Dear Vanguard Logistics and potential Vanguard Logistics customers,
I am writing this open letter to express my deepest disappointment in Vanguard Logistics’ customer service, follow-through, and failure-to-deliver on promises and payment-rendered services.
It is important that the general public knows about this case, as it may save someone (like me, who is trying her best to grow a small business) from having similar issues.
I ordered 39 boxes of goods from overseas that have been in possession of Vanguard Logistics since (at least) early July 2021. This order was set for “self-pickup” from Vanguard’s Chicago warehouse (GLO4). As of today, November 1, I am still unable to pick up my packages. I have no date of when I will be able to pick up my packages. I have been offered no compensation for Vanguard’s negligence.
It feels as if Vanguard is holding my packages hostage, despite already receiving my payment for their services over 4 months ago.
Throughout this process, I have received a litany of excuses of why I am unable to access my goods. The current excuse is that their system is down, company-wide, and has been down since last Friday.
Keep in mind, Vanguard Logistics is a company that generated two hundred million+ in sales last year. I am confused at how a hundred-million dollar+ company is able to function without their system for over a week.
I sent this email to the C-suite at Vanguard Logistics, including to their CEO Onno Meij, as well as all of my contacts re: this case last week. Nobody has responded to my email, so I decided to publish it to my blog, in hopes of eliciting a response:
“On 7/6, I got this message from Linh Lien from Vanguard: “ON 7/5 THIS CONTAINER WAS IN TRANSIT TO GLOBAL 3 DUE TO CONGESTION. PENDING MOVEMENT TO GLOBAL 4 FOR GROUNDING. UPDATES TO FOLLOW.”
Linh’s message tells me that, by 7/5, Vanguard Logistics obtained access to goods that were being shipped to me. I payed, in-full, at that time in order to ensure timely pick-up of my goods. It is now October 26, and I still have not been able to pick up my goods.
I received infrequent updates regarding the status of my packages in July and even less frequent updates in August.
I sent multiple emails to Vanguard in September re: updates to where my packages were/ when I’d be able to pick up. No one from Vanguard returned any of my emails in September.
In October, I sent additional emails, stating that this would be my final attempt to contact Vanguard. Finally, I was connected with Chris Baillie, VP of Central Region. Chris has acted unprofessionally in a variety of ways: making false promises, failing to follow through, not answering his phone or returning phone calls.
I have sent and continue to send Chris and his assistant Sharice several emails, only some of which they respond(ed) to. The phone number for Vanguard that is listed on my paperwork is disconnected. Sharice nor Chris answer their phones. I am unable to leave Sharice a voicemail. I’ve left Chris at least 8 voicemails over the past few weeks. He has returned my call in less than a third of opportunities. I typically have to email and leave additional voicemails in order to get him to call me back. Following up with Vanguard trying to elicit a response has turned into a full-time job. As a customer, I find this completely unacceptable.
On Friday, 10/22, Chris spoke to me on the phone and guaranteed that I’d be able to pickup my packages on Monday 10/25. On Monday 10/25, he told me that I was not able to pick up my packages due to system-wide issues. He has not provided me a date for pickup. He has not returned several calls and emails that I have made in the past two days. I have left him three voicemails since the last time we talked, and have not heard back from him. I also have had two other people call him and leave multiple messages to call them back; Chris did not return any of their calls either.
As the Vice President of the region, Chris Baillie is casting a dark shadow on the entirety of Vanguard Logistics. His behavior is unprofessional. The lack of customer service I have experienced and the abysmal timeliness re: my order has stained Vanguard’s reputation. I am an author and a blogger, and I will not hesitate to share my opinions and the facts from this case with the internet.
Vanguard has failed to deliver my packages to me in a timely fashion. I do not trust that the company is in possession of my packages, due to the lack of communication and abysmal customer service. I have already filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and I am considering taking further legal action.
Thank you,
Kristina Parro”
I am eagerly awaiting response from Vanguard, and more eagerly awaiting the pickup of my packages.
If anyone reading this has any advice for me, please leave it in the comments.
Note: Since sending this email, I have been in contact with Chris Baillie who has been providing me more frequent updates re: status of their system (but only when I initiate contact). He has also provided me photographic proof that the container my packages are in is at GLO4, but has stated that he is unable to allow me access to my packages.