Not news: USPS is a joke (Fedex too)

[Cameramonkey]

So I ordered a large object for work. (100lbs and about the size of a 2 drawer file cabinet) It was shipped Fedex SmartPost. (not my choice)

It arrived in town on 5/23 and sat at the fedex hub. When I tracked the package, I was told it was handed off to the last mile contractor called Jonestown. (cant find any info on them) Because of this they have no further info. "It should be delivered to you within a week, sir" A week to take a box across town?

After another week I called my vendor and asked them to trace it. and since it was at the Fedex hub, would they release it to me if I drove over? "Yes its still there, we know where it is, and no you cant pick it up. I'll recall this one and order another sent regular Ground. "

So I saw the tracking on the new order progressing from CA. It should be here via Fedex truck by 6/15.

Yesterday a VERY ticked off mailman dropped off TWO big boxes. Apparently the USPS FINALLY went to the Fedex depot to get their box (3 weeks late), and Fedex apparently said "Here is another, deliver this one too." Even though the label clearly shows it should have been put on a Fedex truck instead. Retribution?

This was so absurd I just have to laugh about it. Not only for the delay, but also how Fedex pawned off their delivery on the contractor instead. It cant get much more ridiculous.

 

[Ark]

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Our expectations have changed. The systems that caused our expectations to change seem to be degrading everyday.

 

[bgcatty]

USPS is a waste of time and they can even mess up an alliance with FedEx. The USPS should be privatized; however, the Constitution may have something to say about it.

 

[littletommy]

I heard all the drivers at jonestown were a little under the weather, something about bad coolaid or something….

(Cue FJB voice) No joke!

 

[Pepi]

AND UPS

 

[BJHay]

I started as a part-time package handler at FedEx in the mid 1980s and left 12 years later as a station manager. When I started the company was cutting edge, elite, expensive and put an insane emphasis on service. Pay was exceptional and management followed a priority of "People, Service, Profit." Their priorities changed over the years and I got Fed Up with Fed Ex and left.

I live rural and their service has become pathetic. On a couple occasions USPS and UPS delivered (we get a lot of home deliveries) but FedEx claimed they couldn't reach us because of snow. We have constantly rotating drivers and frequently delayed shipments.

One of their operating principles in the old days was that FedEx employees would handle your package from end-to-end including the air transportation (no other company operated their own aircraft). Now they contract with a whole range of shady no-name companies for last-mile delivery. Why? Because it's cheaper.

 

[blain]

View attachment 281837

Reverend Jones was 100% correct on this point.
It's too bad he was a little off on some other issues.
I'm old enough to remember this tragedy in our history. Sad, so sad.

But back to shippers...
I hate when I can't pick how my items get shipped.
Not mad enough to spend a lot more money somewhere else, but still ticked off.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Reverend Jones was 100% correct on this point.
It's too bad he was a little off on some other issues.
I'm old enough to remember this tragedy in our history. Sad, so sad.

But back to shippers...
I hate when I can't pick how my items get shipped.
Not mad enough to spend a lot more money somewhere else, but still ticked off.

I hear that. Time to dump on fedex again. Back in the day I needed a part NOW. It was obscure and I could only get it online from this one company. And they didnt offer express shipping. They used Fedex Ground.

I tracked it from Chicago to Indy overnight. So I went to the depot with the tracking to try to snag it. I explained the urgency and how I couldnt choose speed. I was told "I cant let you have it for 2 more days. ground delivery is ALWAYS a minimum of 3 days*. Even if its only across town. If you want to come back in two days first thing in the AM I can give it to you. But I cant even unlock that container until the delivery day. "



*I presume its to protect overnight and 2 day air service sales.

 

[Cameramonkey]

AND UPS

To their credit, UPS usually does pretty well. They at least will do everything within their power to get it to you as fast as they can. (Within service parameters) They dont want your box clogging up their system.

