I just happen to own a small shipping franchise called GoinPostal. We ship through all of the services including USPS. Of all of the services USPS is the most difficult to deal with on a daily basis. You would not have this problem with UPS OR FedEx. We send 75% of our stuff through FedEx. They are the best with insurance claims for us. As far as price goes USPS is the cheapest for small boxes but is outrageously high on larger or heavier packages.
When I was in the process of being hired for my current job, the HR manager, my current boss, sent my new hire paperwork to me via FedEx but mistakenly marked as “signature required”. And last year, I ordered a new CC to replace one that had been damaged and requested it be shipped to me FedEx next day as I needed it for an out of town business trip and it required a signature. As I work during the day, I wasn’t home to sign for either package but FedEx left a note on my door to say they had attempted to deliver and the note gave the website and the tracking number and instructions on where the package was, when the next delivery would be attempted and how to opt to pick it up at the local FedEx office and a 1-800 number to call if I preferred to speak with someone.
In both cases I went on line, entered the tracking number and selected the option to hold for me to pick up and it even let me choose from among several FedEx locations – which ever was more convenient. It was very easy and the FedEx website also automatically gave me Google Map directions on how to get to the FedEx location I chose with an option to have those directions sent to my phone if I wanted, the FedEx location which BTW was open till 8PM during the week and on Saturday and half days on Sunday. And within a few minutes of me selecting the pickup option, I received a phone call from FedEx customer service from a very nice and polite woman (English speaking BTW), confirming that I was going to pick the package up, providing me with their hours and asking me if I needed directions, had any questions, etc. I went the next evening after work and got in and out in less than 5 minutes.
At work I’ve sent packages via FedEx and you can really see nearly up to the minute detailed tracking information.
While UPS is better than the USPS in my experience, I contrast FedEx to UPS when a few weeks before Christmas 2011, a package was delivered to my address but to the woman who used to live at my address, it was from some sort of packaging supply company. She (the woman who lived in my apartment before me) evidently owned a small bakery/coffee house and the supplier must not have updated her new home or business address. Long story short, I tried calling UPS several times and got hung up in an endless loop of options, none of which included what to do to have a package picked back up if mistakenly delivered and none of which allowed me speak to a real live person. I went to the UPS website and again, there were no options to have the package picked back up or any way to contact their customer service via phone or email since I was not the shipper. I tried contacting the shipper but couldn’t get through to them either. As a last resort, I Googled the name of the woman’s bake shop, found her phone number on her website and left her a voice mail, telling her I had her package. She called me back an hour later and was very grateful that I called her. We agreed that I would leave the package in front of my apartment door the next morning for her to pick up which she did, leaving me a thank you note and a coupon for a dozen free cupcakes – which were very yummy BTW so that was a good thing : ).
I’ve had other issues with UPS over the years; surly drivers, damaged and a few lost packages, etc. Last Christmas I ordered gifts from Amazon that was delivered UPS. Even though the individual packages were not very large or bulky nor did they require a signature, since I wasn’t home, the UPS driver took it upon himself to deliver them to the apartment rental office. The woman at the rental office told me that he told her he was concerned that they might be stolen and I truly appreciated his concern. But I order from Amazon fairly regularly, many packages left in front of my door and I have never had a problem. The problem with him delivering my packages to the rental office was that 1) the rental office is only open M-F 9 to 5 and from 9 to 11 on Saturdays and 2) as I was going to be out of town that Saturday, the Saturday before Christmas, so I had to leave work an hour and a half early one day during the week to get to the rental office before 5 and, 3) since it was more than one box, the rental office charged me a package delivery fee. Doh!
And don’t get me started on the USPS. The last time I ordered something from Ebay (a cell phone case, screen protectors and some iPhone small electronics accessories), it was sent USPS and the postal person jammed the a bit too big box into my not quite big enough mail box to the point it tore the box, crimped the screen protectors and forced me to pry the contents out. As I only paid about a $1 for the screen protectors, it wasn’t worth the hassle to file a claim. And the last time I had a piece of “certified mail” (a “love letter from the IRS on taxes they claimed I owed) again I had to take time off from work to pick it up as they have crappy hours of operation, not once but twice mind you as the first time they couldn’t find the certified letter and claimed it had been sent back out for delivery and oh, there is nothing like taking time from work and standing on line at the post office for 30+ minutes, not once but twice in the same week for the very same letter.
If sending anything or given a delivery option, if it is any of any value or time sensitive, I go with FedEx even if it costs more. UPS is my next option. But USPS? I can’t tell you the last time I’ve used them. I receive all my bills electronically and pay them all on-line via secure websites. I don’t mail letters or Christmas cards anymore, I get invitations to events or birthday parties via FB or email, I even have some magazines delivered in an electronic format. The only USPS mail I get now days is pure unsolicited junk mail and that goes from my mail box to the shredder straight to the recycling bin.
The USPS could shut down tomorrow and I wouldn’t miss it at all.