I hate you, Fed Ex!

[_Tradewind]

Another frustrated FedEx customer here. We had two shipments coming last week to Ontario for different mares timed to cycle at the same time: one from Texas, one from Oregon. We had the tracking numbers which showed that both came into the Nashville FedEx HQ at the same time (on time). For some reason, only one made it to us. Despite numerous angry phone calls to FedEx, we received the second shipment a day late. Fortunately, the semen was still viable and the second mare was bred (fingers crossed!), but that is going to end up being a pretty costly mistake if the mare doesn’t take as a result of delayed shipment of semen (the stallion is older, so we were worried about duration of viability).

I do have to say, though, in FedEx’s defense, the stallion owner called FedEx and insisted they reimburse us for the cost of the shipment, which they were quite willing to do. Pretty unbelievable that something “guaranteed” to get here on a certain day and time did not, but at least the company acknowledged the error and was willing to refund the cost. If only we could also be reimbursed for the collection and vet fees if we have to have another go next cycle…

[Hillside_H_Ranch]

Fedex has screwed me yet again this year! Pardon the language, but just so fed up with them! This is the 4th lost or delayed shipment this year; this time the plane got into the hub “late” and so the package is stuck in Memphis. Thanks again…

[Fairview_Horse_Cente]

I’m sorry you are going thru such a problem this year.

Are you insuring them for $1000? They usually scrambled when I reminded them of what it would cost them if if was not there that day.

[Hillside_H_Ranch]

[QUOTE=Fairview Horse Center;6442236]
I’m sorry you are going thru such a problem this year.

Are you insuring them for $1000? They usually scrambled when I reminded them of what it would cost them if if was not there that day.[/QUOTE]

I’m the recipient and I don’t know what it was insured for, but probably not that much. After spending the whole day on the phone with them, thus far, it sounds like I might be able to get it very late tonight. However, I can’t actually get anyone to make a definite statement on if that is actually going to happen or not, but right now that is what they are leading me to believe.
Everytime a package has been lost/delayed/whatever this year we have been the recipient, not the shipper. Maybe I’m on someone’s bad list…

[Fairview_Horse_Cente]

When I started insuring each shipment for $750. I never missed one again. With inflation, I would do $1000 at this point. It really only adds a few dollars to the shipping fee. We charged the mare owner the cost, included in the shipping fee, so just ask the stallion owners to declare the value to include all costs, mare care for a missed cycle, palpations, collection fee, etc. That IS the declared value, as that IS what it will cost if not showing up when promised.

[Sakura_Hill_Farm]

At the risk of divulging my “rock” at Fedex, but also in the knowledge that she herself has made herself known on this BB, bizbachfan monitored a rather valuable shipment of FS from CA to my vet’s here in FL without a hitch. Although it was close to $10,000 worth of FS, I never had a bad moment knowing that she had an eye on it.

I hope that she will not become swamped with requests, but I also hate to read these horror stories. Maybe Fedex in its wisdom will promote her and include among her duties the very specific duty of keeping fellow breeders content!

[Sunnydays]

I am curious as to whether custome / Revenue Canada would charge 13% HST on this insured value. Anyone know?

[Hillside_H_Ranch]

I just wanted to update and thank Fedex for making things right this time. It took a lot of time, effort and pushing up the chain of command, but Fedex did finally put the package on another flight and then hire a private courier to drive it from the airport to our clinic (about 2 hours). The semen was delivered at 9 pm tonight and we just bred the mare.

[nashfad]

I like Fairview’s idea of insuring it for a large amt to cover losses caused by them

[rideagoldenpony]

I’ve sure had a rough time with Fedex this year.

The biggest problem was the shipment that had been opened, and the semen bags had been opened and spilled all over the inside. What little remained was dead. The zip tie was removed holding the Equitainer closed (it also left my farm taped closed) and it arrived at the client’s farm OPEN.

I filed a claim, and got a phone call asking questions – the lady could NOT understand what I was trying to tell her about the package – no matter how I explained it, and said someone else would call me back. They never did. Never heard another peep.

On top of that, I’ve had two other shipments hung up in Memphis this year because they didn’t get on their connecting flight.

I’m really frustrated.

[Daventry]

@rideagoldenpony;6443479

I filed a claim, and got a phone call asking questions – the lady could NOT understand what I was trying to tell her about the package – no matter how I explained it, and said someone else would call me back. They never did. Never heard another peep.

Do not wait until someone calls you back. Ask for the manager, ask for somebody higher up…and keep whining and complaining until someone is willing to listen to you. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

It’s sort of like being denied health insurance claims…you gotta keep fighting it and they eventually give in!

[walknsound]

FedEx always messes up. They claim they can’t find my place, it’s on the main road! They leave packages at my gate all the time for people I don’t even know. I’ve stopped trying to deliver packages, I call FedEx to notify them to pick up their yet again screw up. Real strange UPS always gets it right! I’ve gotten so I ask if a company ships FedEx, if they do I don’t order from them, and I tell them why. Complaints to FedEx fall on deaf ears.

