Last week of January 2009, I sent a package for my Boss in Utah through Mail ‘N More in SM City Iloilo.  The package is to be sent via FedEx.

The items included a t-shirt I bought from Boracay, souvenir pens bought from Kultura in SM City Iloilo, native coin purse bought from Kultura in SM City Iloilo, and a box of Love Pearl bought from Kultura in SM City Iloilo.

The guy who attended to me got this book, which must be their some sort of kodigo for rules and regulations in sending packages to Utah.  First verdict: DECLARE THAT THE SOUVENIR PENS ARE NOT TOXIC.

Alright, let’s delare that.  I signed a Non-toxicity Form and handed it to the guy.  He made me repeat it actually because I put in there that I’m working on the same office as the recipient.  OK…maybe he doesn’t get what kind of job I have.

Next verdict: THEY CANNOT SHIP THE BOX OF LOVE PEARL.  Reason: it belongs to the LIVE ANIMAL category and they cannot ship it.  OK that seems reasonable.  But what i didn’t get was the side comment of the guy: MAYO PA NAGBAKAL KA NA LANG SANG TIG SINGKWENTA NGA ABUBOT SA KILID KILID DA.

Huh?! Are you kidding me?  Ang original gani indi niyo iship ang fake pa kaya.  What a lousy opinion from a FedEx worker!  Is that how they were trained re customer service?

I opted not to comment.  I was holding back my control.  I know that as soon as I open my mouth he wouldn’t like what I had to say.

Finally the package was scheduled for delivery.  It is expected to arrive at the recipient’s address in 4-5 days.

Several days after sending the package a number from FedEx Cebu called me up asking for the following:

1. What is the t-shirt made of?

2. What are the other items made of?

3. The recipient must be informed that he needs to sign the same Non-toxicity form that I signed to declare that the souvenir pens are not toxic.

OK those were like easy things to do.  I answered the first 2 questions.  And I emailed my Boss for the third requirement.  This is where the annoyance started…

Several days after I didn’t hear anything from FedEx.  The called from FedEx Cebu informed me that they will call the recipient to inform him about the form he needed to sign.  Eventually I found out that the number I indicated on the FedEx sendout form was wrong.  My question is: WHY DID FedEx KEPT THEIR SILENCE ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON? IF THEY KEPT ON DIALLING A NUMBER THAT DOESN’T SEEM TO EXIST WHY DID THEY NOT CALL ME BACK?  WHY DID I HAVE TO FIGURE THINGS OUT MYSELF?

I emailed FedEx International Customer Service.  After 24 hours I received an email from Kinko with the number of FedEx International customer service.  I called this number and informed everybody from there that the number I indicated at the sendout form was wrong and has to be corrected with the correct number.  And I waited again for several days…

Several days after I got another call from FedEx Cebu asking what material was the coin purse made of.  ABAKA GANI….grrrrrrrrr! And I waited again for days…

Days passed but I didn’t receive any notice from FedEx.  I called up the Customer Service and found out that my Boss wasn’t called yet.  I called up FedEx SM City and here’s the lousiest answer service I got:

At first I called up FedEx in MaryMart.  The girl who answered me was very courteous and helpful.  But then she couldn’t solve it because I didn’t send the package through them.  I had to deal with FedEx SM City Iloilo.

So I called up FedEx SM City Iloilo.  And guess what — the guy who processed my packge was the same person who answered the phone.  I told him the story, the calls I got, what I’ve been doing, etc.  You know what he said? TINGALA GANI KO NGA WALA PA IMO NADELIVER.  DAPAT TAWGAN MO ANG CEBU PANGITAA SI [i forgot the name].

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?????????  You mean to say that I will take care of this myself?  Wow!!!!  What a lousy customer service!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I called up Cebu as advised nothing happened.  I emailed FedEx and ordered them to RETURN MY PACKAGE IMMEDIATELY.  But nothing happened.

Last remedy, call the Anchorage Customs.  And I did!  I was directed to the right person, the solutions were taken cared of immediately, the form was sent to the recipient, follow up the next day, and voila the package was sent!  That easy!!!!

And the local FedEx?  I don’t know what they did.  I wish I could turn back time and didn’t waste effort and time and money on phone calls for them.  I could have called up Anchorage Customs Department right away.

To FedEx, I think you should teach/train your men in various offices how to deal with problems.  Customer service doesn’t stop after the customer has paid for your shipping fee.