posted on July 19, 2001 11:16:22 AM
We just got our delivery. It was a carton of small shipping boxes. Emphasis on was.
They delivered the flap of the carton that had the address label on it--just the flap. I'd think it was humorous if I didn't really need the shipping boxes, like yesterday. You would think that if a shipping carton was mangled in transit that someone at UPS would have the initiative to tape the box back together so the entire box just might make it to the destination.
We called the company we ordered from and they are sending out another order--via UPS. They said it sometimes happens that the flap gets separated from the box. Sometimes happens...
It would happen exactly twice before I got myself another carrier. Once would be a freak accident. Twice would be a pattern.
By the way, I haven't shipped an item via UPS in ages and do not plan to ever again.
posted on July 19, 2001 11:30:24 AM
I have shipped and received literly thousnads of packages via UPS and right off I dont rember ever having a problem.
Sounds like maybe the company shipping to you did a poor job of packing .
YOu ask how they stay in business ? They are a extremly effeciant company moving trucklods of freight daily with a enviable succes rate thats how.
spock here......
posted on July 19, 2001 11:34:25 AM
Interesting. I have had excellent luck with Fed Ex. Nary a problem.
Buy the way, Fed Ex actually tries to serve their customers. The have a customer counter that is open all day until 7 PM.
UPS? Their customer counter is open 2 1/2 hours in the morning, then closes down until 4:30, when they again open up for another 1 1/2 hours. Once (when I was shipping with UPS) the counter lady was sick or otherwise couldn't be there. Their solution? Don't bother opening up for business. I kid you not. I had a very important shipment to a customer that day too. The terminal "manager" told me to either wait till the next day, or take it to a UPS rep (one of those packing/mailing places) which I tried. They would not even accept the package without re-packing it and charging me a lot of extra money. This was before I learned that Fed Ex was in the neighborhood and was very good at service.
UPS? I wouldn't ship a box of doggie poop with them.
[ edited by loosecannon on Jul 19, 2001 11:37 AM ]
posted on July 19, 2001 12:09:50 PMSounds like maybe the company shipping to you did a poor job of packing .
"You would think that if a shipping carton was mangled in transit that someone at UPS would have the initiative to tape the box back together so the entire box just might make it to the destination."
posted on July 19, 2001 01:14:29 PM
I once ordered a really big thermometer to hang on the side of my pavilion. UPS delivered it with a huge footprint on the side of the box. Of course it was in pieces...
posted on July 19, 2001 02:04:04 PM
FedEx Ground is no prize either. (It's the former RPS.)
In fact, today I finally received a box that should have arrived on July 11. It's been bouncing around in my city since July 10-- after a lengthy trek from one state away.
The other four boxes in the order showed up last week. The fifth box was scanned three times on the 17th --- it kept bouncing back and forth between the hub and the delivery center.
posted on July 19, 2001 02:11:12 PM
UPS is a pathetic joke. What other business would leave an item insured for $450 [with signature required] on the front porch of a crime ridden neighborhood. Duh!
Oh, and not ONCE did this happen, but several times, in different cities across the nation.
I closed my UPS account shortly after getting blasted by my customers.
BTW - One of these customers was at home when the parcel hit his front door. He said the UPS agent didn't even stop to ring the doorbell, let alone ask for a signature.
Another customer returned home after an 8 hour shift to find her $300 item sitting on her front porch in plain view to anyone passing by.
posted on July 19, 2001 02:37:34 PMWhat other business would leave an item insured for $450 [with signature required] on the front porch of a crime ridden neighborhood
Yes, and what other business would deliver a flap of a box. I don't think anyone understood my first post. They delivered a box flap with an address label on it! The rest of the box and the contents were missing!
posted on July 19, 2001 03:00:28 PM
loosecanon
I understood your first post
was it stupid of them to deliver the flap ?
probaly
Should a ups employee taped your box togther ?
of course if a employee was present when the flap was torn
I have been in ups distrabution centers and the packages run on conveywer belts (could have happend there )
if the flap were torn off there and it had a packing slip on it it could have esily been viewed as a envolope (keep in mind no one is stopping to study each peice the name of the game is to move freight)
Does ups have some employees who dont give a $$### ?
