Shipping is a mess too.

[boonesyard]

So it's not just lead times on sawmills, parts, pretty much everything that is suffering, but the shipping part of the supply chain has really been affected as well.

I'm a guy that will pay more if I can put my hands on something and walk out of the local store with it instead of ordering it and having it shipped to me, but alas, those days are over. I've had to order more and more parts and supplies on-line because they just aren't available locally, many times they aren't available on line either with all the shortages. Availability in itself is a big problem, but we've really been having trouble with shipping as well.

When I decided to order a new seat, I figured availability would be a crap shoot, but gave Woodmizer a call. Joe did a fantastic job looking for one and in 2 days found one in Missouri and the order was completed. It was shipped via Fedex on 4/29 with an estimated May 4th delivery. As of yesterday, the shipment is officially lost. This, unfortunately, has become a more common issue than I care to be dealing with. I know the shipping companies are dealing with unprecedented volume, but it sure has been frustrating on the receiving end. I've had 3 different shipments get lost in the last month. They never did show up and I end up cancelling the order. 

Wondering if anyone else is experiencing shipping issues? Weird times we're in. 

BTW, it's been a tough week for my butt. No sawmill seat. My recliner broke 3 months ago, it's taken till this last week to get the part, the repairman showed up to fix it the part was shipped wrong. I had a nice elm stair tread order we we filled this week, but I was one tread short of the order, so I had to cut up my elm bench on the garage to fill the order  :D.  

[chet]

Waiting on a part now. Within 3 days of ordering, the part made it from California to da UP of Michigan. Since 1AM Monday morning it's been sitting less than an hour from my local post office. That's 6 days so far and counting!     :(

[goose63]

I had one Fedex driver get lost on the way out here when he left here I drew a map 6 miles from here at the end of my drive way make a right at the cross road make a right go 5 miles on the right will be a bunch of pine trees that will be Troys place that knot head made a left he called me I'm lost I found him 16 miles north of here fallow me when we got to Troys I don't knoe if he ever got back to Fargo 

[Southside]

We have gone out of our way to avoid using the Post Office, even paid more on multiple occasions to have something shipped via another carrier.  Absolutely useless entity they have become.  

The sort center in Sandston, VA that processes the mail for this area is literally the worst in the nation and has been ranked there for quite a while.  Congratulations folks, you are doing a fine job of holding down the bottom.  

[DixieReb31]

No one cares anymore.  About anything.  The apathy that fills this nation is a direct reflection of the leadership.  Leadership in all roles.  Not just political leadership, also the post office in your example.  That particular post master doesn't care and his subordinates reflect his attitude.  Maybe he's being forced to do things a certain way, if so that is a direct reflection of his leadership.  I don't have the answer, wish I did.  Even if I did few would agree with it.  I blame millennials, the generation of "I'm entitled".  Sorry if that offends anyone, but I have worked with them. Millennials think an opportunity is a way of getting something without earning it. I'm sure this comment will be removed. Sorry, but I'm old enough to see the generation change and I feel for our country.

[Larry]

USPS lost 2 of 3 packages in the last month.  One was put in the wrong mailbox and never found.  The other was found in the rural mail carriers car.  Both had a tracking number which showed delivered.

I get prescriptions USPS and they won't switch to UPS because of expense.  BTW UPS does an excellent job in our area.

All customers on my route are having like problems with the carrier.  Several of us got together and went to our US congressman with pictures and documentation.  That generated a call from the local Postmaster who assured us he has talked with the carrier.  Only been this way for two years now.

This has turned into a war, we continue to document and take pictures of packages in the ditch or balanced on top the box.  I hope our service does improve.  War is hell.

[RAYAR]

...That particular post master doesn't care and his subordinates reflect his attitude.... I don't have the answer, wish I did..... Sorry, but I'm old enough to see the generation change and I feel for our country.

That particular post master owns or has interests in courier companies that benefits from the post office cutting services and providing very slow to corrupt services among other things. Makes sense, eh?

[sprucebunny]

I got a Christmas card today. 
It's a postcard from an equipment company and looks like it was stuck in a machine for a while.

[RichTired]

We have pretty good service from the USPS in our area. The only issues I or  my neighbors have had is with substitute mail carriers. One left a package on top of my neighbor's mail box. I noticed it missing a few minutes later. Knowing no one was home I thought either some one took it or it fell off down the hill. Sure enough it had fallen off the mailbox and down the hill. 
We have good UPS and FedEx service as well as Amazon Prime.

[breederman]

A couple days ago Jackie got a catalog that was inside some sort of a clear plastic bag thing, just the cover no inside pages.

[DixieReb31]

...That particular post master doesn't care and his subordinates reflect his attitude.... I don't have the answer, wish I did..... Sorry, but I'm old enough to see the generation change and I feel for our country.

That particular post master owns or has interests in courier companies that benefits from the post office cutting services and providing very slow to corrupt services among other things. Makes sense, eh?

Quite possible. There's some reason behind the apathy.

