Summary of thread – all companies are good / bad /indifferent depending on where you are and the local team working there. Find one that works and use them where possible although obviously not possible for receiving parcels.
My experience – the local in store Hermes place I normally use was unexpectedly closed so I used the ParcelForce shop instead. Paid extra for 24 or 48 hour delivery, can’t remember which, for a well wrapped painting. After paying the shopkeeper told me that the collection for that day had gone so it would be two days before the parcel would be collected from the shop and that I should then expect 2 – 3 days before delivery. So the more expensive 48hr delivery I paid for was actually a 5 day delivery. When it arrived 6 days later the parcel was so battered that the wood of the frame had been split along its length. Back to using Hermes for me.
