What is going on with Fed Ex?

[SPJ]

I got this message today. All of a sudden do they not know I am approved? Anyone else have this happen to them?

Snake arrived today. I had to pick it up though. Are you an approved animal shipper through Fed Ex? They refused to deliver the package. I had to show them my approval papers to get the package.

 

[Mike Greathouse]

I haven't had that problem, but for the past couple of days, every time I try to get a detailed rate quote through my account, I get an error message stating that my account cannot be verified.

I notified my rep, but have not heard back yet.

 

[SPJ]

for the past couple of days, every time I try to get a detailed rate quote through my account, I get an error message stating that my account cannot be verified.

I got that error message as well. I had to get a rate quote by going in as if I wasn't shipping using my account.

Something is messed up with their system. I have never had them pickup a shipment, send it across the country, and then refuse to deliver it, and make the receiver of the package drive down with their paperwork. What if they weren't approved? Would it have been shipped all the way back to me or would I have been able to fax paperwork to them? I don't like this happening.

Time to call Fed Ex and find out what is going on.

 

[SPJ]

I wouldn't be surprised if the delivery person saw what was labled on the box, got scared, and didn't want to deliver the package.

 

[Mike Greathouse]

Interesting. We just negotiated a better volume discount and I just thought that the problems were due to my account not being updated. I guess that's not the case.

Once I hear back from my rep, I'll let you know what their official story is.

 

[Mike Greathouse]

Unfortunately, it seems that a large percentage of the employees at FedEx are unaware of their Certified Reptile Shipper program. I've had a couple of cases where I had to tell FedEx employees to call their own legal department to verify that the program exists.

 

[hunterjackson]

It will not let me see how much a package will cost to send either. It hasnt for a while. I just go in as a regular person, and deduct the average of my discount.

 

[Cheryl Marchek AKA JM]

I had a similiar problem recently. Box got held up and they refused to ship it because "they do not ship reptiles"~ Once I threw a big enoug fit to convince them they DID~ then they would not ship it because that GLOBAL company could not be sure I actually HAD a waiver......... I drove to the HUB with my waiver~ but by then it was too late for the box to go out.

I was mad! I called a lot of people at Fed-ex. I was appoligized to a lot of times.......

Now I photocopy my waiver and put it UNDER the address label. That way if I get another of those calls I can just tell them to lift the address label and have a look at my waiver over the phone.

 

[KathyLove]

Interesting!

I have been shipping on FedEx for a couple of years now without incident. But a week or two ago, somebody in my local office decided I might not have THE WAIVER, and they said they could not find me on the "approved list" of reptile shippers in their computer. Of course, they wouldn't think to call or email me to check, they just decided to wait until the next time I came in with animals to ship and give me a hard time, refusing to ship that day. I live almost an hour away from FedEx, so it is a once per week trip for me. LUCKILY, I had my waiver, which was all folded up and stuck in the back of my wallet, unused for 2 years, but still where I left it. After the whole office carefully scrutinized it (they were sure it must have to be renewed every year, but couldn't find any expiration date), they decided to let me back in their graces FOR NOW, I guess.

Just goes to show that you should NEVER let your guard down, no matter how long you have been doing it or how well it has been going.

My rep ( a new one now) said she would get me into the computer - I just have to email my waiver to her. Good idea as a back up, but I would not put my trust in their computers!

 

[SPJ]

The part of this I don't understand is that Fed Ex came here and picked up the package, brought it to the sorting facility, sent it out to California, it arrived at the local hub, and AT THAT POINT, they refused to deliver it.

I don't think it was a matter of them not thinking I was approved since it went thru multiple points and ANYONE looking at the box would know it had a live ball python in it since that was marked on the outside. I really think it was due to someone at the hub refusing to touch a box with a snake in it.

I am awaiting a reply to find out why all of a sudden after shipping many, many animals (I have shipped 8 in the past 2 weeks alone and one went to a local Kinkos/Fed Ex for pickup by the buyer) that this problem occurred.

There needs to be more communication from Fed Ex to it's employees that live animal shipments can occur.

 

[Cheryl Marchek AKA JM]

California? Did it get held up in Ontario, CA perhaps?

Thats where my box got stopped~ luckily it is only about an hour from me. I've not had any boxes stopped recently~ but some friends of mine who do a very large volume told me last week that there was a new manager at the Ontario facility who refused thier reptile packages despite them having thier waver in thier hand at the time of shipping. I've not heard back from them what the resolution there was~ but I had assumed it was worked out as I did not hear anything else.

 

[SPJ]

Here is the history of the package from the Fed Ex website. Something happened once it arrived at Yuba City. That is where it stopped and the buyer was called (thankfully I had her number on the label) and said they needed to come down and pick it up because they would not deliver the box.


