UPS really wants you to get your package
I've been lurking for a while, and finally decided to join because I'm seeing some misinformation about UPS (I work there...).
I'm not going to go through all the threads and reply. I'll just post here: read it, don't read it. I did my bit for king and country.
**The watch packages are too high value and too prone to possible issues. They will not go SurePost
**If it were me, there's no way in hell I'd presign for my package and leave it to the discretion of the driver in leaving it. He can
a/leave it if it appears safe and that's up to him if he thinks it won't get stolen.
b/ignore your presign and NOT leave it if there's a chance it's going to go walking. That means you'll have to wait until he finishes his route, gets back to the hub and the unloaders get it out of the truck. Add a day for this.
**I saw some nonsense from one poster that your package could be delayed because 2nd day air and overnights take priority for loading. Utter BS. All the regular ground is loaded first, along with second day air. Overnights are via plane the day of delivery (unless it's a weekend and that means they'll come in Friday and sit secure in the hub for the weekend.)
As there is no option for delivering the watches other than standard delivery, they'll all be loaded into the trucks as they come off the trailers that bring them into the hub. That's totally random, but as long as the trailer that's bringing it inbound gets there on time, then it'll go back out for delivery the same day. The daily goal is to have every package wrapped up and loaded for delivery no later than 905am. The only instances I've seen where inbound trucks have been late have been due to weather. This winter I saw that plenty. As it's April, barring some freakish act of nature, I don't see that happening.
**In most instances, carriers will establish contracts with companies on how many packages we will accept from them on a daily basis into the system. I have no firsthand knowledge of Apple's contract or package per diem, so I can't offer facts. I have to believe because it's Apple, it's a substantial number. There are already conversations going on at a local level to make sure we're staffed, prepped and ready to rock so there's no delays on our end. Conversations are happening from the higher up's right down to the guys and girls who load the packages onto the trucks for the drivers. We absolutely want you to get your package without delay (NOTE: I'm waiting on two watches myself...)
**IF IT WERE ME, I'd have the package diverted to a local hub pickup. Call UPS the day after you get your tracking number. Apple generates the tracking number and it takes a day to get into our systems. Have it held for pickup and avoid waiting on the driver and all the presign nonsense.
Note: if your local pickup counter opens at 8am, your package may not be at the counter waiting. When you hold a package for pickup, the systems have to generate the exception which will find the package in the building when it's scanned for outgoing delivery. Those packages are held and sorted out so they can be moved to the counter. We try to get them done as we can, but if it's a busy day that might not be until shift wrap up (i.e., AFTER the counter has opened). So, if that helpful counter person is scrambling, it's because the package hasn't made it to the counter yet.
To that end, if you call UPS and have the package diverted to another address, or a UPS Store, etc., you risk adding another day (or more) to getting the package in your hot little hands. We'd have to locate the package in our pipes, readdress it and get it where you want it to go. Depending on where you're rerouting it, you might even be changing it to a different hub for us to complete it properly.
Hope that clears up some of the inaccuracies on how UPS is going to get the job done. If your package is coming to you FedEx, well, I got nothin'...
