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  • Report:  #328807

Complaint Review: UPS - Atlanta Georgia

Reported By:
- Largo, Florida,
Submitted:
Updated:

UPS
55 Glenlake Parkway, NE Atlanta, 30328 Georgia, U.S.A.
Phone:
800-742-5877
Web:
N/A
Categories:
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good? What's this?
This is a letter I wrote to UPS in regards to a complaint I had with them:

I would like to know why UPS is falsely advertising your delivery intercept program. According to this advertisement on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7UP22w72H8. UPS will intercept a package and return it to you or reroute it to another location. Also, according to the dictionary the term intercept means: 1. to take, seize, or halt (someone or something on the way from one place to another); cut off from an intended destination: to intercept a messenger. However, according to UPS' actual policy nothing of the above happens when you need to intercept a package. Instead what the customer is left with is frustration and the strong desire to change shipping companies altogether.

Let me explain my situation and why I am so displeased and repulsed by the lies of UPS: I shipped a package out on 4/18; 2 minutes after the delivery man picked up the package I realized that I needed the package to get there on the 24th and not the 28th as scheduled. Now, instead of getting in my car and tracking down the delivery man myself I called UPS and was assured by the first cust svc rep that I could intercept the package and have it returned to me so that I could ship it the correct service to reach its destination by the 24th. However, I could not change my service by just calling up (my first why with UPS) and I would have to call back around 8 or 9pm that night to see if the package had been scanned in yet and get it returned. Ok, somewhat frustrated by the fact that the delivery man scanned it in already in my office but now I have to wait until 8 OR 9 pm to see if I 'catch' it and can get it back I agreed because I was given the assurance that I could in fact, get the package returned to me so that I could change the service to get to the destination faster.

I call back after 9pm and get cust svc rep #2 who tells me that the first rep could've had the driver turn around and bring the package back and didn't know why he didn't tell me that (my second why with UPS), and that I would in fact have to call Saturday morning around 7 am because there is nothing she can do that night to find the package or return it to me. Now, extremely frustrated with the false information I've been given, I forfeit any argument with rep #2 and say OK, I'll call back AGAIN in the morning to get my package back.

I call back in the morning a little before 8 am and speak with rep # 3 who proceeds to file the intercept with my package and I think everything is in the clear. That is, until we get to the part that UPS does NOT really intercept packages like their ad shows, they actually wait for the package to arrive at the destination and then return it to the customer. Now where does the term INTERCEPT come into play here? How is my package being INTERCEPTED if it's still going to its' destination? Can you explain to me why your nifty little ad is showing the customer being able to reroute the package or return it if all I'm being told is that the package HAS to go to its destination until anything can be done? Can you explain to me why, when I know for a fact it stops in at least one warehouse in FL and gets scanned, WHY it cannot be stopped there and sent back to me? Why do you have the term delivery intercept if in fact you do everything else but intercept the package?

Why am I- a loyal customer- having to deal with something that makes no sense whatsoever with a HUGE company such as UPS? Especially in 2008- an advanced year of technology? And why am I having to deal with probably the worst customer service I've received in years? Can anyone at UPS explain this to me? Because rep #3 nor her supervisor could explain your backwards policy for 'delivery intercept' and neither one of them could actually send my package back to me.

So what does this leave my company with? This: having to explain to my client the backwards policy of UPS and telling him HE will have to adjust his schedule according to UPS because they will not stand by their customers nor will they honor their 'delivery intercept' ad or promise. I realize that I'm only ONE customer to you and that if and when I take my business elsewhere you will still have plenty of profits to have me washed from your memories in a millisecond but remember this: word of mouth is still a business builder or destroyer and I will make sure to tell everyone of the false advertisement and lies that UPS is putting out there as well as recommend any and all delivery services other than UPS possible- EVEN THE US POSTAL SERVICE.

I'm also in the works of contacting anyone and everyone online that will listen to the frustration I and my company has had to deal with Maybe the BBB would like to listen to me? Maybe a consumer reporter with one of our TV stations down here would like the story? Maybe or maybe not, this story will be posted online for future and current customers of UPS to search and read, that way they can see just how false your advertisement is and how your customer service really does NOTHING for the customers.

