FedEx Woes.... Looking for similar stories

[acottongim]

So, in the 4 years I’ve been collecting and shipping Tate I’ve not had any major issues with FedEx (and I never had issues with them as a MO either)… Apparently my luck ran out about a week ago in a major way.

Long story short. We had a call for semen on a Thurs for a Friday breeding for a mare in SC.

We packaged equitainer up, zip tied the container shut, did all the normal things that were done (and even had witnesses for that collection/shipment ironically), and sent the shipment on it’s merry way to SC. Got a call on Friday am from the vet that the equitainer showed up EMPTY!!! As in, no freezer cans, no styrofoam cup, no semen, NOTHING. Zip ties off.

Re-collected Tate, re-shipped to mare owner (all at no cost to her), and it was delievered on Sat - at which time we found out the mare had ovulated over night on Friday… still inseminated and are hoping we were in the time frame to still get a conception.

Of course we file a claim with FedEx with all the paperwork etc. Today, we got a notice back that they will not pay any part of our claim (even the insured amount) because they “did nothing wrong”…

We are in the processes of appealing this and have an attorney that is going to be involved, etc. Has anyone else had a similar issue? And if you did, did you get a claim filed/paid? How? PM is fine!

And to make things “worse” this poor mare owner - it was her first time ever breeding and first shipment. To say that I am upset and mad is an understatement!!!

[trubandloki]

No help on the claim thing. Sorry. So frustrating. There are several threads about the shipping issues people have.

I have to wonder what someone in the shipping chain did with your semen?

[acottongim]

Who knows?? My suspicion (and the only thing that even remotely makes sense) is that the zip tie broke or was cut or something and the contents fell out and they just closed it back up and sent it on. If I want to be really generous maybe the person didn’t realize that anything fell out? (yeah right)

So frustrating and I feel sooooo bad for the MO.

[bugsynskeeter]

we ALWAYS duct taped our containers in addition to using zip ties. Across the top and around the opening. If the container came open, as some do if something is set on top of them, the tape would help keep it closed.

Don’t have any help regarding the rest of the claim…we have claimed isothermalizers and coolant cans before and been compensated.

[acottongim]

Yeah, live and learn… like I said plenty of shipping over the years and this is the first time I’ve had issue. And we claimed the isothermalizer and cans as well as the shipping costs (for second shipment/return) and additional vet costs on mare end/collection etc… I’d not be “happy” but be happier if they paid at least the insurance amount which would cover some of that…

[Amoroso]

We had a shipment coming from California to us a few years back with issues. It missed the deadline with Fedex through customs and I ended up having to drive to Calgary airport (5 hour round trip) to collect the semen myself. Fedex had opened the import envelope to look at the forms, and the employee never put it back. Hence, the stallion owner had to run around faxing new import documents to Fedex for Canada customs. The stallion owner was marvelous and refunded my shipping money for the trouble of having to drive so far, and leave work to do so. However, I believe they were never able to get Fedex to return the shipping. Fedex threw their hands up in the air and said “not our fault”…the paperwork was never there…

[acottongim]

Ugh that us not what I wanted to hear.

[Indy-lou]

It seems they always deny a claim right out of the gate and that probably keeps 90+% of their customers from pursuing it further. It’s the most frustrating thing on the Planet as they hold all the cards when things go wrong. Best wishes to you.

[netg]

I had problems with fedex on a much less important overnight shipment once, and learned that if you keep escalating eventually you are given to a supervisor who will get things done. Hopefully you can do that, especially as you have witnesses that the containers were in fact in there.

[Ibehorsepoor]

Three years ago, we had a shipment coming from Hilltop. Fedex phones and wants to know why no GST was charged, it was explained semen was purchased in a stallion semen auction… great… This was right before there May Long Weekend. The girl put it by her desk forgot to put it on the plain. There were two stallions in there, for two mares… this cost was phenomenal to me, because I had to leave two mares at the vets, have them short cycled and a second collection on both stallions I had to pay for… plus shipping a second time… FEDEX gave me no credit

[clint]

This year I had two semen shipments from Canada, within four days, get lost. Both were overnight, and the second one I paid to have extra special quick deliver, by 8:00 am. The first shipment, a Saturday delivery, “missed the plane”, so sat on a Sacramento runway for two days, when it did finally catch a plane. The second shipment, the extra-special delivery, disappeared for 24 hours, and then showed up and was delivered a mere 24 hours late. The SO and I were both on the phone to Fedex for much of the weekend and to their credit, they admitted both missed deliveries were their fault and credited my account. Amazingly enough, the mare held on to the follicle and got in foal with the second late delivery. However, I am looking for alternatives to ever shipping with Fedex again.