dosen't evrery company
TO question how the company stays in business they do it by consistently delevering items ontime in good condition. at a resonable question
I live in south Fla and I cna count on one day delevery anywhere in the state on standard ups ground svc
priority mail two to threee days
standrd mail on more than one occasion I have had a letter take more than 5 business days to travel accross town.
posted on July 19, 2001 06:40:14 PM
Two years ago when I started with auctions, I believed UPS was better than USPS. Then I discovered their failure rate was about 50%. It included:
a $700 digital camera that the driver claimed he left at the door. Then the driver came by twice and the customer filled out an affidavit of non-receipt. Both times the driver reported to UPS that the customer said he found it. The customer had to fax me his affidavit so I could collect. I am convinced the driver stole it himself.
two monitors that disappeared for two months and then were returned to me. I had been calling UPS almost daily to track them down. No explanation for why they never made it to the customers
a laser printer that sat on the truck that picked it up for three days. Somehow the missed it when unloading it for three days in a row
a camera going from NY to NY that ended up in Florida
a camera going to an office building that was returned because the driver didnt know which office to deliver it to, even though it was on the label and anyway he leaves it with the mailroom
During the past two years shipping hundreds of packages with USPS, some with no insurance or delivery confirmation, only one package ever got lost and it was going overseas. None got damaged. A few took a little longer than they should have to arrive.
posted on July 19, 2001 07:12:00 PM
I was recently chewed out by my customer who asked why i did not use UPS as they always leave package at the door !!
they are never home during the day and
they love ups because ups will leave anything at the door,including the HOPE DIAMOND.
posted on July 19, 2001 08:19:13 PM
The secret to UPS is to try and find out your local UPS center's phone number. The people on the 800 line have limited ability to help you or figure out what is going on.
Since I got the local number, I call up and they eventually fix whatever the problem is. I believe I even got them a couple times to deliver something after they left a notice even though I was at home. Technically, they won't do this, but the local center can talk with the driver and try and help you out...
(P.S. The worse shipper, IMHO, is Airborne Express)
posted on July 19, 2001 08:26:22 PM
I've used UPS for 14years in our RL business. In that time I have had 2 claims.
One partial contents were missing (the box had blown apart at the seam).
The other went MIA never to be found again.
Both claims were paid promptly.
To solve the problem of packages being left with no signature by UPS, just slap on an Adult Signature Required sticker.
There is no addtional charge to use the sticker and the UPS provides them at no charge.
Member OAUA
posted on July 19, 2001 08:42:01 PM
I receive my new ebay items from my supplier UPS certified collect. That's the only way they will ship.
On the first delivery date last year he showed up at the door with the package and the amount due, cashiers check or money order only. Since I can't print them at home I have to go to my bank and get one. I told him I would pick it up at the UPS center. The center is only open in the morning for a couple hours and then in the evening. I got there at 6:30pm and he hadn't arrived back yet. At 7:00 still no package and they were closing. I told them I would be there in the morning. Of course the next morning the package was loaded on the truck again and wasn't there for pickup. The driver knew we were picking it up and didn't bother to stop by the house. I finally caught up with the package on the third day at closing time. This went on for months. After the first time the driver knew we picked up packages at UPS so he never came back to our house even though he had the shipments on his truck.
UPS told me that even though my supplier marks "hold at dock for pickup" it will go out on the truck every day if there's a address on it. Their solution was to put the UPS address on it. That works fine when I know when a shipment is due to arrive but backorders are a nightmare. UPS holds them for 3 days and sends them back.
I was out of town and couldn't pick one up one time and asked them to hold it. They said it was againt the law even though my supplier said it was ok. I called the 800 number on the slip and was assured that the package would be held for 3 more days. I then called the local UPS center just to make sure they wouldn't send it back and was told that the operators working the UPS 800 numbers weren't UPS employees and they didn't have the authority to place a hold on packages. They sent the package back to my supplier the next day.
I called my supplier and they said USP wasn't holding up their end of his contract with UPS but I had to have my address on packages not the UPS address and the driver was required to stop at my address to attempt delivery 3 times. I changed the address on my shipments back to ours, made phone calls to get the exact amount and went to UPS to get my package. They looked for 30 minutes and finally found it.
