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FedEx Certification Contact

C

CJBianco

Zen Philosopher
Joined
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Location
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Hello Everyone,

I've been referring everyone interested in FedEx Certification to contact my FedEx Regional Representative who is very passionate about helping those in the reptile industry. He is a wonderful guy, and his customer service is outstanding. No long waiting periods for simple email replies. This guy is great about returning emails and/or phone calls.

Here's an email transript of a recent message and reply:

Subject: Reptile Industry Poll: Shipping
From: Christopher Bianco
Date: May 13, 2005 10:33:03 PM EDT
To: Leonard Evansek


Lenny,

Just thought you might want to know...

In a recent online poll conducted by reptile shippers regarding "who is
best", FedEx beat out UPS, Airborne, and Delta Dash with 43.04% of the
total votes. Congratulations!

By the way, I sent a few more people your way. If you get bogged down,
please let me know. I'll stop sending them directly to you.

Thanks,
Chris Bianco
(864)706-7399
[email protected]
Click to expand...

Subject: RE: Reptile Industry Poll: Shipping
From: Leonard Evansek
Date: May 15, 2005 4:55:23 PM EDT
To: Christopher Bianco


That is awesome.
Bring them on, I can handle it!

Lenny
Click to expand...

If you need someone to kickstart the FedEx Certification process...contact Lenny Evansek:

Lenny Evansek
FedEx Account Executive
[email protected]

And tell him Chris Bianco sent you...

Good Things,
Chris
 
Last edited by a moderator:
My rep has also been helpful to other potential customers.

And he seems to really want the business for FedEx. He said he can only handle clients from Tampa (Florida) south, although he would be happy to help others find the right contact. His name is Ed Yuhasz, although I don't have his contact number handy.

Between these two reps, new shippers should be able to find help if you are getting the runaround from FedEx employees who don't know what is going on.
 
Here's a message I received from Lenny a little while ago:

Chris,

I hope you are doing well. Thank you for all of the e-mails that are coming in. Because I am now getting more and more of them, I am going to send these e-mails to the reps that work in those particular areas to set these folks up to ship with FedEx. If you can let them know that I will be doing this I would definitely appreciate it.

Thank you for your business,

Lenny Evansek
FedEx Account Executive, Smoky Mountain District
305 John Dodd Road
Spartanburg, SC 29650
800-448-9961-9810
Click to expand...

It seems that many people are outside of his immediate account jurisdiction, but he is still willing to act as liaison for those interested in becoming FedEx Certified. This guy is wonderful.

Keep the emails coming! =)

The more people that show interest, the sooner we can collectively change FedEx policies regarding live shipments. =)

Chris Bianco
(864) 706-7399
[email protected]
 
If FedEx would be willing, I could put up a permanent banner or text link on this site that would refer all interested parties directly to them. Next time you talk to a representative, run this by them. Having this exposure to 19,000+ registered members might be of interest to them.
 
Great post Chris...and Kathy...

I know that finding the local rep...and getting them to do ANYTHING can be like pulling teeth...

The help is much appreciated...
 
Well...I wrote an email to Lenny, Chris's Rep...and not an hour later MY rep called my directly...and has already started getting the forms together for me to become certified.

Her name is Brenda Adams ([email protected]). She has never certified anyone for shipping reptiles...but after some of the horror stories I have read about Fed Ex reps...I am completely satisfied with her response...
She is definitely on the ball getting the things in order to expedite the certification.

I am so impressed...it was worth mentioning here. :)
 
Yep! Lenny is definitely doing everything in his power to make sure the reptile shippers are treated right...and promptly! =)

That's good news, Derek! I'm glad you're in the FedEx loop! =)

Good Things,
Chris Bianco
(864) 706-7399
[email protected]
 
WebSlave,

I forwarded your idea to Lenny, and it looks like it might be just a bit more legwork than he can handle at the moment...

I love the idea but as big a corporation FedEx is, I would have to get things approved through our legal and marketing teams to make this happen. I would be happy to refer all of the interested folks to the reps that handle their areas. They can email me first with their account numbers. We are glad to get the business. I had three yesterday.

Thanks again,

Lenny
Click to expand...