[acottongim]

Well, we’ll see what happens - the original claim we sent (and they denied) we were much nicer in terms of what we were asking for as it was just the basics, but now we are adding on the travel expenses and all the other misc things that had to be dealt with… would have been cheaper/easier for them to just pay the first time. Including all the hassle now.

I do know that the trainer that has Tate and does the shipments/collections etc has another client that will only allow the shipments to go out through UPS…

I just have a headache (and that will continue till next week when we know if the mare is preg or not - massive jingles that the mare caught!!!)

[Indy-lou]

For what it’s worth, because of a stud farm error (not FedEx that time!) a semen shipment was sent on a Friday for Monday delivery rather than Saturday and there was no way to change it. Luckily I noticed the error on the tracking info I was sent and we ended up using Greyhound for another shipment, which got the semen to us early Sun AM from a Sat collection. And it was super cheap $ to use Greyhound too. The entire route in this case was within California, but might be an alternative for others to FedEx.

[oldernewbie]

A thread with lots of info…

http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?352875-I-hate-you-Fed-Ex!&highlight=fedex

Bizbachfan is the FedEx guru, perhaps you should contact her?

[Sugarbrook]

I love FedEx. We shipped many many equitainers out this year. One time a couple of weeks ago the container did not get on the plane leaving Memphis. We were called to alert us, and a supervisor stayed with us during the late delivery (about 11pm) and keep me updated as to the location of equitainer until it was handed to an employee at the vet facility. They were wonderful, and BTW, the mare held and is pg.

UPS on the other hand just throws its hands up and says its not their problem and they cant help. I know…i tried to deal with them!!

I ALWAYS tape over the zip lock and all the way around the container. Better to be safe.

[trubandloki]

Guessing the Fed-ex versus UPS is better thing has a ton to do with what part of the country you are in - what manager you get when you call to complain.

[tweeter]

First (and only) time I bred my mare…FedEx delivered my shipment to some dude in Philly who was holding it hostage until his Rolex was delivered. Dunno if he ever got his watch, but Fedex ended up paying the breeder and I even got paid for having to extend the time my mare spent at the vet hospital waiting.

Hate Fedex.

[acottongim]

Oh my God!! Ok, that really isn’t funny (I’d be so pissed) but have to admit its kind of funny. What a weirdo! (The guy obviously)

[Daventry]

We’ve been using Fed-Ex to send semen down to the U.S. (from four different stallions) for over 9 years and have only ever had one problem, which was a mechanical plane failure leaving from Edmonton, Alberta and could do nothing about it. We got a refund.

It is true, most companies will deny a claim first go round…as most people either do not want conflict, aren’t good at standing up for themselves, too busy to pursue it…or don’t realize they can keep banging on the bars until someone finally listens! With Fed-Ex, you need to keep calling, keep asking to speak to the next person in charge…keep arguing and complaining until you get someone who will listen. It does work!

I normally post this once a year in the spring on here, but forgot this year. I wish more Mare Owners and Stallion Owners knew about this. We do this with every shipment heading down to the States and we ALWAYS get phone calls from Fed-Ex along the way. Each office is alerted to the shipment and they have been so great about making sure it gets to its final destination!

http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?184030-ATTENTION-Mare-Owners-and-Stallion-Owners-How-to-get-Fed-Ex-to-Deliver-on-Time!

[LuvMyRide]

For work I use FedEx exclusively and come in to contact with hundreds of packages a year. My advice anytime you need to ship something with FedEx is NOT to ship to a home address, and instead ship to a FedEx office, or if possible an exclusive FedEx ship center. All you need is the address of the closest FedEx to where you are and use that as the ship address.

By doing it that way, you are dealing with someone who can address issues with the packages immediately (the drivers can’t). The packages are held for pick up, and with 90% of the time make it to the store by 10:30am for next day, or if it’s a ship center will be ready by the time the doors open.

Last advice, TAKE A PICTURE. When you drop off an item, while it is on the counter in the FedEx office, take a picture of what it looks like with all paperwork included. I generally snap the picture while it’s on the scale at FedEx, so they can’t deny what the package looked like at time of delivery. Makes it much easier to argue your claim that there were zip ties, paperwork included, package wasn’t damaged etc. That also enables Fedex to track the package and where it could have possibly been damaged or mishandled. If they can find the culprit, makes it less likely for it to ever happen again.