FedEx Rant

[Larry124]

FedEx Rant

Tomorrow for the third day FedEx will “attempt” to deliver a package to me.

There is road repair on my street. One end of the road is closed. The other end is open.
For two days FedEx hasn’t been able to figure this out -- despite my emails and telephone calls to them.

Meanwhile both UPS and USPS have successfully delivered packages.

Not the first time that I’ve had to go back and forth with FedEx.

My advice to vendors: Don't use FedEx.

[mbhandy]

I have had the same experience with FED-EXPENSIVE and my street was not under construction.

Go Figure,
MrBill

[Mike1]

It's actually quite simple. Call the center, request they hold the package for pick-up and go collect it yourself. End of problem.

[Larry124]

It's actually quite simple. Call the center, request they hold the package for pick-up and go collect it yourself. End of problem.

The center is an hour’s journey through heavy urban traffic.
And why should I have to do that -- to solve THEIR problem?

If USPS can’t deliver something I can walk to the Post Office. Happened twice with “Signature Required” Royal Mail.
If UPS can’t deliver something I could pick it up after a ten-minute drive. Has never happened.

Funny. The package (an SK Hiking Kilt) was delivered today.
The FedEx truck had TWO staff.
I don’t think that I’ve seen that before.
I didn’t get to speak with them.
Maybe one was a trainee.
Or maybe they were the “Problem Delivery” crew.
All's well that ends well.

My five-person family receives packages from all carriers it seems like weekly.
So to have a delivery problem from the same carrier twice in a six-week period gets my attention.

SWK does just fine and more than fine with USPS.

[Mike1]

The center is an hour’s journey through heavy urban traffic.

Which means you don't want the package so badly after all, since the drive presents a bigger issue than the wait, eh?

And why should I have to do that -- to solve THEIR problem?

Mea culpa. I mistakenly thought YOU were the original poster in this thread and the problem was the time YOU were waiting for YOUR package to be delivered. Apologies.

We're all going to see some changes in how the package carriers are doing business. They're feeling the very same fuel crunch that we're feeling. Routes are being re-configured to minimize the distance being driven and deliveries are being assigned new priorities. Look at the new route changes UPS has made, to minimize left-hand turns as a single example.

I deal with USPS, UPS, FedEx and DHL 40 hours each week, so I have a pretty clear view of the changes being made.

Once I know the direction a package is headed when it leaves the shop, I can then make a decision as to which carrier can best serve my customers' needs at the best rate. I know if a package is only traveling 70 miles to the West, then DHL is a bad option, because I am on the western edge of a service area. Which means it will be a two-day ride, as opposed to an overnight ride via UPS.

If I know my customer is in a remote, rural area, then I make sure to point out that all service guarantees are off, because many carriers will no longer drive out of their way to deliver a package, until it has ridden the truck as many as three days. And a remote location makes UPS a poor decision, because they don't like to be upfront with their fuel surcharges, which means I'm likely to get smacked with extra charges on my bill.

If I'm sending a package to the Atlantic coast, I always try to use DHL. I know the package will arrive a day earlier and with my negotiated rate the customer can save as much as 30% off the standard UPS rates. DHL is no quicker than UPS to the Left coast, but they have a much better rate, so they get the nod there, as well.

For smaller items, USPS is a great alternative, because the customer can take advantage of a low, flat-rate price. And USPS will provide packages at no cost, to boot. But I am also aware that there is a possible change looming on the horizon for USPS, which will have a tremendous impact on everyone.

I've recently begun selling t-shirts for one of my own forums and USPS gets the nod for those packages. No weekly, pickup service contracts and no need to drive out of my way to drop off packages, because the postman collects them with no muss and no fuss. Add in the ability to package the shirts in a USPS-provided Tyvek envelope and I can't see a better option.

DHL is now flying their air packages on UPS planes. And don't be surprised to see your postman dropping off a DHL package at your location, either.

See all the differences that exist? And who knows what things will be like in another few weeks, because all of these companies have to be dynamic to remain competitive.

One carrier is not the best solution for all deliveries.

And yes, over the last 23+ years I've experienced difficulties with every carrier. None of them are perfect, no matter how much someone wants them to be with their particular package. When I look at the thousands upon thousands of packages I've shipped, I can get over a service problem pretty quickly.

I know how life can suck when a package doesn't arrive at a specified time, because I'm often the guy on the other end of the phone line when someone is upset. But when you look at that as being one package out of how many hundreds of thousands that same company delivered on time on that day, how valid is it to say the company is useless?

[george7]

USPS seems the way to go, especially with international orders. I've heard great things about DHL, too. The thing I like most about UPS is that the brown truck always brings me something good. USPS brings my bills with my goodies.

[JRB]

I've had a lot of problems with Fed-Ex in the past and will only use them if I have no choice. OTOH, I've had next to no problems with either UPS or the good ol' USPS.

[Jerry]

I've had the same problems with DHL. They told me my address did not exist, and I had to drive more than 45 miles, one way to pick up my package. When I pay for shipment and DELIVERY, I should not have to use $20 in my own gas to get my package.