UPS Store #4513 Lost package and refused to pay insurance Tampa, Florida

They will RIP YOU OFF!

BIGTIME!

Packaging businesses typically don't help customers pack. They will package it for you, sell you what you need to do it yourself, or be happy to give advice for you to do it correctly yourself on your own time. It sounds like a clerk 'helped you package' it. That 'helping' is a gesture offered to difficult customers. Packaging businesses know that by doing half the job, such as adding peanuts or bubble, to an inferior grade or worn box, that the shipment still does not meet carrier packaging guidelines. Even though that center was 'helping', a customer will put 100% of the blame on that center when the used 32ECT box falls apart no matter what carrier transported it.

The FEDEX Office in my area does limited packing, but will not touch a partial customer pack job or empty box that the customer brought in to use that is under 200ECT and new or like new. The UPS Stores have the same policy, but try to help when a customer is really on a tight budget. That's why I started using UPS. If a person wants to cut their cost and have someone do half the job for them, they still need to accept responsibility for the half they did themselves.

As far as this rik guy, why is he again bursting out nonsense without an intelligent solution? All he does in these sites is slam people and businesses with his unfounded and irrational slander. He says here to avoid UPS (throws ratial innuendos at the staff, invents ridiculous conspiracy theories, etc), then he says to use the post office because of their superior unfaltering service. Then rik goes to a post office complaint and calls the post office workers lazy morons. Look for rik comments about FEDEX, and he slams that company as well. It's interesting how rik recommends the use of one company over another, then tells the next person that the company he just recommended is stupid and to avoid them.

Was rik belittled when he was young? Now he thrives on bashing businesses with his inconsistencies while passifying his weak self esteem behind the sanctuary of his little monitor?

Rik is merely a lowly troll, please do not feed the trolls, that's exactly what they want.

No response at all is the best response.

Glad to see our resident ups SHILL is BACK!

My intelligent solution- AVOID THESE PLACES ALTOGETHER- THEY WILL RIP YOU OFF!

Thats a FACT!

True most usps workers are lazy morons, but thats a whole lot different than being a conniving, backstabbing, money grubbing, two-faced leech.

UPS- WHY don't you HONOR YOUR CLAIMS!???  Is your insurance a JOKE???

STAY AWAY!

UPS uses third party insurance and third party adjusters The entire claim process is handed over to a company called CRAWFORD INSURANCE. I have been down this road. USPS and Fedex also use third party insurance.

Furthermore, the MAJORITY of all claims are initially denied. To get paid, you must jump through the appeals process hoops. The game they play is that a certain percentage of claimants will just go away, thus saving them money in claims. It is a scam and a fraud on the customer who in good faith pays for this alleged insurance protection.

Here is a hint for the OP. Make an example out of them. File a lawsuit on them for that lousy 100 bucks, so then they can pay your court coust and legal fees as well. File directly against UPS and make them fight Crawford Insurance.

FYI..



For something small and light like a hard drive, why would you have not used USPS Priority Mail??

You get the boxes for FREE, and you get delivery confirmation for FREE too.

It's a no brainer.



You get no cost savings with UPS over USPS until you are over 4lbs.

The customer stated his experience with a UPS shipment and gave information indicating the UPS store clerk helped pack the shipment. Whether that's detail enough for you detectives or not, blatantly suggesting the customer was "difficult" and at fault without more to go on is uncalled for. And regardless of his over-the-top comments, Mr Rik I find plenty of times is justified backing up the complaints, in the face of numerous comments attacking them. Other times I find him doing this when the customer is technically wrong, as with overdrafts, late fees, etc, but even then, its avarice on the part of the businesses in enforcing those policies that probably fuels his anger, and at least that much is perfectly justifiable. Among the industry I'm in, UPS has a very bad rep for damaging shipments, the post office for losing them. Fedex not so bad. But most folks don't have many other options to use. If it was accepted as is at their own manned shipping point, UPS should man up and pay the claim. Period!

