they said they never receiv it . EB080209299CN
Can somone help me please
the French Chronopost is the worst!!!!!
I was sent some very urgent documents from Paris that were supposed to arrive 4 days ago in New York via Next Day Service.
They claimed that they attempted one delivery, but left no notice what so ever.
– web tracking system is slow and unresponsive. i only found out that they attempted delivery 2 days later.
– they did not leave a delivery slip. leaving me clueless to where to pick pick up the package
– All three numbers, 718 917 7900, 718-995-0837, and 212 532 8155 are out of service. so i can’t even call them to find out where my letter is.
– i wrote them an email, they still haven’t reponded after 2 days.
– my contact info was left with them when the package was sent. no one attempted to contact me.
– i went to my local USPS office, no sight nor information on the letter either!!!
For a super expensive service that’s about delivering on time, this is unacceptable. TOTAL NIGHTMARE!
Same low service on their “colissimo 48H” product. For La Poste a parcel announced to be delivered in “48H not more”, effectively done in … 7 days is a “normal service” according to the Manager aera, answering to my claim. Oups, in France clients ARE THE ennemy!
I live in Italy. I’m waiting for an object from France, delivered with chronopost.. they have made some mistake with the name , and now I know, thanks to tracking service, that the object is in a Tnt office in Milan, Italy.. But nobody can find it. cause I have just the tracking number of the chronopost, but not the number of tnt..
I’ll never trust again chronopost.
do anyone know chronopost in USA toll free number i an’t find anything
I couldn’t agree more. Imagine them saying that you are not at home when in fact you are standing outside of the building, out in the cold waiting and I am not home? If we can only slap their faces with these comments. I’m not even sure if they do worry if their customers are not satisfied. They probably would prefer you to leave “their” country if you don’t want their kind of service to that effect. They’re too proud of their work that they don’t bother to provide a descent customer service. If it’s culture then f**k that. Hello, it’s not a free service, even just calling their hotline is a paid service. The least they can do is fire the inefficient deliveryman. I hope that our comments will bear fruit and would struck lightning to their common sense. Now that they are defining their National Identity, they shouldn’t leave POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE as their unifying characteristic.
[Note from Blog Moderator: comment below was edited for brevity]
Hello I saw your similar problems with Chronopost France so I wanted to share with you my complaint and potential legal action I am taking against Chronopost France
Dear Chronopost France International,
Since you are an international organization, I will write in my native language. I have received very poor service and loss of money because of Chronopost’s large errors and unprofessional nature. I could not find an adress specific for making a complaint against Chronopost France, but since Chronopost France are the official offshoot of the French Postal Services and you can use their service through any French post office, I will go through the post, until somebody directs me to the right place.
I have attached my letter of complaint and potential legal action against Chronopost France. I have outlined all of Chronopost’s errors and unprofessional manner of dealing with problems. If it is necessary I will get the French Media and government officials involved because I refuse to let chronopost France wallk all over me. There are already many other people that share the same issues as me that have broadcasted their issues on ther internet at this link and others: http://unknowngenius.com/blog/archives/2008/12/20/chronopost-is-a-scam/ Therefore it is clear that there are a number of people out there that would like to see chronopost France brought to justice. And I wont stop until a conclusion has been reached.
This is certainly not how we do business in Canada, and a developed country such as France should be ashamed to operate in such an unreasonable manner.
Thank for your assistance in directing my complaint to the right place with La Poste or Chronopsot France,
Dave Cuddy
From Ottawa, Ontario, Canada currently living at 26460 Bezaudun sur Bine, France 0475 532 027
Letter of Complaint and Potential Legal Action Against Chronopost France
[…]
To Whom It May Concern at Chronopost France International:
My name is Dave Cuddy. I am from Canada and currently living in France at La Combe, 26460 Bezaudun sur Bine. I am very disappointed in the service I received from Chronopost France International. It has caused me a great deal of trouble and a loss of money. As well, your service may have caused potential damage to my delicate package, which is yet to be reclaimed in Canada.
