Alan Turner
06-10-2005, 1:24 PM
In late April I shipped the Modern Queen Anne Table to Southern California.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=19441
Unfortunately, FedEx Ground decided to drop the shipping carton. When it did so, the table broke into a greater number of pieces than originally intended. Pix of the table are below. No joint gave out, which was not surprising, but the legs broke, which I think is a bit of a design defect, unfortunately inherent to the design where there is no long grain running from corner post clear through to the feet. Ever wonder why the period guys use a knee block to visually enhance the curvature in the knee area? Might be for strength. This table was not meant to be bounced.
I had it insured, but that did not mean, as I learned, that FedEx would honor its insurance obligation. First, I had charged a crating fee, but that would not be covered, they said, as it was a normal business expense. Second, they told me that they did not insure profit. I explained that there was no profit in the piece, only labor, charged at the rate of $50/hr. That did no good also. They wanted to pay me only for the materials, but ended up paying me a refund of the shipping charges, plus one half of the sale price of the table (less crating fee). I rebuilt the table but managed to reuse the top, which was not damaged.
The foregoing "settlement" was only after a month of repeated phone calls, punctuated by promises of FedEx to follow up and get back to me, but not once, ever, did FedEx call me. I had to initiate each and every call, each time working through the tape system on its phones. I think that I spent more time on the phone with FedEx than I did to build the base from scratch. This left a really sour taste in my mouth for Fedex. I will not use them again, never, ever, at all, no way. Is that clear enough?
I made a second table (sans top) and shipped it out to LA via Craters and Freighters. Client paid the bill for the increased cost of the second shipping. I thought that was quite thoughtful of them. They received the table earlier this week. I did not want to post this story until it was safely in hand and they were satisfied, which they are.
In terms of my favored vendors, FedEx is off the list. Anyone can drop a crate. Stuff happens. But when, as a corporate matter, they renege on a promise to insure, and then structure a claims procedure such that they wear down a customer, that is just a bad way to run a business, and they won't enjoy any of my shipping dollars again. May FedEx rot in the land down under.
Rant over; back to work.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=19441
Unfortunately, FedEx Ground decided to drop the shipping carton. When it did so, the table broke into a greater number of pieces than originally intended. Pix of the table are below. No joint gave out, which was not surprising, but the legs broke, which I think is a bit of a design defect, unfortunately inherent to the design where there is no long grain running from corner post clear through to the feet. Ever wonder why the period guys use a knee block to visually enhance the curvature in the knee area? Might be for strength. This table was not meant to be bounced.
I had it insured, but that did not mean, as I learned, that FedEx would honor its insurance obligation. First, I had charged a crating fee, but that would not be covered, they said, as it was a normal business expense. Second, they told me that they did not insure profit. I explained that there was no profit in the piece, only labor, charged at the rate of $50/hr. That did no good also. They wanted to pay me only for the materials, but ended up paying me a refund of the shipping charges, plus one half of the sale price of the table (less crating fee). I rebuilt the table but managed to reuse the top, which was not damaged.
The foregoing "settlement" was only after a month of repeated phone calls, punctuated by promises of FedEx to follow up and get back to me, but not once, ever, did FedEx call me. I had to initiate each and every call, each time working through the tape system on its phones. I think that I spent more time on the phone with FedEx than I did to build the base from scratch. This left a really sour taste in my mouth for Fedex. I will not use them again, never, ever, at all, no way. Is that clear enough?
I made a second table (sans top) and shipped it out to LA via Craters and Freighters. Client paid the bill for the increased cost of the second shipping. I thought that was quite thoughtful of them. They received the table earlier this week. I did not want to post this story until it was safely in hand and they were satisfied, which they are.
In terms of my favored vendors, FedEx is off the list. Anyone can drop a crate. Stuff happens. But when, as a corporate matter, they renege on a promise to insure, and then structure a claims procedure such that they wear down a customer, that is just a bad way to run a business, and they won't enjoy any of my shipping dollars again. May FedEx rot in the land down under.
Rant over; back to work.