Should anyone that complains about their damage ever take fault? If someone packs china in an apple box they got from their grocery store and carefully place not one, but two sheets of newspaper between each plate, does that make the carrier at fault when all the dishes are smashed?

If someone stops into a UPS store, Fedex Office, or the post office with a hard drive clunking around in a Reebok shoebox or Cheerios box, are they void of all liability for damage? Fedex and USPS will refuse those shipments at their counters. If the customer is bummed because he doesn't have enough money to wrap the hard drive with anti-static bubble and pack it in a sturdy corrugated box with foam peanuts, does that mean he's off the hook for using what he has? Or maybe if that person bitches enough, to intimidate some employee by saying his box is just fine , does that mean he's right? If some shipping clerk says it doesn't meet the proper packaging guidelines for any claim approval if it's in a cereal box, does that make that company a ripoff? If the flimsy box is sent as is after the customer was advised and it's damaged, is it right for the customer to say 'I don't care, gimmee my money'?

If some shipping employee either has to tell the customer they refuse to ship it as is (like the post office would do), or increase the odds a little by "helped me packaged it" and put peanuts in the box instead of the paper towel padding, does that make the shipping company 100% responisble for trying to help? Yeah, a couple people would say so.

You do it for me; you do it right; you do it for free; you better make it right if I don't like it.  No matter what company is used for what ever service, there are those that act as though their mothers work there and should do everything for them and they should never have any consequences for their own decisions or actions.

That's ok though, because pretty soon we'll all have free health insurance, lifetime unemployment bennies, and unlimited food stamps. I mean, that the way it should be. The only part that I don't get is if everyone gets all these bennies, who's the people that are working to provide these things? Oh yeah...some of them work at the UPS store.

The carrier's agent accepted the shipment. To me, that makes the carrier liable to stand by the insurance it willingly sold the shipper. Doesn't matter what the clerk's motives might have been when he helped pack the box. And you can't just state the customer "must have" done something wrong here. What information have any of you gotten that leads you to determine that must be the case? Are you saying this man put a gun to the clerk's head and yelled, "Pack it for me?" Or threatened to shoot him if he didn't accept the box as is? The clerk repesented UPS. Therefore UPS accepted the box as shippable. They or their insurer owe the man the money. Period! And they count on 99 percent of such customers to just walk away and eat their loss, just like other insurers do. Deny deny deny the claims until they go away or die. This guy should just take them to small claims and he'll win. And the a#$hole UPS claims adjuster can still tell his boss he did his job trying to deny the claim.

Thomas K, what does ranting about poor packaging have to do with stolen property?  (most likely before it even left the store)

-"However, the box was new and packaged by the UPS store clerk". 

You're really starting to lose it.

SHAME ON YOU UPS! (U Pathetic Shill)

689 Reports today also!

Good to have VoR along to help level the playing field...

STAY AWAY! from these Under Performing Schmucks!

How this works with the UPS Stores is you must file thru them. They file with UPS Claims and then the store pays you. Getting the idea. They payout, the store owner makes you fight for each dime and keeps the change. Am just going thru this. It gets packed to guarantee damage. (who knows maybe they do this at the store before it even leaves) and then he gets the insurance payout too.
Take him to court. Report to Crawford Insurance, cause maybe they don't like to lose money either.

BEENTHEREDONETHAT is correct in that The UPS Store's assist in the even of a claim, as they do with the entire shipping process for their customers. The rest of what BEENTHEREDONETHAT states is just nonsense.

This complaint indicates that a The UPS Store helped package. The UPS Store's either receive completed packaging from a customer, or take items to be packaged to an area in the back of the center where the packaging counter and supplies are kept. In this case, the customer supplied an old box with inadequate packaging. Just as would be the case had this customer brought the hard drive to a post office, it would be necessary to explain that the box and packaging does not meet carrier guidelines. Obviously, this customer did not want to pay a fee for a new box, anti-static bubblewrap, peanuts, and labor. It is unclear how The UPS Store 'helped package'. Maybe they taped the box more. Perhaps they gave him a courtesy section of bubblewrap. To do so, it would have been necessary to explain why this customer package needed improvement. One thing seems evident, however, The UPS Store did not supply the box and did not package the hard drive.