The reason that I am filing a complaint and demand for justice is because I dealt with the situation in the best way I could. Yet, Chronopost France International in Valence made a large error and refused to except the blame or do anything about it. Roman Hetreau is the person I talked to, who dealt with the situation very poorly and unprofessionally. To make sure you understand the full order of events of what caused this major problem I have detailed them in the next section.
The order of events that caused this major problem from Chronopost France International:
1) I received a letter from Chronopost on January 20th 2010 at my home in Bezaudun sur Bine. The letter stated that there was a problem delivering the package and that I must call them to make an appointment to pick up my package. The letter also stated that it was written on the 15th of January 2010, and that I had 14 days before the package would be returned to Canada.
2) I called Chronopost at 0825 801 801 on January 23, 2010 (well within the 2 week limit when I received the letter on January 20th or when you sent the letter on January 15th). I talked to a woman, and she arranged to have the package taken to Saillans Post Office. She confirmed that the package would be there on January 26th and that I could pick it up on January 27th.
3) I went to Saillans Post Office on January 27th and the package was not there. Saillans Post office is 15km down a snowy mountain and I have no vehicle to get there so I was upset but thought it would be there in a couple days.
4) I was on my way to go to Saillans Post Office on January 29th, but I thought I should call first in case it is still not there. I called Saillans Post Office, and they said they never received any packages from Chronopost. So I called Chronopost to see what the problem was. At this time I spoke with a woman who said that I was too late to deal with my package delivery, and that they already shipped it back to Canada. At this point I was upset because I already arranged to have it delivered to Saillans Post Office. She passed me onto her manager: Roman Hetreau. Roman would not deal with the situation or give me any other phone number of someone else that could deal with the situation. We spoke in French and he wasted my time for 30 minutes without doing anything. This 30 minute call cost plus my other calls to Chronopost, which achieved nothing, cost me about 5 Euros, and is part of the money I am demanding for.
Total money due from Chronopost to provide justice for the situation:
[…]
Total Money required to reconcile the situation: 245 Euros (or 445 if package is damaged)
[…]
I hope that you will understand that the service you gave me was not a reasonable way to conduct business. If necessary I will also go to French government officials, and the media to reconcile the situation. This is certainly not how we do business in Canada, and a developed country such as France should be ashamed to operate in such an unreasonable manner.
Thank you for your assistance,
[…]
Hi Dave,
did you find any official contact where to re-direct a claim against Chronopost?
I sent my claim to US Chronopost without getting any response from them.
I’ve been dealing with French Chronopost for over 3 weeks now with no success.
If you have any contact (except: c-thirion@chronopost.fr, c-guerin@chronopost.fr), please email me at KRAL@EMAIL.COM.
Thank you very much.
David
Ok, this freaks me out.
For my business i had a package that needed to be delivered 2 weeks ago. The value of the package is 1400 euro’s… Well it appears to be missing…
Nor the sender or me can get any info on where the package is…
This is going to end in tears i think.
This ordeal has cost me about 3000 euro’s by now because the package was products my company sells.
I’m pissed to say the least…
I am having serious problems receiving two parcels I ordered through Amazon. I thought that they would arrive more quickly via Chronopost. I can visualize that the packages arrived in Brazil two weeks ago, but Chronpost will not inform me how to go about paying the taxes. Chronopost said to Amazon that it had contacted me yesterday. This is not true, but this is convenient for Amazon, which has not washed its hands of the business. In other words, do not order “Éclair” from Amazon, if you expect to receive the item.
chronopost sucks! I am writing this for anyone who might commit the grave mistake of using chronopost. they havent delivered my letter even though it left the states more than a week ago ( i’m in Morocco). when i call them the polite lady tells me that she has no idea where my package is…it hasnt reached morocco yet! that’s the answer that i get every time i call. they promised 3 to 5 business days. if they cant keep their promise, they should be honest about it or at least they should tell you where your stuff is. i should have used snail mail and wait instead of using express and get frustrated. chronopost is SCAM…rip off…waste of time and money.
Hi I’ve had problems with this scam Chronopost too in France.
My son sent me my 60th birthday gift from Australia on the 19th October 2010 by Australian International Express from the postoffice in Australia.
He paid 57$Aus to get it too me quickly for my birthday. It arrived in Roissy airport o was in process of being considered for the doune on the 21 -22 October.
