UPS delivery service & buying a Wacom Intuos 4 S slip case

So how complicated does it have to be to receive a parcel, in this case with the service of UPS.

UPS delivery service
First things first – I like UPS. Mostly because of its cars. They are truly special. I like them so much I always have them in mind when I like to send something. That is “top of mind” and some storytelling for you, and just because of the UPS car design.

And secondly usually UPS have earlier delivered without issues to my door. But it´s because I have always seen them arriving, looked out the window and said: “Hello, I´m here!”. Same goes with FedEx and DHL.

Thirdly, I really like logistics. Just imagine that I can send something from up here in the north of Sweden and send a parcel, a box or letter or just about anything to just about anywhere in the world. Like New Zeeland. That´s really far, and its great!

Like a Canadian guy, Mark, I got to know in Ottawa, Canada recently told me: “Stefan, I am a father of two and married – Seeing that Volvo Cross Country easily drive through thick snow – now THAT is sexy”.

Logistics can be sexy too. Add bar-codes and we talk really sexy…
A few years back I was visiting San Fransisco, CA, USA. I remember telling Mia something so ordinary and obvious: “look honey, a UPS car. They look the same all over the planet”. I know they are american so they should look like the same in USA. Equally they brought the design and feel across the border. Drivers I talked too though say they are cold and not always fun to drive, though.

Wacom eStore
So back to today and Sweden and Stockholm City. I went online a few weeks ago on WACOM eStore and bought a Slip Case for my new Wacom Intuos 4 S. I got the Intuos 4 S as a gift and just love it. There is already a new model Intuos 5, but I do like the look of the Intuos 4 so I really wanted that model, so now I am upgraded from Intuos 3 to a intuos 4, and I can easily carry it with me and with a protective slip case. See attached picture.

Placing the order
I placed the order on Wacom eStore for a Slip Case, and they charged 24,89 euros total with shipping and when placing the order I was able to add EXTRA information on Wacom´s estore to Wacom as well as the shipping company as I understood it. I added my mobile Phone number together with “call before delivery at the door due to door code system.

A few days later Wacom in Germany had shipped the Slip case over to Sweden. From one country to another country. All good. When arrived at UPS Sweden I received an email saying it arrived and was going to be delivered the 27th. All good. No one from UPS called but I had all the same placed a Note on the door next to the Door Code box, to nock on the left window next to the entrance door.
UPS apparently had been to the door at 11:45 but for some obscure reason havent seen the note, size A5. I recieved an email of it when they drove away, and I instantly called up UPS Customer Service and told them about my extra note on placing the order. UPS then tells me that doesnt count as they rarely gets that extra information. Okey… So I give them my Mobile Phone number and tell them the UPS driver can call me on delivery and I even offered to drive a car to wherever the driver may be in the neighbourhood so I can get my package from Wacom. UPS Customer Service in Sweden said NO to that. They said they couldnt contact the UPS car and they Dont have phone access to UPS Drivers. The drivers according to them simply dont have mobile phones…

How hard can it be to miss a note saying: “Hello UPS, please nock on the window to the left. I will come out and meet you, or call me on my mobile phone, thank you”. With a added smiley drawing. Customer Service and myself rearranged for a new day of delivery the following day. She even gave me a tip saying I can call around 7-ish or 8-ish or something in the morning, and they can connect with the driver and get some hint on time of delivery etcetera. I gave them my mobile phone number again.

Picture showing my entrance door with two notes and a broom.

New delivery day
New day of delivery I had placed two (2) notes. One at the door and a new one on the actual door code box, AND I placed a broom in the door so the gate was open all day. I then called UPS Customer service the same day again as the parcel never seemed to arrive and refered to the initial call with Customer Service (CS) at UPS, but the new CS person told me again they cant call the driver. She also told me the UPS driver Don´t have a phone with them…
Two or three delivery days basically gone without any success.

I call them up again for a third time in the afternoon same day as my second call, to hear what whent wrong. Customer service at UPS says the parcel from Wacom actually never left the building of UPS. That ment I waited for a whole day and made calls to UPS and they couldnt tell me this? They blamed they never got the info earlier, and said it was a human error by the driver.
So we, myself and Customer Service, agree on a new day and a new try and get a new third or fourth delivery day, when finally I get a call on my cell phone – from the UPS DRIVER!!! He tells me he is 1,5 minute from my address and we decided to meet outside the door.

The UPS Driver
The Driver seems defensive at first, maybe customer Service had told something about me  – an angry irritated customer? Whatever the reason we smiled and he said he always have a phone and try to call if they get a phone number. He started even by saying “Can you see the phone number on the package?”. I said “no” and he says “exactly, therefore I couldn’t call earlier”. Now I tell him, the UPS driver, the story that I had delivered a phone number to UPS numerous times, four times actually, and Wacom when placing the order, but only today on the actual package a Customer Service person had made a NEW sticker with my phone number and info about calling before arrival due to door code system.

Now, this very unimportant story says something about logistics and lack of information from beginning to end. When vital info is missing then the whole experience can backfire and give bad rep instead. And loosing clients. Information is key, always. And still one of the most common issues to problems.

Why does it have to be so hard?
We can fly to the moon and we can send packages across the globe, but Wacom eStore additional information field online and UPS Customer Service quite frankly wasnt up for the task to easily transfer information to the UPS Delivery guy taking the package to my apartment entrance.

Stefan Lindblad
Illustrator, Graphic Designer
www.canvas.nu