This customer apparently wanted to save money. After realizing a clerk's instruction, he still chose not to package to guidelines himself. He also chose not to have it done professionally. That would be his prerogative...and his responsibility.

If he had packaged to industry guidelines himself, the problem would have never occurred. If he had any The UPS Store package the item (with a proper sized new 200ECT and fill), his claim would be guaranteed to be approved. Any shipment completely packaged by any The UPS Store has the Pack And Ship Promise. It is also fact that UPS corporate pays for all claims, NOT The UPS Store's. If this wasn't the case, that would defeat the point of having UPS corporate stick their name on an independently owned and operated business. This protocol, along with actual UPS shipping rates, is what makes The UPS Store's different from the middleman retail markup locations such as Postnet, Pakmail, etc., where the business themselves actually have to pay out of pocket. 

Another important fact: The UPS Store's not only guarantee reimbursement for damage to center packed shipments, but the entire packaging cost is also refunded. UPS corporate reimburses those packaging costs, NOT The UPS Store's themselves. No other shipping outlet has retail packaging costs paid to the customer, and this indeed causes any other shipping companies to resist claims.

Also, UPS corporate issues a claim check with the customers name on it. The check is sent to the customers address, not to The UPS Store. 

The UPS Store's have motive to advise when packaging is improper, as they strive for customer retention. A customer can send inferior packaging if he so chooses (there are limits), but has full responsibility if the packaging does not meet the guidelines indicated. (These guidelines are similar for all carriers and can be found in their respective websites.)

One final note for BEENTHEREDONETHAT. With the many rational possibilities to explain that this hard drive was apparently missing, to blame UPS or The UPS Store for stealing it is just absurd. The item could also be misplaced at the company of destination, just as is so common the case for
 T-Moble phones or Dish Network items.

A simple method may be used to see if the hard drive left the center. Typical hard drives weigh about a pound or more. A shipment for that hard drive, including the box and packaging, would be two pounds. If the hard drive was not in the box, the tracking information would indicate a one pound shipment. 

The are those have a difficult time imagining that some people package poorly. Even when professionally advised, the person still insists on sending it. The nature of that packaging often is the cause for it becoming a claim statistic. There are industry guidelines (as is the case with any insurance covering such things as auto, appliances, health, etc.) to prevent a free-for-all claim defeating the ability to insure anyone. If one just figures he'll leave out the detail that he smokes cigarettes, never bothers to change the oil in his car, or figures he'll just toss a hard drive in an old box with some newspaper, then perhaps they should consider accepting some responsibility when the insurance company denies a claim. 

Perhaps I misunderstood but he said "the clerk helped him package it". He says the box was new & packaged by the UPS Store. 

FYI
I requested large items be crated (as UPS LTL Freight recommended). Though dozens of email were sent referring to a crate - I got a poorly built pallet of old material that was nailed together. A large, shrink wrapped load was unsecured to that "pallet" 
That's courtesy of the freight inspectors report.

Another box was also professionally packed and my financial papers were taken out of the container I'd had them in.

I asked for a specific insurance amount (in writing) & the papers/Bill of Lading be sent to me.
It was sent after the damage was done. The insurance amount that was about 1/2 of what I asked for. There was 8K plus of damage.

That insurance info came from UPS Claims. They pay the store, the store pays me. I had to check this when the store mgr told me to just "wash off" something that had fallen off the pallet, was bent, dragged on the ground, ripped open in several places with dirt ground in. Re: freight inspectors report & pictures. 

I called customer service for the stores at MBE.com (Mailboxes etc) I was told file in small claims. I was given a bogus name, bogus email and bogus fax to send my complaint to. Though later I got a verbal apology and little else.

