UPS delivery problems

[Aceon6]

I've had very good luck with UPS and USPS. Most often, they ring the bell. FedEx just drops and runs. We live on a quiet street, so if I'm expecting something super fragile or super expensive, I will have it delivered to my work instead of wondering if the package will still be on my doorstep when I get home.

I do go out of my way to make sure the drivers know who I am and that I appreciate good service. Our UPS guy has had our street for years. When I see him, I wave, and I thank him if he's withing earshot. During the holiday season, we were getting deliveries almost every day, so I got some Godiva biscuits and left them with a note. Same for USPS. Both men sent me a thank you note within a day. I figure it doesn't hurt to be nice. After all, they don't have the easiest of jobs, especially given the winter weather we've had.

[Stormy]

I've had problems with all 3 carriers. Most recently, UPS left a huge box in a snowstorm. The box was soaked by the time my husband got home from work. Usually, they'll wrap the item in a plastic bag if they have to leave it in rain or snow, but not this time.

[Veronika]

I've had problems with UPS too--they don't have any sort of policy for verifying the address when dropping off items (for packages not requiring a signature). And if you are the receiver and need to change the address before delivery, forget about it. They can't change an address until a delivery attempt is made...and then they will just dump it at the wrong address. It's easier just to deal with the company you ordered the item from, they know the limitations of UPS very well.

[BigB08822]

I thought this was appropriate for the thread, lol:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1qUd9na_PQ

[overedge]

When you've got union protection and it will take pulling teeth and nails to get rid of you, you will be more lax at your job. Same with tenure. Every single "perk" of a job, including the right to keep that job, should be based entirely on merit and job performance, not on how long a person has been with the company.
.

Those would be extremely broad generalizations that are very insulting to many workers.

[pollyanna]

I thought this was appropriate for the thread, lol:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1qUd9na_PQ

"You would place electronics in the snow."

"But the snow isn't melting!"

[Aceon6]

Those would be extremely broad generalizations that are very insulting to many workers.

Agree, union or not, some workers care, others don't. It's the reason I always try to be extra polite to the ones who seem to care.

[skatemommy]

Boxes at work arrive filthy dirty and smashed from UPS. My USPS mailman has been to the house at 4pm on Christmas Eve to deliver packages.

[gerb]

union or not, some workers care, others don't.

This. My UPS guy is awesome, always rings the bell, and leaves dog treats on top of the package for the dog. My mailman, on the other hand, if you can't say anything nice.......

[danceronice]

It's not UPS policy; the person mailing the package has the option to release it for drop-off. If you want something to be delivered on signature only you have to ask the sender to specify.

Yep, this. If the package was sent without the sender indicating it needed to be signed for, they absolutely can leave it. (In fact when I was having my new Latin dress shipped, I asked specifically for it to be no signature required as I'm not home during normal delivery hours and didn't want to play tag with the UPS man, and I assumed they would normally ship expensive items with a signature. It was fine. UPS and FedEx have figured out that the door to leave things at is the one right off the drive that you can walk up to without wading over a ditch and an snow-covered lawn with no path and an uncleared porch. USPS took a few tries to figure that one out.) It is entirely up to the sender how much confirmation is required.

Heck, with my ebay and etsy I tell buyers if you don't pay for it, I don't provide it--unless it costs more than a certain amount (in which case I'll throw in insurance), no insurance, no tracking, no signature, at your own risk. You pay for Parcel Post with no frills, that's exactly how it's shipped.

[sk8pics]

I have had issues with all the major carriers at one time or another. But I do have a nice story to tell about a UPS driver. When Big Brown was racing, there was a connection between his owners and UPS, and so they named him sort of for UPS. When Big Brown was going for the triple crown, UPS made up buttons with the horse's picture on it and Go Big Brown! written on the buttons. So I really wanted a button, but I didn't run across any UPS trucks in my neighborhood. The drivers were carrying the buttons on their trucks and would give them out to anyone who asked. So, I went over to the UPS distribution center, and on my way in, I asked a driver if he knew if they still had them in the customer service center. He said he didn't think so, and that they'd given them to all the drivers to give out. I must have looked crestfallen because he said, "You really want a button? Hang on, I have some in my truck, I'll go get them." He had been leaving for the day, but he went back inside and had to go some distance to get to his truck. He came back out maybe 5 minutes later, waving a plastic bag, all smiles, saying, "I found them!" He gave me two of the buttons. I didn't have the heart to tell him I only needed one, and so I took both and thanked him. We had a nice little chat. So, since then, I have given UPS a few chances and it's worked out okay... so far. Well, except that Big Brown didn't win the triple crown.