[chet]

Finally got package today. I ordered a pilot burner assembly but received an RV appliance printed circuit board.  :

[Ianab]

I got a Christmas card today.
It's a postcard from an equipment company and looks like it was stuck in a machine for a while.

That's nothing... I work part time for a friend who is a Rural Mail Contractor. Just sorting the mail and freight for the next days run. The actual Run is about 8 hours, so 2 or 3 hours sorting on top of that makes a day too long (to keep up week after week anyway)

I had one this year posted from England - to another address in England.  ???
Sorry, this is Stratford (on Patea), not Stratford on Avon.  :D. Post marked / dated it NZ Post, and put it back into the "outbound".  Hopefully the recipient notices how well travelled it was when it arrived a month or so late.

But how things work here is that nobody working from our depot is employed by NZ Post. All contractors, or employed by contractors. Actually seems to work pretty well, none of us have "Govt" jobs, so normal employment rules. Don't do your job and you can be fired or a contract cancelled etc.

Basically all courier parcels end up with us, and that includes DHL / Amazon / Fedex etc, and even mail from a competing private mail carrier (they don't deliver Rural).  Yes we make mistakes, they usually get caught, and you get your stuff the next day. By far the most mistakes are by the senders, or people ordering online. Old addresses in the system, only changing part of an address when they move.  We have one lady that still sometimes gets parcels addressed to her old address, and the one before that, on 2 other RD runs....

I'd estimate freight has increased maybe 30% over 2019 levels. It was totally crazy during the end of lock-down here, when everyone had been stuck at home for ~6 weeks, and the restrictions eased to allow pickup and online purchase of "non essentials". So a six week backlog of boredom induced online shopping orders was unleashed. Since then it's settled back to more sane, but still increased volumes. Probably a good thing as mail volumes have been steadily dropping, and that's likely to continue as bank checks are being phased out this year. The extra freight more than makes up for it though.

And in "did you know?" department.
It's possible to order online a complete tandem axle car trailer, and have it couriered to you in pieces . Boss was NOT happy about having to pack that in the van along with the rest of the days freight.  :D  They also got the address wrong, but it got delivered to the right guy.

[alan gage]

Ordered parts at work from a company in Sioux Falls that shipped last Monday. Asked them to please not ship Speedy but they did anyway. Part showed up here (2 hours away from supplier) on Friday at 2:00.

Asked the Speedy guy what was up with there deliveries being so slow and he said they can't keep people working in their distribution centers. They've tried giving raised but still no go. He said they load whatever they can get loaded before they have to head out on deliveries but they never get it all on the trucks

Oh, and the parts that showed up 3 days late with a vehicle tying up a hoist and a customer patiently waiting? They were wrong. And the real kicker is the supplier runs a truck out here on Wednesday afternoons but we told them to ship it since it should have made it overnight on Tuesday. Really shot myself in the foot there.

But honestly other than that mess up I really haven't had any shipping issues. A few things have been a day or two later than expected (usually Speedy) but nothing as been lost and most things have been on time.

Alan

[WV Sawmiller]

   Generally good service on all fronts here. I ordered new spindles and blades for my mower from my supplier in Oregon (Pacific time gives me 3 more hours to call them after normal hours here) on Monday afternoon and they came in my mail Thursday before noon. Marty sent me blades by UPS on 5/5 and I got them on 5/6. Joe sent my fuel line part on 4 May from WM NC and I got it from FedEx yesterday.

[Lynwoo]

A log jam usually happens at the worst possible place and time but we have a really good ups and usps delivery person.

  We have had a horrible usps driver prior and until that person retired we just had to suffer through.  Not much can be done about it.  Just the luck of thedraw.

[Ianab]

USPS lost 2 of 3 packages in the last month.  One was put in the wrong mailbox and never found.  The other was found in the rural mail carriers car.  Both had a tracking number which showed delivered.

Our scanners record the GPS location of the delivery, and if it's a "Signature Required" but the client has lodged "Authority to Leave", then the software requests a photo of the parcel, again GPS tagged. So there is the picture of it sitting in the mailbox / doorstep / place they asked us to leave it. Covers our butts, but also means we do out best not to mess up. 

[Daburner87]

USPS lost 2 of 3 packages in the last month.  One was put in the wrong mailbox and never found.  The other was found in the rural mail carriers car.  Both had a tracking number which showed delivered.

I get prescriptions USPS and they won't switch to UPS because of expense.  BTW UPS does an excellent job in our area.

All customers on my route are having like problems with the carrier.  Several of us got together and went to our US congressman with pictures and documentation.  That generated a call from the local Postmaster who assured us he has talked with the carrier.  Only been this way for two years now.

This has turned into a war, we continue to document and take pictures of packages in the ditch or balanced on top the box.  I hope our service does improve.  War is hell.

