Latest shipping survey

tieguy

Banned
We take a beating on the pricing. Read some of the comments below too. Those are pretty positive about our service and the drivers in general.
 

tieguy

Banned
this thing is scary. She's somehow discounting the fdx package. She's accepting the promised time in transit instead of using actual performance which is where we shine.

The post office and their "don't weigh the box" campaign is a real threat. And it's being subsidized by first class mail and the taxpayers since they are losing money.
 

Hangingon

Well-Known Member
I was curious why her total shipping cost differs from her cost on FedEx prices? It is that way on every classification.

They are not allowed to cross subsidize, and how are taxpayers paying? Yes they lost money but I didn't see them asking for a bail out, just changes to their charter, ie 5 day delivery.
 

tieguy

Banned
I was curious why her total shipping cost differs from her cost on FedEx prices? It is that way on every classification.

They are not allowed to cross subsidize, and how are taxpayers paying? Yes they lost money but I didn't see them asking for a bail out, just changes to their charter, ie 5 day delivery.

I could be wrong but I always thought the post office was not supported by taxpayer money unless they have a deficit. In that case I thought the deficit was settled with tax revenues.

Its a terrible survey that has access to a lot of internet viewers. The pricing is not explained very well and again no peformance results.

 

barnyard

KTM rider
I do not understand the pricing either. In most cases, the Fedex price is listed as being close to UPS, but the final price is substantially lower. Where is the discount coming from????

The author claims that all her stuff is delivered 'on time.' Yet, in my delivery area, the Fedex ground guy only does certain areas of his 'route' 2 days a week. He has no problem leaving packages in his truck for 2-3 days.

The Express guy is not much different. He tells me that he routinely leaves 'runners' until he has another delivery for the area. If it is a Friday, there are areas that he does not cover.

It seems the Fedex guys routinely get away with service failures that would get us fired.

It surprises me that most people seem to tolerate this kind of service. On another board that I visit, a poster said that a neighbor of his is a FedEx ground guy and that he typically sheets 20-30 stops a day as 'not in' even though no attempt was made. Isn't that fraud?? and why hasn't a customer filed suit????

The poster seemed OK with that, as he thought the neighbor was over-worked, but when I pointed out that shippers would be denied a refund under the 'service guarantee,' he agreed that it was a crappy deal.

I also do not get the people that seem to think we like having to attempt delivering a package 2 or 3 times. My 1st year of driving someone accused me of that (to my face) and I said (directly to that person), "Are you effing kidding me???? I want to get every box the eff off my truck, the absolute last thing I want to do is go to your house more than I have to. I HATE going to your house."

I am still kind of surprised that they did not call in a concern......
 

Floridacargocat

Well-Known Member
The premise of that study/comparison is that everything works as it should work. No data has been provided/included that service is made on the day that it was promised (tracking system).
USPS is admittedly an entity that does not make a profit (who pays for the losses???). Fedex appears to shine, but does it really hold to the promise they make?
UPS is the most expensive (at least in this comparison), but were all factors (and achievement) of service compared to the other entities on an apple-to-apple basis?
 

Signature Only

Blue in Brown
Out here, UPS handles most business deliveries. These companies order supplies, parts, etc for just in time delivery. They've all had the opportunity to use Fed-Ex but switch back within 3 to 6 months due to shoddy unpredictable service. The same with residential customers who order regularly.
Customers who seldom order things don't seem to care if it takes 2 weeks to arrive.
 

tieguy

Banned
I'm reading through the comments of the survey. I'm surprised to see how many people consider it good service for us to knock on the door and wait for them to answer it. Goes counter to our knock and drop philosophy.
 

Floridacargocat

Well-Known Member
Isn't it surprising that the customer wishes a personal contact and not just an impersonal brush-off (box is dropped as per company procedure)? The customer is a person; sometimes he/she is happy just to receive it, sometimes he/she is really appreciating a word/sentence of what we (as a company) try to achieve: to fulfill the promise of service as it was contracted.
This appreciation, is it included in the IE metrics? Companies in the United States are always put on pedestal when it comes to service (compared to companies in Europe), but I have questions in this respect when it comes to the metrics of IE of UPS. Small gestures go a long way.
 

TheDick

Well-Known Member
Some folks only see one or two people all day. UPS guy is one of them. Mailman could be the other if you catch him shoving mail in ur box at the bottom of ur driveway.

