ups sux w/pics

sswv · January 03, 2007, 05:32:00 PM

gang! I know 'jdc' personally and know that he packages with the ut-most care and always insures. UPS screwed this one up for sure. I agree with Meathook on this one "DON'T GIVE UP". I NEVER and I mean NEVER use UPS. Maybe someone from there should read this post.

Ted Fry · January 03, 2007, 05:35:00 PM

jdc , i HAD THE SAME KIND OF RUN IN WITH ups , i TOOK IT TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT AND WON . iF YOU NEED MORE INFO i WOULD BE HAPPY TO HELP . kEEP ALL THE PAPER WORK AS WELL AS THE PACKAGE , YOU WILL NEED IT. dARN CAP LOCKS

ChuckC · January 03, 2007, 05:59:00 PM

While eating lunch in DC one afternoon, I WATCHED the UPS driver tossing packages from the front of his van to the back....not sliding them...THROWing them. Then, on top of that, one of the packages was booted...KICKED from front to back. Had a few words with him. I was pissed and the packages weren't even mine.
ChuckC

hickstick · January 03, 2007, 06:17:00 PM

Don....UPS now outsources ALL damage claims, so the second you mention the word claim you are on the phone with someone who works for the insurnce company. and they could care less....

Walter Mauney · January 03, 2007, 06:44:00 PM

I know a fellow that makes custom guitars and he packs them very well inside a padded case. Then, he puts them in an oversize box with even more padding.

He told me the reason was that a UPS driver told him that they need to be packed to withstand a 10 foot drop!!!! :eek:

Bjorn · January 03, 2007, 08:01:00 PM

I have never had FedEx deny a claim of an insured shipment. The Post Office does good work too................UPS is a total waste in my book. Indifferent customer service and just a bad attitude in general. Don't understand why people bother to use them.

SaskBushMan · January 03, 2007, 08:31:00 PM

I would say just for the heck of it send UPS a email with a copy of all the feedback in this post I know it won't accomplish anything but send it to the right people and it will give them an idea of what people think of there service.

x_count · January 03, 2007, 08:38:00 PM

Had a similar incident with UPS. My wife worked as a paralegal for a personal injury attorney at the time and one little phone call from them to UPS got my money. Ambulance chasers are good for something after all!

bbassi · January 03, 2007, 09:52:00 PM

My sister works for Overnight which was bought out by UPS last year. I'm going to send this to her to get her reaction.

You all are scaring me because I'm getting ready to mail a bow to Australia. The shipping alone was $170 for UPS vs. $290 for fedex. oye.

hickstick · January 03, 2007, 09:52:00 PM

walter..not far off...one of they methods they use to approve packaging is to climb up a 8 foot step ladder and drop the package (with contents enclosed) several times on all sides and corners to "simulate dropping from one conveyor belt to another in their sorting facilities" if it can survive that with the package, packaging, and contents undamaged...it gets approved.

Mark Fedrizzi · January 03, 2007, 10:09:00 PM

File a small claim--when there insurance contractor calls you (most likely they will have to have an attorney represent them in court)---tell them what your damages are--including your time and expenses to file the claim--time off from work etc--etc--come up with a figure--IF they disagree then tell them it sounds like WE will have to have a judge make a decision---

That usually rattles their cage--

Good Luck--

Meathook · January 03, 2007, 10:24:00 PM

Marc, no doubt things have changed some.

I would become their worst nightmare. Hell hath no furry like a Meathook scorned. :D The unfortunate reality in this world is the squeaky wheel does get the grease.

Call them everyday and remind them a company is not defined by how they do business when everything goes right that is what people expect when they pay for the service. Tell them a company is defined by how they react when there is a service failure.

They have a simple choice, make it right, and have a customer that speaks well of them or don't do what is right in which case (after small claims if necessary)you will make it your personal mission to tell at least one person everyday how much UPS sucks and that you plan on living a long long time and that's a lot of bad press.

