Ever wonder how FedEx stays in business?

[cleller]

This video of a FedEx driver tossing a flat-screen over a 7 ft fence (while the owner was home) is causing a stir right now.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/fedex-addresses-tossed-monitor.html

FedEx has been on my avoid at all costs list since the 2000 FedEx Orange Bowl/National Championship. We had ordered a travel package, with the tickets to be delivered by FedEx. Because it had snowed a couple days earlier, FedEx refused to deliver the tickets, and never made any attempt to contact us. The roads were completely clear the whole time. In desperation, we went to the FedEx station the night before we left for Florida, and were able to pick them up.

Since we now live in a rural area, FedEx routinely will not deliver to us, despite the fact we have a simple to find 911 address, easy to locate via Google maps. They just leave it on a truck until we contact them, and arrange to pick it up. It is more than maddening. From what I see posted, this is pretty normal for them. I have managed to get shipping charges refunded by a couple of businesses that used FedEx. Now whenever possible I specify that I would prefer to cancel an order rather than have it shipped by FedEx.

Their customer service will also refuse to allow you to speak with a supervisor, and claim the drivers are not allowed to carry phones. They obviously cannot read maps or use computers, either.

Its just hard to imagine how such a thoroughly incompetent business stays afloat.

If any SF members work there, I'm sorry to vent at you- maybe you can explain where the company needs improvement.

[SicEmBaylor]

I've always been delighted by FedEx and have never had any reason to complain.

[cleller]

You're one of the lucky ones. Google "Fedex Sucks" sometime.

[yermom]

I've always preferred UPS

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

USPS is weird but gets it done, and the cheapest.

[cleller]

USPS is weird but gets it done, and the cheapest.

Now that the USPS is in such financial trouble I try to use them for everything. My small town post office is on the list of possible closures, so we do all the business we can with them. The few employees there are fantastic. You can actually call them up and get a quick answer about anything. Too good to last.

[delhalew]

Hmm. FedEx always rings my bell, which I prefer to UPS leaving stuff on the porch without knocking. I've never had anything fragile arrive broken from either...dunno, I've got nothing to bitch about.

[SoonerTerry]

When I lived in the boon docks UPS never had a problem finding us. I even used them to deliver my custom guitar, arrived exactly on schedule and they took GREAT care of it.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y103/SimTechMan/135outside2.jpg
^Delivery day

Now I live in one of the easiest to find houses in mustang and have had nothing but problems from Fed Ex. I always have to go pick up items from them.

[KantoSooner]

I ship and recieve probably 2-3 items a day, mostly small commercial samples (6" cubed boxes). Not too demanding.

UPS: Excellent, except that they do have a distressing tendency to break things. And they tend to blame the OKC terminal when it happens. (I do get a small measure of satisfaction in that most of what I ship is syrupy, sticky stuff, or extremely concentrated spice oil blends. Toss my packages around, Bucko, and you ride in the truck that smells like CHIPOTLE all day long.) UPS out hustles the rest.

Fedex: Clowns. The drivers act like the worst characture of union labor. They tend to lose stuff a lot. I try to avoid them.

DHL: Absolutely the worst company on the face of the planet. I receive at least once a year, a billing for customs clearance from them for imported wine delivered to a White Plains NY wine shop that shares my company's name. I speak with people, I send registered letters etc. and the matter is all cleared up. But no, their bill collectors start calling. I ask for a copy of the paperwork. They just ignore me and start filing on my credit reports. I finally pay because, basically, I am small, they are big and there's nothing I can do.

If everyone who had anything to do with DHL drowned in a pools of boiling feces, it would be far, far too good for them. And a happy day for the planet.

[JohnnyMack]

No.

[achiro]

I ordered some saltwater fish online a few years ago, there was some snow the night before delivery, they wouldnt come to Enid as a result. I ended up having to drive to Stillwater(roads were clear) to pick them up at the hub so they wouldnt all die.

[delhalew]

I ordered some saltwater fish online a few years ago, there was some snow the night before delivery, they wouldnt come to Enid as a result. I ended up having to drive to Stillwater(roads were clear) to pick them up at the hub so they wouldnt all die.

That must have been a traumatic voyage...for the fish.

[OULenexaman]

I wonder how many fish get killed each year from online ordering??

