Friday, June 19, 2009

UPS and UPS Stores are on my Shit list

On a regular, sporadic basis I send letters that I have to prove got there. When I do, I use UPS or Fedex. I got used to using UPS since Big Tony was a vendor. Before him and since his passing, I’ve not had a problem, other than the fact that the UPS Stores that I’ve gone to have no bedside manner.

That changed starting a little less than two weeks ago. I sent a ground letter from the UPS Store at Toco Hills here in Atlanta (yes, I’m naming names) to a lawyer’s office about ten miles away. The address it was being sent to was 6000 Something, 325 Something, Atlanta, Georgia 303something.

Tuesday, I got an Email from the lawyer asking when he could expect to see what I’d sent him sometime before. I called and told him I’d sent it via UPS and asked him to check around the office. He called me back and said he didn’t have it. I went on line and found out that UPS had the package, had had the package since the day I sent it. UPS tracked its incompetence quite nicely. I seemed that it couldn’t deliver because it didn’t have a suite number, which it had, see the paragraph above. It nicely told via the website that it sent a POSTCARD to the recipient the second day, not calling me, the UPS Store, or Emailing either of us. Each day it updated the fact that it was waiting for a good address. (The recipient never got a postcard.)

So, I called the UPS Store and talked to a nice lady named Susie (not her name, she was the only polite person in this story). Fast forward, she told me on Wednesday that UPS, she thought, would be returning the letter yesterday and she would have it resent and call me

No call. I called the store and left a message. No return call. I went over this afternoon.

The two women there had little interest in my problem as I explained it. The one with an attitude cut me off in my explanation saying that Susie was not there, that I should come back on Monday and “file a claim.” She also made quite clear that the UPS Store was not responsible for the problem since UPS had picked up the letter.

I told her that we were going to solve the problem while I was there. “Susie’s not here.” “Give me the owner’s name and number.” The non-attitude woman said she’d call him. I explained the problem, he asked me to hand the phone back to his employee. She said uh huh a couple of times and hung up.

She called Susie who did not answer the phone. That was pretty much all the two ladies had for me.

Steaming, I left the UPS Store at Toco Hills. Keep that name in your head - don't go there. I got back to the office and had a voicemail from the owner. The letter was at the store, he was very sorry, though he clearly said I couldn’t have a refund because, the letter wasn’t resent to the recipient at the time it was sent back to his store (because his employee didn’t do that). I called him and he had no explanation as to why Susie hadn’t called me, why the letter had not been resent, why his employee was rude, why neither knew the letter was in the store. He offered to find out the answer to these questions. I told him to forget it, I’d go back over and pick up the letter and get it to the recipient on my own.

I drove back over and walked to the counter, “I believe you have a package for me?” The rude woman walked as slowly as she could to the package, picked it up and walked as slowly as she could to me. I took the package and walked towards the door.

She said, as sarcastically as I’ve heard in a long time “you’re welcooooome.”

I called the owner when I got to the car and described his employee’s conduct. He was apologetic saying his employee’s conduct was not acceptable. No it wasn’t. Is that the employee’s fault, or his for hiring someone with an attitude? I’m thinking more him than her, she’s just got an attitude, he’s running a lame business.

Boycott UPS and UPS Stores! There, I’ve got it out of my system.

17 comments:

fermicat said...

Where is that damn pony express when you need it?

Dave said...

The horses would probably get colic or something and cop an attitude.

Hedy said...

I had a similar situation a few weeks ago - "there was no suite number" so they couldn't deliver it. As it happened, I sent a similar package (long story) the same day to the same address via FedEx which arrived safely and as scheduled. Again, UPS sent the notification to the recipient - who of course never received it - and I sat there wondering WTF. I am no longer using UPS because of it. I could feel myself getting angry all over again reading this - but I'm glad I'm not the only one who has experienced this.

Anonymous said...

I have been to that same ups store and they were lovely. You must have had a nasty attitude when you walked in there. I dont know of anyone with an attitude at that store. This is very childish of you to blog about it.

Dave said...

Hey Anonymous, were we to assume that I had a "nasty attitude," totally unjustified by my experience, what kind of business reacts the way I've chronicled? And were that the case, why did the owner apologize twice?

Do you really think I made this stuff up? I've praised UPS several times in posts - do a word search for UPS on the blog.

And to follow up on the story, Monday, after I picked up the letter, I used a map program, drove directly to the recipient and delivered the letter.

