We just ordered Anna some Heelys from Zappos and they arrived with no wheels (kind of defeats the purpose doesn't it?). Well, no problem, a quick call to Zappos customer service (toll-free number listed on the website and the receipt, take note TARGET.com) and in less than a minute I was talking with a real person, Craig. Craig was very apologetic and arranged for an overnight shipment of a new pair of shoes (with wheels this time). He also told me how I could print out a postage paid UPS label in order to return the old pair.
So here's where this gets fun. I took the box to my local independent shipping store in order to drop off the package. When I handed the man the box he said to me, "That'll be one dollar." I said "What?" He said "Its a package drop off fee." He then proceeded to explain to me how UPS had changed their policy and no longer paid independent shipping centers like him a buck for accepting these types of postage paid packages. To protect their bottom line they had decided to pass this cost onto their customers. I started to walk out the door with my package (there's a UPS store two miles up the street), but then it hit me. I want this guy to stay in business and he was about to lose me as a customer, forever, over a buck. So I proceeded to tell him what I thought of his policy.
You see, I send FedEx packages about twice a week. And whenever its convenient I do it through his store, I know that FedEx pays him a per package fee, and I like supporting local businesses, even if there is a FedEx drop box just down the street from him. I also make copies and occasionally need last minute office supplies (I live 15 miles from a real office supply store).
Its not about the dollar that he wasn't going to make from UPS on my "free" shipment, its about all the other business I do there. I asked him if he knew how often I shipped FedEx from his store and he said "No" (that's a whole other rant there). I probably spend an average of $100 a month on postage and shipping and another $50-100 on faxing, copying and other convenience services (yes I can do all those from home, but I'm sometimes just lazy). So that's at least $100 a month in business or $1200 a year. Or $12,000 over the next decade. Something tells me he wasn't looking at it that way. This is the only postage paid UPS package I've sent this year. However, there's not another store in town that handles FedEx and I use FedEx all the time, and he was about to lose me as a customer.
I wouldn't have minded if he had explained the situation to me and even if he'd had a suggested donation or a tip jar or something. But to alienate his customers with an unexpected fee is ridiculous. And, by his own admission, I'm not the only customer who has been pissed off by this. The difference is, I may be the only one who stopped and told him what I really think, most would just leave pissed and never come back.
The owner kept telling me how they had been screwed by UPS and how UPS wanted to put them out of business. What I don't understand is why that had to become my problem. What if instead of worrying about the dollar he wasn't getting from UPS he gave every customer that dropped off a UPS package a dollar off coupon for anything in the store. Why couldn't he provide free UPS drop off as a service to his customers and figure out a way to make money from the free traffic that UPS is bringing into his store.
Now, to his credit, the proprietor, listened politely, assured me he'd discuss it with his wife (who he says is the real decision maker) and offered to take my package for free. I left him with the package, a dollar (for listening to my rant) and a lot to think about. The other customer and the FedEx delivery driver standing in the store gave me delighted smiles as I left the store.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think this business owner was trying to lose me as a customer, its just that the solution they come up with to deal with the loss of payment from UPS was a bad one. While I'm picking on him, I wonder why they've never taken the time to ask me what services would be beneficial to me as a local business owner (I've got lots of ideas). Interestingly enough, one of the two times I've been to the local UPS Store (on the other side of town), the owner Sue took the time to get my name, find out what I do and set me up with an monthly billing account. She even asked me what other services they could offer that would benefit me. Even with all of that great customer service, I still go to the place thats three minutes closer to my house. You see, my business, was the closer places to lose, and they almost did.
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