2017-06-26

Why is FedEx Still in Business?

So... for the 3rd time in 5 days, because they obviously don't deliver on the weekend, I get a failed delivery notification on my door.  Same time every day, day after day.  On the first day, I noticed the delivery notification said I can reschedule or arrange for a pickup through "Delivery Manager."

Sounds great.  So, I go to the website, find out I have to make an account, and fill out the stupid form.  Except, it won't let me put the last digit of my postal code in... because it's not a zipcode, and I live in Canada.  No, it won't let me change the country to Canada either, despite the form having a very nice but quite non-functional country drop-down selection list.  After futzing about for a while, I find out that Delivery Manager is only for US customers.  So much for that.

And, next day, the next delivery notification.  You think that someone delivering to a residential address would figure out that if a person isn't home during the first weekday at 9am, they probably aren't going to be home the next business day, at 9am.  So... the form says 1st Attempt, 2nd Attempt, and Final Attempt.  I figure, if I miss Saturday, at least I can go pick it up.  No, they don't deliver on Saturday in Canada, apparently, despite what it says on the nice delivery notification, which should really be called the NO Delivery Notification.

So, on Monday, I get the Final Notification.  But, no address of where I can pick it up.  No information at all, actually.  After more futzing around on their website, I find that they aren't going to leave it anywhere I can pick it up.  They are going to keep trying for 10 days, presumably at exactly the time it's guaranteed that I won't be home to receive it, until they eventually give up and ship it back to where they picked it up.  That's nice.

So, I try to get some customer support on their website.  Nada.  Page not Found, over and over again.  Zero support.  Nothing, unless you count broken links.  So, you can imagine that I'm getting a little choked at this point.  I hate phones.

So, I call the number on the delivery notification, cellphone on a pay as you go plan as I don't have a land-line.  Haven't had a land line in a quarter century... I hate phones.  But, I call, and I get the machine.  It's useless, of course, so I ask to talk with a human.  Surprisingly, I get one, but he can't help me because I'm in Canada.  He has to transfer me to the International Support line.  You think the delivery notifications in Canada would have a customer support number that works in Canada.  I guess that's too hard for them to figure out.

So, I get transferred to the International Support line.  And, surprisingly, she says she'll arrange for it to be held at some sorting facility that isn't on the FedEx website store locator.  I have the address.  I just have to wait for them to call me and let me know they have the package.

I'll let you know if they ever call.

Honestly, I'm rather annoyed with this experience.  I tried to vent on their website, figured there would be some kind of complaint form, but nothing.  All dead links, page not found.  Makes a guy wonder how long it will be before it's "Company not Found."  It's pretty hard to make Canada Post look quick and efficient, but FedEx somehow managed to do it.

Sorry, had to vent.  If a stupid failing company can't even keep a website up enough to collect and trash complaint forms, then people will find other ways.  Maybe the next person searching the web for 'FedEx' and 'Complaint' will find this blog.  Misery loves company, after all.

Update:

So, after a few days, I get a garbled voice recording from a computer wanting me to go through a 3 minute customer satisfaction survey... on my pay as you go cellphone. I hung up... figuring that my expletive-riddled replies wouldn't be listened to anyway.  On a chance, I decide to drive the 30 minutes out to the industrial area where the warehouse is.  Apparently, they close for lunch, for a 2 hour lunch.  Luckily, I'm there early so I buzz the door.  Nothing.  I buzz again, and I get a guy on the intercom.  He buzzes me in and I get to this area with a big counter and nothing else.  But, a guy walks in and hands me my package.  Yay!  Wasn't that fun?

And another Update:

Just read the news, 2017-07-21. FedEx is starting to shut down their Canadian operations.  They say they'll still ship to Canada...  Yeah right.  Goodbye FedEx.

Sad to see all those people lose their jobs because of inanely stupid management decisions, but it was pretty obvious it was going to happen.  The only other disgusting part is that those managers will likely get bonuses because of all the money they 'saved'.