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Zedcars

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 5, 2010
406
718
Brighton, UK
I'm so annoyed!

I was informed that my MB Air I ordered would be delivered today so I took the day off work, excited that I'd soon be getting it.

I've been waiting patiently and then heard a familiar sliding door outside.

I looked out the window and sure enough it was a UPS van. But he was outside the wrong house...2 doors up from me! It was pouring hard with rain so I figured maybe he's just trying to find the parcel and he'll be along in a minute.

I waited, waited...then tried to get his attention but he didn't see me. I went to get something and when I came back he driven off! Aaaargh! :mad:

I went to track my order and it said:

08/04/2011 11:48 A.M. The customer was not available on the 1st attempt. A 2nd attempt will be made.

The customer was available! Jeez.

How can he get the house number wrong - it's printed isn't it?! It clearly says my house number on my Apple email. I've had 2 other deliveries today without a hitch.

So I called UPS to complain and they said they get back to me in an hour.
 

Character Zero

macrumors member
Apr 27, 2005
94
79
It was pouring hard with rain..

Sounds like he didn't want to get out of the van again. Its so frustrating, with my UPS guy I think he rings the bell and then runs back to his van. Haven't signed for anything UPS in a long time.
 

Zedcars

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 5, 2010
406
718
Brighton, UK
UPDATE: Well, they just came back and delivered it to me. There were two guys this time, one looked more senior. Neither of them even mentioned the f***up, no sorry or anything. They didn't look too happy about it - well that's their fault, not mine.

Then when the senior guy went to hand me the MB Air - he ********** dropped it on the wet steps and it slid down! I can't believe this. How difficult can it be to drive around and deliver things safely to the right houses?!

I almost said something, but then decided to just sign for it and let them go on their merry way. I just hope all that messing around hasn't damaged the thing.

I'm happy HQ sorted it quickly though.

I think they must have really low wages for these courier guys. I've read a few other negative stories about UPS.

Ya pays peanuts, ya gets monkeys.
 

mystik610

macrumors regular
Jul 23, 2011
116
0
I think they must have really low wages for these courier guys. I've read a few other negative stories about UPS.

Ya pays peanuts, ya gets monkeys.

I have a friend that works for UPS. They're unionized and they get paid a lot more than you think they do....and arguably, more than they deserve.
 

KPOM

macrumors P6
Oct 23, 2010
18,020
7,863
They are unionized here in the US, so I'm guessing the pay isn't bad if you can handle the physical workload.
 

Zedcars

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 5, 2010
406
718
Brighton, UK
I have a friend that works for UPS. They're unionized and they get paid a lot more than you think they do....and arguably, more than they deserve.

Wow, really?! Hard to believe. Maybe it could be put down to pressure from above to get the rounds done quickly or something. But then, they just wasted more time. Go figure.
 

GoCubsGo

macrumors Nehalem
Feb 19, 2005
35,741
153
<snip>
Then when the senior guy went to hand me the MB Air - he ********** dropped it on the wet steps and it slid down! I can't believe this. How difficult can it be to drive around and deliver things safely to the right houses?!

<snip>

Ya pays peanuts, ya gets monkeys.
I question what you do and what you have done for work in the past. First, they don't get paid peanuts. How hard is it? Physically it is hard but generally speaking it is not the level of difficulty, it's that they're required to unload their entire truck in that one day. They don't have time to **** around for some customer. Now, he was wrong, if the story did in fact happen as you said. However, don't undermine someone and their job because a mistake was made. People make mistakes all of the time. Undoubtedly, if it continues he'll be let go, but things do happen. It's a good possibility that he didn't see the package in the truck. Either way, he could have been wrong but you don't need to demean the guy.
They are unionized here in the US, so I'm guessing the pay isn't bad if you can handle the physical workload.
Yup. It's a job that many line up to get. It's not easy and not everyone makes it but it does pay well and provides a good living.
 

mystik610

macrumors regular
Jul 23, 2011
116
0
Wow, really?! Hard to believe. Maybe it could be put down to pressure from above to get the rounds done quickly or something. But then, they just wasted more time. Go figure.

Yup. They're paid hourly, and if the rack up enough overtime, can reasonably make close to 70k or more. Not spectacular, but they're hardly underpaid and they make much more than most people expect.

I think average at UPS is about $25 an hour....which is close to what my wife was making when she was fresh out of nursing school about 4 years ago. Both are physically demanding jobs, but she has lives at stake...he has packages at stake!

The UPS driver you dealt with half-***ed his job. No excuses.
 

udontno

macrumors 6502
Jul 19, 2011
319
121
VA, USA
I think when he dropped it, I would have had to have said something. Then I would have had to called HQ back. I'm sure those guys handle tons of Apple products and he knew damn well that a computer was in that box. He should have been more careful.

FedEx delivered my computer the day before yesterday (MBP). They came back yesterday while there were four people at my house, vehicles everywhere and dropped of my $100 giftcard for the back to school promotion. They left a slip for us to sign so we can get the printer... ummm... you must have not knocked on that door. We've got a half pit bull-half lab that stays in the house and she hates strangers, anyone with a hat, ohhh and especially people with strange packages! Next time I will have to do a better job of stalking him.
 

uspp144

macrumors newbie
Feb 28, 2011
23
0
Rockville MD
Yup. They're paid hourly, and if the rack up enough overtime, can reasonably make close to 70k or more. Not spectacular, but they're hardly underpaid and they make much more than most people expect.

