But then I found a place that does retipping and cantilever replacement for a reasonable $250, and has a great reputation. So, I decided, ok, lets get this thing out of the closet, and lets do it. So I boxed it up, and sent it in to them.
Now, to backtrack again, you may recall past rantings from me about UPS. These idiots somehow have always messed up just about every delivery to my home. It is for this reason that I rarely have packages sent to my home, I make a point to give my work address for the shipping address anytime I'm getting a package. But, somehow, that didn't happen with the retipper, maybe they didn't have separate addresses for billing and shipping. Or maybe I just wasn't thinking straight that day. But, when the job was done, I got an email with a UPS tracking number, letting me know the cartridge was on it's way to Hayward.
Hayward? Oh shit, that's not my work address....I'd better watch over this closely.
And watch it I did. On Friday, just after midnight stroke Thursday night/Friday morning, the status of this package was out for delivery. And apparently the cartridge spent the day riding around on a UPS truck. I watched for updates all day long, waiting for either a knock on the door, or a status change at a failed delivery attempt, which often happens despite us being right there. Instead, it just stayed out for delivery all night. At 9:30 pm, I figured, this isn't looking good.....guess I'd better start the process of calling these fuckers and yelling at them, since they are never willing to actually do anything to help me.
So, I called them up. The guy on the phone was filled with contradictions. First he told me it was still out for delivery, and that the guy should be knocking on my door any minute now.....at nearly 10:00? So then I alerted him to the past issues I've had with things scanned unable to be delivered despite being right there and ready to open the door, and suggested he get in touch with the driver, to find out where he is, when he's gonna get here, and if he needs to call me to help let him in or something. But, he couldn't get in touch with the driver, because the center was closed. But....he's still out there you said. So, then I said, fuck this, I want to pick up my package tomorrow. I was then told I couldn't pick it up tomorrow because I didn't call before 7. After more arguing he told me the center was closed on Saturday, except for those that worked there.
ARRRGGGHHHH....
Now, lets talk about fedex, and ontrac. These guys, they get me my packages. Actually, that Saturday, I got a package from fedex, while UPS was still holding my package hostage that was to be delivered on Friday. And ontrac, that guy calls my cell if he ever gets stuck outside the gate. When I went to those people with issues getting my packages, they helped me. They found ways to get things done, get me packages, and resolve these issues. UPS....they're filled with excuses and reasons why they can't help me every damn time I call them. It's always a huge ordeal, several phone calls, and people that lie to me, don't want to help me, or drag their heels until I make so many phone calls and such a scene they can't ignore the problem anymore.
Anyways, I finally settled for an arranged Monday pick up. While I was on the phone, the status of the package changed to missed delivery, which means the guy never got around to delivering it, and so back to the center it went. Then the guy I spoke to on the phone changed the status to hold for pick up for Monday. What happened to the package after that, I don't know, but what was supposed to happen was the dip shit that couldn't be bothered to do his damn job and deliver the package to me, was supposed to give the package to a clerk to hold aside for me. But, this asshat couldn't even do that right.
So, fast forward to Monday. I figured my best plan of attack would be to take an early lunch at 11, get out there before the lunch rush hits the highway, and pick up my package so I could have this issue resolved and put behind us. By 11, the status was still showing that it was requested to hold it, but not that they actually held it, so I figured, I'd better check in with UPS and see what's up before I drive in.
So, at this point, I opened a chat on their website, with unhelpful idiot number 2. This guy was basically taking the attitude of "dude, just wait until it says it's ready for pick up". I found this answer unacceptable being that I had spoken on the phone with someone Friday, and the agreement was that it would be ready by Monday, they had a whole weekend to get this ready. So, I asked to speak with a supervisor. He took my info, and told me a supervisor would call me.
An hour or so later, no call. So, I got on the phone and called UPS again. I got a live person, and immediately asked for a supervisor. They forwarded me to a supervisor, who claimed to be at the actual local center. He took my info, told he he'd have a clerk look for it, and call me right back. As this call ended, my phone rang again, a supervisor in Virginia called to follow up on the chat from earlier, telling me he spoke to someone at the local center, and that they're looking into it and will get back to him. Oh boy....more promises of getting back to me, but no answer as to the whereabouts of my package. By 2:00, I gave up on driving out on my lunch break, and took my break. I figured, I'll head out there at 4 when I get out of here, and will have all the time in the world to camp out there until someone gets me my damn package.
Of course by the time 3:45 was rolling around no one had called me back, and I was getting ready to drive over there to demand my package. So, I figured, lets try to call one more time to see what the latest is, and give them a heads up that an angry Gators is making his way to the local center. This time they transferred me to the investigations department, since it became clear to everyone that all day, no one has had a clue just where in the hell this package is. I once again asked for a supervisor. While holding for a supervisor, the person that took my call told me she reached out to the local center, and apparently they noticed that the value of the package is $1000, so they're going to check the cage where the valuable packages are locked up. Wait.....no one thought of this until 3:45, after calling around frantically all day asking where my package is? Arrrggghhh.....and then back on hold. By the time 4 rolled around, I hung up, and figured, screw this call, time to pay these guys a visit.