There was a strike on in France during this period which MAY be why it was not considered further until November. (although now seeing these other posts I doubt this was the reason).
Begining of November I received a garbled phone message in French (no worries I am fluent in French) except the number of the “colis” was indescipherable and there was no return phone number to call back. So I knew there was a “colis” for me but not what I could do about it!!! Nor where it was.
After searchijng the internet I found some information on Chronopost, but had to contact my son (he had said he was sending something) to find out the tracking number.
Armed with this I when to the Chronopost tracking service but found only that the parcel left OZ 19 Ocotober and arrived October 21 and no further information. I left my email address as a requested option to receive information on my parcel (easier to read the French info they would send than to dicipher their garbled messages…..but no one emailed – nor phoned.)
Then I tried phoning them….but spent a day tracking down various phone numbers for Chronopost and being refered and waiting for ages on phone queues, THEN they gave me an email address for ddouane@chronopost.fr but no
phone number . Knowing the sort of customer service you NEVER get in France (lived here 7 years) I went back to the internet eventually I got onto the douane in Roissy airport. THEY gave me the chronopost douane phone number in Roissy (I think they get A LOT of requests from irrate Chronopost clients)
Phoned and found out that the parcel (it is now 6th November) is still in Roissy (mind you it tookthe nice French lady 30 minutes of me hanging on the phone before she found the parcel)
Turns out the nice French lady says that I must pay tax on this “gift”. She told me where and what to email of the info on the item and that perhaps as its a gift I wont have to pay. So I phone my son in Australia again I need the EXACT cost of my gift and a desciption of what is was (kinda spoils the surprise hey??)
I email this off to Chronopost as requested. (The present is worth exactly 136$aus for this 60th birthday gift (as it turned out very pretty neclace in siilver).
A couple of days and still no response, I phone them again and find they are ready to deliver it if I give them a time to do so (odd why didnt they contact me??)
Of course it must be a WHOLE day I take of work to get it delivered as they WILL NOT give me morning or afternoon only “sometime that day”. There is tax to pay…how much??? they would transfere me to “someone else to tell me that…I just accept “whatever” as I cant waste time in phone queues any more.
The day arrives I wait until 3.15pm. The Tax to pay for this “gift” is 40 euros ….yes indeed 40 euros. 19 is from the douane the rest some charges Chronopost levies???!!!
Theyare in my opinin criminels. I cant beleive that even in France this can be legal. It is indeed a scam – absolutely literally.
Dave …or anyone
IS there something we all can do about Chronopost—perhaps jointly—it is a true scam and should be publicly exposed for what it does
There are also French blogs about Chronopost the French also have these same problems so its not just us foriegners or English speakers.
I’d love feedback regarding this. Email me at charstone(at)hotmail.com
Christine Charstone
Dave …or anyone
IS there something we all can do about Chronopost—perhaps jointly—it is a true scam and should be publicly exposed for what it does
There are also French blogs about Chronopost the French also have these same problems so its not just us foriegners or English speakers.
I’d love feedback regarding this. Email me at charstone(at)hotmail.com
Christine Charstone
My wife tryed to send me a very important document from Morocco to USA, the first time she sent it never arrived the second one never arrived either, when she went to ask about it they told her that I received it, but I acctualy never did. Chronopost is one of the worst postal service I ever seen.
well, my partner sent me a package from three weeks now and i still didnt receive it.
i sent “chronoshit ” two emails they never answered me. we paid a lot of money for it and it is a garbage customer service. i hope nobody use it anymore and hopefully they go out of business veeeeeeeeeeery soon.
I wrote here on November 3rd. One of the packages I ordered through Amazon.fr is still sitting at Brazilian customs. It has been two months now. In early December I received a phone call from Chronopost saying that my orders would be released from customs in 10 days. It hasn’t happened. Amazon.fr has finally done the right thing and refunded my money.
yes same deal here . Sent a parcel in December from Australia . Express Courier International which goes via Chronopost when it arrives in France . Australia post says it arrived in France but was never scanned there and France says it never arrived because it was’nt scanned . No one takes responsability . I am bilingual so I actually rung France and go this last answer from them after waiting 20 minutes on the phone . Hard to believe they are still operating . Really is criminal and whats more a very expensive expensive exercise .
