How long does it take to change a customer’s address when they move? One might think that Fedex, a shipping company, would have a pretty good handle on that kind of thing. Not so. Nick moved four years ago, and has been trying to convince Federal Express of this fact ever since. He’s not just a package recipient: he’s a customer of theirs.

Quick background, I’ve been a Fedex account holder for years, and have used their service both for my small business and personal shipping. About 4 years ago, I moved, and called FedEx to update my address (for invoices and the like). For about a year, all communication from FedEx was still going to my old address, and being forwarded, so I called again and updated my address (with FedEx having no record of my change of address in the system, but they assured me that it was updated now).

Fast forward two years later, and all FedEx communications are STILL apparently going to the old address. In that space of time I called twice more and also tried updating my address on the FedEx site. Oddly enough, the site showed my correct address, but all communications continued to go to the old address. The only way I knew when invoices were due was when I started getting harassing calls from FedEx asking me to pay up. Each time, I would chew them out royally and have them update my address AGAIN.

So, four years later, nothing has changed. All FedEx communications are still apparently going to the old address, so I submit a help ticket online one more time (having no other idea what to try). Two weeks later, I get an email from FedEx Ireland’s office informing me that they can’t help me with a US account issue. Seriously. Submitting the help ticket through FedEx’s USA website routed it to Ireland.

Enough was enough, so I opened a complaint with the BBB, knowing that they couldn’t really do much. One week later, FedEx sent me a letter stating that my address had been updated (uh huh). After four years of being told this, I was rather skeptical.

Unfortunately, the BBB considered the matter resolved and closed the case. FedEx made no attempt to explain or make any amends for the last 4 years of headaches that their incompetence caused.

So, this is a cautionary tale or sorts for anyone who uses FedEx. How much can you trust a shipping company that can’t even update an address in their system for an account holder in four years of constant asking?

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