Nov 15, 2006
4:04 PM Picked up WATERTOWN, CT
7:17 PM Left origin WATERTOWN, CT
11:40 PM Arrived at FedEx location MEMPHIS, TN
12:04 AM Departed FedEx location MEMPHIS, TN

Nov 16, 2006
6:08 AM At dest sort facility SACRAMENTO, CA
8:15 AM At local FedEx facility YUBA CITY, CA
9:48 AM At local FedEx facility YUBA CITY, CA
11:37 AM Delivered YUBA CITY, CA

 

[Melinda]

Since it was my package that was the problem, I'll chime in here with what happened on my end.

I waited for the delivery by 10:30. At 11:00 a.m. I call the customer service and was told the package was being held at the Yuba City hub because of bad weather. So I ask her "what bad weather, it's not even raining right now" Customer Service rep says they reported thunderstorms at receiving and shipping airports.

Which makes no sense at all since the package made it from the airport approximately 35 miles to the Yuba City office which is 3 miles from me.

So's I figure it's the local office having a fit about the reptile shipment again. I had this problem before. I had snakes shipped from a non-approved shipper and Fed Ex threatened to return or destroy the snakes. Anyways, hours later, lots of promises, I got that shipment. I have since become approved shipper.

As for this shipment, I stomp on down to the Yuba City office. Waiver in hand. Ask why my package did not go out. She checks computer and excuses herself to talk to some dude in an office. I tell her if it's about shipping reptiles, I have my waiver. She takes my waiver goes back to talk to the dude and appears with the box saying "FYI, we know what's in the box" I say "I'm not trying to hide anything, box says on outside what is in it" She gets copies of waiver and then tells me that Fed Ex does not ship live reptiles. I say, "this waiver says you do". She says, "let me get another copy of the waiver for our files". I say "what can I do to avoid this situation again since 90% of my packages are live reptiles and this is a waste of my time" She says put waiver on outside of box, clearly label box with contents (which it was). I say that my Rep said for them to call the Live Animal desk to check if my name is on the approved shipper list the next time their is a problem.

I go home open up box and pm Steve and recommend he get approved if he is not already approved.

Basically, all the employees do not know about the shipping reptiles thing. And they did not call me to come and get the package. And the local hub does not have a public phone line. I have no idea what they were going to do with this package, had I not went in to get it.

 

[Melinda]

Just wanted to add, I am thankful that Fed Ex is shipping reptiles and most of the time they come in with no problems at all. I have used other delivery companies and Fed Ex is the best.

There does need to be some sort of information sent out to all the offices so they can train their employees to the new rules and regulations.

 

[Reptayls]

It's not just live shipments they are messing up: We ordered some dry goods from a supplier (in our same state) and it took 10 days to get to us. I could have driven there and back in 1/2 a day.

I asked FedEx if we would be rewarded with frequent flyer miles... due to the places the package had been.

Here is the trail of breadcrumbs:
Nov 9, 2006, 5:00 PM, Package data transmitted to FedEx, Grants Pass, OR
Nov 10, 2006, 4:24 PM, Picked up, MEDFORD, OR
Nov 13, 2006, 8:27 PM, Arrived at FedEx location, SACRAMENTO, CA
Nov 13, 2006, 3:50 AM, Departed FedEx location, SACRAMENTO, CA
Nov 14, 2006, 6:32 PM, Arrived at FedEx location, PORTLAND, OR
Nov 14, 2006, 11:58 PM, Departed FedEx location, PORTLAND, OR
---- at this point the pkg was 45 miles away ----
Nov 17, 2006, 4:44 PM, Arrived at FedEx location, MEMPHIS, TN
Nov 17, 2006, 7:52 PM, In Transit, MEMPHIS, TN
Nov 18, 2006, 12:21 AM, Left origin, MEMPHIS, TN
Nov 18, 2006, 12:44 AM, Arrived at FedEx location, MEMPHIS, TN
Nov 18, 2006, 3:14 AM, Departed FedEx location, MEMPHIS, TN
Nov 18, 2006, 6:13 AM, In Transit, PORTLAND, OR
Nov 18, 2006, 7:33 AM, At local FedEx facility, PORTLAND, OR
Nov 18, 2006, 7:53 AM, In Transit, PORTLAND, OR
---- at this point the pkg was only 45 miles away, again ----
Nov 20, 2006, 12:41 AM, At local FedEx facility, PORTLAND, OR
Nov 20, 2006, 7:33 AM, On FedEx vehicle for delivery, SALEM, OR
Nov 20, 2006, 12:09 PM, Delivered, SALEM, OR

The package seems to have gotten the scenic tour in a couple of cities... I think it knows its way around Portland better than I do at this point!!!!

And all the excuses they gave (scratched bar code; torn label; damaged box; etc.) for the delay - well, none were valid. The box, label AND barcode were in pristine condition.

Go figure......

~~~~~~~~~~
Morgana Calvert

 

[Melinda]

Yowsa!! That package had a great tour!