Hello, sent a letter on 29.12.2010 from Tournan to Bangkok, arrived at Bgkk at 22.01.2011; after complaining sorry a lot of snow no flights!
made the mistake again, sending a letter at 02.02.2011 from Tournan to Bangkok, is still in transit in Paris at 6.02.2011;
I don’t know, why they are still in bizz?
Does anybody have a phone number for Chronopost in New York, or anywhere in the US, that works?
They have a very expensive parcel stuck in ‘customs, clearance’ for the last month or so (as shown on their French website) … I desperately need to be able to contact them.
Thanks,
Richard
Hi, I have just ordered a guitar from Woodbrass .com, who use Chronopost. I have just read these comments and I am shocked that I allowed this “company” to be the courier of my item. I ordered it on friday, so I haven’t received it yet, but nothing seems out of the ordinary as yet… I expect it shall arrive tomorrow or thursday, but after reading these comments I am very worried.
i cannot agree with any of you above more. chronoshit is officially driving me and my family crazy. the customer service line is just the cherry on top of its unpromising delivery system. i live in Paris, and i have a package (small electronic gadgets) sent from Taiwan since January and supposedly have been in French custom at Roissy since early Feb. have been calling their line almost every other day but they either block me with long waiting music, the i-don’t-understand-english-only-French-despite-i-am-working-at-a-international-company or the same answer: we don’t have information on the package, we wrote an email to the custom, we will call you if there’s a reply. i mean are you serious? asked them to give me the number of the custom at Roissy, why of course they don’t have a number only a email address for contacting. how does a company work like this? wrote complaining emails to the address. twice. no reply. all i can say is: eff you chronoshit. thank you for letting me share my frustration here Dave, sorry about the language and have a nice day.
I sent my son’s original apprenticeship certificates to hime from France to Sydney Australia on 10 March 2011. 250g of A4 sheets of paper cost 58 Euros. Cronospost claim they are in a depot in Sydney but their super efficient on-line tracker freezees on the 12th saying a delay is probable. I haven’t yet contacted the help line because although I live in France my French is not up to listening to French platitudes. Folks, please listen carefully, I shall say this only once. DON’T USE CHRONOPOST!!!!!!! Use DHL or even a friendly Pigeon which would deliver your goods reliably. Thanks Dave and for your sake and all these other poor souls I’ll say it again Do Not use CHRONOPOST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I received a package from the States two weeks ago (I live in Paris) of goods that I purchased. I had to pay 59€ in duty to the driver so wrote out a cheque and signed for the parcel. When he left I cut it open and apart from some invoices and a thank you note from the supplier, it was empty. It was then that I noticed the official Chronopost sticker stating that the packet was damaged so they kindly repacked it for me. The forgot to mention that at the same time they made off with my goods. The package was insured but they refuse to pay as I’d signed for it. Who opens packages in front of the driver before signing? They’re always so anxious to leave that I feel that I’ve already wasted their time by making them come here at all. My supplier has very generously resent the same goods, at their expense, but I’m still not giving up with Chronopost. I want them to pay the 59€ in customs duties for the lost package and I would also like them to pay my supplier. Perhaps I’m dreaming…
Chronopost sucks, they have our mail locked somewhere, without this I cannot get married, guess is enough to spread bad things about them. Hope someone at the company reads that, but I doubt. DO NOT USE CHRONOPOST.
I should have found this website before sending our Christmas gift via Chronopost that first winter we started living in France(December, 2009). Of course they took a lot more than the guaranteed number of dates, and the parcel got stuck at customs or somewhere because the postal code that they had in their computer was wrong etc.etc….. well, that is in the past……. so we have been avoiding Chronopost for a while, but after a package from my sister in Japan got lost last year and has never made it to our door in Lyon-France via the La Poste petit paquet(small packet), my sister has been using EMS, which gets delivered by Chronopost. Today we received a package of clothes and a bag(pouch) of a total of 11000yen, and we had to pay 45 Euros to receive it. On this document (BORDEREAU DE DEDOUANEMENT) it says that the value of the package is 122.00euros, but 11000yen is something like 95 euros. Is this TAX thing according to the amount of the “gift”? What if their calculation of the exchange rate was wrong and it was a gift of less than 100 Euros, did we not have to pay tax? ’cause I’ve never paid tax on our parcels received through Chronopost before. If anyone has information on this, I would love some feedback. Thank you!
