The day the pool gods cried.

[Bigjohn]

If you want a signature you can ask for a signature. Ups is great they insure for less than any one. And they stand behind theiir service. From now on I will just ship signature required. Simple remidy.
On a lighter note I did something I said I would never do. I screwed a Cochran shaft onto the butt to see how it hits even though it is slightly warped it hit lights out. Freakin waiste.
Even bent it is a monster!
Nick

Signature required from UPS is not the remedy. I have shipped and received many cues via UPS (signature required)...that were left on the porch with NO signature. I have had the best experience with USPS Express Mail... it cost a little more, it's overnight in most cases, you get full tracking discloser and a signature Every time.

 

[nick serdula]

It's pretty

Hello John,
Glad that pretty thing I sent you wasn't rained on. I dought that keeping this cue is a option. I do think it would look good in a case! Never thought of that. Kind of like a lot of my friends ex's! Not worth much but pretty to look at!!!
Nick

 

[cuedoctor]

Nick,sorry for your loss.As a usps employee I will say we are not perfect either but if your package is insured for more than 200 bucks it HAS TO BE SIGNED FOR,no exception unless you have a waiver on file. One of the advantages of dealing with the post office is you can get to know your carrier and let him or her know and understand what these packages are. As far as sending a cue,I recently sold my haley and blackcreek here on az and sent them express mail insured and they were way cheaper than any other service and I do use fedex as some will atest to who have delt with me. Fedex has a better tracking system but cost wise it wasnt close and they both got there in 1 day even though it said 2 day service....(this is because the postal service has contracted with fedex to transport our express mail and do you really think they want to move there competions packages before there's. Brillant idea by the PO to sign that deal eh!) Marcus sent his the same way and it took his end like 18 hrs to be in my hand. Hopefully there insurance will pay you for the cue quickly.

 

[nick serdula]

Me too! Math and accounting lesson with PR too!

I have worked at UPS 29 years this year. It turns out packages with $5,000.00 and higher value require signatures. And I have to admit it was news to me! $1000.00 was my assumtion.
It saves money.
When a driver has to wait for a reciever to get a signature the cost averaged out in over time for every driver at ups every day with up to 20-80 or more residential deliveries a day at 30 seconds or more a stop extra,waiting time if they needed sigantures at $45.00 a hour, yup they leave packages.
The savings at UPS daily is probably millions daily. How else could they afford gas.
Tightest ship.
Opertunity cost.0001%
That's sick. I will require adult signatures from now on. I would have to start with. I didn't just know better.
If UPS has one unhappy costumer a day and does that every day with a 1907 founding date everyone in the world should be mad. Their not. UPS has to be doing something right. Everyday.
Nick

 

[cuedoctor]

Its all one big shipping co now..fedex,ups,usps

I know what u mean nick..everything is micro managed now by people who never have delivered a package or letter and they dont have to deal with the public directly so they are clueless when we tell them there gona lose customers the way they want to do business but its all about the bottom line now..and gas prices are killing all the major delivery services. As u also know ups now contracts with the postal service to deliver packages to save money,dhl drops packages for us to deliver,we have fedex move our overnight packages....its all one big company now I use to have lunch once and a while with the ups drivers on my route..there all good guys just trying to make a living.

 

[ridewiththewind]

Just a note for any that ship FedEx They S**K !!!!!!
Even if you require a signature FedEx Express has left many packages on my door step ranging in value from 2500.00 to 7k & never got a signature They also left the 7k package out in the Rain.
I have had a cue shipped to me By FedEx priority overnight with a required signature .It never came ,they will not honor their Declared value for a claim .
The driver has changed his story to his supervisor three different times.
Now on the other hand I have never had a problem with my regular ground FedEx driver.He even gives my wife extra time to get to the door .

I guess Learning to Read is Not a FedEx Express employee requirement.

I WILL NEVER SHIP FED EX!!!!

Having worked for FedEx Ground, and within that, working closely with FedEx Express...there is absolutely NO EXCUSE for a delivery driver NOT getting a signature for a Signature Required Delivery!

Not sure about UPS (but the scanners are very similar), but when a driver scans the barcode on the package for delivery, and a signature is required, the scanner will prompt them for that signature, and will not move forward without a signature on the scanner's display screen. With that said, the drivers do have the option to do what is called a 'Driver Release'. This is when the driver signs for your package for you. Unfortunately, many drivers do this, so as not to have to return to the terminal with packages (generally frowned upon by the company), not realizing, or caring, that they have now assumed full resposibility for any and all losses with regards to that package.

