On Wed, Feb 25, 2009 at 03:56:42PM -0500, Doug Henwood wrote:
> Dumb FedEx story. I sent a package to what turned out to be a
> nonexistent address. After the addressee didn't get it, I discovered
> that I'd made a mistake in the address. So I called FedEx to ask
> what's up. Since they require you to include your phone number when
> you fill out the airbill, I thought for sure that they'd call over a
> nonexistent address. Ha. They don't. They make three attempts to re-
> deliver before they call. So three FedEx'ers went to a nonexistent
> address, discovered its nonexistence, and simply returned the package
> to the office for a retry. How about that for private sector
> efficiency!
Of course, whether FedEx's *delivery process* is efficient has nothing
to do with your one anecdote. From a perspective of statistical
process control, the issue is what percent of FedEx clients enter
wrong addresses and whether this quantity is enough to require them to
prevent it in the first place so they meet their delivery commitments.
Considering most of the FedEx business is handling shipping and
delivery for businesses, I reckon preventing the error of a "walk-in"
who asked for something to be delivered to a non-existent address is
probably low on their list of process improvement opportunities.
Most "walk-ins" probably use pre-printed shipping labels anyway, such
as in the case of equipment being RMA'ed.
Your anecdote reminds me of Joanna's from lbo-talk, where she
complained that some private shipper cost 2x or 3x as much as the USPS
to get her non-urgent, low monetary value, unbreakable, package
overseas. But these shippers are specifically in the business of
delivering urgent, high value, fragile packages with incredibly
transparent data on the package's location at any given moment.
Like Joanna, these private shippers sell services you don't want so
shouldn't use. But it is apples/oranges to compare them to the USPS
(which is *very good* at providing the services you and Joanna
want!).
Matt
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