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This type of situation will vary, depending on the driver, independent of the carrier.
Because my UPS driver is so reliable, and because the FedEx guy is such an irresponsible dirtbag, I try--if possible--to select UPS if I am given an option.
The UPS guy always leaves packages on my covered porch, and he rings the bell before he zooms away, which helps if I am at home. By contrast, the jerk who drives for FedEx almost always leaves packages in front of my garage doors, because that saves him about 25 steps. On one occasion, he left paper sacks of dry lawn chemicals outside my garage doors on a day with torrential rain.
Whether someone's problematic delivery service is UPS or FedEx, or DHL, or...whatever...you need to complain to the management folks if you feel that you are getting lousy service.
It was raining all day and I actually put a large plastic bag on my door handle with a note on my door to the UPS guy to put the box in the bag and he didn't bother to use the bag. Then after I called to complain the same scenario happened the next day.
Sorry, but UPS drivers are under no obligation to use your bag plastic or otherwise. While it would have been a nice gesture if driver complied am more than sure it isn't part of their job description/duties.
Your frustration is appreciated; however since the drivers are hard pressed for time and their instructions are to deliver as quickly as possible, the odds of him/her stopping long enough to see/read the note is unlikely. Plus the fact that it was raining.
One has to wonder if calling their customer service ever does any good; do they really tell the drivers about the phone call?
If you work, Is there the possibility of having your packages delivered there?
I think a little side trip into the history of package delivery services might be in order here:
The delivery of small packages was, in its own right, a much less-common event in America until the late 19th century, when an expanding rail network made it possible to more a larger volume of merchandise at lower cost, Three "express" companies, Adams Express, Southern Express, and Wells Fargo emerged as major players -- each one dominant in certain regions. There was little co-operation between the three, so infrequent or irregular shipments could "fall between the cracks". The Post Office also offered the option of Parcel Post.
Pickup and delivery in rural areas was often the responsibility of station agents who were employed by the railroads; these men also sold passenger tickets. and copied and issued the train orders which governed movement of trains when the schedules dictated by regular timetables became unsustainable due to weather, breakdowns, accidents, etc. In somewhat larger communities or urban neighborhoods. local merchants were encouraged to operate "parcel drops" in return for a small cut of the business -- just as today. And in large cosmopolitan cities with many non-English speakers, that could translate into local petty corruption -- which might get bigger when combined with other "clandestine enterprises", such as gambling, liquor, etc.
But the railroads, for whatever reason, never viewed "express" business as much of a moneymaker -- too widely-dispersed and "overhead" was too difficult to account for. So in 1929, all the major railroads founded a consortium called the Railway Express Agency -- each member holding shares in proportion to the volume of business generated. For any number of reasons, but most likely due to the simultaneous emergence of over-the-road trucking on all-weather highways, Railway Express never evolved into a very stable enterprise.
The history of United Parcel service began in 1907, as a local delivery service in Seattle; it gradually expanded, particularly into what is usually called the Intermountain region (Portland, Salt Lake City, Denver) areas where the volume of business was relatively light and the cronyism of the big cities wasn't sustainable. But it began to expand as the trend toward suburbanization both expanded the exurban customer base and the old network of Railway Express and local "drops" slowly broke down. It also entered the big cities by buying up the "operating rights" mandated for, and issued to common carrier truckers in the days of regulation. By the 1960's it had established itself as a coast-to-coast operation.
As to the previous competition, Wells Fargo, as most of us are aware, evolved into a bank, and Adams Express eventually morphed into a mutual fund. Southern Express never recovered fully from the fallout of the Civil War, and founder Henry Plant turned to the development of railroads and resort hotels in Florida. The Railway Express Agency continued to be somewhat of a white elephant, trying to re-invent itself as a common-carrier trucker -- just in time to be caught by the deregulation movement of the late Seventies.
UPS remains dominant in the small-shipment business; Federal Express grew out of an overnight-delivery air-based service operating from a single hub in Memphis, and acquired Harrison, AR-based American Freightways as a highway-carrier division. European-founded and -based DHL made a bid for American domestic business for a number of years, but abandoned the effort at the start of the 2008 recession, and now solicits only international business, where it remains the major player.
Last edited by 2nd trick op; 11-22-2016 at 09:12 PM..
This type of situation will vary, depending on the driver, independent of the carrier.
Because my UPS driver is so reliable, and because the FedEx guy is such an irresponsible dirtbag, I try--if possible--to select UPS if I am given an option.
The UPS guy always leaves packages on my covered porch, and he rings the bell before he zooms away, which helps if I am at home. By contrast, the jerk who drives for FedEx almost always leaves packages in front of my garage doors, because that saves him about 25 steps. On one occasion, he left paper sacks of dry lawn chemicals outside my garage doors on a day with torrential rain.
Whether someone's problematic delivery service is UPS or FedEx, or DHL, or...whatever...you need to complain to the management folks if you feel that you are getting lousy service.
If you are referring to FedEx ground, then yes quality there often varies...
First and foremost FedEx ground unlike UPS was put together by FedEx (who originally only dealt in over night and second or third day air), to establish a ground delivery service to counter a market UPS had pretty much sewn up.
IIRC FedEx ground was cobbled together by that company buying up a bunch of ground package delivery services. Problem is at first the thing was not integrated into FedEx and that caused (and still causes) headaches.
Next and the more important thing is FedEx ground routes for the most part are franchises. Anyone can purchase one or more of these routes. Problems start with who is hired or whatever as independent delivery/truck drivers.
My problems with UPS hasn't been with them leaving items on my front porch to get wet, probably because even when it's raining, they put the items underneath my front porch where the rain won't get to them.
My biggest issue with them have been mis-delivery of packages. This definitely seems to happen more with UPS than with other shippers (USPS, etc.)
UPS does not suck nearly as bad as FedEx. I constantly hear complaints about them.
I once paid a LOT extra for a Saturday delivery to a business that needed a part on Saturday or they would be out of business. Of course it did not arrive.
UPS does not suck nearly as bad as FedEx. I constantly hear complaints about them.
I once paid a LOT extra for a Saturday delivery to a business that needed a part on Saturday or they would be out of business. Of course it did not arrive.
Well UPS does not even deliver on Saturdays ever so theres that...
I have never had a problem with UPS, they are very efficient, & it's easy to track your package.
I dread having anything delivered by the US Postal Service...have lost track of how many pieces of my mail/packages that were misdelivered, "lost", left in the rain, including crucial prescription meds, and if you file a complaint, nothing comes of it, they could care less, and even have an attitude about it.
Regarding FedEx, I had a driver leave a perishable package in the hot sun, upside-down, when it was a few steps up a sidewalk to the shaded porch. After the first delivery, I called FedEx, they assured me it wouldn't happen again, & with the next delivery, the driver did the exact same thing.
OP, I think you are the problem, not UPS.
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