These guys do shredding confidential documents, mail, notary. 2 plus 2 still = 4. 
 

 

SUCKS!

I was just leaving work, and noticed a response from BEENTHEREDONETHAT. Freight is a different program that is not covered by the full refund guarantee that the UPS shipping has. The LTL freight company was purchased by UPS a couple of years ago. Though it is processed differently from pick up through delivery, and claims go thrugh a different company, that The UPS Store should definately be handling it better. Keep your documentation that shows the exact insured declaration. I'm not sure what was damaged, but you'll need some sort of proof of value documentation when submitting it with the claimed amount. If damage was caused by poor palletizing, or especially if a crate was to be made and wasn't, then that The UPS Store is responsible for the reimbursement. They will have to take up the freight claim with LTL. If LTL denies the claim due to inadequate packaging or insufficient insurance coverage then, yes, that The UPS Store is liable for making reimbursement out of their own pocket. And that's one example for business insurance...
 
It's not clear how BEENTHEREDONETHAT corresponded with that The UPS Store. When he stated that he'd like the insurance coverage and Bill Of Lading mailed to him, is sounded like a phone conversation. Regardless, all of that transaction documentation should have been completed and signed for approval before the item was shipped. It sounds like it may not have been and, if so, that would have been an error on BEENTHEREDONETHAT's part.

Insurance value is based on the weight and the commodity code. It was The UPS Store's responsibility to ask for the value of contents and determine whether additional coverage was needed. Documentation was mention. Perhaps a tote cover popped open and contents spilled. Regardless, it should have been assembled so that would never happen and, if it did, the frieght company would pay in full. Incidentally, no carrier offers insurance for any form of documentation or cash.

In the old original complaint, I took "helped me package" to define the 'new' box as customer supplied. A new 200ECT corrugate box, especially so small and under 2 or 3 pounds, will absolutley never look "old" after one shipment. I assumed that the "new" box was an under rated box, such as a new shoebox or more flimsy non-corrugate box that the customer brought in and subsequently needed extra advice for packaging. If that hard drive was shipped alone, in say an 11 X 11 X 7 200ECT box, with anti-static bubble wrap and peanut fill, there is simply no way that small box will breach losing a hard drive.  

BEENTHEREDONETHAT deserves better service than thus far received, unless there is other details in this case that are not mentioned here. I would like to object to one comment, however. No The UPS Store's intentionally damage items to make claims, then pocket the money. Claims totals need not be brought to an insurance companies attention. The are fully recorded and when a small threshold of claims is surpassed, that The UPS Store loses it's Pack And Ship Promise program, as well as tier level discounts needed to remain profitable.

Does that rik really have such a pathetic life that he feels good about applying blanket stereotype degradation to all businesses? Has he nothing better to do?

Say rik...what sort of business to you own? What do you offer your community to make yourself worthwhile? Why is it you like to say everyone and every business is bad? Why do you have so many discrepancies in your antogonism between topics? Why do you never offer any constructive insight or solutions? And why are you so proud of your claims to have vandalized businesses, stolen their property, put water in other's gas tanks, etc, etc, to justify yourself? Are you really as small and cowardly as you seem here?

WHY are you here, Thomas k???

rik asks, "WHY are you here Thomas k".

It is obvious why anyone is here, including myself and rik. rik, however, is the only peculiar person that doesn't get it. When polluting reports with slander, vulgarity, and threats of illegal activities, other readers have call this rik character a "troll". rik has never offered a kind or constructive solution to any complaint. Though it should be quite clear to a normal person, I'll answer rik's question:

I own and operate a shipping facility that utilizes all common carriers as well as frieght services. I refer to this site to learn of customer perspectives related to my business of which I have operated for 11 years. I use this knowledge to both assist and preparemy employees,

Like others (but unlike rik), I try to offer some insight to the situation that prepares us in the event we have a customer with a similar concern. Als, since we ship with all carriers, it is almost a daily occurance that we have people come into this business or receive phone calls regarding shipments that have nothing to do with our business location. Rather than brush them off, I try to extend the courtesy of any where from possible explanations to phone numbers of the other company used in their service.