Hey Larry.  I am a mail carrier, and I've seen the type of sloppy worker you've described.  File complaints online, and the supervisor will get a red flag in the computer that he will have to clear by speaking with the carrier, and customer, and usually following through with the postmaster if its an ongoing issue.   I have 940 customers on my route, it is a very big route, and we have problematic customers here and there, but generally they treat me well, and I do very well by them.  A little Christmas tip goes a long way too.  Have you ever left a waitress a $20+ tip?  They've brought you drinks and food for just one meal?  Tip your mail man $40, because he/she serves you 6 times a week!  Then he/she will put your packages exactly where you want it year round.  I have customers that tip good, and I put every package right by their front door under the awning, with the mail bundled and rubber banded together every day.    In the Post Office we refer customers who tip as being "in the program".   
A saying in my office is "every piece, every day".  Meaning we deliver everything every day.   Still the young guys/girls they hire don't care about quality of service, or the people we serve at all.   Despite being a decent job, most new hires could care less.  Next time you can, ask the guy delivering your mail if he is "the regular".  If not, find out who is, and talk to him about the issues you've had. 

[Ianab]

We do pretty well at Christmas time, but more important is making the delivery easy. 

We had a lady complain she wasn't getting her mail. She didn't have a mail box!!!  Apparently the neighbours had run it over, or set fire to it,(possibly both)... But it was our fault that she wasn't getting her mail. 

Others have closed gates and loose dogs.... Yeah, if your parcel doesn't fit on the mail box, you get a card to pick it up from the agency in town. 

Others are great. One breeds these huge Burmese dogs, and orders sacks of dog food. But they have a little shed just inside their driveway to stash them. We might grumble about having to hump the sacks, but the recipient has done their best to make it easy. 

But yeah, look after your mail carrier and they are more inclined to look after you. 

We try and run a "clear desk" as well. Doesn't always work out, but 99.5%, and fix the 0.5% tomorrow works.  

[Gere Flewelling]

Daburner87- It may seem like a foolish question, but how does one go about tipping a rural mail carrier, UPS driver, or Fedex driver?  They usually only deliver during the day when I am not at home.  I rarely ever see them.  We are blessed in my area to have very respectful delivery people most of the time.  To be honest, I have never thought of tipping them.  If any are deserving of tips, it is our group.  Thanks for the suggestion.  GF

[Southside]

We have had the same issues as Larry, have filed complaints with the post master - clearly she is part of the problem. Tried to access the customer service folks, they are not accessible, went Congressional, still zero improvement.

I know of other folks around who experience the same problems with delivery. 

She will never get a tip from me. 

[21incher]

I have had problems  with  UPS, FedEx,  and the USPS lately. The head of out local UPS actually called me and told me I was lying about a package that was never delivered  to me because the driver scanned as it was. She was the nastiest person I have ever spoken  with.  Turns out a couple days later they found it had been left at a wrong address. I filled a complaint  about the  call and UPS never followed up. Was told by a driver she treats the workers that way also and UPS won't do anything because  of her color.  They also put forklift blades through 6 file cabinets shipped to me from Costco.  I kept calling  Costco for replacenets due to shipping damage and one woman told me don't  worry UPS pays for all the damaged ones because the boxes have been approved by them and it happens often lately. FedEx recently  put a forklift blade through a 26 inch Weber grill I bought. The grill was destroyed and box was delivered  all taped back together. Because of this I have started  ordering  from Amazon when I can.  They use their  own trucks and drivers, deliver when promised, Never even put a dent in a box,  and if there is a problem  replace the next day or 2. 

[farmfromkansas]

We have new USPS drivers here.  At first we were delivered the neighbors mail, and would leave the others mail in the box and put the flag up.  After they left the stuff in the box, I wrote "NOT MY MAIL" on the outside, and put them back in with flag up.  Got results along with a note to NOT write on the neighbors mail.  But that fixed it.  Ordered some new router bits from MLCS, they arrived fine, but the other day got a magazine from the neighbor 1/2 mile down the road.  Wife put it back in the box with the flag up, and it left.  So not so bad here. Everybody seems to complain about machines ordered and delivered by truck, my shop is full of equipment, and none have been delivered damaged.  Guess we have pretty good people in Kansas.

[boonesyard]

My estimator/project manager gets Amazon orders frequently in town. He's kept track and said his packages are delivered to a house one block away and across the street just about 30% of the time. Their house numbers contain the same numbers, but they're switched around and on different streets. He's contacted the FedEx office and told them he's pretty sure the driver has dyslexia,,,,, he's still got the same driver.

At least it happens so often he knows where to go to swap packages  8).

[Daburner87]

If you want to tip your Rural Carrier call the post office and ask them who your regular carrier is, and what days they work. Then leave the flag up with an envelope with their name on it saying "To our mail carrier Such and Such".  Ive also had customers send me a letter directly at the post office address with a check written out to me inside. Some people are very creative.

To tip FedEx and UPS drivers leave an envelope on your front door that says UPS or FedEx on it so they can see it.


If your carrier still messes up you gotta speak with them direct or leave a note in the mailbox.  We dont like getting complaints any more then you like complaining.