UPS told reader Jason to meet their delivery truck at a construction site to pick up a $600 microphone he spent $40 overnighting from New York. Bad Brown aborted its first delivery attempt after being scared off by a menacing buzzer at Jason’s office guarded by five smiling receptionists. When Jason called to find out how he could retrieve his package that night, he was told he could meet the truck en route. He didn’t realize that UPS was about to send him to a construction site. Try to guess if the driver showed up…
Jason writes:
I work as a freelance videographer, and recently landed a high-profile magazine spotlight piece. The company that picked me for the shoot recommended that I use two wireless mics for the audio. I didn’t have two wireless mics and told them that, but I knew I could get one from a friend. The other I ordered from B&H via UPS’s Next Day Air service.
I ordered on a Friday but my order didn’t go through and ship until Monday. I needed the mic by Tuesday night (hence the overnight shipping) so that I’d be ready for the shoot on Wednesday. The package shipped out as scheduled, but when I checked the status of the shipment on Tuesday morning I saw the notice, “PKG DELAY-ADD’L SECURITY CHECK BY GOV’T OR OTHER AGENCY- BEYOND UPS CONTROL”.
I had never heard of that before so I did a quick google search. It turns out this notice isn’t necessarily used when a package is actually being held for security reasons. Rather it’s usually because a driver didn’t (or couldn’t) get beyond a security gate at the delivery location. In most cases it looked like the package was redelivered a few days later. I couldn’t wait a few days, so I called their customer service center to find out what I could do about getting the package that day.
A customer service rep said that somebody from the local distribution center would call me back within the hour. Surprisingly somebody actually did just that, although it turned out to be less than fruitful.
The conversation with CSR Kimberly included this gem:
Kimberly: The driver couldn’t get beyond the security gate.
Me: We don’t have a security gate.
Kimberly: I mean the security guard.
Me: We don’t have a security guard.
Kimberly: I mean the door was locked.
Me: There’s a buzzer. And five people working the front office. And they’re pretty attentive when delivery people come by. They don’t like pissing off the residents.But Kimberly told me that the truck was long gone, and not coming back. She gave me the option to meet up with the truck or wait until 7pm and pick up my package from the distro center. I opted for the meet-up since it would (presumably) be faster (I figured I would need at least a few hours to read the mic’s manual, and learn how to use it before the shoot).
She told me I’d have to drive 12 miles to a construction site and wait for the driver to come. I thought she was kidding. She said she wasn’t. I was to meet a driver (who was meeting another driver) at 3:30 at a construction site west of a hospital somewhere near Universal in Orlando. I was stunned. I paid $40 for overnight shipping. And this is what I get for it?
It got even better when the driver never showed up. One of the two drivers was there, but this one knew nothing of the exchange and said that he had actually called for help because he was overloaded with deliveries. I brought a camera and took pictures of the meeting place. I thought maybe you’d get a kick out of them.
I called Kimberly back and wanted to know what was going on. I was pissed. I said that I needed the package and that I wanted a refund on the shipping cost. She called me back a few minutes later and told me that I could drive another 20 minutes to meet up with the driver who was now just a few blocks from my apartment building. The real kicker was that I only had 10 minutes to get there before he was going to leave again. This time I asked if I could just pick it up at 7 at the distribution center. She said that I could and that they would call me when the driver came back (they didn’t).
She also said somebody would call me back about my refund “soon”. It’s been five days and that hasn’t happened. I’ll probably start making those phone calls on Monday.
At some point I mentioned that I was going to be sending all of this to the Consumerist. I don’t think she knew what that meant, but I thought I’d give them fair warning.
Anyway, I picked up my package just after 7. The guy working the pick-up area threw my box on the counter. I winced. That mic cost me almost $600. Not cool. Especially after everything else.
In the end I got the mic, and did the shoot. I also got some swell pictures of a UPS truck in a dusty parking lot. Maybe you can use them for something.
Anyway, I thought you guys might find this interesting. Thanks for doing what you do.
Come on, UPS, put a little effort into your sketchy pickup areas. If you’re going to send someone to a construction site, have the decency to leave a note or a riddle directing them back to the distribution center. Nothing complex. We would’ve been happy with a post-it reading: “Gotcha! Return To Distribution Center. (Next Time Use The Post Office!)”
