UPS
by Kait Wheeler on May 10th, 2008
filed under Rants
Firstly I’d like to just say that I find it hysterical that I still expect things to ever go right for me. Everything I’ve ever done or bought in my life has ALWAYS had something wrong with it from the very beginning. Perfect example: I bought a laptop and had to have it replaced THREE TIMES because each one was broken out-of-box. If that’s not shitty luck I don’t know what is.
Now, having said that; let me relate a recent experience with the United States Postal Service.
Early last week I ordered a GORGEOUS 20″ HDTV from Amazon. It was inexpensive and definitely within my spending limit (I’m using this Economic Stimulus check to pay it off and then get a new phone). I’ve already got an HD DVR box from Comcast sitting in my bedroom collecting dust as it waits for over a week for it’s companion. …But I digress.
The television was supposed to be delivered on Wednesday. Naturally as expected, they required a signature and did not deliver my package. NOT expected was no sticker with a delivery window frame for the next day. So, in an effort to fix this, I called UPS and told them that they could leave the package with my land-lady who lives in the same building. I had also spoken with my boss about this matter and she said that if I wanted to, I could come in a little late and wait for the package in the morning. Since it was first attempted after 5pm I assumed that there was no way she would let me leave early or come in any later than 12:00 (a whopping 1 hour late). So, I went to work as usual.
Then I got an e-mail at 11:30 telling me that the package was attempted again at 11:00…please note the keyword here. ATTEMPTED. My land-lady wasn’t home like she said she would be, either that or they never tried her. And, to top it all off, I could have waited for it and even gotten to work by 12.
Expecting UPS to have any form of Customer Service skills at all, I called them again that night to remind them that they could leave the package with my land-lady. I also received a sticker that day and communicated the same exact information to them.
Of course, the package was attempted at 5:00pm. Which meant my land-lady was home (I asked her when she would be available) and they didn’t try to get her…even though I told them to over the phone AND on the sticker.
Okay fine. So I have to go pick it up at the store. Sigh. Alright, I’ll just suck it up and go on Saturday, right?
According to the representative at the corporate office, UPS stores are only open Monday through Friday 8:30am-10:30am, and 5:30pm-7:30pm.
I think it’s a bit unnecessary to mention here what I think of their Customer Service and availability.
The worst part about this entire situation is that I really don’t even think I can do anything about this. I mean, yes, I’m going to get my package because I’m going to get up ass-early Monday morning and go get it, then take a cab back and then take more busses to work. So I’ll get it; but even if I complain to the poor victim at the counter, it’s still not going to do anything. She’s just going to rant about it to her colleagues and it’ll be lost after that.
If I call corporate and start complaining they’ll just give me some bullshit about their sorry and there’s nothing they can do. I can write letters but I’m sure they’ll just get tossed into a rubbish bin.
I’m sure what you’re thinking now is “How can they stay in business with such shoddy Customer Service?” If you’re NOT thinking it; you should be. You’re an idiot if you’re not. However, I’ll tell you exactly why.
Because there’s no alternative.
Sure there’s FedEx but despite the fact that they are incredibly superior, no one’s going to use them because UPS is the cheapest thing around. And it works for businesses.
So even if I called and told them exactly how I felt, nothing would be done. They don’t care about the trouble that you have to go through to pick up your package. They don’t care how important it is to you or what you think of their service because they’re safe. Their company isn’t going to go out of business because of one person or even a thousand persons.
Of course, ideally I’d just like to see them a bit more flexible and a hell of a lot better at Customer Service than they are. But again…they don’t care. So I’m left with a hell of a lot of inconvenience, $20.00 less rich because of cab rides, and about 5 years shaved off my pathetic existence due to stress.
Now I believe I’ll stop ranting before I turn into some internet crusader with absolutely no life at all. Excuse me.