One of the problems I had with Chronopost here in Brazil was that I was going to be charged a forty real service charge and other taxes, beyond the normal duty, on a purchase. It was outrageous that the package which was supposed to take five days from France, would take over two months and on top of it the Chronopost representatives in Brazil wanted extra money. (The package had arrived in five days, but Chronopost in Brazil took its own sweet time — more than two months — to get it out of customs. By then my payment had long been refunded by the dealer. I did not pay the taxes and instructed Chronopost to send the package back to France..
Guys,
I join the queue of complainers. Chronopost clearly is one of many “last bastions” of outrageous French burocracy and inept/totally uncaring client services. I had a second hand French (!) parasol sent over to me from the States clearly marked as gift. Nevertheless, they slapped Euro 38 charges dedouanement on it. The second parcel I was told yesterday, is held up at Roissy airport because there was no invoice with it – I explained as it was a gift, there wouldn’t be, dah!!! Now I have to fill in loads of forms to get the stuff released. THE WHOLE PROCESS IS A JOKE! Let’s start writing emails to the directors mentioned below, plus Registered letters directly to Headquarters. Also, if you look up the website of the European Community, there is a standard complaint form that can be used for any kind of customer service. I have used this in the past, and it has helped getting a response. Any comments welcome.
Dirigeants / Responsables
Chronopost International
Christian Emery
Président Directeur Général
E-Mail : c-emery@chronopost.fr
Martin Piechowski
Directeur Général Adjoint
E-Mail : m-piechowski@chronopost.fr
Tanneguy de Belloy
Directeur Administratif et Financier
E-Mail : t-debelloy@chronopost.fr
Delphine Mallet
Directrice du Marketing
E-Mail : d-mallet@chronopost.fr
Charles Dauman
Directeur des Ventes
E-Mail : c-dauman@chronopost.fr
Sylvie Soris
Directrice de Clientèle
E-Mail : s-soris@chronopost.fr
Georges Sawaya
Directeur des Systèmes d’Information
E-Mail : g-sawaya@chronopost.fr
Bernard Lemaire
Directeur des Ressources Humaines
E-Mail : b-lemaire@chronopost.fr
Valérie Audoin
Directrice Juridique
E-Mail : v-audoin@chronopost.fr
Thanks for that list of email addresses Marianda. It inspired me to continue taking action. The letter I received from Chonopost’s director of customer service was a form letter, in which he told me to take up the issue with the delivery company in the country the package was sent from, even though I’d stated clearly in my letter that the package was clearly opened here in France, with Chronopost’s own tape, written in French, having resealed it. I feel totally ripped off. Why do I so often feel like that when dealing with big companies here? Chronopost did a nice figure of €632,200,000 in 2010, but they refuse to pay me back my €59!!
As I’m typing this, three of the above addresses (Dauman, Soris and Sawaya) have all bounced back. I told them in the email that I refuse to send more registered letters, as they cost me €7 each time, which is more money to La Poste with no result for me.
Here’s the best one of all! Valérie Audoin, in that list of Chronopost employees, has an automated message that says, “I will be absent from 1/7/11 till 1/3/15. Now THAT’S a break!!! I knew I should have applied to work as a civil servant…
As a final note to this saga I’d like to add that my letter to the head honchos resulted in a full refund of the duty I was forced to pay on the package that was delivered emptied of its contents. The cheque was sent from the same person who had previously told me that it wasn’t their problem, so it pays to go higher! The lady who phoned me was very apologetic about what had happened to me, so basically the sort of customer service I was hoping for at the start.
I wish we could take more effective action against Chronopost. They are a TOTAL rip-off. I’ve lived in Paris for 12 years now. In the beginning, Chronopost was just c***. But now, packages simply don’t arrive. Period. They just hold them… somewhere… for the obligatory two weeks, then return them to the sender. The addressee is never even notified.