Sorry this is so long. I just wish there was an easier way to get my stuff from UPS.
posted on July 19, 2001 10:03:14 PM
I have been i have the business in various forms for almost 20 years. I have seen 10's of thousands of pieces go out with just about every carrier. Shipping from a large\corporate account I would use any carrier except Airborne. But small accounts & house calls are put at the bottom of the list by all carriers.
UPS has many short comings. In the small package\trackable field they have no compitition. FEDEX ground is still tiny. Monopolies never are good for service. They work there drivers & loaders like dogs(& they work them against each other). Have you ever seen a UPS truck first thing in the A.M.? Their union is too strong.
Because of the insane volume & pace that they work at the shipper needs to over pack. Never send very fragile material with them. They will climb over your goods to get to something else. Do not sen very small packages. They will either get lost or crushed under the 150 pounders.
You may be the customer but if you are not home or the loader put your package in the wrong part of the truck do not expect them to come back.
posted on July 19, 2001 10:36:09 PM
I used to ship packages often to New Mexico. Each time I did, I had to give the girl at the UPS drop-off counter a geography lesson as she always charged me overseas rates. She once asked me when Mexico became part of the United States! I felt like asking her how she ever got that job! She even called a supervisor because I was 'giving her a hard time' about "Mexico" being part of the United States. The supervisor, of course, sided with me as NEW Mexico has been part of the Union since the early 1900s.
As for receiving UPS packages, our UPS driver refuses to leave anything on the porch (small town, still very safe, small town values, etc.) We never have our door locked during the day, etc. Well, one day I was getting dressed and didn't make it to the door in time, and the UPS man walked in the house and left a box that contained a $10 pet supply I had ordered online. I was hopping mad as I was totally naked in the next room and he took it upon himself to open our front door without permission (only other people who do this are family and very close friends). I complained to the UPS place, and they did say something to him about coming in the house uninvited, but he absolutely refuses to leave anything on the porch, which used to make it a hassle for me. I'd asked him repeatedly to do so. He says 'someone might steal it' if he leaves it on the porch. Heck, we keep the keys in our car for hours at a time without it being locked, and no one steals that (granted it is 11 years old, but still!) so I don't think someone it going to pilfer a $6 items. It doesnt' make much of a difference now, but for a long time, I had medical problems and couldn't sleep at night because I was always in so much pain at night. This is when I asked him to leave packages on the porch, and explained why. Not that it matters now, but at the time I didn't appriciate being woke up after just getting to sleep because I was in too much pain to sleep nights. I called the UPS 800 number and asked if there was a paper i could sign saying I'd be responsible for anything left on the porch, but they said no, that my UPS man (who walks in houses!) was a better judge than me if I lived in a dangerous neighborhood. *roll eyes*
I've only shipped a few things by UPS, but aside from it taking forever, it arrived in one piece. Fed Ex ground has been great for me, but I've only shipped about 3 or 4 things by them.
posted on July 19, 2001 10:57:22 PM
I don't have any experience shipping with UPS, but have had a few items shipped to me through them. I live in a large city and I normally would have a fit if they left something on the porch. But there's usually someone here, the driver is always very good at hiding it (we usually have a box or something out there and he'll put it in it, behind it, etc.), it makes it much easier for me not to have to go pick it up and they usually come late in the day anyway, so it's not like it's out there all day long. Oh, and no damaged/crushed packages either. Ok, now I'm off to go knock on some wood!
posted on July 20, 2001 06:53:56 AM
My son is a first-level supervisor for UPS at one of their large distribution centers.
UPS quality and customer service is going to vary from place to place and time to time, as is probably true for just about any company you can name, if only because the commitment (and knowledge, and training, and intelligence) if its employees will vary from place to place and time to time.
In general, they do one heckuva job. They process an AMAZING amount of stuff on a daily basis -- LOL, some of that volume due to "reprocessing" required.
[QUOTE]. They work there drivers & loaders like dogs(& they work them against each other).[/QUOTE]
True. Driving is anything but an easy job. They get paid well, but they definitely work for it. Loading is no picnic either, and entails far more than "just" putting packages on the truck -- the better loaders make the drivers' jobs easier. Naturally, the quality of loading varies as does anything else.
