Complaint Review: United Parcel Service - Mailboxes Etc.

I am writing this from memory and do not have all the specifics at hand but the general idea is this:

I immigrated to the USA is 1999 had packaged my personal possessions for transport which not only included my computer and monitor, but tools and test equipment that I use to earn my living with. Totaling 7 boxes, the Mailboxes Etc. representative actually collected them from my mother's home in Canada.

As a side note, I have been packaging commercial goods for transport for 12 years. The MBE representative then repackaged the boxes to save me money on transport fees' and reduced the total from 7 boxes down to 4 or 5. At the time I thought this was great customer service.

MBE repackaged my packages and charged me time and materials to do this. MBE commissioned UPS to transport my packages to an MBE in Fairfax, VA I paid MBE for Packaging, transport AND INSURANCE to the tune of $370 or so, I remember it was well over $300 for the total bill.

I believe the estimated transport time was 5 days, it took 7 days for the first box to arrive, the remaining boxes trickled in one at a time over the next 2 weeks. I NEVER RETRIEVED ANYTHING from MBE in Virginia until ALL the boxes arrived. Some of the boxes had tire tracks on them, others were simply crushed will ALL CORNERS rounded as if it had fallen off the back of a moving vehicle.

The damage to some items was so bad that the spine of a 3 thick textbook was physically broken and a STEEL toolbox was crushed. My computer did not work and the monitor was DEAD ON ARRIVAL. A network tester I had at the time was also destroyed. Needless to say I was speechless as it was apparent that UPS had actually driven over my possessions when I immigrated to USA. Over $2500 in damages and does not include time off work to pursue the villain.

I have videotape documenting everything including the packages and a videotape interview with the owner of the VA Mailboxes Etc who informed me that she had never seen anything like it in her life.

I followed procedure and UPS took some packages to their damage claim center', some came back, others I had to fight for their return. This process took place over the course of a couple of months

I documented EVERYTHING and have a file at home if anyone cares to review it. I even commissioned a lawyer to the tune of $1000 which after ZERO response from UPS or MBE only resulted in my throwing good money after bad.

Rule #1 of corporate America: If you have more money and ignore them long enough, they will go away.

Rule #2, if in doubt, see rule #1.

I guess I am guilty, I went away. I always thought a headline like UPS crushes immigrant's worldly goods and denies to pay insurance claim might have made a difference. I guess it was all my fault.

Richard
Bristow, Virginia
U.S.A.