If you do manage to track your package down (not always possible because tracking numbers may be changed at the French border!), it will be in a depot, in some industrial zone, completely inaccessible, where you will be asked to go pick it up and yes, pay hefty “taxes” even for gifts, used stuff, and things of no value.
Problem is, the senders don’t even know about all of this. Which is why it is such a scam.
Sending it in good faith from the USPS, German post, Japan, anywhere – as registered or priority mail (in order to have a tracking number and “guaranteed” delivery), they don’t realize that once it hits France, it automatically gets transferred to Chronopost and gets binned.
I upgraded my abonment with orange so I could have a new iphone which debited all of my points,changed my engagement to 24 months etc. It was supposed to be delivered today by chronopost .After waiting all day and a number of phone calls to Orange I finally got the tracking number. On the chronopost site the delivery man had written that he tried to deliver it this morning and no one was there – the next notation was that it was taken to a center of distribution. I had no delivery slip and no idea which center of distribution this was taken to. I called chronopost twice about this and they kept telling me I would receive an SMS regarding which center of distribution it is at by 6 PM. No SMS. I spoke to orange again who said my points would be recredited when chronopost returns the package which could take 2 weeks (I refused to block off another day to schedule another delivery since I had wasted all of today waiting and calling orange and eventually chronoost ) I am hoping this package does get returned to Orange. The words I have to say about chronopost are not fit for print.
Chronopost and La Poste are notorious for poor service. What makes it worse, is that there is a general public expression of indifference from Chronopost. Their attitude is: “if you don’t like it, F..k yourself. Theft of postal contents is particularly high amongst employees – and generally endorsed by the management as fair game. I ordered goods recently from the USA. Tracking advised me it was still in customs awaiting clearance. It was only a simple little watch. Anyway, I was today advised by the USA supplier, that it was returned to them with no explanation from Chronopost. No delivery was ever attempted. No contact was ever attempted. Like most French bureaucratic organisations, they are no only crap but bordering on criminal. The management never investigate claims of theft of postal contents etc etc. [off-topic anti-French rant edited out – Dave]
I am having a similar problem.
I have had a parcel sent to me from France on 11th October 2012. According to the tracking, it arrived in Sydney yesterday. Now the latest message says that “Recipient requested postponement of delivery”. Its interesting because no one has contacted me and my phone number is not in their system.
Chronopost have ‘delayed processing’ and I cannot find their contact details in Australia or information on who are their agents.
Could anyone help with the above please?
Thanks
Hi Belurmath,
Chronopost is a division of La Poste française so they should be affiliated with Australia Post, which means that you should theoretically be able to sort out the problem at your local post office.
Laurent
I have had probably the worst customer service I have EVER witnessed in my life in ANY country with Chronopost St Martin…..and that’s saying something compared with UPS!
I am so grateful for Marianda for posting the email addresses of the Directors; they will all receive a personal rant from me (done on their formal paper) although we all know it’s a complete waste of time. No-one in Chronopost cares a fig about your goods or you. I find it incredible that they’ve managed to stay in business….a global boycott is warranted.
Sam
PS I just tried to find the official complaint form on the internet with no success….anyone got a link? or maybe they just removed it….
this is the last message showing for tracking on my chronopost delivered item to france “Chronopost agency Dax End of treatment service agency” does anyone know what that means?
I’d like to add something to your lack of service of Chronopost France, I too cannot find any kind of complaint link on their website nor do they publish an email address … I don’t think I have ever experienced such appalling service from a delivery company! They are the only delivery company in France to continually state that there is an “insufficient address” on my parcels (when all other companies find me or at least ring to get directions when in the village) when there is a door number, a street name a post code and a village name – what more do they need (they also have my phone number!)? I then spend at least 20 minutes holding to speak to an operator to organise delivery and to give detailed directions to my house, (again and again) and then they still fail to deliver when promised! The website states they are still waiting for my address details from me (which I gave to them on Friday last week and again on Monday). I phoned them today and I was told they are experiencing technical difficulties (again, I was told this at the weekend and on Monday too) and was spoken to as if I were an idiot when I told them I was appalled by their service ). I won’t go into the long and drawn out saga of my delivery I am waiting for but if anyone finds a Chronopost International FRANCE place to send an email of complaint I’d love to know! By the way after googling Chronopost, in desperation I sent a complaint to the Portugal Head Office in hope that they could help, but unfortunatey as they said “sorry but it is for delivery in France from the UK and we cannot intervene”. I wish I could help others but unfortunately I can only add my disappointment of Chronopost France to the long list of others!
