The following Open Letter was published on our social media platforms on 4th February 2026 on behalf of our sight-impaired Administrator Josh Downing.
Dear DPD Team,
I am writing to share my experience as a severely sight impaired customer, in the hope that it can help improve accessibility across your services. While I appreciate the efforts of your staff and the convenience of your delivery network, my recent interactions have highlighted several areas where accessibility could be improved.
Firstly, my initial interactions were positive. I found it straightforward to locate a DPD contact number via Google, and my first phone call successfully resolved a collection issue. However, my second attempt to resolve a further collection issue introduced unnecessary barriers. I was directed to use the online chat at send@dpd.co.uk, as the parcel was being collected via DPD Local, and the person I was speaking with was unable to help.
Secondly, the chat function itself proved extremely difficult to use as a sight impaired person. The text was too small. And there didn’t appear to be any accessibility functions on the website, for example, a way to increase the text size or contrast, or access to a screen reader/screen reader compatibility.
Thirdly, the agent I spoke to frequently prompted me with questions like “are we still connected” before I had time to read their comment and respond, creating unnecessary difficulty in conveying my issues. Although the agent acknowledged my visual impairment once mentioned, the conversation quickly reverted to a pace that proved very challenging to read and type responses quickly and accurately.
As a result, my issue was only partially resolved, and I had absolutely zero desire to attempt the chat again. When I asked how I could provide feedback on the chat function usability, I was told there is no dedicated procedure or location to provide any, leaving me with no certainty that my concerns would reach the right people and result in a better experience for myself and other sight impaired people.
I would like to offer the following suggestions:
Provide a single, clearly visible phone number for customers to reach all DPD services, including DPD Local. This would be far more accessible to blind and sight impaired users than routing them to an online chat.
Ensure your online chat function is accessible.
This means:
·Adjustable font sizes and text contrast
·Compatibility with screen readers
·A slower or adjustable response pace for users who require extra time to read and reply
·A formal feedback process for accessibility issues to guarantee customer concerns are acknowledged and acted upon.
I am employed by an Accessibility Consultancy, and I utilise your services regularly as part of my role and have unfortunately encountered issues before. The improvements mentioned will be a great start for not only me and other blind and sight impaired people to access your services more readily, but anyone who needs extra assistance when accessing the services and will surely improve your reputation as a courier who takes accessibility seriously.
Sincerely,
Josh Downing
A Severely Sight Impaired Customer