[QUOTE] Have you ever seen a UPS truck first thing in the A.M.? Their union is too strong.[/QUOTE]
Not true. My son (not union) works 1 a.m. -- until. But the trucks whose loading he's responsible for supervising are due to leave at 7 a.m. sharp. And it's his backside in trouble if they don't, even tho it's not always under his immediate control. (And sometimes HIS bosses are the opposite of "help." But that's another story.)
[QUOTE]Because of the insane volume & pace that they work at the shipper needs to over pack. Never send very fragile material with them. They will climb over your goods to get to something else. [/QUOTE]
Insane volume is true. Walking on packages is also true, but your comment makes it sound like it's mere lack of consideration or poor attitude that accounts for that. It's not. Part of my son's "training" was spending several months driving. They gave him the WORST-designed route, heavy volume (and very heavy packages to a mostly industrial route) and an impossible time frame to get it done. Walking ON packages to get to others next to be delivered next was not an option for him but a necessity.
So, yes, pack well.
[QUOTE]Do not sen very small packages. They will either get lost or crushed under the 150 pounders[/QUOTE}
True about the 150 pounders (so pack well). Not as true of small packages getting lost.
Again, for the most part they do one heckuva job. But know their limitations and pack accordingly (or use alternative methods of shipping where appropriate).
As for delivering the label - sure. If they hadn't, you'd have never known it was time to file a claim or get the shipper to resend, or whatever. Or at least it would've taken you longer to know it. In all probability the package got torn apart by some of those 150-pounders, dismantled going thru the various conveyor belts, or actually any number of things could've happened to it, NONE of the necessarily incompetent or even "careless" handling on the part of UPS (altho that does at times happen too!). Your shipper probably needs to buff up his packing, depending on the percentage of loss he's experiencing.
I think it's safe to say that most UPS employees working the line, driving, etc., are for the most part dedicated employees who do the best they can, sometimes under very trying to impossible conditions. They have an AMAZING work load and are almost under pressure, sometimes very intense. Some employees are far better than others. Some DAYS are better than others. Mistakes happen. Accidents happen. Planes get delayed. Things get lost. Things get misrouted. And misrouted again. A lot can happen to your package. Sometimes I think it's a miracle, given the volume that goes thru UPS, that most things arrive at all, and in one piece at that.
posted on July 20, 2001 07:30:26 AM
Will not use UPS. They are not "user friendly". Much prefer Fedex Ground. Have also had great experience with USPS. One insurance claim for almost $100.00 was paid quickly.
[ edited by vogeldanl on Jul 20, 2001 07:33 AM ]
posted on July 20, 2001 09:02:25 AM
UPS has been very good to us, one lost package (paid quickly) and one damaged (paid not quite so quickly, but paid with a minumum of fuss) out of over a 1000.
Our regular driver is a great guy, freindly, helpful and he views people like us as "Job Security".
Who Need's a stink'n Sig. File?
posted on July 20, 2001 09:05:07 AM
My post was not 'hateful'
I was mearly venting frustration at the lack of geographic knowledge at my local UPS counter (not knowing New Mexico is a state!)
I was venting fear at the fact the UPS man has come in my house while I was changing clothes in the next room.
I was venting frustration that he refused to leave any packages on the porch when sleep was rare when my body was racked with pain. Thankfully I can sleep now as the pain is gone, so that's not an issue any longer, but I didn't appricate being woke up after about an hour of sleep for a $10 package when pain was so bad I'd lie in bed and bawl wishing I would die.
posted on July 20, 2001 08:08:26 PM
Clevergirl, my post was not meant to be a put down of UPS. As I said at the start, I would & have used them for many thousands of packages. I would say I have had a 99+% success rate. This thread is about UPS, so I centered on them. All carriers have there strenghts & weaknesses. People who only ship a few(or afew hundred) packages in a year are going to remember the few that went bad. They will make up a large % for them. But UPS's volume is a weakness. They expect too much, so mistakes will be made.