Unlike rik's use of slander and vulgarity in his responses in this site, I intentionally maintain my reference of rik as a "coward". That definition is reinforced, as cowards often ask a question as an answer to a question. rik's cowardly response rates right down there with responses used by PeeWee Herman.

Without a mature answer, then readers with have to assume what other's are correct with in their interpretation of rik: he is a "troll" that has nothing better to do but bash people, unfairly stereotype, uses ugly racial slur, and suggest illegal acts and vandalism as an entertaining solution. rik is the type that will tell you to avoid any and all businesses, while he'll steal your purse out of your car if you give him half an opportunity or shove your child down (when nobody's looking)if he/she looks at him strange. No one really cares, at least in this venue, how rik's self esteem got so low. He does make it quite evident here that he dislikes his life and is bitter to anyone that doesn't have to collect a government check.

For yor behalf, rik, would you be so kind to answer the previous questions, as well as your own question?  "Why are you here", rik?

You're a SHILL!

I don't like shills.

STAY AWAY from UPS, they will RIP YOU OFF!

703 UPS RIPOFFS TODAY!

SCUMBAGS!

 A little support from thomas k was offered to the OP even though long winded and boring. Then the entertainment starts when rikky pops in... The answer to rikky's question seemed to give thomas k some credibility - if it's true. rikky thinks it's true! rikky can't answer his own question because he has nothing decent or respectable he can honestly say about himself.

 Hey rikky? Why are you hiding behind that shill word? Because a respondant is biased? Doesn't anyone have a right to have a preference? If a guy owns a shipping place, you say he's a shill. If he's a postal employee, you say he's a shill. If a person prefers Fedex, you say he's a shill. If someone laughed at the complaint that Dunkin' Donuts made there donut hole too big, you say, "shill! Stay away!" LOL Could you be a shill 'cuz you're a disgruntled employee? Yep. Easy to think any of those places you cry about would definately fire your azz.

 rikky shows his simple mind when he says 700 ups complaints today. Anyone can scroll down the list and see that there are less than 20 UPS company complaints in 2011. rikky's simple mind wants to tell you that when ever the letter 'ups' line up, it must be about UPS corporate, even if it's 'hang ups', mark up', pop ups', and so on. rikky is either too dumb to get it or is so desperate to "shill" he needs to be a liar.

 rikky says he's all about petty vandalism and cutting down people. Then he's a broken record ROP troll that goes "waaah waaahh SHILL!! sniffle sniffle Stay AWAY!! waah waah waaaaah!...over and over again. Hey rikky...who are you and why are YOU here?? (anyone want to wager $20 he'll repeat his cry baby nonsense?) Yeah...he does look like a pizzant COWARD every time he does it.

P.S. The shipping I do, rare as it it, is out the back shipping/receiving are at the company I work for. They do Fedex. So far no problems! so that makes me a fedex shill! sorry beentheredonthat...good luck with your insurance!

Who cares if a comment here comes from the UPS CEO or the local postmaster. Good info. Lame comments from rik. I shouldn't, but I can't resist stooping to his level!

Avoid people that UPS, USPS, FedEx and DHL had to fire! THEY ARE WHAT GIVES COMPANIES BAD NAMES. SHILLING BEWARE!!!

Ok Thomas K, you and your alter egos got me.

I used to work for UPS.

I got fired for not getting the owner enough credit card numbers, stolen property, and pictures of little kids.

I am disgruntled.  

Not.

STAY AWAY!

703 REPORTS TODAY!

AT LEAST 14 REPORTS since THIS threads been running!  

"Thomas K" and his alter egos shilling and attacking the poster in every one of them.

