Any Experience w/ FedEx Overnight?

[kaneohe]

I was supposed to get a package today. In the afternoon, I got an e-mail from FedEX saying it had been delivered at 2:42PM. Rushed to front door to find nothing. Checked mailbox in garage to find the same. Called FedEx who said it had been delivered at 2:42PM until I told them I didn't receive it. Then they said call back at 5:30PM. When I did they said the drivers don't get back till 6;15PM and that they would call me by 5:30PM tomorrow.

I didn't get any sense of concern or urgency on their part. What's your experience?

 

[audreyh1]

Much better than that! They are usually able to contact the driver quickly and figure out where it might have been left. Once I did have to walk down the street a few houses to retrieve it.

This rarely happens.

 

[Bamaman]

Sometimes the drivers make mistakes and deliver packages to the wrong address. Give the driver time to figure it out. But I thought they could communicate with drivers in real time.
Modern commerce is what it is due to FedEx and UPS being so incredible at what they do. I have no idea how I get one day delivery on tires and other large items. And Amazon deliveries also astonish me with so many items coming out of regional warehouses. My hat's off to those delivering packages this month, as they're working up into the night. And it's hard work.

 

[Lakedog]

Only experience I've had with FedEx overnight was not good. I sent a document for overnight delivery but FedEx lost it for a few days. Once found, it wasn't even in the same state as the intended delivery location so had them return to me. This was 4-5 years ago -- last time using FedEx for me.

 

[braumeister]

I've used it for 30 years, extensively at times, and had exactly one problem, many years ago. So in my experience it has been a great and very reliable service.

 

[kaneohe]

I have been told multiple times that, at least around here, they can not contact the drivers real time. Perhaps I can understand that but why can't they send a message that driver can read when he stops to deliver another package. They told me that they give the driver a piece of paper when he returns at end of shift stretches the problem out.

I was also told that they can tell where the driver delivered a package since he is supposed to scan the package at that time. If true, why can't they tell the driver immediately that he is delivering to the wrong place? Maybe the drivers don't know they are being watched so they don't care .

I was even told to look under the doormat........never would have suspected that........but not there either. Admittedly small sample size but I'd be inclined to pick another carrier if I had a choice.

 

[easysurfer]

I hope you aren't the victim of a porch pirate .

 

[Car-Guy]

I'd place FedEx a distance second to UPS. UPS is the only delivery service that seems to be able to get my packages to me on time, 100% of the time. FedEx is often a day late (not always) and often uses the excuse that they can't find my location. Other local delivery services (smaller companies) are about the same as FedEx, IMO.


BTW, all of their tracking services could be improved, a lot.

 

[ivinsfan]

My UPS regular guy was here and left two packages as he scanned them and hit the button he said oh, I've left one on the truck it says you have 3 today. So either the driver isn't doing his job properly or not following company procedure. In theory there should be an extra package on the truck since you didn't get yours.

 

[folivier]

Well not overnight but I have 3 packages that will need to be signed for. Monday afternoon got an email they will be delivered Tuesday and will need a signature. Early Tuesday morning got the same in a text. Packages were on the truck at 7:04, at 12:22 they were back at the depot scheduled for delivery Wednesday (today). Emailed, no response, called and robo answerer had NO information other than what was on their tracking page. Still showing at depot with no update since 12:33 yesterday.
So here I sit again waiting for them to hopefully show up. I can accept that they may not deliver the day scheduled but at least have some system to correct when these problems occur.

 

[COcheesehead]

They all have issues. We use FedEx and UPS for my business and we don't have a month go by without some issue with both.

 

[ivinsfan]

I think FedEx is having some real issuesthis year. All my UPS stuff showed up on time or early, but FedEx tracking gives an estimated delivery date and it keeps getting extended. I've had one item go from this Friday until next Tuesday..Their packages just aren't moving.

 

[cathy63]

My experience is if you got the "delivered" message, it was delivered somewhere. If it's not at your place, then it's at someone else's place.

Ask if the driver's scanner had GPS and can they give you the coordinates where the package was left. If not, the driver should be revisiting the stops immediately before and after your package was scanned and hopefully he'll remember where he went in between so he can pick it up and redeliver it to you tomorrow.

If it's not delivered to you by end of day Thursday, file a claim with the sender. They are the ones who will need to deal with FedEx to find it.

 

[SheitlQueen]

This may not apply to overnight, but twice this year FedEx sent me a notice saying my package had been delivered when it had not. Turns out they some how contract with the PO and it had been delivered to the local PO, who then had to deliver it to me the next day.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

Just Rec'd my "overnight" FedEx At least one day late. Sent out Thurs morn. Nothing Friday. Nothing over the weekend (to be fair I don't know if that counts.) Delivered Monday.

 

[imoldernu]

A few months ago... Fedex from P.E.I. to Central Il in 10 hours.
Next day from Il to P.E.I UPS 15 hours. From Office to Office not to the home. Paperwork.

No complaints... UPS or Fedex.

One more, on Fedex... Looked out the window for package... Nothing... went back to my computer and checked Email... Email said delivered @ 2:42 PM... It WAS 2:42 PM... Went outside and driver handed me the package in the driveway. Ya can't make this stuff up.

 

[Aerides]

OP I would call them again, now, and get a supervisor. (Had I been you, yesterday, I would have hopped in my car and driven around my neighborhood to find the fedex van since it sounds like you got notified really quickly after the "delivery"). You might wish to check with your neighbors too in case it was simply an address error.

Other options are your carrier decided to scan a whole bunch of packages before he actually delivered them - bad form, but not totally rare since they hire extra staff for the holidays.

Personally, I find Fedex to be the least reliable of the 3 main carriers.

 

[OldShooter]

We need to be a little careful when talking "FedEx" as there are AFIK three flavors.