(Photo: Jason_Hawkins)
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For some reason, I’ve had only good experiences with DHL. One time my brother ordered a camera from an online store, selecting the 5-7 business day delivery option, and we received the camera in 2 days flat through a DHL courier. Another time, I ordered a 97lb item through an online store, and DHL delivered it in 4 days from New Jersey, and even carried the damn thing up to the third floor (the driver had had his trolley stolen at a previous delivery) where my apartment is located.
Crossing my fingers, knock on wood, etc… that my good experiences with DHL will continue.
I work for a company where we send TONS of packages out overnight via FedEx & UPS – a large percentage of everything we send is overnight. We almost universally try to go with FedEx – but they don’t do pick-ups, so it involves a daily drive to the dropoff. Never had a problem with FedEx. I’ve used them for personal stuff based on their track record with where I work
UPS, usually several times a month, forgets to do a pick-up or drop-off at our building. We’ve also had problems with toolshed drivers making our front desk person of the girlular persuasion uncomfortable. And driving to their buildinf to bring all the packages they forgot? Good luck.
That photo was submitted by a professional photographer? Don’t give up your day job… oops! That is your day job. I could take a better shot with an Instamatic.
Ah, UPS customer service is awesome. A few months ago I was waiting for some computer parts to be delivered, and they still hadn’t shown up, so I tracked my package online to find out that it was marked as “Delivered-left at front desk”, or something of the sort. I found this odd, since I lived in a house. I immediately called UPS, and talking to the CSR went like this.
Me: “I just checked online and it says my package was delivered, but I’ve been here all morning and it was not.”
CSR: “Yes, it says it was delivered and left at the front desk.”
Me: “I live in a house.”
CSR: “Ok?”
Me: “My house does not have a ‘front desk’.”
CSR: “Oh…”
I’m not even exaggerating.
(Turned out the package was actually delivered to the Kwik Shop regional office 2 houses up from mine, so I wandered up there and got it myself, but they had offered to go get it for me, so it all worked out).
My UPS horror story is boring compared to all these.
I have the option to work at home, so when I’m expecting something important that requires a signature I work from home and wait for the driver. I work on a WiFi enabled laptop, sitting on my couch, three feet from the front door.
Every time, the UPS driver doesn’t bother to stop, he just enters “not home” in his little computer and keeps going. When I see him drive by, I give UPS a call and tell them what happened. They don’t care.
So now what I do is, when I have a choice of shippers (i.e. either the place I’m buying from offers a choice, or I can choose a seller that doesn’t use UPS), I choose not to do business with companies that only use UPS.
Sometimes when I’m price-comparing, I even send the companies that only use UPS an e-mail saying “Sorry, would have liked to have bought your gidget, but you only use UPS and they suck.” Just to let them know that their loyalty to UPS just lost them a sale.
I’ve decided – before reading this – not to use UPS anymore for shipping. I shipped a $1500 computer system I built for video projects out to Seattle from Vermont, and they pretty much demolished the whole thing. The processor fan came detached, the hard drives were twisted out of their supporting brackets, bending the frames out of shape, and different screws and whatnot from various pieces inside were tumbling about inside the case. But it didn’t end there. Naturally, I was pissed, so I called them and asked for an inspection. They took FOREVER to get in touch with me (even after I’d called them multiple times to confirm that yes, they had and were calling the correct phone numbers, they were STILL calling my dad’s old work – where he didn’t work anymore – about the system, since at the time he was there, that’s where it was shipped from). And then… oh yes, there’s more, they finally got the right person to the right house in Seattle, and they took the computer. They didn’t tell my brother anything (that’s whose house it was at), and there was no notification sent to me that anything had happened. Finally I heard from my father that the computer had been shipped back to the house with just a note saying they’d determined that it was the shipper’s (my) fault. Oh yea, and the package had been insured for around $500 upon shipment. Yea… I’m gonna get on their ass about a refund. Hard. Sorry to hear about the mishap, but I’m very glad their obvious incompetence hasn’t inconvenienced you as much as it has me. And congrats on the job, I’m in the field myself (VFX now, but videography before that, and it was kind of tough finding work). Best of luck.
I hate UPS, they always deliver my packages 1-2 days later than when they are supposed to be. I just wish not so damn many online companies used them. I try to get FedEx whenever possible. Sometimes UPS hand the packages over to USPS to deliver, that usually delays their arrival too.
I had a pretty shitty experience with UPS just yesterday. I started to type it all out and then I realized it would end up longer than the OP. I finally got my package, and I did have to drive a little ways, but at least it wasn’t a construction site… ick. I know Fedex gets a bad rap but I’ve had mostly good luck with them, the one time they tried to do a “you weren’t home” delivery when I was home, they came back within the hour. Boo on UPS. I still got my package the day I should have gotten it, but it left me with a sour taste.
