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” Well,  I told her, the guy that picks up your package is not the same guy that delivers it to Phoenix.”

“Why not?” she asked.

“Because, I said rolling my eyes, Phoenix is about 1,580 miles or about a 24 hours drive from Portland and it is too far for any one person to drive in one night and be back to start work again the next day.”  

“Well, who did take it there?” she said kinda snottily.

Very slowing and clearly I told her that her company only pays to have us fly her branch’s pouches to their main office in Riverside, Ca.  And, that her items were combined and sorted with thousands of other companies items in a very large sort center in Burbank, CA. 

“Well, aren’t we your only customer?” she cried.

“Uh, no”. ” But once it reaches Riverside, your main office will read the label and re-route to your Phoenix office. 

“What label?  I just put the box on top of the other stuff for the driver to take.”

“Did he take it?”

“Duh, Yah.”

“So let me get this right.”  “You put a plain old box without an address on it  into the system and was expecting it to reach its destination?” 

“Duh, Yah.”

“So how were we suppose to know where it was going?”  “And you said that you sent it two weeks ago?”

“I don’t  care anymore.  That is your problem.  I need that box delivered.”

After that delicious conversation, I started calling around to all the places it could be.  I called the sort center.  I called their main office.  I called their Phoenix office.  Everyone one kept asking me, was the package addressed correctly?  “NO!” I told everyone.  It will take a lot of therapy to get over all their laughter. 

Well, it been a few weeks since “The Incident” and nobody really knows what happened to that box.  So here it is:

1.  Address all packages or extra envelopes just like it is going through the U.S. postal system mail!

2.  Better yet, photocopy your pouch label.  It has all the tracking bars codes on it,  then attach it to the box or envelope.

3.  If something doesn’t get where it’s suppose to be the next day, Call Us Now!  Do not wait two weeks.

4.  Better yet, call us ahead of time to let us know that you are sending something extra to somewhere outside your contracted delivery area. 

I know that we are good, but good enough to read your mind.  Not yet anyways.

Every few months, I put my employees through customer service training.  As tortuous as it may sound, I do.  I tell my employees that 5 star service and attitude is free to give and we should give it to our customers.  I think custmers appreicate it.  I know I do when I order something.  So just remember, when you want something delivered with a smile, remember CMF.  Of course, if we aren’t charming & pleasant, it was someone elses fault!