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UPS strikes again
- Thread starter Stinsok
- Start date
Putting Fragile on a package doesn't guarantee anything. In fact I was told by a driver that packages with Fragile are usually treated MORE harshly.
I shipped an amplifier through FedEx ground and somehow they manage to put the wrong address and the wrong shipper name. Now I have to go to the Kinko's and see what the hell is up!
Kinkos was no help. Called Fed Ex back and they told me they will investigate and call me back. In a week! I wrote them an email stating that, it is unacceptable to have to wait a week to see what happened. They know they sent it to the wrong house they know where the package is.
Damn you Fred!!
UPS drivers behave this way because of the way UPS management treats them. Routinely they have 'riders' along with them to identify where they can save time. They are under the gun to deliver deliver deliver, and they are not allowed enough time to address customers' interests.
And right now, rates charged by the US Postal Service is basically controlled by the private businesses like UPS, which are predictably refusing to allow postage increases to cover USPS costs, making USPS into an excellent target for elimination, in which case private carriers will be the only way to get mail delivered. Trust me.....mail will not cost $0.45 when that happens.
And right now, rates charged by the US Postal Service is basically controlled by the private businesses like UPS, which are predictably refusing to allow postage increases to cover USPS costs, making USPS into an excellent target for elimination, in which case private carriers will be the only way to get mail delivered. Trust me.....mail will not cost $0.45 when that happens.
From what I understand, the higher-ups also keep track of things like how many left-turns they make in a day and stuff like that.
Aren't Fed-ex drivers considered contractors or some other similar arrangement like that?
I have had over a hundred instruments sent to me , 2 years ago this month one squier got damaged and today i got a squier with a ding in it , not bad odds i guess
I would say the majority UPS by far , these are all estimates but i have owned 150 instruments, about 100 were shipped (bought online) 85% of those came UPS , the two that were damaged were UPS, and it was light damage the instruments were squiers and were still playable , one i returned and one i lived with it. The other 15% of instruments were 10% fedex and 5% USPS.
I actually keep a list of gear i buy so i could go through add up how much i have bought online and try to remember who it shipped through.
None of this "management chokehold" rationalization is relevant to the blatant mishandling of freight by drivers and handlers . The disregard of other people's property cannot be rationalized by the existence of property insurance, nor should the state of the company's stance in that business sector be brought into the fold either. Any perceived competition between the USPS and UPS is waged at the higher ranks, while the measuring stick of success continues to be how efficiently and effectively you get a deliverable from point A to point B and your profit margins from that transaction.
How well the job is done from beginning to end should be the measuring stick of a delivery company, not how fair or unfair management is treating their drivers. That's a fight between the drivers and their management - the people paying for the service shouldn't have any skin in the game.
To me, it's simple:
a. There's a job to be done (delivering goods on a schedule);
b. There are inherent risks (goods get damaged enroute & customer satisfaction is impacted);
c. The success of the task at hand is largely based on customer satisfaction and bottom line profit margins.
Drivers & Handlers who admittedly disregard the fragile nature of freight have no respect for the people they're impacting, themselves, or the company they work for. Hauling goods is what they do, and customer satisfaction is a by-product of the service they provide - if they don't like what they do, or who they do it for, they should opt out for another line of work - perhaps something that doesn't impact folks that don't really have a dog in their fight (no offense to Michael Vick).
The amount of packages handled in a 24 hour period is mind-boggling. Stuff is going to get damaged - even if every person who came in contact with a specific package handled it with appropriate care, there is still a lot that can happen to it. Most of us understand that risk, and that's why we insure the valuable goods. None of us should ever have to pay for insurance because we think some gorilla in a brown jumpsuit is going to throw around our musical instruments just because the box is marked "fragile" and he doesn't like his management.
By damaging packages, a driver has to deviate from his delivery route, pick up a package they've already delivered once, fill out paperwork and waste time, gas and most importantly, the company's money. Management then has to reassess how they can do things more efficiently, so they start going on drive-alongs and counting left turns or whatever they need to do. Basically, if a driver mishandles a package, that driver has just opened the door for more scrutiny and process changes by management.