Last Christmas I ordered a Harley part for my dad and it was shipped UPS. I tracked it online and it stated it had been delivered, but I had not received it. Our UPS driver is known for putting in that it was delivered and then bringing it the next day so we just assumed it would be delivered the next day. Well, we had a big snow storm that night and the next morning when I was leaving for work @ 5am, I noticed a piece of plastic hanging out the top of one of our trash cans at the end of our lane. Didn’t think much about it, just though it was a Walmart bag that got stuck to the can, it was 5am and dark so couldn’t really see, just by car headlights as I pulled out of the lane. So when I returned from work at 3pm, as I pulled into our lane I noticed the bag again, so I got out and pulled on it. It was my dad’s $100 gift COVERED IN SNOW IN MY TRASH CAN!! Thankfully, it wasn’t trash day!! But anyone could have come by and took it out of the trash can. I immediately called UPS who had our local office call me. The DM said he talked to the driver who denied putting it in the can, he said he hid it between 2 cans on the ground (still in the snow). I told the DM that it WAS IN the trash can. But he basically told me sorry, too bad. Later that day, the driver came to my door and started yelling at me because he had gotten into trouble. I just closed the door. I should have reported him, but it was Christmas time and I kept thinking he probably has kids etc. and didn’t want to get him fired (although he would have deserved it)Of course, I was also afraid of the guy, who knows what he might have done.
This story, and the comments following make me very thankful for the UPS driver I have here! Very nice guy, and always delivers to my door, and will take the time to “hide” the package if I’m not home since I live in a townhouse community.
At my old apartment, UPS would walk up two flights of stairs (once with very heavy packages), and I never had problems with them.
I’m sure it varies by driver though, as I’ve heard some scary stories. I’ve had bad experiences mostly with DHL in my area.
@Paytriot:
3 days too long for unrefrigerated insulin? That is a total lie. Even
old fashioned pig/beef insulin can be left at room temperature for over
a month before it even shows slight degeneration. Granted UPS Next Day
Air should be “Next Day”, but if your insulin is going bad it’s because
of the pharmacy (selling past due or damaged goods) not UPS. Get real.
@Lambasted: Probably a pistol or rifle of some kind. Some people aren’t comfortable around guns.
If that’s what it was, it’s probably pretty damned pathetic that they never came back to pick it up and the feds had to yell at them.
Next time use the Post Office!!!?? Are you serious?
Normally, when UPS comes to your apartment and misses you: They leave you a note saying they’ll be back tomorrow at a certain time. Automatically they try to deliver it the next day. You have the opportunity to make arrangements for someone to be there, and get your package without having to call any customer service. Otherwise you call them and they tell you how to pick it up at their office in the evening.
When the Post Office does the same thing: They leave you a note saying your shit is at the post office. If you call them you might be able to talk them into attempting again. More likely you have to go pick it up at the post office. WHICH IS ONLY OPEN 9-5. How in the hell is a working person supposed to get their package? Don’t ask anyone at the post office, since they most definitely are not working people. They’ll often just return-to-sender your stuff after only one warning. One time it took me half a semester to get a textbook because of their shenanigans.
We’ve recently showed up to pick up packages at the PO and they have LOST our package in their own office!
Also our mailman is so lazy, he buzzes each apartment in our building that has a package and tries to make us come down to the mailboxes area while he’s stuffing our boxes with junkmail and pick up our package. Instead of delivering it to our freaking door like they’re paid to.
All this, coupled with the lucky fact that our UPS driver’s route takes him by our building at the perfect time of 6PM when I’m already home from work, makes me always choose UPS over the disgusting inefficient monopoly junk-mail delivery service.
Man, I’m happy that I don’t have to deal with UPS. This is just scary.
I work for a company that ships at least six hundred packages through UPS per business day. (We prefer UPS because some of the packages get quite heavy, and it’s cheaper through UPS than the post office for heavy things, as well as free tracking numbers.)
Part of my job is to answer the phone and politely explain to whatever customer is calling that no, we didn’t forget to send their package. UPS just chose to break it, lose it, bust a seam and re-package without including all the items, etc. The best one was when they were having trouble finding an address and the driver decided, logically, that the best thing to do was to leave six boxes in a snowbank. Thank goodness someone in the house where the snowbank was located was responsible & caring enough to call us and say “Hey, found some boxes in my snowbank, you want those back?”
