There are a lot of places which get knocked for their attitudes to drivers, long delays when tipping etc, so would like to tip the balance slightly and praise some places that I’ve been to this week:
Bridgnorth Aluminium, Bridgnorth - loaded 24 tons of aluminium on coils on Tuesday - in and out within 40 minutes, friendly forkie & security, had a laugh with them and got on my way.
Nestle Purina Petcare, Hams Hall - got to site 2 hours late, with a ferry trailer with missing paperwork - no problems, they put me straight on a bay, got it unloaded within 10 minutes, then handwrote a receipt for me to hand in to my office.
DHL Jaguar Landrover supply chain, Birmingham. Have been to the Edison Rd depot in the past, and last night went to Gate 5 at Bromwich to reload the ferry trailer with empties. Every time I’ve been there they’ve been straight on the job, and got me in and out within 30 minutes - last night they’d loaded the trailer before I’d finished tidying up the boards & straps.
Anybody else got any nominations for good places to tip / load?
Loads, couldnt possibly name them all. I do find that some big places can be abit funny at first but when they realise your not an ■■■■■■■■ but instead your smiling and more than happy to put on your boots and hi-vis and obey any site rules they have without moaning there good as gold.
Saaamon:
Loads, couldnt possibly name them all. I do find that some big places can be abit funny at first but when they realise your not an [zb] but instead your smiling and more than happy to put on your boots and hi-vis and obey any site rules they have without moaning there good as gold.
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head - I’m always happy & chatty when I get to places, and 99% of the time, I never get any attitude. The one thing which does ■■■■ me off is why every place has a shut down for tea breaks, lunch, ■■■ breaks etc. Every place I’ve worked, we’ve always had to have staggered breaks so that the place continues running through the day. The times I go to somewhere just after 12 - ‘they’re on lunch at the moment, you’ll have to wait until 1’. Get loaded there, get 10 minutes down the road to the next place - ’ they’re on lunch at the moment, you’ll have to wait until 2’… Gets a bit wearing after a while - especially when the fourth person of the day says ‘Never mind, I daresay you need a tacho break don’t you!!!’
I even got a smile and a chat from the ■■■■■■■ the desk at Parkeston Freight office the other day!
Candlelight,Rotherham area.been there 3 times in recent days and the lads just get on with the job and load you as soon as you back into the shed.and they don’t all stop for lunch at the same time.
carryfast-yeti:
Candlelight,Rotherham area.been there 3 times in recent days and the lads just get on with the job and load you as soon as you back into the shed.and they don’t all stop for lunch at the same time.
thats cos its rotherham.if they all went at the same time some one would turn the factory over
Saaamon:
Loads, couldnt possibly name them all. I do find that some big places can be abit funny at first but when they realise your not an [zb] but instead your smiling and more than happy to put on your boots and hi-vis and obey any site rules they have without moaning there good as gold.
+1
Well said.
I think a lot of the “mistreatment” drivers think they receive is down their own actions and attitudes.
Think about it; some oaf turns up in a lorry at your place of work. He’s got a face like a bulldog chewing a wasp and thinks he’s god’s gift to the world. He looks and smells like he’s in need of a good wash and he can’t seem to communicate without shouting, spitting and swearing. He thinks he’s an expert on health & safety law and refuses to abide by any rules other than his own.
You’re going to treat him like the idiot that he is. It’s basic human nature.
I have found that if I arrive late, no matter whose fault, I always apologise. Costs nothing and oils the wheels. Abide by THEIR rules, whether I agree with them or not and be willing to assist where and when required.
This policy has only failed once in ten years and that was in West Yorkshire.
Gilbert’s in Blackpool. Booked in for a pick up at 10, got held up for an hour on another delivery. Only picking up 2 pallets but gave them a ring anyway to let them know, bloke on the other end says ‘no problem but break starts at 11.’ I eventually get there just after 11 and they have a coffee and bacon sarnie waiting for me . Didn’t mess around loading either, took all of 5 mins.
maga:
Gilbert’s in Blackpool. Booked in for a pick up at 10, got held up for an hour on another delivery. Only picking up 2 pallets but gave them a ring anyway to let them know, bloke on the other end says ‘no problem but break starts at 11.’ I eventually get there just after 11 and they have a coffee and bacon sarnie waiting for me . Didn’t mess around loading either, took all of 5 mins.
That’s my neck of the woods, It’s the LAW up here.
maga:
Gilbert’s in Blackpool. Booked in for a pick up at 10, got held up for an hour on another delivery. Only picking up 2 pallets but gave them a ring anyway to let them know, bloke on the other end says ‘no problem but break starts at 11.’ I eventually get there just after 11 and they have a coffee and bacon sarnie waiting for me . Didn’t mess around loading either, took all of 5 mins.
I was once offered toast and dripping and a tea at a place because I’d turned up at tea break. Politely turned down the Toast and dripping, but accepted the tea.
99P stores in Northampton… always get unloaded there pretty quick, went there Friday morn, 1.35 mins late and straight onto a bay and out again within 40 mins.
The goods in bloke is good as well as long as your not crappy to him.
madguy:
99P stores in Northampton… always get unloaded there pretty quick, went there Friday morn, 1.35 mins late and straight onto a bay and out again within 40 mins.
The goods in bloke is good as well as long as your not crappy to him.
tesco livingston went in once with 2 hrs left jumped on the bay before i gave em the keys i explained i was short on time etc the bloke said leave it with us 40 mins later i was done
on a second time i was there my abs lead ■■■■■■ up they allowed me to remove it and go and have a word with the workshop who after a bit of jigging around had it all sorted cost me a few brews and a thankyou
Sainsburys Pindar Road Hoddesdon, (not the new one at Rye Park, but the old knackered looking one) you can get in there anytime and they will tip you, ive been there 3 hrs early, no probs. Allways get 26 pallets tipped within 20mins. Nice people as well.
Unilever at Gloucester, the old Walls Ice Cream factory.
Security guard on the gate…introduced himself to me, shook my hand, enquired as to my name then proceeded to use it during our conversation, explained clearly and succinctly the site rules and where i had to go.
Shame the DHL nobbers who run the despatch weren’t as helpful or friendly…refused to load me until the next shift came on, at 1400. Considering it was 1330 when i turned up, and they had me loaded in 20 mins once they started at 1410…thought they were taking the ■■■■ a bit!
How many times have we all listened to some driver going on about a place we know and like, saying what a bunch of ZB’s they are? I am firmly in agreement that your own attitude is 90% of the cause of theirs.
Of course there are exceptions and they are mostly the likes of RDCs where they eventually stop differentiating between the good, the bad and the ugly.
Maybe a session on psychology should be included in the DCPC.
. Didn’t mess around loading either, took all of 5 mins.
but accepted the tea. 
