Fedex - WTF?

[stobro]

Fedex tracking says my package is in the truck and out for delivery at 1:46 this morning. Expect delivery between 10:55 and 2:55. I work in my home office that has a window facing the street. I know every vehicle that travels down the street. At around 1:15 a small Fedex Ground van/truck stops at the house across the street and drops off a box. Then it goes 2 more houses down and drops off another one. Then it leaves. Hmm, maybe my package is on a second truck. Around 1:40 I decide to check the tracking site to see if the delivery has been delayed. It says a delivery attempt was made at 1:13 PM and no one was home to sign for it and another attempt will be made tomorrow.

WTF!?

Those lying SOBs! I called their customer service number (which is nowhere to be found on the tracking page) and had to endure a slew of computer questions before I was eventually connected with a human. I explained the situation as best I could without hurling expletives. The guy contacted the local dispatcher who said they would "try" to contact the driver and have him attempt (another) delivery this afternoon.

I'm not holding my breath.

 

Edit- This is guitar related, or at least it will be eventually (I hope).

[mrjamiam]

Your box is too heavy and awkward.  He's leaving it for the guy who drives the route tomorrow to handle.

[DaveH]

Just wait until the tracking shows it as being in town, and then updates to indicate it has been passed to USPS. When that happens, it generally takes another 3-4 days until you see it. I have no clue what is going on in this situation unless its some sort of bail-out for USPS, but it has happened to me with Bothe UPS and FedEx.

[kizanski]

2 minutes ago, mrjamiam said:

Your box is too heavy and awkward.  He's leaving it for the guy who drives the route tomorrow to handle.

Ouch!  Fuck that guy in particular!

[Willie G. Moseley]

Could be worse: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/12/01/fedex-driver-dumped-packages-ravine-alabama/

[stobro]

I got a call back from the local Fedex office and they said they were able to contact the driver and he is supposed to attempt to deliver my package later today. Let's hope it's an actual attempt and not another outright lie. The excuse offered by the organization that the driver reports to was that my package got buried in the back of the truck and they didn't see it. Yeah, a 4ft x 1.5ft .5ft box is so tiny it could easily get lost inside a delivery van that could fit in my garage. And how does that qualify as "made an attempt to deliver but no one was available to sign for it"?

Apparently Fedex is outsourcing some of their delivery work to outside contractors who don't actually work for Fedex, even though they drive Fedex marked vehicles?

[0054]

If it is on the truck to you that is good. I recently had an item where I talked to the driver and he brought it back for deluvery or would have dropped it iff at my wifes salon. That kind of accomodation would never happen with a call center.

 

Hope you get it!

[woodpile]

I am stunned that you got a real person on the phone who might even live in this country. Bravo Sir, your ninja phone prowess is impressive.

[stobro]

It's a Festivus Miracle! After airing my grievance, what should appear at my doorstep but a Fedex driver with a package for me!

I bought myself a present after nearly 2 years of abstinence. I'll have to let it warm up for a few hours before I remove the rest of bubble wrap and open the case. Who knows how long it's been sitting at or below freezing in the past few days.

All this drama for a guitar that's probably only interesting to me.

 

[Dave Scepter]

3 minutes ago, stobro said:

Who knows how long it's been sitting at or below freezing in the past few days.

Why I never buy a guitar from the East coast in the winter

[Dutchman]

I watched a driver back into my driveway push 2 boxes out the back (JBL active Mains) and leave. They went right back as the magnets broke off the speakers. Same person is still doing the route! Must be hard to find delivery staff...

[hamerhead]

7 hours ago, stobro said:

....was that my package got buried in the back of the truck and they didn't see it....

5 hours ago, stobro said:

Yep.

[stobro]

Here's a quick update. The guitar survived its ordeal. It's a G&L Comanche hardtail that's been on Reverb for months. I decided to give the seller what I thought was a lowball offer and he accepted. Maybe I should have offered less? Anyhoo, it's from 2014 and is in better than new condition. I mean there's not a single mark on it or the case. I'll start a NGD topic and post a few more photos. Now I have to brave the Christmas Eve shoppers and get some fresh strings. I used to have several sets but they all got used over the past few years.

