FedEx is Just Horrible and They're hurting Small Business

I have tried to be patient with FedEx before, really I have -- this happens about once a month. But when they keep messing up and I have to keep doing their job for them then I have to speak up. In the meantime I strongly suggest anyone and everyone STOP USING FedEx for delivery. I mean I don't have this many problems with the US Postal Service and they're the US Postal Service.

So here's what happened: A package with VERY important repair parts was supposed to be delivered to our shop via FedEx Priority on Friday morning (11/13/15). We had customers waiting on these parts to complete important repairs to their phones, tablets and computers so they could go back to their lives. PLUS the package had parts we needed to help more customers over the weekend get their phones, tablets and computers fixed - you see we need inventory to make money. The package was NEVER delivered and I had to start searching for it. Why can't you call me FedEx??!!

After numerous phone calls and promises of return phone calls - nice people with no ability to actually help me -- I find out the package was "mis-sorted". In other words FedEx made a mistake. OK, fine, we all make mistakes. BUT it's what you do after the mistake that counts the most. For FedEx, who reported $12.6 billion last quarter, that's not a lot.

All day on Friday I was told the package would be delivered on Friday despite the mistake. Then after a half dozen phone calls to them and when it is too late in the day -- I'm sure they were hoping I would give up -- the package shows up a few miles away at Dulles Airport (and less then a mile from the sorting facility) at 5:55 PM. Then two more phone calls and they assure me it will be DELIVERED in the morning AND someone will call me between 9-10 AM to confirm. Seems reasonable given the fact that this is one of the largest logistics company in the world.

Sure enough at 8:13 AM it arrives in the sorting facility for our area which is only a few miles away. Next stop WiGoClinic - Cell Phone, Tablet & Computer Repair Shop in Fairfax to take care of our customers!! Yippee!!

The next morning 9 AM, 10 AM pass no update. No phone call. They told me it was taken care of and I wanted to spend some time with my family so I waited till just before 11 AM before I made another phone call to 1-800-Go-FedEx. I get Rose on the phone. She's nice but can do absolutely nothing for me and tells me that my package will be delivered on MONDAY - more than 72 hours LATE! Seems no one knew it was important. Unacceptable!! She passes me off to Ann, and after 30 mins on hold, she tells me my package is in a container and no one can get it out. Wait, really?? Don't you open containers every day? You're FedEx, right? Surely someone knows how to open a container and look for a package.

I think it's stuck!

Come on FedEx you don't have a plan when something like this happens??!! Maybe you have one person who is in charge of screw ups and they help get them fixed. No, no plan. Well then surely you have extra staff to make sure you take good care of your customers after you make a mistake? Nope! After all of this no one thought to have someone prepared to unload a container with LATE packages???!!! I mean you only made a net income of $692 million last quarter I understand times are tough. But this stinks!!

Then I a call to Ann -- an equally nice person that can do absolutely nothing for me and finally to Stacey -- also nice... (you get the point). I'm now told that the sorting facility only has two people working and they can't get my package out because it is in a container with 100-150 other packages - WOW sounds like a lot of work to me... After stressing my displeasure and telling sweet Stacey that I have had it she offers to try one last time to get my package.

A few hours later I get a voicemail message from Stacey telling me she is sorry but there is just no way to get my package until Monday. In the mean time I have gone online to complain to the world and let people know NOT TO USE FEDEX and to #FreeMyPackage!

Then low and behold at 1:59 PM I get a call from Kathy at the sorting facility. It turns out someone actually could get my package. So now I had the privilege of working as a FedEx driver and getting my package so I could deliver it to my shop. WOW, thanks FedEx! Should I expect a paycheck -- I think your drivers do pretty well for themselves. Or maybe I could get reimbursed for my mileage, tools, lost business and all the time I wasted on the phone with you guys???

Maybe just an apology, huh? Seems appropriate. My expectations are certainly not very high. I guess if I were a stock holder I might get a better response but until I can find a dependable shipping option for our small business that can help me make money and not lose it I don't think that's in the cards.

UPDATE (11/16/15 at 11:45 AM): I did FedEx's job on Saturday afternoon and delivered my package for them late in the day. Then we tried our best to get parts out to our shops to take care of customers. Unfortunately a few were pretty upset and I would like to say publicly WE ARE SORRY FEDEX COULDN'T DELIVER! 

Now I'm getting responses from @FedExHelp at 11:22 AM EST. To see if they can assist in getting my package???!!!

UPDATE 2 (11/16/15 at 7:00 PM): So @FedExHelp replied today via my social media posts. Both had very sketchy tracking links that helped me respond via email. So I did. Julie sent me back a nice cut and paste job from their normal "I'm so sorry..." template that included two different font sizes (Hey Julie, FYI you can easily adjust the font sizes so they all match). I guess the empathy and promise that my complaint will be "elevated to the appropriate department" work on the general population, me not so much.

Might I suggest you elevate my complaint to the gee we're sorry here's your FedEx paycheck for doing our job for us department!!!

FINAL UPDATE (11/20/15): I'm moving on from all of this. After a week of getting what appears to be automated responses from @FedExHelp, canned responses when I reply and ZERO responses from those emails I'm done with FedEx. Last time I'll do your job for you @FedExHelp but here's an idea. How about you send a handwritten note card when you screw up and include a gift card for the cost of shipping. I know it seems simply but sometimes simply is all it takes.

In the meantime I strongly recommend to anyone out there who reads this blog to do your best to STOP USING FEDEX! As our company grows and we start doing more shipping you can be assured we will use someone other than the uncaring giant that is FedEx. UPS and even USPS seem like great options to me!