This is the obviously automated and impersonal response I received from UPS:

Dear Andrea,

Thank you for bringing your concern to our attention. I apologize for any difficulty you have encountered. With UPS Delivery Intercept, you can maintain control of your packages as they move through the UPS network. This fee-based service for shippers allows you to request the intercept of packages prior to delivery, providing greater flexibility in managing your shipping needs.

Please note, UPS Delivery Intercept is not a guaranteed service. Although you can make the request to intercept your package at any time using your UPS shipping or tracking system, the interception will be made on the day of scheduled delivery. This request does not guarantee that the intercept will occur. You will only be charged if the intercept occurs.

For additional information about UPS Delivery Intercept and steps for requesting an intercept, please refer to the following URL:

http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/tracking/help/delivery/delivery_intercept.html?WT.svl=SubNav

Andrea, I am truly sorry for any incorrect information you received and the frustration incurred.

Please contact us if you need any additional assistance.

Now isn't there anyone out there that can help me with the false advertisement?? Isn't there ONE company within the US that stands behind their customers? Am I the only one angered by how much disregard I've received as a customer?

Alebel

Largo, Florida

U.S.A.

Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on UPS United Parcel Service


2 Updates & Rebuttals

Fat Old Sweaty Elvis

Long Beach,
California,
U.S.A.
Maybe try writing shorter letters

#2Consumer Suggestion

Fri, May 09, 2008

Alebel, I think you may get better results from your letter-writing if you could be a bit less long-winded. If you printed that letter I bet it's more than two whole pages. Nobody at UPS has time to read such a thing. I didn't even read the whole thing myself. If you could fit the main points into a double-spaced letter that's less than half a page I think people would be more likely to read it.


Phixups

Sumter,
South Carolina,
U.S.A.
Misleading...possibly...BUT

#3UPDATE Employee

Fri, May 09, 2008

Well, I have been with UPS loading package cars now for over a year, not missing a day so far. I have read your complaint and can respond to a few of your problems. Poor Customer Service: Each of the customer representatives that you spoke to, other than the one through email correspondence, may have handled issues the wrong way or depending on their centers style. These "customer service representatives" you spoke to from the center were most likely either a Clerk or a Supervisor who has 1005 other things going on. Trust me, I can't speak for Unload; but I do know that Preload(Generally 3AM-9AM) can be a rough, vigorous task to deal with. But both representatives were right, the driver could have followed any of those procedures in order to return that package to you. A driver typically has a full day, usually lasting from 9AM until about 7 or even some 9PM at night, making it hard to plan certain drop offs, pick ups, etc. in the most efficient manner. Generally the driver will act in the manner that suits his interests the best and in this case would have resulted in returning it to the center that night. Whether your package should have been brought back to you, AFTER YOU MADE THE MISTAKE, or returned to the center should have been up to you to tell the people what you wanted them to do when you called. Intercept: I don't claim to be an expert on how it all works but it sounds like it is a very simple process. The ads may make the "unrealistic" customer believe that UPS will literally pull you package off of a moving semi and send it somewhere else...but any common sense would tell you that this is not a possible practice. UPS with the Intercept program allows people to stop the package from reaching it's destination(The Address you have addressed it to) not the center. The only possible direct rerouting while in transit would only be done for either a High Value Package (Generally 2,000$ to much more), or for preferred accounts and contracts such as Target, Wal-Mart, Champs, Footlocker, etc. I think you are not being quite as understanding as you should be, especially because this is all brought about by a mistake on your part. I do think it's silly that you may not be able to adjust your shipping speed via the phone; but I'm sure the package could have been caught at another center while it was along its way and RTS(Return to Sender). It is an unfortunate thing that everybody's shipping experience is not perfect with every company. After experiencing the system though I do urge you to act as if you were in charge with the service provider and realize that a company cannot simply pull any package in transit and especially fly it back on a whim. The shipping industry is an extremely expensive venure; especially with Semi's now costing over 1,000$ to fill up. It is not unreasonable that they would wait for your package to arrive at a center during the sort before it is sorted to be delivered to your DESTINATION.

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