 

[scottcald]

Love the color.  A few years ago, I had a client FedEx something overnight to me to arrive by 10am.  I was at home and checking the delivery updates every so often.  Right about 10am, it's marked delivered.  I call FedEx and tell them there's no chance because I'm sitting right here and can see right outside.  The person was apologetic etc.  It got delivered about an hour and a half later, but they marked it as on time.  BTW, this was July, so no holiday rush or anything. 

[django49]

I hate the seasonal screw-ups......A few years ago, I was awaiting a delivery of a rather high end guitar on a cold day. Yes, FedEx. Got a pop up that it was delivered. Nope, not here. A call to them (I actually got through). It was delivered to our numerical address, but on a different street 3 miles away. I hopped over there to find the address down a long secluded driveway with plenty of signs warning of dogs, guns and trespassers.  I did knock, getting only barking. So, do I leave it out on a cold and exposed porch for an unknown time? HOPE FedEX sorts it out?

Being mindful of all that and possible neighbors that would spot a person carrying something away and calling the Sheriff, I went back to the car, wrote out a note and carried it back home. It turned out okay.....The homeowner did call later and I explained. He was clearly not expecting a $4k guitar and it was all cool.

But we should not have to deal with these things!

 

BTW, nice guitar! I had something similar back when and it was a good one.

[tomteriffic]

A few years back I was anxiously awaiting something that was coming via FedEx and the experience taught me an important lesson.  Always have a phone number visible on the package.  So, I get a call from someone who asks for me by my more "proper" name (Thomas).  It's the FedEx driver asking where I am, he can't find my street number.  Says he's right where the number ought to be.  I happened to look out my office window across the back yard and there, in between two houses to my rear, I can see a sliver of FedEx truck.  I ran out of the house to where I was visible in the gap between the rear houses, told the driver to look to his left and waved at him.  He had misread his almighty GPS by one block.  And then there was the time when a super important overnight got lost for 5 days when it was 3 miles from the house....

Haven't had much of a problem with UPS. I know the driver on this route.  He knows that if he has a delivery for me it's either a guitar or ammunition and if he effs it up there's gonna be trouble 🤣.

[HamerCustomEr]

23 hours ago, stobro said:

All this drama for a guitar that's probably only interesting to me.

How can you say that to us on this forum?  Of course, we are interested!

[stobro]

2 hours ago, HamerCustomEr said:

How can you say that to us on this forum?  Of course, we are interested!

Well, it's not a Hamer or a Shishkov (or a Heritage?), and it's not vintage or anything. I always wanted to see if I can get strat-like tones without hum, which is what these z-coil pickups promise. But I also hate vibrato bridges, so I had to find a hard tail. And it had to be used, because I'm cheap and don't want to spend new-guitar money.

So far, I'm impressed.

[HamerCustomEr]

1 hour ago, stobro said:

Well, it's not a Hamer or a Shishkov (or a Heritage?), and it's not vintage or anything. I always wanted to see if I can get strat-like tones without hum, which is what these z-coil pickups promise. But I also hate vibrato bridges, so I had to find a hard tail. And it had to be used, because I'm cheap and don't want to spend new-guitar money.

So far, I'm impressed.

I had a Comanche, and I really liked the G&L Dual Fulcrum Vibrato Bridge:   it felt solid like the Saddle Lock Bridge to me, and I loved the pop-in arm.  The Z-coil pickups were great as well.  The only reason I got rid of the Comanche was the 1-5/8" nut width.  I had already moved to 1-11/16", and I have since moved to 1-3/4".   I know that you can get custom neck profiles, and the Classic Wide C is 1-3/4", but the only problem is that those custom builds are expensive.   If a 1-3/4" Comanche showed up on the used market, I would have a hard time resisting it.   Love the PTB system, love the toggle for combining the neck and bridge together.  So versatile!  I would also go for a used HB2 (now HH model).