I praise and pan with equal frequency, the Toco Hills UPS store did a really bad job. Anon, perhaps you have an agenda? Swear now, you're not associated with the store?

molly gras said...

Oooooo ... sic'em Dave!

Anonymous said...

All I'm trying to say is I think this blog post might be a tad bit biased. In my experience, the employees at the UPS store have been more than helpful and are never rude, unless it is warranted. I feel that your sarcasm and hostility may have played a part in the customer service you recieved. Had YOU checked your attitude at the door, like so many of us fail to do, maybe your experience would have been a more pleasant one. And no, I have no affiliation with any UPS store. I just found your thinking to be horribly skewed and your anger to be completely misplaced.
Judging by your picture, I can safely assume you are a dick and have nothing better to do with your time than to sit and blog about how you were "mistreated" by a major corporation. Calm down there Sparky, you're no self-righteous crusader and you aren't fighting for mankind here. So you had a bad experience, get over it and move on.

Keith said...

Dear Anon,

We live in the good ole' US of A where we have freedom of speech. As far as I can tell, this is Dave's blog and he can post whatever he wants to. I've read his blog for a long time and can tell you this, he is fair and tells it like it is. He simply paid for service and didn't get it.

Dave has no axe to grind, so take a f'ing hike.

Hedy said...

C'mon, Anonymous. 'Fess up. You work for the store in question. Hell, it's quite possible that you work for UPS. In addition to being an extremely bad liar, you're a total newby to this sector of the blogosphere. Dave rarely gets anonymous comments and after 3+ years I've been reading his fine blog, no one has EVER treated him as you have. I don't like you for many reasons - mostly for calling my always fair and charming friend Dave a nasty-wasty swear word. But also for forcing me to use the word 'blogosphere'. Why don't you post your name and a photo of yourself? Because you are afraid we'll see you for the ugly, lying troll that you are. Instead of focusing on improving an obvious customer service disconnect within your business, you choose this? Move along, you are so not welcome here.

Anonymous said...

Yea, Ditto - what Hedy said.... and it's been so long since I have logged in here - I can't remember my sign on right now and don't want to check the 'anonymous' button like the fearless Dave attacker up there. So, I am Laurie - and here's a link to my blog (which, as I've said, I haven't updated in a LONG time!) http://cosmkmffn.blogspot.com/

Dave said...

Hey guys, thanks for the stirring defenses, though I was hoping for someone to say that gray is distinguished. And, Laurie, thanks for stopping buy again.

I actually don't mind anonymous commenters. Everyone should be able to say what they want to say; if anonymity helps that, OK.

Posol'stvo the Medved said...

Gray is distinguished, Dave.

Or so I have heard.

At nearly 42 years of age, I have a very full head of dark hair, and the only hair product I use is the occasional pomade (for those of you poised to accuse me of dying it).

Now, Anonymous, *that* was an example of being a "dick".

;)

Dave said...

Wonderful Pos.

Anonymous said...

Dave is right. I have every right to be anonymous just as he has every right to use his freedom of speech. I guess I missed the memo saying anonymity makes me a coward. And for the last time, I have absolutely no affiliation with UPS. You can believe me or not, it really doesn't matter.

Hedy- Does your 3+ years of reading the musings of a bitter old, yet very distinguished, man make you feel accomplished? Should I take offense in the fact that you are a upstanding member of this "blogosphere" and I am not? OH SHIT! I'm not in your blogosphere, whatever am I going to do? Frankly, I wouldn't want to placed in the same sphere as such a pretentious person like yourself.

Dave- Finally, some sense! I was merely expressing my discontent with your thinking. Nothing to get all hot and bothered by. So everyone can calm down.

Hedy said...

Like I said, it's time to move along, anonymous.

Dave said...

Hedy, I sent a link to the post to UPS customer service. I guess they do follow up, a week later, though she apologized for the delay.

All being said and done, I'll, I'm sure, use UPS again - it's one of two games in town.

Jenn said...

wow.

SEE what I missed? You got a great pissing match going on here and I missed it.

I usually pick UPS over FedEx but only because FedEx takes money for overnight deliveries to Momma's house and then delivers a week later and won't refund. Where UPS just tells people flat that you won't get it there for at least two days and guarantee it for three.

I have never had a bad experience with UPS but I have had plenty of bad experiences with old bitty women that don't feel like doing their job and go all PMSling on you like it is your fault.

I think you did the right thing.