So if it only takes 1 good day to get the box from Chicago to Indy? You got it. Its not guaranteed, but is usually next business day. Not Fedex. (see my previous comment)

The one funny/not funny story I have for UPS: I was replacing servers. They were big enough that they were being shipped in these cool 100% cardboard palletized boxes. The box was made so that it had quad wall cardboard loops on the bottom that worked like built in pallets so they could be moved easily by one man with the small rabbit jacks.

I normally brought the old servers back in my car, but for some reason didnt have room so I had it shipped back to my office in the new server box.

I got a call from the warehouse a day or two after I got back. They had something I REALLY needed to see.

I got there and found the box in two pieces. I took the server out and it had a HUGE dent in the side. So deep the frame was bent. The removable modular power supplies were jammed in place it was so bad. The old server was utterly destroyed.

I looked over the box carefully. I could see the pallet portion was separated from the rest of the box. As best I could tell, it ended up upside down. So some brain surgeon decided those loops were handles, and they tried to toss the box off the truck. Instead the box separated from the bottom, and the server tumbled out and onto the edge of the dock, and then down again to the concrete. It had obviously hit the side on a hard edge VERY hard from height and then tumbled onto more concrete.

Luckily for me the server was just going to be recycled. So no real harm done. We collected the default $100 insurance and had a good chuckle. I'm just glad it was the old scrap server and not the new $5,000 one with data on it.

 

[Leo]

I very seldom have any problems with the USPS, FedEx or UPS when they bring the package the whole way. I used to get packages from Germany delivered by DHL that looked like they were hand carried the whole way. Not even a grease smudge on the box. Almost anytime any of them do that hand off thing to another company it is a mess. Like posted, tracking shows it gets to my area in a reasonable time frame. Then it may be a week or more that the package is untraceable before it gets the last 3 miles.

I have had people pull in my drive in a ratty old car to drop off a package. No markings, no uniform or anything to show they are working for the shipper. You would think the company that hired them would at least give the guy a magnetic sign for his car and a ball cap with their logo. Even the Pizza delivery boys have a plastic sign on the roof of the car and a T shirt.

 

[Shadow01]

Service industry = what is the lowest level of service I can provide and at the highest cost I can charge that the majority of my complaining customers won’t leave?

 

[blain]

Service industry = what is the lowest level of service I can provide and at the highest cost I can charge that the majority of my complaining customers won’t leave?

It's a fine line that they have to walk.
But sadly, it's the same tune for most manufactured products also.
Appliances & Automotive come to mind.

 

[Creedmoor]

I very seldom have any problems with the USPS, FedEx or UPS when they bring the package the whole way. I used to get packages from Germany delivered by DHL that looked like they were hand carried the whole way. Not even a grease smudge on the box. Almost anytime any of them do that hand off thing to another company it is a mess. Like posted, tracking shows it gets to my area in a reasonable time frame. Then it may be a week or more that the package is untraceable before it gets the last 3 miles.

I have had people pull in my drive in a ratty old car to drop off a package. No markings, no uniform or anything to show they are working for the shipper. You would think the company that hired them would at least give the guy a magnetic sign for his car and a ball cap with their logo. Even the Pizza delivery boys have a plastic sign on the roof of the car and a T shirt.

I feel the same way, some folks just seem to have never ending problems with UPS, Fed-X and the USPS. It would be interesting to find out why this keeps happening to some folks.

We ship UPS or USPS 5 to 30 shipments a week in and out, with her selling PT on eBay and me buying Amazon and selling reloading equipment. And in the last 6 years I have shipped packages to my sons a few times a month, not just in the US but dozens and dozens of packages overseas in that time. 8 to 16 days each time, and thats not just to APO and AE bases.
The only problems I have ever had was one Amazon missing off my front porch and 3 or 4 USPS flat rate boxes of lead (68lbs) that were scanned in to the Indy distribution and never scanned out. A quick word with my local Post Master and the next day my packages were moving again.
Apparently they were sitting on the floor next to a conveyor.

Ive always been happy with the PO and my UPS drivers.