This is after he switched from being "Aaron" the "other" ups SHILL. (among others)

You need to bring him back, I didn't mean to hurt his feelings!

It has been suggested here that the packaging was inferior and the clerk at UPS probably knew it.  My question is, if they sell you insurance knowing what they know, and the 3rd party insurance companies deny every claim, isn't that stealing from the customers?

That being said, is it so hard to believe that they would not steal your package?

Over the top comments or not, I stand with Rik in this case and with the OP. There was nothing in the original complaint to give anyone reason to say the OP was "difficult" or had shipped the box inadequately. A UPS agent accepted the package, regardless of how it was packed, or by whom, and accepted cash value for the insurance. It disappeared on UPS's watch and they should pay up. PERIOD!

I'm shocked voiceofreason defending the op.  And,  after how I been treated such like crap because,  I exposed the truth how wrong I was treated.

You may be labeled a disgruntled ups employee!

705 REPORTS TODAY!

SCUMBAGS!

While I am dealing with a current issue involving a UPS retail store, I have been amazingly surprised to find out that the corporate UPS (Brown) does not govern the UPS stores; this was told to me by a (Brown) UPS Corporate representative.  And furthermore that each UPS retail store is separate and apart from the principal UPS Company (who knew? Not the general public, since these also boldly post the Brown's logo on their signage and throughout each store); and what's more that individual franchise has the right to set their own policies.  To be clear everyone....while it's too late in my case, this week I have surprisingly learned that the UPS facilities are the location with the transit hub (UPS trucking facilities); these are governed by UPS corporate.  I also have a friend who works for the corporate UPS, who now tells me that they are under different Unions from the retail UPS stores (which are generally retail storefronts). 

Georgia Corporate customer service also advised me that while there are established standards that are followed and backed by the larger UPS Company, these policies and standards do not extent to and have no bearing on the independent UPS retail stores.  In my case, it appears absolutely true, because the retail store appears self governing, have personally investigate my issue (so they say) and have processed a bare minimum claim in their local office system (even though they admit that they are at fault), a claim which the local store has handled autonomous in their store not involving any third-party! A claim which no one asked me the value of the merchandise, but they have already determined recompense value all in one day?

And if you post a report, or a rebuttal I agree with, then...I will agree with it. I've taken issue with you, when you've posted things...I've taken issue with. You apparently focus only on the posts I've made where I've defended the business against the OP. What can I tell you; in this case, and many others, I feel the business is DEAD WRONG! Maybe I've gotten too caught up in the reputation I gathered from others that you've accumulated here. If I've truly been unfair to you, or come off as needlessly mean spirited, I apologize. But I'm still gonna call'em as I see'em.

When I elaborated on what likely happened, I was describing a scenario that we see many times every day. First of all, if that The UPS Store packaged that hard drive in their 200ECT box, wrapped in anti-static bubblewrap and peanuts, it simply is virtually impossible to damage. If as described, that box burst and the hard drive fell out, and that The UPS Store did not complete a claim reimbursement for the OP then, yes, that The UPS Store is as voiceof reason sees'em, "DEAD WRONG". Absolutely and positively.

This OP, however, left out a couple of critical details that would shift liability. Not a business day goes by that we don't have customers that want to ship their item(s) in a box that they brought in that is in need of packing improvement. It's one of the challenges that shipping locations, including FEDEX Office and all post offices, deal with every day. I've seen identical situations where a person wants to ship a hard drive and has it sitting in a like new Reebok shoebox lightly stuffed with newspaper. If this OP came into our center, we would have explained the risks of shipping in a package like that. We would also offer the service to do it properly and for...checking our chart...a whopping $7.80 plus tax. As is inevitable in any retail business, some customers object to a packaging fee while other's feel it should be done for free. We can not force a customer to improve packaging. We offer the proper materials if they need them or they can bring it back later,  packaged to meet industry guidelines. Unless it's packaged in a blatantly ridiculous manner, such as a glass print wrapped in grocery bags, we will accept packages for shipping after the customer was explained any deficiencies it may have.

