When it absolutely, positively has to get there???

Parabeagle

Now I'm mad! Need to vent.

Yesterday morning we shipped via UPS overnight (guaranteed 10 am delivery) two cases of batteries, two dozen flashlights, a case of glowsticks, and some other emergency supplies to our Alabama hotel, anticipating they would lose power due to Hurricane Ivan (and they already have lost power).

Tracking the order this morning, we see that it's in Birmingham, on a truck out for delivery.

Get a call from our manager down there - "Where's our equipment?" So we start making phone calls.

Finally get some guy in Birmingham at UPS who will not identify himself other than with his first name, telling us that our shipment is in their warehouse and they will not be delivering it because they don't want to endanger their drivers.

Can we send someone to your warehouse to pick it up?

"No."

Why?

"There's no one in the warehouse. We told them to stay home because of the storm."

But wait. We have a guarantee that says the product will be delivered by 10 a.m. These are emergency supplies they need down there!

"We're really sorry."

Well, are you going to at least refund the $400 we spent to ship the equipment?

"No. You still have to pay that."

Is there someone above you can I talk to?

"No. I'm the only one here."

Just needed to vent. An example of customer service at its finest, courtesy of UPS. Yes, sometimes natural disasters bring out the best in people, don't they?

Leslie

I'm thinking that after things settle down, you will be able to get you $400 back...when there is someone else besides old first-name-only in the warehouse!

sonny

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 09-16-04 AT 12:22PM (CST)[/font][br][br]We ran into some of this too Beags. Knowing what was coming, they shouldn't have guarenteed the delivery. We had a generator ordered coming from Ashville. They either got nervous and kept them for their area or something. It never did get here. It is frustrating, but depending on the winds they can't put their people in harms way either. Some people we bitchin when their power had only been out for a couple of hours, but the power company has strict rules. There guys can not be up when the winds exceed 40 mph. I have one co-worker who still has no power. If it is like Frances, it will get worse before it gets better. Again, good luck to all.

Edit: I would push for the refund

TN HR

That's what you get when you deal with a Teamster-infested organization. I've gotten the same complacent, entitled union mentality from them before.

Save yourself the headache of getting your $$ back. They have an act-of-god clause in their service level guarantee that lets them off the hook in cases such as these.

Gene

rad

UPS is a union shop; no way that's getting delivered.

System

There's something very profound about that thinking. Not delivering emergency supplies because there's an emergency?

Parabeagle

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 09-16-04 AT 12:55PM (CST)[/font][br][br]Ironic, isn't it?

But I've learned my lesson. Next time I need to do something like this, I'll label the boxes "medical supplies" or "human organs" or something like that. I don't think even Teamsters would decline to deliver those.

Edit: As of this writing, our manager down there says the wind still isn't gusting above 30 mph yet and the weather is mild. Bulk of the 'cane isn't supposed to hit for another 2 hours. Meantime, our boxes sit snug, dry and unused in a warehouse. xx(

Don D

Knowing how sensitive you are Beagle, I hesitate to sound insensitive, but will. This hurricane has been in the news for damned near two weeks. There was plenty of time for your organization to send those supplies down here on the damned train or by pack-mule! Trying to ship to a hurricane affected area the day before it hits fits in the old 'IQ Test' category.

Bridges, roads, superhighways, streams and various shipping lanes are out of commission, impassable or closed down in many areas in East Mississippi, Florida panhandle, parts of lower Alabama and probably Georgia by now. Ups trucks, like frogs, do not have wings.

Parabeagle

Oh, that's right, I forgot. I've been so tied up watching Beverly Hillbillies reruns I clean forgot there was a hurricane down there! How ignorant and short-sighted of us not to have planned ahead and shipped that stuff down when the first cloud appeared! I am chagrined!

Well, you know us dumb clucks up here, if brains were dynamite we wouldn't have enough to blow our noses.

Don D

What I was suggesting is that the media has blitzed this hurricane 24/7 for the past 7 days and constantly for the past 5. Even you guys in the land of OZ should have a safety program in effect for each facility that will likely be impacted by a crisis. It's an integral part of safety management and emergency preparedness in any industry. I suggest your company simply admit it was not prepared and pledge to not be in that position next time, rather than blame UPS. And there will be a next time. Maybe in two weeks. I feel that any root cause analysis will lead you to the same conclusion I have suggested. x:-)

Parabeagle

But...but... Don! I'm a democrat! I HAVE to blame somebody else! x:-)

Don D

Beagle: My sin was in offering a serious response to a thread on the funny board. If there is any part of either of my posts that you feel is inaccurate, untruthful or flawed, please point it out to me. Otherwise, please don't shoot the messenger. Have a good holiday.