Pissed Off Customer.

SuperHandler

Active Member
Everyday these bulk packages arrive at the station absolutely destroyed. Usually weighing around 70 lbs. So I go do my bulk stop like any other day since this customer is a regular. The customer is already having a bad day since the stop was Dex 08 (we didn't have enough help to make 10:30 promised time). So when I arrive I start unloading the boxes on pallots since all the docks were taken by semis. The customer was angry with me since all her help was out to lunch and I arrived after they left. The customer finally lost it when one of the boxes broke open at the bottom. It was to the point, talking it out was not an option. So, I file a lead on to Sales telling them the situation. To say the least, I'm bringing a tape roller with me. And for the record, the packages are destroyed in transit to our station. Thoughts on this my fellow Couriers?
 

dezguy

Well-Known Member
Whenever something like this happens, I explain to the customer that I can only control how packages are handled once they are on my truck. Also, sounds like the shipper needs to do a better job packaging.
 

SuperHandler

Active Member
Well said D. The shipper ships out huge boxes only half full with clothe-like material. It's kind of sad really. Considering the blame gets put on a "roughing up" reputation that FedEx has. (Customer stated that).
 

UPS4Life

Well-Known Member
Not a package car driver but hopefully once the new year rolls around and UPS starts their new way of charging by weight and dimension it will help reduce situations like this. I see it every night boxes destroyed and it's sad, especially when we are not even at peak yet


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CJinx

Well-Known Member
We see it a lot in the station; customers order a ton of household goods and/or food from big box retailers and have it shipped to their home. Shipper's warehouse does an inadequate job packing it and expect a single piece of tape to hold in 50+ lbs of stuff in a box. Bottles of laundry detergent and other liquids loaded in the box sideways or even upside down. Heavy items on top of fragile items (jug of detergent flattening a box of cereal, lol). Recipes for disaster.
 

Cactus

Just telling it like it is
We see it a lot in the station; customers order a ton of household goods and/or food from big box retailers and have it shipped to their home. Shipper's warehouse does an inadequate job packing it and expect a single piece of tape to hold in 50+ lbs of stuff in a box. Bottles of laundry detergent and other liquids loaded in the box sideways or even upside down. Heavy items on top of fragile items (jug of detergent flattening a box of cereal, lol). Recipes for disaster.
As long as the shipper gets it out the door and the companies numbers are made, sadly that is all they care about in America these days. I'm more than sure that the "packers" are under the gun to make numbers so there's no time for more than 1 piece of tape let alone quality. Kinda' sounds like Fred's way of doing business.

But why on earth do people need to order crap like this in the first place? Last I heard grocery stores are still in existence.
 

CJinx

Well-Known Member
But why on earth do people need to order crap like this in the first place? Last I heard grocery stores are still in existence.
Walmart offers free shipping on orders of $50.00 or more. If you don't need it right away and want to buy in bulk, you can have it shipped to your door at no cost.
 

Cactus

Just telling it like it is
Walmart offers free shipping on orders of $50.00 or more. If you don't need it right away and want to buy in bulk, you can have it shipped to your door at no cost.
And merchandise prices at the store and online will go up accordingly.
 

SuperHandler

Active Member
I like to buy fragile things in the store and bring them home myself. Maybe I'm crazy but U-Haul works wonders for me since I don't have a truck. If you can't afford the 100 bucks, you shouldn't be buying big ass televisions. But what do I know?
 

fedex_rtd

Well-Known Member
If you notice that you are doing regular deliveries to this customer and you want to do yourself a favor by not having to deal with it, make a suggestion to the customer that he/she contact the shipper and have them move it as Express Freight. We have a 151 pound minimum weight, but if your talking 3 70lb boxes your already there.

Save your back and don't deal with it.
 

Brownslave688

You want a toe? I can get you a toe.
Well said D. The shipper ships out huge boxes only half full with clothe-like material. It's kind of sad really. Considering the blame gets put on a "roughing up" reputation that FedEx has. (Customer stated that).
I would flat out tell them. It's not us its the shipper. If you want every package handled delicately you'll be paying freight prices for everything.

People don't realize it would cost $40 to ship anything if we handled it like they think it should be handled.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
When I went to close out my UPS Store today I saw an actual wooden wagon wheel in the outgoing pile. The owner knew that I probably wouldn't take it and he was right. The damn thing weighed 93 lbs, had a metal ring as the tire and already had one broken spoke. I took a cell phone pic and sent it to my on-car, who agreed that we shouldn't pick it up.
 
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