I have spoken with my business associates as well as my local postmaster regarding this subject. In our centers, we estimate that 80% of shipments are customer packed. Of them, over half have packaging issues that do not meet carrier guidelines for proper packaging. The USPS postmaster stated that a minimum of 2/3 of the packages they see do not meet industry guidelines. (I wondered if he was including the 15 ECT Flat Rate Priority box in that estimate...) All shipping facilities, including every post office in the country, will ship packages for customers even when seeing that they could have a packaging deficiency. If that wasn't the case, over half the shipments made through all carriers would be cut by perhaps 75%. The rates for all of us would quadruple and transit times would grossly increase.

So back to the hard drive. In my experience, the OP's "new" box was likely supplied by the OP. He preferred not to pay anything (his prerogative). The UPS Store may have given him a couple sheets of bubblewrap to atleast get rid of the OP's newspaper or empty voids withing the box. This scenario, which is forced upon shipping facilities, by no means makes them liable for the customer's decision. Any insurance (which was free to this OP for the first $100) is covered automatically for loss. Any shipping insurance, whether paid for or not, offers damage coverage only if packaging criteria meets industry guidelines. These guidelines, which some people disregard for a variety of reasons, are easily reviewed online and, again, are explained when necessary at shipping facilities like The UPS Stores.
 
There is an important detail that leads me to believe that the OP supplied his own 'new' box and he had The UPS Store 'help' him with peanuts and/or bubblewrap. If that The UPS Store 'help' included a new 200ECT box with all the proper fill, it simple could not be damaged. That's not 'help'. That's providing complete packaging. Try taking a shoebox or any 8" cube 32ECT or less box in your hands. It's pretty easy to crumple it into something the size of an apple in just seconds. Can you ship with that box? Sure, but it doesn't meet carrier guidelines for damage protection. Now try doing that with the same box that is 200ECT. You just can't do it with your bare hands. If, though, damage does occur when a The UPS Store completely packages that hard drive, there's no reason a claim won't go through. The packaging met guidelines and, unlike other retail mark-up locations, the monetary cost to that center for issuing a claim check to a customer is zero. Even the packaging costs are reimbursed to the customer at no cost to the shipping center. There's no disincentive to have a claim approved and payment issued. If the customer insisted on saving perhaps two bucks with his own box any claim is no longer automatic, yet the customer can still ship with his own box...at his own risk.

*taking a breath...* Ok, a respectful question for inspector and voiceof reason. This package integrity is an inherent aspect of all shipping locations including post offices. On one hand, over half of shipments can be denied due to deficiences in packaging. Obviously, all shipping locations, including the post office, would have complaints if they were denied. It is plausible to state that this would cause he entire industry to collapse. On the other hand, recommendations can be made for packaging improvements, but shipped regardless of the cusomer's consideration. When damage occurs due to a customer's decision, even when advised or 'helped', then the shipping facility and/or corporation gets complaints. If that's the only two scenarios, cut and dried, then it's a no win for all shipping facilities as well as the public. The question: what is option #3?

It seems to me, that if ups employees wouldn't steal your stuff, or kick your stuff around, all this could be avoided?

I guess packing is a big money maker for ups.

What a bunch of SCUMBAGS!

Maybe a little more care in handling the packages might help.  I have watched the loading of trucks where packages are thrown into the vehicle.  At the post office I have seen them throw the package accross the room into a bin.  It has come to the point where a steel or armoured box is needed just to ship something.
I realize that there are too many packages to be delicate with every one but, a little more care would be helpful.  If the industry collapses it will be because of the apes handling the packages not because they helped re pack a few.
My question: Given what the clerks know about insurance claims, do they offer the insurance to the customer?