Now, since the Ground drivers are actually contractors, and not employees, and have to own their own vehicles, any losses due to a driver release comes directly out of their pockets...I have seen it many times. However, Express does not operate in the same way, and their drivers are in fact employees...making the company itself culpable.

With regards to FedEx...on both sides...the shipper can request that the package be held at the terminal/station for customer pick-up. This is what I do, because it is not that far for me to drive, and I get my package all safe and dry by generally 10 am. If I wait for the driver to deliver to my house, I may not see it until 7 pm. The trick is to go the the FedEx website and do a search for your nearest WSC (World Service Center) FedEx location, and get their address. You then have the package shipped to your name, with Hold for Pick-Up next, and then the terminal's/station's address last. We used to have Canadian customers do this all the time...to avoid declaring Customs going back across the border.

Another thing to consider, when having an item shipped to you, is know what your particular terminal's/station's reputation for damaged/lost packages is. For instance, I really try to avoid delivery by UPS in my area, because they destroy a lot of stuff...but I have had absolutely no issues with FedEx deliveries. The rep around here for UPS is so bad that I would prefer to wait for my item via USPS Priority Mail than take the risk with UPS Overnight...or any UPS, for that matter.

Lastly...I never recommend shipping ANYTHING of intrinsic value via a ground shipper. I have seen even the most perfectly packed package destroyed. The general rule of thumb here is, the less time it spends in the hands of a shipper, the better.

Finally...one key to getting maximum reimbursements for damaged packages is to make sure that the item is extremely well packed inside!! Taking digital pictures of everything involved goes a very long way...this includes the actual packing materials. If they can determine that the item was 'not properly packaged for shipment', you will receive nothing. A well packed package should be able to withstand a direct drop from 3 feet above the floor.

Lastly, just because you get an initial denial for a damage/loss claim, does not mean that you should not attempt to file appeals to that claim...they're counting on the fact that you will 'go away' after the first denial...be persistent.

These are just but a few tips when dealing with the various shipping companies and their delivery drivers.

Lisa

 

[the_general]

when cuesdirect.com sent me 2 test cues from NZ to the Philippines, they used DHL and the cues got to me in very good condition, considering the cues weren't even enclosed in a pvc tube, just bubble plastic.


some couriers really don't care much.

 

[nick serdula]

Some more pistures

On rainy days the cue's butt goes back almost straight. Then it gets dryer and then on a good day,ouch! It has looked better and it has also looked twice as crooked.

The cue is freakin georgous. I never really admired it as much as today. It almsot came back close to straight. And the burl is amazing. Talk about understated.
I never notice the shadings in the burl before today. I was too buisy gaulking at the veneers and ebony forearm and all that ivory high and low!
What a drag.
Nick

 

[nick serdula]

The carrier says it was my fault!

It wasn't packed correctly and that caused damage! You could have literally ran over the tube with a forklift and not hurt the contents.
I called and demanded another claim inspection be done at the local center with me presents. I also demanded the clek that falsified the damage report be fired and added I hoped the conversation was being recorded.
The cue is pristine. Not a mark on it. I was issued a new claim #. The cue is still finished like a piece of glass. Ivory on all ends. I have a email from th reciever stating the cue was in water damaged condition when it was picked up for inspection with not a mark is on the cue. A $8 dollar joint protector was scratched. Probably by the damage clerk.
Oh well,
Nick

 

[jollyrodger]

I had FedEx deliver a Dell Laptop to my house once. it was weird the driver came to the door and asked me if I knew my neighbor and I told him I didn’t and before I finished my sentence he handed me the package and told me to give it to my neighbor when he got home. Lucky I’m an honest person and took it over there. Turns out she didn’t order it either. It was same street name but a different town. But I eventually got the package to the person by driving it over there myself. After all it was only about 3 miles from my house =0)

 

[oneshotwiss]

Sorry to hear about that but believe it or not the delivery guy isnt at fault.When you ship something of value you of course request insurance and that it be signed for,if you dont request it to be signed for then its left on your door step and the scary part is there are creeps who follow these drivers around looking for an easy score.Will they be refunding the $2500 to you?Is the cue ruined,meaning warped now?

It doesn't matter if its ruined or not. If it is an insured package and a claim is paid on the item it then becomes the property of UPS because they essentially are buying it...

 

[oneshotwiss]

the cue doesn't need to be butchered.more than likely,all it needs is a new handle and new shafts.everything else is sealed.it would be foolish to cut it up with a bandsaw.you could repair and sell it again with full disclosure.

see last message...

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

It wasn't packed correctly and that caused damage! You could have literally ran over the tube with a forklift and not hurt the contents.
Nick

NORMAL Standard Operating Procedure for

, in never their fault.