I think average at UPS is about $25 an hour....which is close to what my wife was making when she was fresh out of nursing school about 4 years ago. Both are physically demanding jobs, but she has lives at stake...he has packages at stake!

The UPS driver you dealt with half-***ed his job. No excuses.

It so happens I showed this to my friend who retired from UPS and he said that 70k figure is right on.
 

blipmusic

macrumors 6502
Feb 4, 2011
250
23
In my experience UPS is among the worst door-to-door logistic companies for non-corporate deliveries here in Sweden. Don't know about other countries, though.

They don't call, they have never even left a note on a missed delivery. If I hadn't tracked the packages myself (and I'm guessing many people don't), I wouldn't even know they had tried. My package(s) would have been sent back to its sender every single time if hadn't intervened myself. This happens every single time, regardless of drop-off point. [EDIT: Just for the record, I live in a relatively large city not on some far off mountain top.]

When I try to call their support, I am told that the drivers have no mobile phones and "that they can't be expected to call every customer pre-delivery". Right. The different support offices even contradict each other, with one saying that they'll try to call before arrival. Nu-uh you won't, as evidenced by numerous failed promises. I call them back and I get the "Yeah, we can't call you before delivery...". That wasn't what you said last time I called...

When I check their online tracking service there have even been special notes explicitly saying seomthing along "the customer needs to be contacted before delivery since a code is needed for the front door". This note in the tracking system was followed by a failed delivery note. At that place there was an intercom at the door. Of course they never tried that.

I wish moving would have helped but they still fail to deliver my goods.

DHL calls me 10-15 minutes before arrival to check if I'm available. Every single time. A 20 second call. A 20 second call that would have saved UPS trying blindly again and again before finally sending the package back without me even knowing they have actually tried to reach me in the first place.

Frankly, I'm at a point where I'm wondering if they even try knocking before making a note of a failed delivery.

Whoever finds it economically viable to make the same trip over and over, rather than picking up the phone should be fired.

I'll never use UPS again. If the only available delivery method for a product is via UPS I'll pass from now on and choose a competitor who has other delivery methods available.
 
Last edited:

gentlefury

macrumors 68030
Jul 21, 2011
2,866
23
Los Angeles, CA
At least you got it!

A few years back a ordered a pretty high end GPS Nav (I think it was $500-$600)...it was supposed to be delivered while I was at work...I was tracking it....it never got delivered. I get home and there isn't a note on the door....I look up the tracking info and it says it was delivered and signed for BY ME!!! So they delivered it to the wrong door, with signature required and it STILL got delivered wrong! I had to file a police report and amazon shipped me a new one next day...that was a PAIN!
 

VMMan

macrumors 6502a
Mar 29, 2009
766
239
I always buy from Amazon because if anything goes wrong with the item, they make it very easy to return/exchange.

I would let the UPS incident fade into memory and just make sure you buy from a retailer with a customer oriented return/exchange policy.
 

OneMike

macrumors 603
Oct 19, 2005
5,813
1,795
In my experiences

It all depends on your location. At my job, where I have most things delivered. USPS, FedEX and UPS are all great.

At home FedEX is the best, UPS 2nd, USPS puts notes in the box 8/10 times saying they attempted delivery when they really didn't.

The one time I had to deal with DHL. First they said they came, but really didn't. I called and complained. They came right back, guy knocked once and put package down and ran (or threw box at door and ran.. actually now that I think back I bet that's what he did).
 

Apple OC

macrumors 68040
Oct 14, 2010
3,667
4,328
Hogtown
sending anything UPS is hit and miss ... even the Post Office is more reliable ... UPS is famous for losing or damaging packages
 

3bs

macrumors 603
May 20, 2011
5,434
24
Dublin, Ireland
I've had both good and bad experiences with ups. I would have been so pissed off if they'd dropped it right in front of me
 

jagolden

macrumors 68000
Feb 11, 2002
1,518
1,390
I'm so annoyed!

I was informed that my MB Air I ordered would be delivered today so I took the day off work, excited that I'd soon be getting it.

I've been waiting patiently and then heard a familiar sliding door outside.

I looked out the window and sure enough it was a UPS van. But he was outside the wrong house...2 doors up from me! It was pouring hard with rain so I figured maybe he's just trying to find the parcel and he'll be along in a minute.

I waited, waited...then tried to get his attention but he didn't see me. I went to get something and when I came back he driven off! Aaaargh! :mad:

I went to track my order and it said:



The customer was available! Jeez.

How can he get the house number wrong - it's printed isn't it?! It clearly says my house number on my Apple email. I've had 2 other deliveries today without a hitch.

So I called UPS to complain and they said they get back to me in an hour.

Here's the deal, did it come on the day it was supposed to? If so, you've go no reason to complain.
 

Darth.Titan

macrumors 68030
Oct 31, 2007
2,905
753
Austin, TX
I've had both good and bad experiences with ups. I would have been so pissed off if they'd dropped it right in front of me

To all those that are so shocked that the guy dropped the box...

Have you ever been to a UPS or FedEx shipping hub? You really think that they handle a package from Apple any differently than any other package?

These packages are not babied in transit folks. That's why Apple's packaging is so good.
 

squaremon

macrumors regular
Jan 18, 2008
165
0
lol at least it's ups nit TNT. If TNT they'll just drove off n u'll be waiting another week
 
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