About a month ago, I ordered a new computer and monitor from a reputable and wonderful company who have stuck by my side and fought for me through my adventures with FedEx Ground. I’d never dealt with FedEx Ground before and figured I would receive the same service from their company that I had from UPS, their competitor.

Not true! My monitor was shipped first and separately, as my computer was still being built. It came within a few days of being shipped, but didn't make it to my house. In fact, FedEx dropped off the monitor at not only the wrong street number, but the wrong street. I was appalled. Luckily, the woman who had received the package (although, I should note, she was not home to sign for it and it was simply left in her driveway despite the required signature) opened the box to find paperwork with my phone number sitting on top. She called me and I picked it up from her. All was intact.

My computer was shipped on Aug. 10 from the company. I hadn't had a computer in more than a year, so I eagerly watched it cross the nation on the tracking Web site from my office computer. My fiancé was also depending on the computer to begin his new job over the internet soon after the computer was scheduled to arrive on Aug. 16. It never came. He waited at home all day for the computer. No computer. I called on the 17th and spoke with a woman (I don't remember her name) who said the package was on the truck and would likely be delivered by 8 p.m. She also informed me that it took a while to get to me since the package has to make a stop in Toledo, Ohio - the city four minutes from my front door - then head up to Taylor, Mich., the local distribution center. Then she informed me - much to my surprise - that the package was on its way to Detroit as we spoke. Detroit? Detroit is north of Taylor, and I live very far south of Taylor.

At 8 p.m. that evening, I called again. This time, I spoke with a gentleman who informed me four packages had been shipped to my address since Aug. 1, all of which had been delivered. I found this very odd since I have only awaited two packages, neither of which made it to my door. When I finished with the ill-informed FedEx rep, I called the computer company and spoke with one of their wonderful representatives who called FedEx and learned that the package made it to Taylor - they think - but it certainly never made it out of the Taylor facility, and it was no where to be found. How does one lose a 40-pound computer box?

The computer company informed me someone from FedEx corporate would contact me in the morning with an apology and an explanation of how to move forward. A trace was also being placed on the package and the computer company would begin the preliminary steps of their own investigation.
The FedEx phone call never came.

I called FedEx and spoke to a woman who informed me "the matter was closed" and I would have "to speak with the shipper." I asked if I could speak with the 800-GOFEDEX rep's supervisor. She said no, and repeated that I could only speak with the shipper. I asked if I could speak with someone who could explain to me what process to take now, such as filing a claim. She said no, and repeated that I could only speak with the shipper. I asked if there was anyone else I could talk to other than her. She said no, and repeated that I could only speak with the shipper.

I gave up. My fiancé, who was far less upset than was I at that point, called the computer company. They were furious at FedEx. Their representative actually swore at FedEx while on the phone with my fiancé. The told him not to worry, that they were on the case. They were going to press FedEx for an answer and finish their own investigation, all while putting me at the top of the list to have another computer built for me. Then they would ship it over night to me. They expect to ship it later this week.

I called the computer company Saturday (Aug. 21) just to see where the situation stood. The computer company rep could find any progress notes since our last phone call (on Thursday) in the notation. He called "upstairs" to corporate only to find out that corporate was now handling the situation and "getting in the face of FedEx" over this particular package. The company was so angry with FedEx and so sympathetic to the ordeal, they are not only paying to ship the new computer out overnight, but actually refunding some of my money. (And I quote, "It's just something we're doing because we feel so terrible about the whole situation.")

I don't know how badly FedEx screwed up since I'm not dealing with them anymore (thank you computer company!) but I have a hunch it was pretty bad for a major computer company with a long history in the business to go to this much trouble over one computer.

All I know is, ordering a new computer went from a headache to a nuisance to a situation to an ordeal - all thanks to FedEx ground. Way to go, FedEx!


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