Handling for package transit could always be better. Unfortunately, public demands for speed and cost versus the law of physics has a threshhold. To remain an employee, UPS is not the only company that demands perfection in sorting and proper package handling. With UPS, after one warning for 3 missorts in 30 days or package abuse, your employment is terminated. If a person is caught stealing, that employee is not only terminated, but UPS will prosecute to the maximum extent of the law. FedEx is the same way (other than the ground drivers being self employed).

Does an error by an employee of any company, whether real or perceived, mean every human being working for that company, or affiliated with that company, or uses that company's service, is an idiot, scumbag, moron, non-US citizen, shiller, crook, etc, etc? Personally, I think that assumption is ludicrous and derived from a small mentality or troubled person. There are rational and intellingent persons like you, Inspector, that are reasonable with their opinions based on personal life experience. Then there are the absurd from lower forms of thinking by, not to mention any names here...(rik).

Most of the handling done in package transit for UPS and FedEx (not necessarily so with USPS) is done by automated computerized conveyors and sorting machines. Because physics are more of a factor than human handling, packaging guidelines are an obvious necessity for the shipping industry. There has to be instruction for materials used to package as well as the technique used for the packaging. Without those guidelines, shipping insurance payouts would run rampant for packages that do not meet those industry guidlines. Fraud would also be a cinch, ie: ship your old obsolete and broke computer in an Avon box with newspaper, then get a check for $1000 when it's damaged. Are there damage claims with all carriers? Absolutely. Are they all denied. Not at all.  Atleast UPS supplies a specific form for the details of the packaging used, what guidelines were not met, and how to avoid such problems in the future. Does a claim denial solve the loss to the party that shipped the package? Definately not. The majority of people are rational and take responsibility for there own doings. Will there always be the type of person that packs dishes in a Bounty paper towel box stuffed with newspaper, then complain (perhaps in ROP) that the Post Office, or UPS, or FedEx, manhandled it to pieces? Yes, always.

To answer your question, Inspector. Let's use the analogy of your purchase of a laptop computer at Best Buy. Cashiers are required to solicit insurance. Any insurance plan (we all have a variety of coverages) is designed to generate revenue for an insurance company, with a commission paid to the seller. That is no different with the post office, UPS, or FedEx. If an employee does not offer that insurance, they may be corrected or even reprimanded. In the case of shipping, yes, we are no different. Though Xray vision is something that still eludes us, if a package shows indication of industry guideline deficiencies, we definately always point them out. Why? For a variety of reasons. Many customer's are pleased to pay a nominal fee to properly package and subsequently guarantee insurance approval in the event of a claim. Also, if the customer has a problem, then so do we. Nobody likes problems. Within the limits of contract and the law, a customer's problem will be resolved. Does the extent of the resolution always satisy a person? Of course not. To alleviate the inevitable occurances of this insurance subject, we have what may be a fairly unique technique. We ask customers, "If you had lost grip of your package and dropped in on the parking lot, would you be concerned that it may be damaged?" Believe it or not, this is the best way we have found to explain that insurance covers loss 100% of the time, but will only cover damage if the packaging meets carrier guidelines. This is clearly stated to the customer politely and in plain English (regardless of what rikky says when following me around like a starving puppydog, I'm not from a foreign country and I do not have a slushy machine in my facility). After explaining what the insurance does and does not cover, and how we can assist them to improve the coverage, you might be surprised how many people have the attitude, "Yeah yeah yeah...no thank you...don't want it...", etc, etc. Then when an occasional problem does occur based on their own informed decision, a few of these people then demand insurance when no policy was paid -  or full coverage when the explained stipulated requirements were not met.

When we buy our new cars, the extended warranty is always offered. When we decline the $3500 policy, we can't complain when the transmission quits. Likewise, if we pay the $3500 for the full package, we can't complain when the insurance is denied because we used the incorrect grade oil. Peculiarly enough, however, there are a few that still do...even though their basic responsibilities were ecplained to them, and they signed a contract with all that fun print they felt was a bunch of mumbojumbo and never read.

 

STILL SCUMBAGS!