UPS

[Chalupa]

So...

I was expecting two packages to be delivered by UPS today to my house. The packages are pretty important(new computer from Staples) so I took the day off from work to be home when UPS arrived. I'm waiting and I'm waiting and finally I decide to check the tracking #s. To my utter shock and surprise the packages were marked as "delivered" and signed for by one of my neighbors. I spoke w/ my neighbor and he says that he didn't sign for them and hasn't seen UPS all day. Hmm... Now I've known my neighbor for over 10 years and he's a good guy so I know he's not yanking my chain. Additionally, I have two beagles that are HYPER-sensitive to any noises on our street and if a UPS truck came with in a block of our house I WOULD KNOW. They been quiet all day. So I'm 99.9% sure that not only has there been no delivery but there hasn't been an attempt either.

Anyway, I called UPS and got a Kafka-esque run around from them. They wouldn't give me the driver's name or the phone number of the local UPS agency in charge of the delivery. The rep did give me the address of the local UPS center. However, when I pressed her for the number she said she couldn't give me the direct phone # because,"We don't have that information". WHAT. THE. FUCK? (I tried looking up the phone number of the UPS addy she gave me using the yellow pages and got a message that the phone # had been changed to an unpublished #. I actually found 3 different numbers for the local UPS agency and got the same message each time.) Furthermore, if I wanted to file a claim the customer service rep said that I would have to notify Staples so they could process the claim. Again - WTF??? UPS doesn't handle its own claims?? So I called Staples and the Staples customer service agent that I spoke w/ affirmed that I had to file the claim w/ Staples and not UPS. After talking w/ the agent I kind of got the feeling that I'm not the first person that had a problem w/ a Staples delivery via UPS. Long story short Staples has sent UPS an "urgent" email asking the driver to get in contact w/ me about the delivery. That was over an hour ago. I have not been contacted yet.

:rmad: :rmad: :rmad: :rmad: :rmad:

Anyone else have a similar UPS experience? I've been using UPS for years w/out any problems. I just can't believe how badly their customer service has deteriorated.

[jazzbo]

I had years of problems with my local UPS. The driver decided that I pretty much had to sign for anything important he thought was an expensive delivery because they were building houses across the street from me and he didn't feel secure leaving them on the porch or even the back porch. The shipper didn't require it, but according to UPS policy he was allowed to make that call. He did this about eight times. I'd have to take off work or go to the Center , etc. Drove me nuts. When I questioned the guy about it he was very evasive but finally after a few attempts confided in me that because there were "Mexicans" working across the street he wouldn't leave packages. These workers had been working across the street building houses (the whole side of the street had sold and was being turned into McMansons) for months and months and were friendly and professional. It was pure bigotry. I didn't know what to do about it, but immediately after that he no longer was my area's UPS driver, and I had no problems with his replacement.

Edited May 19, 2010 by jazzbo

[Matthew]

Just my experience: Never had any trouble with UPS, I love them. I absolutely, totally, completely, utterly, detest FedEx -- I hate them! Everything they touch of mine turns to crap.

[AllenLowe]

I've always had better luck with Fedex Ground -

Deeley - first thing I would do is go get a notarized statement from your neighbor. Just to CYA - because if they say he signed for it and he didn't you have an immediate case for fraud,which is one good way to get their attention.

[Chalupa]

Shit. I just remembered something... about a year ago my father sent us a package via UPS and it was mis-delivered to the next block. We're 1311 and it was delivered to 1211. I betcha it was the same freakin' driver. Ugh.

[Jazzmoose]

Not a big deal, but I'm pretty pissed at UPS right now. They always deliver my packages between 9 and 10 in the morning. With my odd hours, I decided to just stay up until they showed up rather than get woke up. They just showed up at 3:30 in the afternoon. Grrr...

But as to nontrivial complaints, yeah, I've had that issue with the phone number. The yellow pages have an 800 number, but apparently the local UPS office is unlisted. Can't have the hoi polloi bothering them with questions all the time, you know...

[Dave Garrett]

I have a small sign on the window in our front door asking UPS and USPS (i.e., the regular mailman) to please leave packages not at the front door, where they are exposed to plain view of the street as well as the elements, but at the other door under our carport, where they are much better protected and much less visible to passersby.

I used to have few problems with UPS - the local delivery driver we had would without fail leave packages under the carport, even though it meant walking all the way up our driveway with boxes that were frequently heavy (I was still buying a lot of laserdiscs back then).

Now, they just ignore the sign and drop all the packages right on the front stoop. Pisses me off, but nothing's disappeared yet, even an electric guitar in an oversized box.

And their signature confirmation is a joke. When I track packages online, they always show that the package has been signed for every time, even though it's invariably dropped on the front steps. They don't even ring the doorbell anymore to alert me there's a package out there, on the rare occasions when I'm actually home instead of at work. Both the Postal Service and FedEx are considerably more anal when it comes to signature confirmations.

[Jazzmoose]

They don't even ring the doorbell anymore to alert me there's a package out there, on the rare occasions when I'm actually home instead of at work.

That's unforgivable.

[Chalupa]

And their signature confirmation is a joke. When I track packages online, they always show that the package has been signed for every time, even though it's invariably dropped on the front steps. They don't even ring the doorbell anymore to alert me there's a package out there, on the rare occasions when I'm actually home instead of at work. Both the Postal Service and FedEx are considerably more anal when it comes to signature confirmations.

Yeah, they didn't bother to ring the doorbell yesterday. That really pisses me off - the UPS delivery person just assumed that I wouldn't be home so he didn't even bother trying to deliver the package to my house.

Spoke with Staples today. They are giving me a complete refund. Someone - either my neighbor or the UPS driver - is getting a free computer.

[Tom 1960]

Someone - either my neighbor or the UPS driver - is getting a free computer.

That sucks!!! Glad to hear you're getting a refund, at least.

[Noj]

When I was unemployed I worked for UPS as a driver-helper during the holiday season. For the most part packages were OK'd to be dropped on porches, but with very expensive items signatures were required. Signatures had to be obtained from a person over 18. Under no circumstances did the drivers I worked for drop packages at the wrong address, that's for certain. And, we were required to loudly say "UPS" as we approached the porch, and to ring the doorbell if there was one to ring or knock. Other instructions included dropping the packages where they couldn't be seen from the street, if possible. A few houses had special instructions for packages, and I was told to follow those instructions. One customer had a locker thing in his back yard we were asked to put the packages inside of, and of course we did.

I think you just got unlucky with a slacker driver, J.H.. He won't last long, the guys I worked with were under strict protocol and worked their asses off. We were once secretly followed and observed by a manager of sorts, who made sure things were being done by the book.

[sidewinder]

Someone - either my neighbor or the UPS driver - is getting a free computer.

That sucks!!! Glad to hear you're getting a refund, at least.

That happened to me once with these guys in North America. In that case it was a fax machine.

Just had one issue with UPS - Package from US to UK got returned to the US without me signing for it, then found to be dinged on return to the UK. A replacement was sent out and that arrived quickly and looks to be OK. A very mixed bag !