As you can see, he is still eagerly awaiting more phone calls and emails. However, it looks as though it might be faster to set-up your personal online FedEx Express account BEFORE contacting him. It only takes a minute, and you save 10% automatically on all your FedEx Express shipping! Neato! =)

And keep those phone calls and emails coming! The more people who show interest in FedEx, the more interest FedEx will show in the people! =)

Good Things,
Chris Bianco
(864) 706-7399
[email protected]
 
I already have my package testing application in my hands...
My rep, Brenda is SUPER...like I said she has never had to certify a reptile shipper...and she is COMPLETELY enthusiastic...and wants to learn EVERYTHING about the process...she is also on the ball...

Definitely has a customer for life, now.
 
It's great to hear that more reps are "jumping on the bandwagon". At some point, we will hit a critical mass where most FedEx employees will have heard about the program, at least in some vague way. Then at least they won't look at new herp customers like we are from another planet! That would be some measure of success! It sure would be nice to have a few companies that treat us just as normal customers instead of some kind of special, strange species.
 
Thanks a million!!!

Chris,

I wanted to thank you for the FEDEX contact. I just finished sending him an email stating I want to legally ship snakes. The local employees of FEDEX and UPS looked at me like I was on fire when mentioning this. It is amazing how these employees have no clue you can do this. Thanks again and I can not wait to hear from a rep!

Sincerely,
Todd Gustafson
 
Todd,

Great to hear the news! FedEx is really starting to react to the shipping needs of the reptile breeders...and it can only get better!

Chris Bianco
(864) 706-7399
[email protected]

PS -- If anyone else has questions or concerns about the whole FedEx Certification process, please do not hesitate to call or email me anytime.
 
I just sent him an email to get myself setup and thanked him for his service to the herp trade. MILLIONS of dollars are being spent annually by herpers to ship animals across the country and around the world, why shouldn't they welcome us with open arms?
 
I'm still waiting on my rep to call me. Lenny supposedly forwarded my info to him / her and I'm now in the WAITING process.
 
Your rep better get with it...or you can request a different rep, I believe.

My rep called me back within two hours of emailing Lenny...

I have been thoroughly impressed with her from the beginning...as I stated she has NEVER certified anyone for reptile shipping...but has been on top of it from the beginning...and is very eager to learn the process...and has kept in constant contact with me every step of the way.
 
Greg,

Trust me. If Lenny says he forwarded your message...he forwarded your message. Here's what I would do...

I would email Lenny again and explain the situation. Tell him how your local FedEx rep seemingly avoids you. Mention that you have clients that need their animals shipped soon. (And you would like to ship via FedEx.) Ask if you may choose to work through a different, non-local FedEx representative...such as Lenny.

Let us know...

Chris Bianco
(864) 706-7399
[email protected]
 
Just sent my box to package and design yesterday. Now for the wait. One good thing is that Lenny is my account rep since my rep never contacted me. :hehe:
 
Lenny is your rep, too? Cool! He contacted me last week and asked if everything was going well for everyone. I told him there was one guy who was really against a wall. I said that Lenny forwarded his email to the appropriate rep, but the rep has still not responded. (Obviously I was talking about you and your slacker rep.) Lenny said he would take care of it right away.

I guess he did...

Good Things. Now you only have a few days until your package is approved and one more week to get the paperwork. You're on your way!

I told you Lenny was the BEST! =)


Chris Bianco
(864) 706-7399
[email protected]
 
My box order showed up from U-Line like 3 weeks ago...just been too lazy to go pick up some styrofoam...LOL...

Have the testing application all filled out on my desk waiting to be sent... :shrug01:

Hey...you did use the Package Design and Testing Account Number...so you can get your package shipped the D & D department for free, right?

The people at Design and Development said to ship it 2nd Day Service...if anyone wants the number (I had a HELL of a time getting it...I even was able to get it before my rep...hard to get ahold of the D & D people) PM me and I will be glad to give it to you...
 
Actually, Lenny shipped my test package himself. What service! LOL =)

I probably wouldn't give the account number out to anyone, though. It just seems a bit wrong to give out free account numbers. Who knows?


Chris =)
 
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