When they ship package, the boxes get tossed into a chute and then funneled down a slide before they drop (drop is definitely an operative word – three to four foot literal drop). If the boxes get stuck in said funnel, the workers poke them loose with a stick.
Of course, the problem is, they do ship about 95% of the packages correctly. Which is great (that’s an A in most high schools) but if you’re shipping, oh, say a million packages…that’s five thousand that get screwed up.
Sigh.
I rarely have any good experiences with any shipping companies. One day last year I had something shipped overnight, then sat around all day in my apartment waiting for it. NEVER did they ring or knock or anything. They didn’t leave a notice on the door. So I called. They said they’d attempted delivery, but noone responded, so it was in the pickup center. What? I was at home, and where is the door tag? They repeated what they’d just said. So, I drove across the city to the pickup center and back. At least it was there and not wherever they had gone to deliver my package!–certainly wasn’t my apartment!
@dgp: My post office opens at 8 am.
Recent, mysterious, tracking info from a UPS-shipped box; this was after the package had arrived at the sorting facility in my hometown:
05/23/2008 – 12:45 A.M. – ARRIVAL SCAN
05/23/2008 – 3:00 A.M. – DESTINATION SCAN
05/23/2008 – 6:39 A.M. – OUT FOR DELIVERY
05/23/2008 – 6:41 A.M. – FORWARDED TO THE FACILITY IN THE DESTINATION CITY
05/23/2008 – 2:30 P.M. – DELIVERY
I’ve also had UPS call me to explain that the driver couldn’t find my address (mind you, the driver managed to deliver a parcel to each of my neighbors that same day — I stayed home because it required my direct signature for delivery). They instructed me to arrive at the sorting facility after 6:30pm, but before 7:00pm, when they closed, or else the parcel would be returned to the shipper. (This was the first attempt, mind you.) When I got to the office, they have me the run-around, telling me first, that there was no such package in the computer, that the driver hadn’t returned, that the box was in the sorting facility’s auxiliary building, and then, that the box was still on the truck, but they weren’t sure which one and I’d have to come back tomorrow, in that order. I asked for a supervisor, and was told that they’d left for the night, since it was now after 7:40pm (they’d been “looking for it” for more than an hour). Unsurprisingly, when I told them that the box contained an $5,000 dSLR and that I would call to report the theft of the camera to both the shipper and UPS’ corporate offices in the morning, the package suddenly turned up very quickly.
Of course, I’ve also had a $3,500 HDTV “mysteriously” disappear from the back of an ABF freight truck. It’s amazing how those really expensive items just seem to evaporate without any explanation.
@Meltingemail:
Actually, that’s fifty thousand packages.
And considering that UPS delivers 15.6 million packages, daily, assuming a 95% accuracy rate (which I believe is generous), that’s 780,000 packages, per day that are lost, damaged or mis-delivered.
@tinyrobot: Something like gasbuddy, but where you rate the various services by route. Cool idea.
I’ve been lucky in that my normal USPS, Fedex, UPS and DHL delivery people are all sane.
The times that I’ve had to pick up from the UPS warehouse (basically, anytime a signature is required), however, have not been fun. I have to get there at 6pm to be at the front of the line by 7pm, which is when they close, so that I might be lucky enough to get the package off the truck when it comes back to the warehouse. Not fun.
A suggestion for UPS: Allow recipients to change their delivery destination (within reason) while the package is still en route to the local delivery center, not after delivery has been attempted.
I tried to ship some packages to Italy this January through UPS. It was way more of a hassle than it should have been.
First, we went to the local UPS store to be told that she couldn’t ship packages that were being billed to receiver. We tried to do it online, but ended up spending 8 hours sitting at home waiting for our online-scheduled pick-up. We called the hotline, to be told that they can’t pick up packages at our location (after the website allowed it!).
A half-hour later, the truck shows up. He says we don’t have the right paperwork, but tells us how to get it. He then says we should STAND ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD DOWNTOWN AND FLAG A PASSING UPS TRUCK DOWN instead of having him come back the next day!
After calling a few more numbers, we finally found someone who would help us for real, and that guy came back and picked up our packages whether he wanted to or not.
It’s Florida–hard to find good help…
I buy lot of stuff online. Never had a trouble with UPS or FedEx. Normally USPS is also very good but never, ever send time critical stuff by USPS. Their delivery confirmation mechanism doesn’t work. If the package is lost, they will not have a clue what happened to it.