I’m awaiting the delivery of a package from the courier firm UPS and it’s such a damned effort to manage to get it. It seems that even international corporations are infected by the Belgian lack of customer service (that I’ve recently enjoyed). Just like everything in Belgium there are loads of people employed there – no queues at the call centre – but no-one seems to have a clue what’s going on.
They tried to deliver Friday but could not find my address. Remarkable as there’s a very large number on the house and my name on the bell, and there are no other streets anywhere else in Brussels with the same name. So they tried again yesterday (Monday) and still could not find the place. I called them and they promised a delivery again today (Tuesday), they put the parcel on the van and then the driver has not delivered it because it’s dated to be delivered on 26th August. 26th August? And UPS then claim on the phone that I requested the delay – and I have not even spoken to them today! And if it’s due to be delivered on 26th August why stick it on the van anyway?
Just for additional comedy value it looks from the tracking screen that the package has been routed overnight to Louisville, Kentucky.
So as far as I’m concerned UPS = Utterly Pathetically Stupid.
Rather than waiting for the idiots once more I’m cycling off to Diegem this evening to pick up the package. Their place is easy enough to find with Google Maps. Maybe they might have tried something like that to locate my place?
[UPDATE – 1900]
Well, it had to happen didn’t it. I cycled 7.5km to UPS at Diegem, was first of all directed to the wrong office, and then when I found the package retrieval office I was grunted at by a monosyllabic Flemish chap. He then disappeared for 20 minutes and came back and muttered something to his colleague. “We can’t find the package” he then told me, using English despite the fact I speak French, one of the languages of Belgium. “It’s not acceptable” I replied, stating I had been told to come to Diegem and UPS had twice failed to locate my flat. “It’s not my fault. There’s nothing we can do.” Well I’ll see the manager then I replied, prompting much chuntering in Flemish. The manager duly arrived and was a little more helpful, at least promising to add some notes to my file for the driver tomorrow and giving me a number to call that goes direct to Diegem rather than to the Irish callcentre. We’ll see what happens tomorrow. Sheer incompetence so far.
| CURRENT STATUS
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| Package Progress… | |||
| Date | Time | Location | Activity |
| August 12, 2008 | 11:49 AM | BRUSSELS, KY  BE | THE RECEIVER REQUESTED A HOLD FOR A FUTURE DELIVERY DATE. UPS WILL ATTEMPT DELIVERY ON DATE REQUESTED |
| 07:17 AM | LOUISVILLE, KY  US | OUT FOR DELIVERY | |
| August 11, 2008 | 12:29 AM | BRUSSELS, PA  BE | TRANSFER NOTIFICATION FROM SITE TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REQUIRED FOR DELIVERY |
| 4:31 PM | BRUSSELS, PA  BE | DELIVERY CHANGE REQUEST RECEIVED. PROCESSING WILL OCCUR WHEN PACKAGE RETURNS TO UPS LOCATION. / PACKAGE WILL BE DELIVERED NEXT BUSINESS DAY-NO SATURDAY GUARANTEE | |
| 3:55 PM | BRUSSELS, PA  BE | THE RECEIVER IS NOT LISTED ON THE BUILDING DIRECTORY. UPS IS ATTEMPTING TO OBTAIN THE INFORMATION AND COMPLETE DELIVERY. / DELIVERY RESCHEDULED | |
| 11:20 AM | BRUSSELS, PA  BE | A DELIVERY CHANGE REQUEST FOR THIS PACKAGE WILL BE PROCESSED / THE PACKAGE IS BEING HELD FOR FUTURE DELIVERY. UPS WILL ATTEMPT DELIVERY ON THE DATE REQUESTED | |
| 07:55 AM | BRUSSELS, PA  BE | THE RECEIVER IS NOT LISTED ON THE BUILDING DIRECTORY. UPS IS ATTEMPTING TO OBTAIN THE INFORMATION AND COMPLETE DELIVERY. / UPS WILL CONTACT THE SENDER AND/OR RECEIVER REGARDING THE STATUS OR DISPOSITION OF THIS PACKAGE | |
| August 08, 2008 | 11:48 AM | BRUSSELS, PA  BE | A CORRECT COMPANY OR RECEIVER NAME IS NEEDED FOR DELIVERY. UPS IS ATTEMPTING TO OBTAIN THIS INFORMATION |
| 05:36 AM | BRUSSELS, PA  BE | OUT FOR DELIVERY | |