Meathook · January 03, 2007, 10:31:00 PM

I should also mention I have no beef with UPS they were a great company to work for I learned a great deal that has served me well over the years. The people I worked with were some of the most dedicated hardest working people you will ever meet.

My guess is when they went public, although it made a lot of people very rich, things changed some. When you have to answer to the stock holders your priorities can change.

redant 60/65 · January 03, 2007, 10:34:00 PM

I stopped using UPS a year ago same thing about packaging, my packages would show up half opened and the driver would just look a me and say well? use Fed-X or USPS.

Raineman · January 03, 2007, 10:38:00 PM

Not telling you something you haven't figured out yet, but I do a fair amount of "Ebay"ing and have used UPS exactly ONE unpleasant time (Hint: I shipped something very heavy). I use US Postal Service ALL the time, and have had NO problems EVER.

I used to work in a shipping department in Baltimore packing various electronic metering devices, and our "packing criteria" was vastly different for UPS. Criteria for them was in the "overkill" department.

9 Mile Archer · January 03, 2007, 10:41:00 PM

The key to getting money or refund or whatever you are searching for from a large company is to convince them as quickly as possible that it will cost them far more to fight you than to handle their business properly. Often that means getting a well drafted letter and than doing some sleuth work on finding out who is the highest ranking person you can get it too. Sometimes you may need it sent on legal letterhead. You can also try to get information off of Wall Street paperwork. Find out where headquarters are and ask for the secretary of the highest ranking person in the company(know their name). Tell your story to the secretary and compliment their business, then ask if you could speak with Mr. CEO. My father is 72 and a semi retired, he can somehow get through to the top secretary in huge companies and then get the CEO or COO on the phone to discuss his problem.(Make sure you know the top Officers names) You would be amazed what he will do to get refunds for stuff that turned out crummy. His tips are to 1. Be resourceful, 2. Be patient, 3. Be polite, 4. Be persistent. The sad truth is that you have to make it more trouble for them to say no than yes. Or bend the ear of someone up high. Sometimes it works, other times he's just a 72 year old man on hold

mqqse · January 03, 2007, 10:41:00 PM

I think the horse is dead on this one, but I'll throw my $.02 in as well:

If you need to ship UPS, double box. Someone mentioned guitars earlier and I sell them for a living so I can tell you that UPS requires it on fragile and delicate items of the like.

Be sure and use sturdy cardboard boxes. Some of the boxes I've seen lately are pathetic and do not withstand the 'normal' handling from one truck to the next.

The extra time spent on obtaining the right boxes and doing a good packing job is much cheaper than filing a claim. Never, ever skimp on packaging. I think all of us would rather wait a day or two longer and get our goods safely than receive a damaged bow.

For what it's worth, I'd follow the same rules for USPS as well.

SCATTERSHOT · January 04, 2007, 11:20:00 AM

Anything will break if you abuse it enough. Seems like UPS has a reputation of abusing it enough! Good suggestion above about taking them to court. I don't use UPS at all any more. They are expensive, their service sucks, and they are not very helpful if you have a question.

Besides that, if you are shipping a gun, they require their premium overnight service. They went to that because THEIR EMPLOYEES were pilfering the packages. What a concept!

If you're in a hurry, USPS offers Priority Mail, which usually gets anywhere in the lower 48 in two days.

vermonster13 · January 04, 2007, 11:30:00 AM

USPS also offers Express mail which is Guaranteed Two days and one day to many places. Still cheaper than UPS. The conveyors UPS uses are real hard on bows.

Pasty Face · January 04, 2007, 01:36:00 PM

If it makes you feel any better I smashed the front windsheild of a UPS truck with a snow ball when I was about 12. The driver road by and said to me and my freinds "I bet you cant hit me", well I sure did, you should have seen the look on his face.

I ended up giving my Dad all my Christmas money that year. Dang UPS