[Pricetag]

DHL: Absolutely the worst company on the face of the planet. I receive at least once a year, a billing for customs clearance from them for imported wine delivered to a White Plains NY wine shop that shares my company's name. I speak with people, I send registered letters etc. and the matter is all cleared up. But no, their bill collectors start calling. I ask for a copy of the paperwork. They just ignore me and start filing on my credit reports. I finally pay because, basically, I am small, they are big and there's nothing I can do.

If everyone who had anything to do with DHL drowned in a pools of boiling feces, it would be far, far too good for them. And a happy day for the planet.
Dayum, that's awful. You should sick news reporters on them the next time it happens.

[OULenexaman]

or send them dead fish..

[DCSooner]

As a supply chain manager, I can tell you that Fedex gets it right 9/10 times. Their online software is the best as well. Automatically telling me what shipments are coming to me even if a supplier ships on their account. Even their GSA rates are the cheapest.

[OULenexaman]

My company dropped UPS completely at all locations across the US back in OCT 2010.....we are exclusive with FED-EX.......my refused damaged shipments have been reduced from 5 a day to having had zero this year alone. I find FED-EX rates to be lower on all services than UPS.

[cleller]

I had an interesting conversation with FedEx the time they told me their drivers are not allowed to use phones. I had ordered some live plants, FedEx had them on the truck "out for delivery" for 4 days. I finally just told the customer no-service rep to just ask the driver to water them and give them a good home.

[KantoSooner]

from above comments, a potential theory: Fedex cares about and for large corporate clients. All others? Not so much. Makes a certain degree of sense.

[badger]

from above comments, a potential theory: Fedex cares about and for large corporate clients. All others? Not so much. Makes a certain degree of sense.

Funny... that was the accusation against USPS with their treatment of Netflix compared with other mail. Must be a delivery service thing :)

[cleller]

from above comments, a potential theory: Fedex cares about and for large corporate clients. All others? Not so much. Makes a certain degree of sense.

That does sound on the money. I also think they are trying to focus on the international picture, since USPS and UPS are so good in the US.

[Mississippi Sooner]

I never trusted Fed Ex after they lost my Wilson volleyball.

[OULenexaman]

speaking of the wonderful USPS.....here is a little tid bit that just happened when the company I work for leased a brand new building in PA.....the old one flooded away in Middletown.

Clarification relating to the new Pennsylvania Warehouse location/address……Mechanicsburg, PA. 17050



If you are looking this address up (since the building has never been occupied) there is confusion…..in your GPS it’s the town of New Kingstown – (some carriers have had issues with finding the location using GPS)…..others have no problem – Federal Express has been delivering to the address without issues…….however the USPS has not been as cooperative…….



Even though you can see the Post Office from the new building – it’s a short walk……they do not acknowledge our address. We have had to get a P.O. box for any US Postal Service deliveries…….:stunned:

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

[QUOTE=OULenexaman;3429342
Even though you can see the Post Office from the new building – it’s a short walk……they do not acknowledge our address. We have had to get a P.O. box for any US Postal Service deliveries

[/QUOTE]
As I acknowledged, the USPS is weird, but if you work around the weirdness, they ARE the cheapest, and lose very few items, in my experience.

[pphilfran]

As I acknowledged, the USPS is weird, but if you work around the weirdness, they ARE the cheapest, and lose very few items, in my experience.

I get a letter addressed to someone else every other week...

Yes they ARE the cheapest....but they ARE going broke....(even without the massive pension payment they are not a viable company at the current time)

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

I get a letter addressed to someone else every other week...

Yes they ARE the cheapest....but they ARE going broke....(even without the massive pension payment they are not a viable company at the current time)WHO SAID they weren't going broke? Until they do, or go nutso on their prices, to become more expensive than Fed Ex or UPS, or have an unacceptable level of eff-ups, I'll use 'em.

[pphilfran]

WHO SAID they weren't going broke? Until they do, or go nutso on their prices, to become more expensive than Fed Ex or UPS, or have an unacceptable level of eff-ups, I'll use 'em.
The USPS mantra...

We may lose a nickle a letter, but we make it up in volume...

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

The USPS mantra...

We may lose a nickle a letter, but we make it up in volume...That was the reason for not buying advertising from me, for a Garage Door company, long ago It carcked all of us up.("we are losing money on the doors we build, but we make it up with volume") It was so stupid, it shut us up, and we had to say "okay, thanks anyway".

[achiro]

I wonder how many fish get killed each year from online ordering??
Probably not as many as menu ordering

[XingTheRubicon]

Mailed or received probably a thousand items via FedEx over the last 20 years and not one of them has been late. USPS sucks balls. UPS pretty much same as FedEx.