United Service "FEDEX"

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SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
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My feeling is it can improve. I have a couple of times over the years asked to rush an order. They say ok, but it takes the usual time, 3-4 day processing time plus one day shipping. It often takes more than a week to receive an order.

In today's world, it is my opinion, that this is not fast enough. There should be no reason why they can't process an order and ship in Less than 24 to 48hrs plus shipping time.

If you don’t really mean you can rush it, then don’t say you can.

McMaster-Carr, Granger, and other major industrial suppliers do this without asking. Order before 3pm, and I have it the next day.

I have not ordered from M&M yet, is their service any better?
 
Less,

Are you talking about United Manufacturing Supply or United Parcel Service?

No matter, I have never gotten a shipment from UMS in under 9 days, rush or otherwise! And, if they DID happen to process the order in a timely fashion, UPS would undoubtedly either lose it, back over it with a truck, or deliver only half the order. The Good Lord only knows where the other half got to!

I think that the only reason that UMS doesn't ship UnSeal in a regular box anymore is that the cans have a tendency to blow up when backed over by a UPS delivery truck! If they ship it by HazMat, then UPS has to actually keep track of its whereabouts at all times.

In their (UMS's) defense, they DID credit me for the lost items. (This happened twice.)

Framerguy
 
I ask for Red Label service and get it overnight. They have never failed me yet. Using the internet I've been getting my standard orders in 3-4 business days using regular ground shipping.

framer
 
If you didn't ask specifically for Red Label Service or Overnight Service, then 3 or 4 days is quick. 9 days was quick for a shippment from UMS for me. I always allowed 2 weeks. When I did need something fast, I either ordered ir Red Label, or paid the higher price from someone local...who charges a delivery fee!
 
I recently asked for a rush and had the order the next day. Normally it takes 4-5 days to receive and order.
I've also wondered why they don't let me know when something is out of stock. :(
 
United Mfrs. Supplies has shipped my rush orders overnight every time I've asked. Fortunately, we seldom need that kind of service. Premium shipping is expensive.

United is a big supplier, IMHO offering the best prices and service for routine orders. With as many orders as they must process every day, their routine order processing is excellent. The occasional overnight shipment is probably a nightmare.

If you need an item or two overnight, maybe a smaller, local supplier could perform more quickly. The price will surely be higher, but that may still cost less than premium shipping from anywhere out of town.
 
I've used United for as long as I can remember for most of my bulk hardware needs. Orders normally arrive in about a week. On my last order, one box never did arrive, but I'd say that's a UPS problem, not United's.

If I'm in a mad-A rush for something, I'll order it from L-J in Chicago and pay a premium. I've discovered that there are some bulky items that I'm better off ordering from L-J, with free weekly delivery, rather than United. But not many.
 
Don't get me wrong; I have been using United for the six years I have been in business. They have always been helpful. They also have always been in my opinion, very slow at processing an order.

I am one day from their NY location. There should be no reason that I need to pay UPS RED or Blue Label to provide efficient service.

My only complaint is they should be able to process an order much quicker than they do. I do not believe that 1 to 2 day order processing is unreasonable (from order to box). Most companies that I order from in my local shipping zone arrive the next day if I order early enough.

If a supplier wants to compete with UMS, all they have to do is offer better turn-around, and they will get a lot of business. I would buy a lot more from them if the could provide this type of service. That alone should be enough reason to improve their service. I buy most of my general hardware from my local suppliers, because I do not want to wait a week. I only order from UMS when I need specialty items that I can't get from those that deliver to me via their own truck (Larson, Don Mar, Framers Market).

United is no further from me than those suppliers that can deliver to me within 1 to 2 days via UPS. If United can start to be this efficient, I will do a lot more business with them. I suspect that would be true for a lot of other framers.
 
Got my invoice today, but no hardware :(
I placed the order on 11/20/02
 
Apologies to United

It turns out, that it was FedEx this time. I asked United to rush the order, and I guess they did. So, sorry United!

