OK so a bit of a overnthusiastic title but still!

Genuinely interested in how people manage to buy loads of things online when they work away from home 9-5 or much later. This has been triggered by me ordering 2 items over the last few weeks, one unknowingly dispatched through Yodel and one through Hermes.

The following couriers/delivery methods I have no problems with:

DPD-choose an am or pm slot, pay extra for Sat delivery or usually just collect it from a local shop
Royal Mail-collect from the sorting office which is open late/weekends and is local or deliver to the PO at the end of my road
Amazon-pick up from a local shop or locker
Collect Plus-collect from shop 5 min walk away
ParcelForce-not ideal but depot is open Sat and is reasonably local

Usually manage OK with DHL and UPS but don't use them regularly.

No experience recently of TNT but sent something with them on a Sat at no extra cost

These couriers I would appreciate other's tips on how they actually receive things from!

Hermes-Supposedly tried to deliver 3 times, all during working hours, no card/contact details left and no way to inform them I would be out. Customer service totally useless. 2 occasions parcel has gone back to the retailer for a refund without me ever actually seeing it. Surely a waste of retailer time and money?
Yodel-Said they left cards and tried to deliver but haven't actually left a card. Never seem to ask neighbours even when in. Couldn't rearrange to a Sat when I was in as they can't hold it for more than 5 days...
UKMail-can't ever collect it anywhere, never leave things in a safe place and can never seem to arrange delivery on a weekend

Did think of something like Doddle but not very local to me so would have to make a trip to pick things up there.

Apart from avoiding any retailers using the 3 bottom couriers if they advertise what courier they use, any suggestions from the forum?