Coffee's ready - gotta go.
Have a great Friday everybody!
How well the job is done from beginning to end should be the measuring stick of a delivery company, not how fair or unfair management is treating their drivers. That's a fight between the drivers and their management - the people paying for the service shouldn't have any skin in the game.
To me, it's simple:
a. There's a job to be done (delivering goods on a schedule);
b. There are inherent risks (goods get damaged enroute & customer satisfaction is impacted);
c. The success of the task at hand is largely based on customer satisfaction and bottom line profit margins.
Drivers & Handlers who admittedly disregard the fragile nature of freight have no respect for the people they're impacting, themselves, or the company they work for. Hauling goods is what they do, and customer satisfaction is a by-product of the service they provide - if they don't like what they do, or who they do it for, they should opt out for another line of work - perhaps something that doesn't impact folks that don't really have a dog in their fight (no offense to Michael Vick).
The amount of packages handled in a 24 hour period is mind-boggling. Stuff is going to get damaged - even if every person who came in contact with a specific package handled it with appropriate care, there is still a lot that can happen to it. Most of us understand that risk, and that's why we insure the valuable goods. None of us should ever have to pay for insurance because we think some gorilla in a brown jumpsuit is going to throw around our musical instruments just because the box is marked "fragile" and he doesn't like his management.
By damaging packages, a driver has to deviate from his delivery route, pick up a package they've already delivered once, fill out paperwork and waste time, gas and most importantly, the company's money. Management then has to reassess how they can do things more efficiently, so they start going on drive-alongs and counting left turns or whatever they need to do. Basically, if a driver mishandles a package, that driver has just opened the door for more scrutiny and process changes by management.
Coffee's ready - gotta go.
Have a great Friday everybody!
Unrepresented
Something Borderline Offensive
The idea that a fragile marking and an orientation arrow are sufficient protection against damage in transit is unrealistic.
I agree with the statement made above, that fitted, hardshell cases are an absolute minimum when shipping anything both as valuable and as fragile as a musical instrument. Yes, lesser methods may make it through unscathed on some transits, but the odds are against you. Only one person out of the dozen handling it has to make just a small error as it is sorted, stacked, loaded, carried, and driven for it to succumb to damage.
Shipping is an unkind business. Damages are absolutely guaranteed as a side effect of maintain timeliness and reasonable prices.
Avoid damages by using boxed, and double boxed hardshell cases. Ship air; it'll be handled by less people and spend less time in a trailer. Have it shipped to your work. Most carriers require signatures from commercial addresses. You'll have it signed for, it'll be secured, and you'll get it earlier in the day.
I agree with the statement made above, that fitted, hardshell cases are an absolute minimum when shipping anything both as valuable and as fragile as a musical instrument. Yes, lesser methods may make it through unscathed on some transits, but the odds are against you. Only one person out of the dozen handling it has to make just a small error as it is sorted, stacked, loaded, carried, and driven for it to succumb to damage.
Shipping is an unkind business. Damages are absolutely guaranteed as a side effect of maintain timeliness and reasonable prices.
Avoid damages by using boxed, and double boxed hardshell cases. Ship air; it'll be handled by less people and spend less time in a trailer. Have it shipped to your work. Most carriers require signatures from commercial addresses. You'll have it signed for, it'll be secured, and you'll get it earlier in the day.
Damn, I knew Id jinx myself...
I was looking at the tracking info for an Xmas gift I bought my parents. It said it was delivered yesterday at 4pm. Hmm, I came home at 6 and didnt see it on my porch, so I called my wife. She checked the patio and there it was, where it had sat out in the rain yesterday. Havent been able to check it, but hopefully only the shipping box will have water damage.
I was looking at the tracking info for an Xmas gift I bought my parents. It said it was delivered yesterday at 4pm. Hmm, I came home at 6 and didnt see it on my porch, so I called my wife. She checked the patio and there it was, where it had sat out in the rain yesterday. Havent been able to check it, but hopefully only the shipping box will have water damage.
They got my packages back and are routing them back to me since I refunded the buyer's money. Now let us pray they come back in one piece.