After United tracked the package for me, FedEx said that they were here early on Tuesday the 22nd. The strange thing is that there was no door notification, and they delivered a package from another vendor on Wednesday. Who would think that FedEx would send one driver out on Tuesday and a different driver on Wednesday without the package? The driver who said he came on Tuesday, finally showed up late Friday afternoon.
 
I think, nearly every delivery I have had over the YEARS from FedEx, they have had to call and ask directions! And every single driver is a different one.

Oh well... :rolleyes:

Betty
 
Lessafinger,
Please call me at United as I would like to personally see what the problem is with your orders. United processes a large amount of orders daily and a few do not receive the service that I would hope they would. Your input is important to me. I hope anyone who reads this will understand that I am available to anyone who has a complaint or a compliment. Do not hesitate to call. For those in the south, my local number is 516-496-4430 x231 as our toll free number directs calls from the south to our Florida location. It is my policy to try to ship every order within 48 orders. Your input will help me to achieve that goal.
 
Regards to UnSeal solvent. It is classified a Hazmat by the DOT. We have no control over this. It must ship via ground only in full case quantities via Hazmat regulations and is expensive. There is nothing I can do to change rules the Federal government requires us to follow.
 
Lessafinger,
I still have not had a response from you. How can you expect me to help if you do not contact me?
 
Peter,

Thank you for your reply. Sincere concerns about customer service related issues from management from companies such as yours is appreciated, and will be the reason I continue to do business with United.

I am sorry if I have not responded yet, but I have been very busy (not a bad thing). I will call you directly.

Happy Holidays!
Less
 
Back to the top!

I still owe Peter a call. I've been busy with the holiday, and now with the move.

My samples are on the wall, my phone and computer are online. I have to wait a bit to get my DSL hooked up. (talk about slow servce - SNET)
 
Dear Peter,

Thank you for taking my call a couple of weeks ago. You seem like a great guy and concerned about United's service. Your company is the only mail order supply house that I have ordered from, since I started my business over six years ago.

I had put an order on hold a little over two weeks a go due to a concern about shipping fabric glue. A short while later a sales rep called to remind me that the order was on hold, and to ask me whether I wished to proceed. Since I resolved getting the glue shipped to me through Harvey's, I requested they proceed with the order.

The order was officially placed on 3-11-03. Yesterday I decided it was time for me to call to ask where my order was? The rep replied that it had been shipped on the 18th. Sure enough, the packages arrived on the 19th. This is very typical of the deliver times with no phone calls about why there has been any delay. A phone call explaining a delay beyond the stated processing time would be appreciated so I can adjust the order if necessary. Excuse me; I have to go open the boxes.

Sincerely,

Less
 
Less, I have a solution so beautiful in its simplicity that you are going to kick yourself for not thinking of it yourself.

Order your supplies a week earlier.

When someone comes in with a framing order and says, "Is there any way I could get this tomorrow?" I say, "Sure. Bring it in a week ago."

They LOVE that!
 
Gee Ron, that's great advice - thank you.

Don't you just love opening those United boxes? It's like Christmas morning.

Let's see? Got some of those new large offsets, and my first bag-o-Nori, and oooo, look at that, my first centering rule, and cool, my new moulding stand for chopping length. Let's see... some gold pens... and
 
It's like Christmas morning.
Click to expand...
Exactly, Less, and the surprize is enhanced because, with the extreme passage of time, you've actually forgotten what you ordered. In fact, like a lot of Christmas gifts, you don't really NEED most of the stuff any more.

So WHAT are you whining about? Do you want 'em to gift wrap everything?
 
I always expect to wait about a week, but most of what I order from Uniteed is staples, and I know when I am running low.
I also feel there are not many co's where the president will work with you, so even if that takes awhile, I commend that.
On a lighter note, I am currently listing all the new stuff I am going to buy in the very near future. Have a sizable check coming in, and it all gets to go to the business. So much fun stuff to pick from the catalog, where to begin....

P.S. Less, how are you getting your unseal now??
mine is getting low.
 
I placed an order with United on Monday (3/17) and it came today. 4 days - not bad!

Oh, I forgot - no red label, no rush, no nuttin. Just plain UPS.

Betty

[ 03-21-2003, 07:57 PM: Message edited by: B. Newman ]
 
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