[bvsporthorses]

We also had a recent shipment lost in Memphis! First shipment that has been delayed this year though. Also sounds as though it missed it connecting flight grr!
Does anyone know if we insure for $750 as reccommened in previous post if customs bills you on that value or only on the cost of the item entering the country? Example: mare owner pays $250 collection fee (part of total cost) but that $$$ stayed in country of origin so is not subject to customs? Any furthur insight into insured value vs custom charges would be appreciated. Basically what i’m getting at is this… Can insured value be higher than value for customs? I doubt mare owners would be impressed about paying excessive custom fees.
Also Memphis looks to be having some issues!

[bizbachfan]

I am really sorry that there have been so many problems. In helping to track some of these I saw planes arriving late to our Memphis hub on more than one occasion. In the summer severe weather storms in Memphis are common but that did not appear to be the case with these. I am definitely going to ask that a “root cause” analysis be done to determine why so many shipments missing their flights in the hub. As for deliveries to farms, etc where the driver cannot find you definitely call customer service and ask to speak to your local station. They have route books, etc where addresses that are difficult to find are updated, etc. (of course even when you are not hard to find but we can’t seem to find you)

Again so sorry for the issues. I am on vacation this week so getting a hold of me not as easy as it would usually be but let me know if you need help.

And yes declaring a value and always asking to speak to a manager if you don’t get the response you need does work.

[Fairview_Horse_Cente]

For the 14 years I have been shipping, the only time I have not insured for the actual value (collection, mare care for the cycle, vet bills for the cycle, etc = est $750 - $1000) is when shipping to Canada, as I believe customs is paid on the declared value. I did discuss it with the mare owners. They also preferred not to pay duty on the $300 equitainer, so I shipped to Canada in a disposable.

FedEx does NOT like to have to pay a huge amount for insurance claim if it does not show up, and stressing that - early when a shipment goes missing really makes them scramble as they know heads will roll.

[clint]

[QUOTE=Crossroads Farm;6308794]
Just venting! Fed ex has cost me two breeding cycles on two different mares in the last week!
Last Sat- awesome stallion owner fed exes me an express Sat delivery. Tracking online all along says it will be here before noon Sat. On noon sat- no delivery. Called FedEx. They tell me that since it said it was going to a farm, they assumed it was a business, and businesses are closed on Saturdays, so they’ll bring it on Monday! Ummmmm- no, not alright! By the time I argued up through 2 different supervisors, tracked it down, and went and picked it up myself, mare had ovulated.

Today- awesome stallion owner fed exes me a shipment that, according to tracking all along, will arrive before noon. Vet’s here at noon, set-up, waiting… No delivery. Called FedEx. They tell me it’s still sitting in Memphis, and they’ll deliver it tomorrow! Ummmmm- no, not alright! After arguing up through the supervisor again, they manage to get it on a flight, and I might have it by 9:30 tonight… They even admitted that it had arrived in Memphis at 2am, but couldn’t give me a reason it hadn’t been on an earlier flight to me. And they couldn’t have cared less that I was upset. My poor vet is coming back at 10pm. If we miss this mare, I will understand “going postal.” They’re lucky I don’t own a gun. What happened to “when you absolutely, positively, have to have it there overnight???”[/QUOTE]

I, too, hate you Fed Ex. Awesome stallion owner, Jennifer of Dreamscape Farm, ships semen collected on Friday for a Saturday delivery. Tracking records show semen cleared customs in Memphis, but missed the plane. Sitting on runway in Memphis, when it should be here at noon on Saturday. After numerous phone calls, semen shipped to Sacramento, where I was informed that the Fedex offices were all closed up for the weekend and it would be delivered on Monday. :mad: That, of course, won’t work.

Monday, amazingly, mare is still hanging onto follicle. Awesome stallion owner again collects stallion and this time ships semen extra special with delivery to be by 8:30 am Tuesday. It is now 10:55 am, and the semen was last recorded on the runway in Memphis, and is now lost. Fedex called for description of package. Seriously! My response: a four pound cardboard box. So, clearly, this cycle is a bust, and Fedex is absolutely mind boggling with its incompetence. Clearly they could have an impact, and not in a good way, on breeding in the US if very many shipments are handled like this. Anyone ever used UPS? I don’t see how things could be done more poorly than Fedex has done so far.

[Fairview_Horse_Cente]

Seriously, insure the shipments. Track them every few hours, and if not on schedule, let them know how much it will cost to pay the insured fee. It works!

[clint]

[QUOTE=Fairview Horse Center;6965153]
Seriously, insure the shipments. Track them every few hours, and if not on schedule, let them know how much it will cost to pay the insured fee. It works![/QUOTE]

This is an international shipment from Canada. Don’t I have to pay duty on a high declared value?

[Fairview_Horse_Cente]

That may be true, but how much are the vet bills for a missed cycle, additional collections, etc?

[Equibrit]

UPS has Express Critical;
https://www.upsexpresscritical.com/cfw/