When I arrived, there wasn't too much of a line, 2 people in front of me. The person next to me was trying to pick up a package that they were still looking for, surprise surprise. Overhearing this conversation, I found that they lobby was open until 7, and then closed until 8, when it would then reopen until 9:30. Well....lets hope they find my package by 7, or I'm gonna have to chill outside for an hour. So, I get up to the counter, hand the guy the printout of my tracking info, and he goes take a look....and comes back with a few more print outs with package statuses that basically tell us nothing. He starts by saying that they just need to wait until it shows up on a scan somewhere. Uh....no....I'm not just going to wait until it turns up somewhere. I've been promised call backs all day, and only one person called me once. He then suggested I get in touch with the shipper. I asked what the point of this would be, they don't have it. He's like "go back to them and ask them, where's my package" And I pointed out, "but the package is somewhere in oakland or hayward....it was on a truck on friday driving around, the shipper doesn't have it". He then made some comment about all the packages they have to deal with.....really? UPS has to deal with packages? Shit....go figure. But wait.....isn't that what they're in the business of doing? Isn't that their whole reason of existing, to be able to deal with these packages? So, I pointed out to this guy, I really don't care about all their other packages, that's their problem, I care about my package. At this point I realized this guy had no interest in helping me, so I asked to talk to a manger, or supervisor. He replies with "uh.....well.....there really isn't one right now......." I come back with "Who's in charge here at the moment!" They decide someone over at another department is in charge, and they go looking for him. After waiting a while, he came back and said he talked to the supervisor, and they are looking for the package, and will call me as soon as they find it. Wow....heard that line before, several times today. So I told him, I'm not leaving here without my package, and proceeded to hang out in their lobby.
I then figured, well, lets call them again and bug as many people as I can. Time to get another call center employee to bug the people here, and may as well let all the customers overhear the frustrations of an angry caller that can't get any help from UPS. So, I called, asked for a supervisor after waiting on hold for 10 minuets, and got another call center supervisor. I had her check with the local center, and she comes back with the same old they're looking for it. I said this wasn't good enough at this point....and basically spent 20 minutes or so yelling at this person before I ran out of things to yell about and wrapped up the call. And then I waited around some more. Played some games on my phone, check email....whatever to pass the time.
At some point I decided, well, lets send some tweets to UPS, just to keep them in the loop of what's going down in their lobby.
At this point, the person who had originally helped me, who seemed to have disappeared on break for much of the time I was hanging out in the lobby, showed up at the counter again helping people with their packages. I guess at this point he noticed, oh shit, this guy is still here, and he seems to be......taking various pictures in the lobby with his phone......maybe we should do something about this. So, I guess he managed to actually find the manager of this place, because then he came up to me and told me the manager will come out to talk to me shortly and explain what's going on.
Gee, is that all it takes to get someone to actually talk to me and be straight with me instead of just give me the runaround....hang out in their lobby for over and hour and start taking pictures?
So, he comes out, and is very friendly. Apparently what happened is that, when the driver on Friday was supposed to remove my package from his truck, he did that. But, he didn't actually give it to a clerk to put aside for me. They don't know what he did, or where he put it. The manager also made a point to mention that due to cyber Monday sales they've been slammed with more packages than they were expecting or prepared for.
Uh, seriously? I understand if you're some sort of start up, or new location....but seriously? UPS hasn't figured out how to deal with the volume of packages that show up during the holidays, and properly staff up for the rush?
He talked about how they have everyone working overtime around the clock.
You know, no wonder unemployment stays high, these big employers are more interested in executive bonuses than they are in hiring enough staff to deal with the work. Instead of hiring enough people to deal with all the packages and get all deliveries dealt with timely and efficiently, they'd rather have a skeleton crew running trucks from 1 in the morning to 10 at night, knocking at people's doors at ungodly hours, and having everyone working the job of probably at least 3 people, resulting in overworked employees that can't keep track of all their packages, late deliveries, and lost packages......all for that nice fat bonus check for the guy on top.
Anyways, he assured me that the package is still somewhere in the building, it probably got put in with the incoming packages, which means it will get scanned again, and at that point whoever scans it will be immediately alerted to put that package aside and hold it for me. He verified my number, and asked me how late he can call. I said up until midnight, so he said if it shows up before midnight they'll call me then, and he would be following up at 7:30 tomorrow morning.
At 11, I got the call the package turned up. So....we'll see what happens when I go to pick it up today.
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