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Service with a cuss! 21 December 2011
If you have a mp4 player installed then click on the image at left to watch a funny but slightly depressing view of the world we have managed to create for ourselves.
According to Sky News this delivery driver has been caught on CCTV throwing what appears to be a computer monitor over a fence rather than take it to the front door.
FedEx has vowed to track down the worker, who can be seen strolling casually up to the railings before his less-than-special delivery of the Samsung branded box.
A spokeswoman from the firm would not say what action would be taken against the employee once they find him, but warned: "This won't be his best day."
The FedEx story reminded me of an altercation we once had here in Brittany with the courier service UPS. Our customers, particularly the hundreds we have in the Middle East and Far East, frequently ask us to despatch by courier. Up until 2004 we generally used UPS to collect from our door and forward our products all over the world. One day an important client (actually all our clients are important!) asked us to deliver a small batch of CD-ROM to their head office in Leicester via courier service. Apparently they had suffered too many instances of thievery of small parcels by postal workers over the preceding few weeks. Yet another example of where the world is heading it seems.
We telephoned UPS and gave them the details. As was normal they arrived later in the day to collect the package and the shipping documents were duly completed and signed. We had selected and checked the box on the form for their three day delivery service at our client's request. As security of delivery rather than urgency was the issue.
We were surprised therefore to receive an email from our client the very next day thanking us for our prompt service and for such a relatively small fee. UPS had delivered the consignment within 24 hours it seems.
A couple of weeks later a man from UPS arrived unannounced at our door bearing a supplementary invoice for 'additional charges' for the changed delivery service. We explained that whilst we appreciated their service we had neither asked nor indeed signed for the faster delivery. We therefore felt we had no obligation to meet their demand for what was after all, their mistake. We showed the man the carbon copy bearing the checked 3 day delivery option by way of proof and with customary Gallic shrug, he left.
Two weeks later we received in the post a reminder to pay. To which we took the time and trouble to reply with a letter along with photo copies of the evidence explaining the circumstances.
Two weeks after that we received a final demand. We ignored it.
A month later a couple of heavies arrived at our front door demanding we pay or they would enter and seize property to the value of the demand. As the amount was only around £35 ($60) I guess some psychopathic or PMT suffering low ranking UPS manager was more obsessed with point scoring than looking after their employer's assets.
My reply would not be printable here but suffice to say we called the local Gendarmerie to have UPS's thugs removed from our premises. The cowards left before the troops arrived! They
never returned.
Depending upon your perspective this may or may not come as a surprise to you. We have never used the services of UPS since nor ever will again.
I've said it many times before and I will say it again. We love our French compatriots to bits. Generally we find the French to be kind, generous, polite and patient. With the possible exception of the higher class of restaurant they have though absolutely no concept of customer service.
I’ve finished delivering now.
For the day anyway.