Unfortunately I have had nothing but bad experience with Chronopost. If YOU have to send something , do not use them. But it is really bad when you order somethinh and that company uses Chrinipost because then there is nothing you can do and are being fobbed off and lied to. They tell you what day and what time they arrive ,you sit at home waiting and next thing you get a text stating that you have to make other arrangements because nobody was home. So you have to go online and tick another day and the same thing happens. I ordered a spare part for my car and paid for express delivery. According to Chronopost I was never in and finally the part arrived after 8 days. I am now waiting for a sun lounger I ordered from Germany to be delivered to France. Suppose to come this morning. I got a text at 9.07 that delivery will be between 8.25 and 9.25. Well, I had been waiting in the garden since 8 am. Nobody came but at 9.30 I got a text that I have to make other arrangements as I was not in and the parcel could not be delivered. The Company exist with liars. I was told delivery will be tomorrow at 9 am but I know for sure they will not arrive. They should be shut down
Too many scammed people. Why don’t you guys do some legal action, especially those who lost thousands of euros (or lots of any other currency money)? If one guy sues, it won’t do much to Chronopost (i.e. “Chronoshit” :D), but if a larger mass gathers, it could change things…
Cheers,
bleet
I’m an Australian expat living in Paris for the last 5 years, and I’ve had enough of Chronopost’s weak excuses, late deliveries, and lack of communication.
I have had several of my personal items sent to me from Australia over the years, and each time it’s the old same tired story – weeks pass with no sign of my parcel; Australian post tracking service indicates parcel was received by “Chronopost customs” weeks ago; have received no contact nor instructions in the interim from Chronopost even though my mobile phone number and email address is always on the recipient details of all my parcels; I contact Chronopost to be told that my parcel won’t be released until I can provide proof of value of what is inside my parcel; I spend days trying to find proof of value of, say, my now deceased mother’s gift to me when I was a child; Chronopost then “organise” a time of delivery (basically, an sms stating that parcel will be delivered today between the hours of 8am-6pm); wait at home pretty much all day; arrogant rude delivery arsehole turns up at 4:15pm, demanding immediate payment of import tax based on the proof of value I provided otherwise he won’t hand over my parcel; pay €500 “import tax” to this random arsehole so he can hand over my own property; open up the remaining flap of an already opened parcel; find my personal property damaged beyond repair.
Calling Chronopost’s customer service to lodge a complaint will only lead to patronising excuses.
This has happened to me several times already, and is happening again as I write this; this time, a purchase I made from US ebay of a porcelain doll as a gift for my wife is being held ransom at the Chronopost “customs center”, pending release based on “proof of value” so that they can defile me with yet another outrageous import tax.
OMG! My poor sister has been waiting in vain for her passport to arrive and is practically in hysterics on the phone with the chronopost call center employee, who is almost in tears.
how about a class action suit?
I live in Italy. I’ve ordered something in China, which has been shipped via Chronopost.
It has arrived in Paris CDG last week, and from there it should have been sent directly to Italy.
The tracking says it’s in CORSICA instead, and it’s been there for 2 days.
How the heck could a package meant to reach Italy be sent to a f**king island??
We Italians always complain about our postal service, but it seems like we are in very good company.
I’m French and I must say that I despise Chronopost as much as you do… it has the most horrible service even for “French standards”. It even manages to be worse than the French Post, which is quite a performance … the tracking says that I’m unknown at my address and it has been delivered to a depot in another city!!! I can’t imagine how it’s managed… probably some over paid incompetent fat guys on top and underpaid temporary workers that don’t give a shit at the bottom… This company is a FRAUD, it should just disappear! I refuse to use EMS because of Chronopost now!
Apparently they are still one of the worst post services on the planet. They don’t even try to deliver the parcel, and are quick to return it back to the sender, with no means to change address or select a pickup point.