[Dasein]

Got a new recording interface that has gone missing and no updates from Fedex - showing stalled in Portland for 3 days now.... Supposed to deliver to my WA state address on the 26th. I'm going crazy because I need that thing.... my old interface crapped out the week before Christmas - it's my only downtime where I can record with no obligations and I'm shut-out until this things arrives. Can't get through to trace or anyone live at Fedex - it keeps saying it's on it's way on the phone tracking update but hasn't show movement online for 3 days. Bullshit.

R.

[hamerhead]

34 minutes ago, Dasein said:

Got a new recording interface that has gone missing and no updates from Fedex - showing stalled in Portland for 3 days now.... Supposed to deliver to my WA state address on the 26th. I'm going crazy because I need that thing.... my old interface crapped out the week before Christmas - it's my only downtime where I can record with no obligations and I'm shut-out until this things arrives. Can't get through to trace or anyone live at Fedex - it keeps saying it's on it's way on the phone tracking update but hasn't show movement online for 3 days. Bullshit.

R.

 

Try this:

https://gethuman.com/phone-number/FedEx

I haven't tried that particular one, but GetHuman has been pretty good at connecting with live people at other places.

[cmatthes]

32 minutes ago, Dasein said:

Got a new recording interface that has gone missing and no updates from Fedex - showing stalled in Portland for 3 days now.... Supposed to deliver to my WA state address on the 26th. I'm going crazy because I need that thing.... my old interface crapped out the week before Christmas - it's my only downtime where I can record with no obligations and I'm shut-out until this things arrives. Can't get through to trace or anyone live at Fedex - it keeps saying it's on it's way on the phone tracking update but hasn't show movement online for 3 days. Bullshit.

R.

That is becoming more and more the norm - not just with FedEx.   Things get "parked" and instead of getting scanned and recorded at all points of travel, as we have grown accustomed to seeing, things will appear to sit at one location, sometimes for over a week, before suddenly appearing 3,000 miles away and "out for delivery".  I'm not sure what the deal is with this, but I'm seeing it now with USPS, UPS and FedEx as regularly as I was previously able to track progress of something "in transit".

Sucks.

[cynic]

I've had three different occasions over the last year where USPS ping-ponged a package between Atlanta and Memphis before finally getting it to me.  The most recent example traveled this route:

Savannah, GA

Jacksonville, FL

Atlanta, GA

Memphis, TN

Atlanta, GA

Memphis, TN

Atlanta, GA

Gulfport, MS

On each occasion the packages traveled as shown above, with two stops in Memphis and three in Atlanta before finally being routed correctly.

[Dasein]

5 hours ago, cmatthes said:

That is becoming more and more the norm - not just with FedEx.   Things get "parked" and instead of getting scanned and recorded at all points of travel, as we have grown accustomed to seeing, things will appear to sit at one location, sometimes for over a week, before suddenly appearing 3,000 miles away and "out for delivery".  I'm not sure what the deal is with this, but I'm seeing it now with USPS, UPS and FedEx as regularly as I was previously able to track progress of something "in transit".

Sucks.

I did get someone finally on the phone -- was told there were over 100 trailers parked at the depot and not only weather delays but severe staffing shortages - so most likely my piece is sitting on one of those trailers. The shitty thing is that they keep promising delivery and for me that means crossing the border to get it -- so trying to plan and arrange that trip requires knowing IF my interface is actually going to deliver. Part of their hesitation to not scan and not officially mark something as sitting at a depot is to avoid fucking up their own statistics for delays --- if they don't scan it doesn't count as being on a dock or in a warehouse - it's in transit (and they can just say "weather problems" vs "it's sitting here and we don't have the manpower to deal with it". There some sort of dash board taking and tracking stats so there's an angle for sure.

[scottcald]

Ugh.  Sounds a lot like the surveys every place asks you to take.  The people always say if you score less than 5 across the board, it's considered failing.  Then why aren't there just two choices - Best ever or Worst ever?

ETA:  out of curiosity what are you getting?