As far as the beating on pricing Fedex is more expensive(maybe she's comparing published rates on one and not the other), but they do give a great teaser rate. Just wait till Jan when volume drops and FDX reverts to published rates (when you numbers arent good enough-sound familiar?) without telling you . You would not like that bill.
 

BoogaBooga

Well-Known Member
I don't doubt that we are the most expensive carrier. I wonder if they used the UPS Store which is an even more expensive, but very convenient way to ship.

As quickly as the business climate and circumstances can change in this down economy, UPSers really have to be on their game-ALL the time.
 

BLACKBOX

Life is a Highway...
The comments on story made by customers are amazing. They are just as many FDX haters as there are UPS haters. But there are a common theme. Most has to do with damages and drivers of both companies not waiting a reasonable time for the customer to answer the door.

People just don't understand the time constraints we are under.
 

BLACKBOX

Life is a Highway...
I'm reading through the comments of the survey. I'm surprised to see how many people consider it good service for us to knock on the door and wait for them to answer it. Goes counter to our knock and drop philosophy.

For some reason missed reading this post, I kinda mirrored what tie-fighter just said.
 

rod

Retired 22 years
I would say out of the last 10 deliveries to my house 8 came via FDX Ground. To be honest I had no trouble tracking them nor were any of them late or damaged. The FDX Ground driver that delivers to me is about as grubby as they come BUT he is always in a good mood and is actually quite funny. Last time he was here he told me that he no longer needs a horn since his muffler fell off. He knows I'm retired UPS so he likes to give me a hard time. I don't play the "if you don't ship it UPS I don't want it game". I'm just like 99.9% of the rest of civilization- I just want my stuff as soon as I can get it, in good condition and for a reasonable price. I would tell you about the UPS driver that delivers to me but I never see him other than a fleeting glimps as he blasts down the road 20 mph over the speed limit. He is strictly hit and run -------------Imagine that:wink2:
 

JonFrum

Member
I could be wrong but I always thought the post office was not supported by taxpayer money unless they have a deficit. In that case I thought the deficit was settled with tax revenues.
Its a terrible survey that has access to a lot of internet viewers. The pricing is not explained very well and again no peformance results.
Two informative articles on the Postal Service, which was created in its present form as a quasi-independent corporation, by the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 . . .

"Taxpayer subsidies to the USPS were phased out between 1971, when they covered 23 percent of costs, and 1983. Today, an appropriation to the Postal Service proportional to that paid in 1971 would cost nearly $16 billion annually."

"The USPS delivers more items in one day than Federal Express does in a year and more items in one week than United Parcel Service does in a year."
 

outamyway

Well-Known Member
I'm reading through the comments of the survey. I'm surprised to see how many people consider it good service for us to knock on the door and wait for them to answer it. Goes counter to our knock and drop philosophy.

I see this all the time at a another forum I frequent every time a UPS thread comes up. People always complaining about the knock(or lack there of) and drop service. There are also complaints about any package being left at the door when they aren't home.

Also at this forum, unions are not very well thought of. Another thing that might cost us some customers is when this railroad act BS starts getting more public attention(when congress actually does something about it). If the bill passes and people start to see how much effort UPS put into throwing the union dice around, it's not going to help some of our customer base.
 

bumped

Well-Known Member
Most of the things I order on ebay come USPS, and I have to say I don't care how long it gets to me. Most of what I order is my hobby anyway. I just want it in good condition.
 
D

Dis-organized Labor

Guest
I see this all the time at a another forum I frequent every time a UPS thread comes up. People always complaining about the knock(or lack there of) and drop service. There are also complaints about any package being left at the door when they aren't home.

Also at this forum, unions are not very well thought of. Another thing that might cost us some customers is when this railroad act BS starts getting more public attention(when congress actually does something about it). If the bill passes and people start to see how much effort UPS put into throwing the union dice around, it's not going to help some of our customer base.

I don't mind my doorbell ringing and seeing the UPS driver walking away, but that's because I know how busy they are.
On the other hand, that personal exchange is a good way to build that personal relationship that may make a difference when faced with a lower price from a Competitor.
I know UPS's culture is maxxing out each driver, but I think factoring in some time for some Customer rapport should be right up there with the "Take Charge" program, if not higher.
(I obviously do not have a future in I.E.):wink2:
 

mcpisani

Member
AS I have said in my building in five years FEDEX will be in line with UPS it will be a 50 50 split package wise after five years ups will start to nose dive there is nothing going to stop FEDEX. All upser's need to have a back up plan.:sad-very:
 
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