[BigB08822]

By the way, if you go to the youtube video I posted, on the right there are a lot of related videos. Some of them are Lots of videos of UPS drivers throwing packages being caught on film. I know this tells me more about the drivers but I love that they got caught!

[Karina1974]

Those would be extremely broad generalizations that are very insulting to many workers.

Not if they are performing the job the way it's supposed to be done, and putting enough focus and determination into doing every task as though their life depended on it, and beating themselves up if they make a mistake, and making note not to make that same mistake again. I attack both of my jobs; that's why at my FT job I was put back to 40 hours/week over people who've been with the company 2 and 3 times longer than I've been there and they wonder why they are still stuck at 35 hours - because I'm willing to put in the work and take on more job tasks, whereas they are not. And I have no qualms about putting in 30+ more hours/week when my temp. job is in session.

I can't imagine too many private sector employers who would accept their workers pulling shit like not leaving the mail at the wrong address, or leaving someone's mail box open so their mail can get all soaking wet. Or doing like my parents' former mail carrier used to do - spend more time talking to the residents on his route than walking and delivering the mail. None of the places I've worked at would, that's for sure.

[overedge]

I can't imagine too many private sector employers who would accept their workers pulling shit like not leaving the mail at the wrong address, or leaving someone's mail box open so their mail can get all soaking wet.

Apparently UPS does, or else this thread wouldn't have been started.

[milanessa]

Or doing like my parents' former mail carrier used to do - spend more time talking to the residents on his route than walking and delivering the mail. None of the places I've worked at would, that's for sure.

Who do you work for? Simon Legree Inc?

[Skittl1321]

UPS driver just came by my house. I have a walk up porch (split level house.) He stood in the driveway and threw the package up the steps.

No wonder he never rings the door bell.

The DVDs look okay, but two were off their spindles- better watch them soon so I can report a problem if they don't play.

[Meredith]

I forgot about this earlier. On two separate occasions a UPS driver has gone out of his way to stop at my house on his way home - after his shift - after I missed the delivery of something I really needed right away. One package contained tickets to a skating event; my plane was supposed to leave early the next morning. I really don't expect this level of service, but it is wonderful when it occurs.

allezfred mentioned the signature requirement of UPS. I wonder if the requirement differs when they deliver to a business as opposed to a residence. I don't use UPS and am unfamiliar with their labeling; I use FedEx that has an option (for an additional fee) to obtain a signature.

I am fortunate to have never received a squashed package from any of the carriers.

[Flatfoote]

It used to be electronics required signatures. I remember having a game software sent to me, and I had to sign for it. So imagine my surprise when my new laptop from Toshiba was just dumped on my front porch last summer. No signature, or waiting around to see if I was home (which I was, thankfully!).

I remember when my desktop was shipped to me several years ago. I tracked that puppy online from the day it was shipped, and was so excited when it was showing "on truck for delivery" one day sooner than expected. I was peering out the door every few minutes. Imagine my disgust when I read the updated tracking info that said, "delivery attempted, nobody home." I was livid and called the carrier immediately (I can't even remember now if it was UPS or FedEx). They told me something to the effect that it wasn't supposed to arrive till the next day anyway, so too bad so sad. I lit into them like a banshee, telling them that wasn't the point. It was the outright lie that the driver said he tried to attempt the delivery when I was home all day. He never even came close to my house. Now I can't even remember if they contacted the driver and made him actually go to my house later in the day, or if I had to wait till the next day for it. Geeze, my memory is getting worse than I thought! LOL. This many years passed, now all I just remember is just the flat out lie that I wasn't home.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Apparently UPS does, or else this thread wouldn't have been started.

Seriously.

There are crappy workers everywhere among the good ones, even in the private sector. I know, what a surprise!

[taf2002]

I love my UPS driver. He sets stuff on the porch & then rings the bell. When I come out he is sitting in his truck waiting to see if I'm home. He then gives a wave & drives off. When I get a delivery when I'm not home he takes it to my neighbor.