 

[littletommy]

Say what you will about Amazon, but their delivery drivers have never once failed here, and between us and the other 9 houses on our road, Amazon is a heavy presence daily.

If I place an Amazon order, I know it will be here when expected. Can’t say that for a delivery coming by any other means.

 

[Ark]

I hear that. Time to dump on fedex again. Back in the day I needed a part NOW. It was obscure and I could only get it online from this one company. And they didnt offer express shipping. They used Fedex Ground.

I tracked it from Chicago to Indy overnight. So I went to the depot with the tracking to try to snag it. I explained the urgency and how I couldnt choose speed. I was told "I cant let you have it for 2 more days. ground delivery is ALWAYS a minimum of 3 days*. Even if its only across town. If you want to come back in two days first thing in the AM I can give it to you. But I cant even unlock that container until the delivery day. "



*I presume its to protect overnight and 2 day air service sales.

Amazon absolutely parks packages and lets them age if you don't pay for Prime.

I have contact with all three shippers pretty much daily. None of them are perfect but my experience has been that UPS is the most professional and has the most consistent drivers.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Amazon absolutely parks packages and lets them age if you don't pay for Prime.

I have contact with all three shippers pretty much daily. None of them are perfect but my experience has been that UPS is the most professional and has the most consistent drivers.

I don't have Prime, and my Amazon orders nearly always arrive well before they say they will be delivered. And I usually choose the free shipping option when applicable, which supposedly adds an additional day or two. I see no reason to pay for Prime.

 

[blain]

I don't have Prime, and my Amazon orders nearly always arrive well before they say they will be delivered. And I usually choose the free shipping option when applicable, which supposedly adds an additional day or two. I see no reason to pay for Prime.

I'm with you Daddy. I was a loyal Primer back when it was $79 per year. When they moved to $99, I balked.
I looked over my orders from the previous year and they came up to about $3k. I figured a $3k customer had some sway with customer service. I WAS WRONG. I told the dude on the phone I wanted the $59 level (education price was $59).
I thought if they could offer that to some derelict wannabes, they could deal with it for a $3k customer.
I WAS WRONG again. He kept asking for a edu email to get a $59 rate. I went over and over with him I wanted a $59 rate, and that I wasn't in edu.
We finally parted, him with one less Prime customer, me with having to bundle items to get free shipping.
I did miss the Prime Video. At the time they had old Firingline episodes, hosted by William F. Buckley Jr.

 

[Creedmoor]

I don't have Prime, and my Amazon orders nearly always arrive well before they say they will be delivered. And I usually choose the free shipping option when applicable, which supposedly adds an additional day or two. I see no reason to pay for Prime.

I'm with you Daddy. I was a loyal Primer back when it was $79 per year. When they moved to $99, I balked.
I looked over my orders from the previous year and they came up to about $3k. I figured a $3k customer had some sway with customer service. I WAS WRONG. I told the dude on the phone I wanted the $59 level (education price was $59).
I thought if they could offer that to some derelict wannabes, they could deal with it for a $3k customer.
I WAS WRONG again. He kept asking for a edu email to get a $59 rate. I went over and over with him I wanted a $59 rate, and that I wasn't in edu.
We finally parted, him with one less Prime customer, me with having to bundle items to get free shipping.
I did miss the Prime Video. At the time they had old Firingline episodes, hosted by William F. Buckley Jr.

I hate most large corperations...

We split the yearly Prime bill, she orders little but watches nothing but Prime video on her laptop.
Im the order one, from Alexandria to a worthy store is at least 26 miles round trip each time. My trucks get no better than 16mpg.
I get 3- 5 deliverys a week from Prime.
To us its money saved.

 

[littletommy]

We’ve had prime for quite a few years now, and it would be a big adjustment to not have it at this point. We stream prime video a lot, and I use prime music in the garage, and it’s the only thing I ever use the stereo system in my truck for. Not to mention all the items we have delivered at least 3-4 times a week.