“Special” Delivery (aka FedEx Sucks)
Or to be more specific FedEx Home sucks (part of the problem is that all the branches of FedEx operate independently, which may be more efficient but isn’t recipient friendly).
So I ordered a small electronic device on a Monday, it shipped on a Tuesday, arrived at the local facility on a Wednesday, and was out on a FedEx Home truck on Thursday, which I missed because I was at work. I called FedEx’s 800 number and asked them to hold the package so I could just pick it up after I got off work. They said they would put in a request to hold the package.
On Friday I noticed that the online tracking said it was out for delivery again and sure enough when I got home there was a message that said the request to hold didn’t make it through on time. I called them back and told them they might as well deliver it Saturday then since I would be home (FedEx Home delivers Tuesday thru Saturday). Saturday rolls around and I find another door tag on the apartment building entrance. Apparently they came two hours earlier than previous two days and I never heard anything (I am a very light sleeper). They only make three delivery attempts and then they hold the package and it’s a Saturday so now I have to wait until Tuesday before anything happens.
Tuesday rolls around and I check the status online, which says my package is held at a FedEx location for pickup. So I call the 800 number again to make sure I have the correct location. They kindly verify the location and give me the hours of operation. So I drove to the “local” facility which is in another state. This facility is a FedEx Ground location, which FedEx Home uses since, technically, FedEx Home has no facilities, just trucks. I get there and as soon as the woman there finds out I’m there for a FedEx Home package she asks, “Did you talk to anyone?”, referring to someone with FedEx home. I replied no but that the online tracking says my package is being held at a facility and the 800 number representative verified this location. She said there were only four packages currently being held, she took at glance at them, and then said I should call them tomorrow between 5 am and 4 pm. So I drove back empty handed.
Wednesday I call FedEx Home around 3 pm and apparently they are gone for the day and I talk to someone with FedEx Ground. She said that they usually send out a postcard that says where and when a package can be picked up.
Thursday I didn’t receive a postcard although it had been 5 days since the last delivery attempt. So I call up FedEx Ground (it was after work and of course FedEx Home isn’t available). I talked to the person and asked if my package was being held, gave her my address, and she verified that it was there. So I traveled across state lines again. I was “greeted” by some guy. He was messing around at my expense and I have a sense of humor about that stuff but in retrospect he went out of his way to be rude (he didn’t even have to interact with me). Then the same woman from Tuesday asks the same question, “Did you talk to anyone?” I said yes (apparently looking at the 3 packages sitting there would have been too much work not to have asked the question first). So I sign the little electronic signature thing and she gives me my package, which looked exactly like one of the four packages sitting there on Tuesday, same size and same distinct black marker marking of the number 150 on the side. So ten days after my order and two trips out of state I finally had my package.
Overall I would say the people behind FedEx were nice enough it just seemed as though nobody wanted to go out of their way to actually help me except the representatives at the 800 number, who, when it comes down to it, don’t know much more than what my online tracking tells me.
Still waiting for my postcard.
Oh, and now my satellite tv has been out for two days. Could have been weather yesterday, but not today. Any bets how long that will take to get fixed (and during a holiday weekend no less)?
May 27th, 2007 at 10:31 pm
I can’t believe you sold out and bought an i-pod.
June 2nd, 2007 at 12:54 pm
You bought an iPod? Ya know, this wouldn’t have happened if you went with the good ole USPS! God bless those men and women in blue!
January 5th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
I just had a similar experience. They might be the worst company I’ve ever dealt with. I would gladly deal with either UPS or even the postal service before I ever talk to their customer dis-service again.
March 6th, 2008 at 10:52 am
i bought about 200$ worth of special infrared film that they just left on my work’s front door(which is in f’n hood) after i call the customer service and told them not to do that, they did and now i out 200$ and they said it my fault even thought it was deliver on a freaking federal holiday
November 18th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
I M ONE OF THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS ON THE OTHEREND OF THE THIS AND I DEAL WITH IT ALL DAY IM SO SORRY BECAUSE YOU ARE RIGHT THEY DONT GIVE US MUCH MORE TO GO ON THEN WHAT U SEE ONLINE AND ITS REALLY NOT THE DRIVERS FAULT THEY ARE DOING THER BEST WITH WHAT THEY HAVE TO WORK WITH I WISH YOU WOULD HAVE GOTTEN ME AT THE 800 NUMBER I WOULD HAVE GOT YOU YOUR PACKAGE SO SORRY
December 23rd, 2008 at 7:45 pm
OMG. I’m so furious right now I could eat nails. I will never allow any shipments to me to ever use FedEx Home Delivery again. There’s a package I’m waiting for that has been in and out of the “local” facility (it’s about 2 hours north - there’s an Express facility that is 45 minutes away) for almost a week. There has been 3 delivery exceptions noted since last Friday. The first one was acceptable as the weather was bad but the other 2 are not acceptable. I ‘m starting to think that the driver is just lazy as the package was checked back in with the delivery exception at 5 PM. That tells me the driver was back at the “local” facility at 5 pm. It’s the Christmas season for heaven’s sake. I guarantee you that UPS is probably still out delivering at almost 9 PM tonight. I’m just going to totally freak out if I do not receive the package (in perfect shape) tomorrow!!! Arghhhhhhhhhh.