When it absolutely has to be there...

AVOID FEDEX LIKE THE PLAGUE.

Dear FedEx:

This is the fifth time you have failed to deliver. Service in this area is pathetic and inexcusable. The first time, my new printer died unexpectedly. I put a call in to Brother and then sent me a replacement. Brother has this pathetic policy about taking a credit card during a warranty exchange because they want that original printer back and will charge you if you fail to return it. The printer arrived perfectly, and then Brother wanted the old printer packed into the same package returned within three days or the charge would go through. I called FedEx on the 2nd day when I had the new printer up and running. The delivery guy drove right by my house and never stopped. I called the 800 number and was told he'd definitely be there the next day. I explained the whole credit/charge issue and was told he would definitely be there. So I stayed home that next day and surprise, surprise he never came. Brother's Customer Service had to intervene and fight it for me, which thankfully they did, and also deleted the charge for me. The next morning the FedEx guy came and then never apologized, even after I made comments.

So the second time, I'd ordered some necessary items for a wedding and was guaranteed by the company that they could send FedEx and I'd have them on time. The FedEx shipment was set for two days before the wedding. They never showed up the day they were supposed to, nor did they show up on the day before the wedding. I spent more time on the phone with their stupid automated system than I should have. (KEY- As soon as that computer answers say "REPRESENTATIVE" and you can bypass the whole system). So I spent hours talking to the reps at the 800 number, and they had to page the truck driver who said he had the package, but he'd already delivered it. The address wasn't even close to mine - I still remember it was Cherry Street in a neighboring town and we live on Stone Bridge Road. The FedEx driver said he'd return to the Cherry Street location and try (emphasis on the word TRY) to retrieve the package.

So the day of the wedding, I had to leave no later than 11:00am, but was willing to push it to 11:30 and be a little late for the reception set up. By 10:30, there was no sign of the driver, so I was already on the line. 11am came and went. The driver finally agreed to meet us at a local gas station at noon. PATHETIC. So I decided after this that I was no longer going to use FedEx if I could possibly avoid it.

A year later, we were refinancing online and the bank only used FedEx. I told them I'd had horrible luck with FedEx, but they said the package with documents needing signatures would arrive on Wednesday at the latest. The loan was going to be cancelled if they didn't have documents by Friday at 5pm. The documents never came Wednesday, so I started calling. FedEx couldn't locate the package at all. I did get them Thursday at 5:15pm, turns out a truck never got unloaded. It was too late to send them back that night, so I'd already arranged with the bank to get an extension, which they did grant given FedEx's screw up.

So it's been well over a year since I've bothered dealing with Fedex. Then we decided to start the renovations on our kitchen this year. I have a small kitchen and we are trying to piecemeal it so that we aren't paying a load of money all at once. So my husband found this marble topped buffet that he loved that would give us extra counterspace and provide us with colors that we liked and could now rely on for the refinished cabinetry. The buffet left FedEx on Friday and two day delivery was the only way the company will ship. So the furniture vanished on Monday - but they quickly found it and guaranteed delivery on the 3rd. I made sure I would be home all day yesterday. I watched the truck sail by my house at 6pm, but I figured he'd go down the road and then back up like usual. By 7:30, still no sign of him. So I started calling. I finally got a live person at 7:45 and she has to have been the most idiotic airhead known to man. Her first response was that he was running late. I told her I'd rearranged my day because delivery had been assured. So she responded by saying that mistakes happen and that I would have to make sure someone is home all day today because she has no idea what time he'll come. I told her I wanted delivery first thing in the morning. Flat out, I was told they do not guarantee delivery times and that I'd just have to reschedule my day to make sure I was home until 7pm. So I started getting mean - by this point I really didn't care-- she went into her computer system and then said that she'd found a driver note stating "The furniture is too bulky to deal with tonight, so I'll deliver when I have more time this week." What kind of pathetic excuse is that??? They will accept the money for the delivery but then hold off delivering because it is too bulky?

Save yourself the hassle - UPS has never let me down.