UPS is an inefficient company that one should avoid like a plague. I have no positive experience with these bungling, medieval so-called delivery company. Maybe they should learn a lesson from Post Sweden, Post Denmark, DHL or others. I ordered several items from amazon.co.uk and these were divided into two deliveries. One was shipped through post-Denmark which did excellent work and delivered the items on time, just like clockwork. The other items were shipped through Utterly Pathetically Stupid (UPS ) and it took 4 days to arrive in Stockholm, Sweden (through UK, Germany, and Denmark). However, three days after the scheduled delivery I am still waiting for the cursed delivery, which is probably mishandled by the buffoons from UPS. The first day they lied by saying they did not have access to the apartment (I have provided my mobile number and they did not bother to call). The next day they scribbled some “unforeseen circumstance” which hindered the delivery. Finally they “updated” the process by saying no one was there to pick the item. All these updates are made after 19:00. The option that I have now is to drive 12 kilometers and collect it from Järfalla, North Stockholm. I honestly so not understand why Amazon uses this incompetent slugs as partners, UPS is a liability for Amazon itself.
Most recent UPS “intelligence” here…ordered package offline (personalized gift for my dad’s 70th birthday). Tracking info said it was “delivered” and signed for by someone named “Marcus.” No one here by that name, and still did not have package. Called UPS, and they started an “investigation” and told me to check with seller and then back with them about progress. After talking with them, looked at address they delivered it to and it looked familiar, and for good reason…they delivered it to Walmart! I called the store and asked if a Marcus signed for packages…they said yes. So, called back the next morning and talked to him, and the package was sitting on his desk, and told me I could pick it up after work. What brains does it take to confuse an apartment building with Walmart? Wow. Was able to joke about it…you can get everything at Walmart…including your mail, apparently! UGH
UPS drivers are eihter iliterate or blind! i dont know how they even get hired.the last 20 packages i got from ups whent three streets to the same house everytime.even though my adress is clearly marked and i lived here for 20 years.my last package contained a xbox 360 YEAH very expensive.i knew they was going to take it there so i sat oustide and waited for them.and they drove right by ingnoring my yells but looked right at me! i tried to have this problem corrected and ups just dont care!
I stumbled on this blog entry because UPS in Diegem are playing the same trick on me. I’ve been waiting for a package since the 18th of February. On the 23rd I started to get a little worried because I still hadn’t received the package. So I looked up the package on their website and it seems it was actually there on the 18th but they couldn’t find the address. So I called them and arranged for the package to be delivered on the 25th in the morning. This morning, again (even though there’s only two appartments in the building where I live) they couldn’t locate the address. Maybe they expect I have to wait outside for the whole morning or something? Since they didn’t show up this morning I went directly to Diegem this afternoon to get the package. They had no clue to it’s whereabouts. So I called them another time, and now I have again to go to Diegem tomorrow to get it.
And that’s not the only problem I’ve had with belgian customer services…
Fair point – the counter service is pretty dreadful. But if La Poste can’t find your package they say so – UPS make up some daft story to blame the customer and they charge a whole lot more!
You really think so? La Poste in St Josse is a nightmare. The place smells dreadful and the queues are huge…
However this time I had no option but UPS – it was a package from the United States and the firm sending it only used UPS.
Thankfully it has arrived now!
The UPS tracking system is hilarious. They must employ several people full-time to make up the reasons why they haven’t delivered on time. And it is never their fault.
The Belgian Postal Service (De Poste-La Poste) is quicker, cheaper, more reliable and a lot more friendly!