Flavor one is the original carrier handling air shipments and overnights.

Flavor two is Fedex ground, which at one point and maybe still is operated by franchisees and is a totally separate system.

Flavor three is a combination of Fedex (ground, maybe?) and the USPS. Fedex handles the pickups and transportation, then hands the packages off to USPS for final delivery.

In my experience all the FedEx flavors, UPS, and USPS have screwed up at one point or another. I have also had the occasional delivery made a day or two early vs promise date. It's just a statistical thing. No one can get 100% accuracy on millions of shipments. The other thing to remember is that all of them are strongly motivated to deliver on time or ahead of time, as any late shipments take up physical warehouse space that is limited. If packages were to start piling up, there would be big trouble.

 

[Sunset]

Last night I got my delivery of a package. It's so dark out early, that it must be harder to find the houses for the drivers.
So the fellow hands me the package and goes off, drives to the neighbors house and stops.... then walks back to my front door with the 2nd package (20 lbs).
I was surprised he didn't back up before delivering it to make the walk shorter.

 

[Walt34]

Timely thread. There have been other discussions on this and it seems to be regional. Around here USPS and UPS are very reliable, FedEx not so much. Even now I'm expecting a package delivered by FedEx that was supposed to be delivered yesterday, now today it shows as "out for delivery" but at 1755 hours I do not expect to see it today. Maybe, just maybe, they will deign to drop it off tomorrow. If it isn't too inconvenient for them.

Given a choice I'd have nothing to do with FedEx, ever.

 

[braumeister]

Honestly I've almost always had great service from FedEx and I don't have any complaints. But I have to admit they sometimes cut costs to the bone. Last year at this time I saw a U-Haul truck (the 1.5 ton type) drive into my street and pull into someone's driveway. This isn't the kind of neighborhood where people move with U-Hauls, so I was curious. The door opened up and a guy wearing a FedEx uniform got out and delivered a couple of packages. Obviously they had a truck shortage and just got whatever they could for the day.

There were a number of times back in my w*rking days when FedEx overnight service saved the day for us when nothing else could have. And I still have a great deal of admiration for Fred Smith's work to start it up.

 

[kaneohe]

OP here w/ a happy ending and apologies to FedEx for besmirching their reputation. I called them at noon which is when the last rep said things should be investigated by. Their automated system seems to have a learning capacity. Previously when it told me the package was delivered yesterday and I replied B@#$S*&^, it would say courteously that it was confused and try even harder to help and shield the reps from me.

Today when I muttered that B@#$S*&^ in response to it again telling me it was delivered yesterday, it got me immediately to a rep who got me to someone who got me to what sounds like a local rep, most likely a manager.
He very calmly suggested that I might want to look in the mail slot, that perhaps it had fallen outside on the floor. I had already looked there but in case it had been delivered today, I thought I should look again.

I didn't see it, then decided to open the garage door to get more light to be sure. I didn't originally see it but when I was closing the door, there it was.
There is a small gap between the garage door and the mail enclosure---perhaps
1/32" or so.........took 2 thickness of a small postcard to fill so it hopefully won't happen again. Somehow the Fedex package dropped vertically down the slot and got wedged in that some gap. If it had remained vertical, I think I would have seen the reflection from the white surface even in the dim light. However after wedging in the gap, the envelope bent over so the reflections were not visible.

I couldn't repeat it and I doubt the FedEx guy could either. Anyway happy ending and my faith in mankind is restored. Now I can get gas at Costco again. Somehow the magnetic strip on the credit card has black markings which none of my other cards have. I think the Costco gas pumps are the only ones that use that anymore. Everything else uses the e-chip. How my card got those black marks is a mystery to me.

 

[folivier]

My 3 packages were delivered today before noon, by a pleasant Fedex uniformed driver in a yellow Penske truck. Which is usual this time of year.
BTW these 3 boxes were a $2500 order! And the tracking system had no updates until they were delivered.

 

[cathy63]

Glad you found your item. That "delivered" text usually does mean they dropped it off somewhere.

Interesting that they put it through a mail slot though. FedEx refuses to use ours, leaving even envelope sized items propped against the front door or under the mat. I thought it was a legal thing that only USPS could use their mail boxes/slots/etc.

 

[audreyh1]

OP here w/ a happy ending and apologies to FedEx for besmirching their reputation. I called them at noon which is when the last rep said things should be investigated by. Their automated system seems to have a learning capacity. Previously when it told me the package was delivered yesterday and I replied B@#$S*&^, it would say courteously that it was confused and try even harder to help and shield the reps from me.

Today when I muttered that B@#$S*&^ in response to it again telling me it was delivered yesterday, it got me immediately to a rep who got me to someone who got me to what sounds like a local rep, most likely a manager.
He very calmly suggested that I might want to look in the mail slot, that perhaps it had fallen outside on the floor. I had already looked there but in case it had been delivered today, I thought I should look again.

I didn't see it, then decided to open the garage door to get more light to be sure. I didn't originally see it but when I was closing the door, there it was.
There is a small gap between the garage door and the mail enclosure---perhaps
1/32" or so.........took 2 thickness of a small postcard to fill so it hopefully won't happen again. Somehow the Fedex package dropped vertically down the slot and got wedged in that some gap. If it had remained vertical, I think I would have seen the reflection from the white surface even in the dim light. However after wedging in the gap, the envelope bent over so the reflections were not visible.

I couldn't repeat it and I doubt the FedEx guy could either. Anyway happy ending and my faith in mankind is restored. Now I can get gas at Costco again. Somehow the magnetic strip on the credit card has black markings which none of my other cards have. I think the Costco gas pumps are the only ones that use that anymore. Everything else uses the e-chip. How my card got those black marks is a mystery to me.

Wow - tricky!!!!