As far as not sending small packages goes. This is a common sense practice. Again the vast majority will go ok. Mixing large & small packages is not good practice, if they have value. In this I am talking about 1-3 pound(very small) boxes. Letters are handled differantly, in tubs. Drivers are always complaining about this. They finish a stop, get a few stops down the route and find pieces that fell behind another stop, & have to go back. Pieces also fall off belts. How many times have you found stuff around your house behind a dresser months after you last saw it. This just gets magnafied if you handle millions of packages. If a box is really small it should be put into something a little larger. Otherwise it should be given to the Post Office. That is what they do best. Insure it\Delivery confirmination if it has value.
As far as drivers being paid well. It is not enough with what they do. The pace that frieght comes down the belt makes it next to impossible not to make mistakes. Add to that the fact that loaders do not stay as long as drivers.They often do not know the trucks they are responsable for as well as the drivers.
As far as the Union, A lot of stations have a very bad union\management relationship. Many are good. I am not sure why my quote about the condition of a UPS truck at the start of the day is not true. I guess I was not clear. What I mean is UPS fills the truck, picks it up, shakes it around until they can fit more freight & then start over. I have seen trucks arrive at my dock so full the driver had to get help to open the door!
As far as walking on packages goes, it is simply a statement of fact. I have also seen drivers tunnel under stuff to get to the front of the truck. I have seen about a hundred drivers i my years. It goes along with the time limits\volume & sometimes missed loaded trucks.
This advice was also aimed at people who are already soured on UPS. Every carrier out there has there strong points & weak points. Simple if you are already concerned about UPS don't do this...
I could have added more details but did not want to write a book. Many people have a few bad experieces close together & their opinion will never change. They also may have a bad driver or station. I have been in many UPS trucks & seen what people are foolish enough to put into there system. of course they are the same people who I get stuck behind at the Post Office with there stuff in a bag & expect the guy at the window to pack it for them. If you do not know how to pack a valuable correctly, pay someone to do it!
Also, people should remember one more thing. The amount of volumne Clevergirl & I have talked about does not give justice to the situation. It is July, your Ups driver works in a truck with a plexiglass roof, to let light in. It also turns the truck into a greenhouse. He wears a dark brown uniform, if he does not seem to be in the best mood cut him some slack!
Sorry for generalizing, but I was trying to give QUICK advice.
Hopfully there are no hard feelings.
PS
Tell your son there are better ways to make a living! I have worked those, you work unitl whenever jobs, you get burned out.
One last question, did you really have to copy & paste. You made me read my misspellings!
posted on July 21, 2001 06:23:13 AMkyriaki - thanks. Even before my DS started to work for UPS (several years ago now), I knew those drivers had a really hard job. But my appreciation of what they go through has easily tripled once I got to hear all DS's "inside" stories.
Clevergirl, my post was not meant to be a put down of UPS.
I don't think I saw it as a putdown, but rather just criticism. No human and no organization is immune from criticism and UPS is no exception. But you made a few remarks I thought were either inaccurate or gave a false impression and I wanted to counter or explain them.
But UPS's volume is a weakness. They expect too much, so mistakes will be made.
To a great extent, their volume is also their strength. And I suppose there's a very fine line between pushing "enough" to get good, healthy productivity and pushing "too much." But there's no argument that mistakes will be made. There'd be mistakes made tho even with less volume, or less pressure!
As far as drivers being paid well. It is not enough with what they do.
I'd have to agree from my own personal perspective. It's a very physical job. And "the greenhouse effect" you mentioned makes it all the more unpleasant, esp. in hot climates. But they do earn a decent living. This is speculation, but I'm thinking in our area only airline pilots (and maybe flight attendents??) make as much or more among unionized workers.
Tell your son there are better ways to make a living! I have worked those, you work unitl whenever jobs, you get burned out.
LOL -- so true. But it takes a long time to reach that point when you're young (and foolish??). As a rule his hours are decent, but since he is in management, it's not "necessarily" an 8-hour day.
BTW, I'm just thrilled. He called yesterday evening and has just gotten a promotion -- to on-car supervisor. Off the night shift! I'm especially thrilled because his immediate two levels of management sucked. And that would touch on MY main complaint about UPS: a corporate culture (at least in some places, certainly not all) which rewards mediocrity and punishes innovation, competence, leadership, etc. But that's a whole 'nother story, also not unique to UPS.
Hippy wannabe 
~^~