Full Version: UPS Delivery Intercept
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#1]
28 Mar 2007
To: ALL
It seems that I get orders every other week that are shipped close to my deadlines, and to make matters worse, they are shipped to me rather than drop-shipped to my client. This is in spite of the fact that I circle the "ship to" address with a Sharpie so they notice that it is different than our regular mailing address.
There have been a couple occasions where my supplier had attempted to re-route Fed-Ex packages, which ended up delaying them even more and making matters much worse. Fortunately they were able to re-print them and get them out the door via expedited shipping. It makes for a very expensive mistake for them. Hopefully, UPS has developed a system that is dependable. I prefer UPS over Fed-Ex, but I am sure we have stories to share on each side of that argument.
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UPS Launches Flexible Delivery Service
UPS has announced a new service called UPS Delivery Intercept, a Web-based, automated interception service that will make it easier for shippers to reroute packages before delivery.
With UPS Delivery Intercept, a shipper can use a UPS package application such as UPS WorldShip, UPS CampusShip or UPS Internet Shipping, click on the 1Z tracking number and request a reroute. Interception requests also can be made through a shipper's myups.com account as well as via UPS Signature Tracking. "We send hundreds of packages a day, and sometimes they get shipped to the wrong address or customers want to change the shipping address," says Kelly Ladner, purchasing manager for Western Printing (asi/358760). "This will be really useful."
Shippers can access the service 24 hours a day, and use it for packages being shipped from and to anywhere in the United States and Puerto Rico. The interception can happen even after the package is on board a delivery vehicle. "There are so many times I could've taken advantage of this," says Dannette Gossett, president of Gossett Marketing (asi/212200). "Clients realize they haven't given us the correct address, maybe they've transposed the numbers or they need to go to a conference and need the package shipped there, but once it's in transit you can't stop it."
Now shippers have a number of options including returning the package to the shipper, redirecting the package to a new address, holding the package for delivery on a future date or for pickup by the consignee. The service costs $10 per interception.
EDITED: 28 Mar 2007 by DATAKES
From: Paul (JACKPETTY) [#2]
28 Mar 2007
To: ALL
From: Cindy (CINDYM) [#3]
29 Mar 2007
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#1] 29 Mar 2007
This service will either make UPS or break them. I can't think of a more valuable service they could provide - provided it does work as promoted. I can think of many cases where I would have used this service in the past, and I'm sure I'll use it in the future. $10 is nothing if you are at risk of missing a deadline, no matter whose fault it is.
I, too, prefer UPS over FedEx - mostly because my UPS arrives at the same time every day so I can schedule around their arrival if I have a tight timeframe to meet a deadline. FedEx arrives any time between 8-6, so I can't count on the package even arriving before we close for the day. If we are closed, and I can't wait for it, they just put it on the truck for next day delivery - again sometime between 8-6. Unless it is an air shipment, I can never tell when it will really arrive.
It will be very interesting to see how this new UPS service works out. I wish them luck.
Cindy M
From: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#4]
29 Mar 2007
To: Cindy (CINDYM) [#3] 29 Mar 2007
Cindy,
FedEx will charge a shipper for "Next Day Priority", which is supposed to be delivered before 10:00am. They say that we're in too small of a town for them to guarantee early delivery....so we might get our package on time, and we might not.
It's worth noting that FedEx will NOT refund (or credit) a shipper if they don't meet the 10:00am deadline in our area.
As you pointed out, our UPS guy is here at about the same time every day, and they are very reliable.
Our first UPS bobble happened this week. One of my new school customers called me at 6:30pm Monday to tell me that he didn't order enough medals for a track meet on Tuesday. Wouldn't you know that I didn't have enough in stock to cover what he needed!! 8-O
Since it was after 5:00, I couldn't order the medals from Continental in Dallas.....I had to order them from California, and ask for next day priority (UPS) delivery - to the tune of about $130. >.<
My UPS driver dropped off our packages on Tuesday about 11:30. No package from Continental. :-&
I called our local UPS hub, and they told me that they had picked up the package from the Continental warehouse in California, but for some reason had not sent it to Dallas......it was still sitting in Los Angeles!
Long story short, I had to close my shop for the afternoon to make a mad dash to Continental in Dallas, then assemble the medals (in my car), and deliver them to my customer.
A lot of trouble for a handful of medals....but they've ordered well over $2,000 worth of awards in the last 30 days, so I'm not complaining! As an added bonus, they pay as soon as they get my invoice - no waiting 30 to 45 days for payment!!! B-)
From: Cindy (CINDYM) [#5]
29 Mar 2007
To: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#4] 29 Mar 2007
And that, my friends, is great customer service!
It is a pain to have to close your store to fix a client problem, but there have been times that it just has to happen if you are a small shop and don't have the personnel backup.
What you did was going the extra mile, and your client will hopefully remember it for some time to come.
Cindy M
From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#6]
29 Mar 2007
To: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#4] 29 Mar 2007
Perhaps for a handful of medals, BUT, I doubt any of your competitors could or would be able to beat THAT kind of service.
GOOD JOB!
From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#7]
29 Mar 2007
To: ALL
In my previous life in the upholstery business, I was working with a decorator that had ordered some draperies and window treatments for a very well to do customer... The decorator had the window treatments sent UPS.
The order got broken up into a couple of different shipments.....on ended up in another country...the other lost completely.....the customer was needless to say NOT very happy with the service UPS provided.......
The customer?
The Heiress to the UPS empire........ SOMEONE I'm sure, got FIRED!.
It happens to us all.
From: Rob Mc (ROBMC) [#8]
29 Mar 2007
To: ALL
Just a funny addition, I once had some laser printer toner being sent Fed-Ex to Ireland from the US, it was accidently sent to IR (or IE) instead of the code IRL.
IR turned out to be Sri-Lanka -- eventually got to me
simple error though B-)