AS (Artificial Stupidity) in action: the end of customer service?

Normally I do not make New Year’s resolutions as they usually do not last very long but this year there is one that I am confident in keeping:

?I shall never try to use Federal Express (FEDEX) again!

Back in September last year, I had a series of oil-spill burning experiments planned to be performed in Alberta, Canada. These involved using a patented product that was a ‘slightly flammable” catalyst encased in a Plaster of Paris mold. I had arranged for the ingredients to be purchased in Canada so that the molds could be made there, but I wanted to send some prepared by me in France, in case that there was a hold-up in the delivery in Canada.

So, I thought I would send this product via FEDEX. WHAT A MISTAKE!

I dropped the securely packaged and appropriately labelled parcel off at the local FEDEX agency in Rennes along with the requisite form describing the product and its degree of hazard. The agent seemed skeptical but accepted the package and via the internet I could follow its tracking as it was sent to Charles-de-Gaulle (CdG) airport in Paris and was passed on to Customs for clearance.

Days passed and there seemed to be some back-and-froing going on, so I began to be concerned. After ten days and numerous attempts to get information via the robot who answered my calls, I was eventually called by a helpful agent who explained that I would have to submit the form electronically and things should be OK. This optimism lasted for about ten minutes before I was recontacted to say that the BOX I used wasn’t their standard cardboard box and so the shipment was returned to me.

The delivery back to me was as fast as what you expect from FEDEX with the notification “DELIVERED.

?Yes, delivered to me but not to Canada. And for this I was charged €123!!!

Several attempts to get a refund (talking to the robot) have been fruitless. So, I guess FEDEX is the richer for my misadventure.

?Was this the result of generalized incompetence in their system? (If they had replied right away, I could have bought the right BOX and the delivery could have been made in time). Or was it a deliberate attempt to defraud me? Does FEDEX need to defraud its clients in order to keep their aircraft fleet flying? Or maybe by stamping the package as DELIVERED, some employee was trying to cover their derrière.

?Anyway, as it turned out, the product that was ordered in Canada (and which came from the US) was delivered in time for the tests to go ahead so the in-situ burning campaign was conducted successfully, NO THANKS TO FEDEX.

Hence, my resolution is that I shall drop FEDEX from my list of suppliers.

p.s. My previous experience with FEDEX was the year before when it took them a month to deliver from Spain, a pen that I had purchased as a present for my wife!