I bought and paid via PayPal a very rare and historically important signed, flown, first-day philatelic cover dating from 1965 from a gentleman in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. I paid for the document to be shipped, International Priority Mail by what I considered a reputable courier service, Federal Express.
The consignment was collected from the gentleman at 9:06am local time on 3 November 2020 with shipping information send to FedEx according to their own records an hour later. The journey from Calgary to Peterborough was recorded by FedFex on their own tracking system.
According to Fex Ex - it was delivered at 11:34am on Thursday 5 November. The only problem was - it did not arrive. What also deserves noting is that my wife was at home all morning and where she was sitting she could see the road outside our house and no courier service was seen.
That afternoon I obtained proof of delivery form -
There were a number of things that immediately caught my eye.
- It was delivered to the 'Receptionist/Front Desk
- It had been signed for by a 'D Smith'.
- FedEx had a proof of signature.
That immediately begs the question; as this is a private house, who was the receptionist at the front desk, and who was 'D Smith' ?
I tried emailing FedEx, then called them and left a message. The next morning I received this email:
From: Sinead O'Brien <sinead.obrien@fedex.com>
Sent: 06 November 2020 08:24
To: GM SIMONS <gmsimons@btconnect.com>
Subject: 398513549290
Good Morning,
Thank you for contacting us regarding this shipment.
Can you confirm if the package has not been located?
I have reached out to the delivery depot to ask the driver to confirm where they delivered this.
Regards
Sinead O’BrienCustomer Experience Recovery Team UK & Ireland
FedEx Express Northern Europe, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent & Africa
Tel +44 (0)2476706229 -
How did we do today? Please take 2 minutes to let us know what you think of FedEx
At FedEx we are committed to our Purple Promise - a pledge that each and every experience you have with us is outstanding.
My reply:
From: GM SIMONS <gmsimons@btconnect.com>
To: Sinead O'Brien <sinead.obrien@fedex.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: 398513549290
Graham M Simons
I left it for a few hours, then sent of another email:
From: GM SIMONS <gmsimons@btconnect.com>
Sent: 06 November 2020 15:37
To: Sinead O'Brien <sinead.obrien@fedex.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: 398513549290
Once again I have made a thorough search, and have been unable to locate any sign of this package, or whoever 'D Smith' is. Have you heard from the driver as to where he delivered it, and who he got to sign for it?
Graham M Simons
I received two quick replies in quick sucession:
Subject: Re: 398513549290
Regards
Customer Experience Recovery Team UK & Ireland
FedEx Express Northern Europe, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent & Africa
Tel +44 (0)2476706229 -
How did we do today? Please take 2 minutes to let us know what you think of FedEx
At FedEx we are committed to our Purple Promise - a pledge that each and every experience you have with us is outstanding.
From: Sinead O'Brien <sinead.obrien@fedex.com>
Sent: 06 November 2020 15:55
To: GM SIMONS <gmsimons@btconnect.com>
Subject: Re: 398513549290
Good Afternoon,
Please do let me know once this package has been received.
Regards
Sinead O’BrienCustomer Experience Recovery Team UK & Ireland
FedEx Express Northern Europe, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent & Africa
Tel +44 (0)2476706229 -
How did we do today? Please take 2 minutes to let us know what you think of FedEx
At FedEx we are committed to our Purple Promise - a pledge that each and every experience you have with us is outstanding.
They were soon followed by another email:
From: Sinead O'Brien <sinead.obrien@fedex.com>
Sent: 06 November 2020 15:59
To: GM SIMONS <gmsimons@btconnect.com>
Subject: Re: 398513549290
Good Afternoon,
The depot has just advised the below:
He said that he delivered the goods to the house directly opposite and while he was in the van the neighbour went and posted the goods through the letter box of number 67.
Regards
Sinead O’BrienCustomer Experience Recovery Team UK & Ireland
FedEx Express Northern Europe, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent & Africa
Tel +44 (0)2476706229 -
How did we do today? Please take 2 minutes to let us know what you think of FedEx
At FedEx we are committed to our Purple Promise - a pledge that each and every experience you have with us is outstanding.
Hmm... well, that's a bit different to delivering to the Receptionist/Front Desk! Plus... the driver's story went from delivery, to being unsure, then being able to recall he actually saw the neighbour posting the goods through our letter box! Still no news as to exactly WHICH number he ACTUALLY delivered it to! Incidentally, there was no card from FedEx put through our letterbox stating that they had tried to deliver a package to us, but that he had been left elsewhere, which I believe is the standard proceedure. Just to play safe, I contacted the gentleman in Canada who provided me with a copy of the original shipping documention that proved it was addressed correctly:
So... time for another email from me:
From: GM SIMONS <gmsimons@btconnect.com>
Sent: 06 November 2020 16:09
To: Sinead O'Brien <sinead.obrien@fedex.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: 398513549290
I have asked everyone in the area if they:
Saw a Fed Ex Driver yesterday
Took in a parcel for me
or re-delivered it to our address.
The answer was no to each question and enquiry.
Someone, somewhere is lying.
Can I please see the actual signature for 'D Smith'?
Graham M Simons
That brought forth this:
From: Sinead O'Brien <sinead.obrien@fedex.com>
Sent: 09 November 2020 10:12
To: GM SIMONS <gmsimons@btconnect.com>
Subject: Re: 398513549290
Good Morning,
Thank you for your email.
I have asked that they send the driver back to confirm where this document was delivered too.
Regards
Sinead O’Brien
Customer Experience Recovery Team UK & Ireland
FedEx Express Northern Europe, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent & Africa
Tel +44 (0)2476706229 -
How did we do today? Please take 2 minutes to let us know what you think of FedEx
At FedEx we are committed to our Purple Promise - a pledge that each and every experience you have with us is outstanding.
Hmm... I thought she had already done that! Plus, there was no mention as any kind of a reply to my question of 'seeing the signature'. Oh well, time for another email:
From: GM SIMONS <gmsimons@btconnect.com>
Sent: 09 November 2020 15:33
To: Sinead O'Brien <sinead.obrien@fedex.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: 398513549290
For the fourth time since Thursday I have been to every house in our section of the Pyhill cul-de-sac, and once again no household 'took in' a packet addressed to Graham M Simons, GMS Enterprises of 67 Pyhill. At the same time, I asked if anyone knew of a 'D Smith', and no-one did.
I can also confirm that no advisory note was put in our address box stating that the packet had been left at any other location. This would have been superfluous anyway for the following two reasons.
- We have a large metal box outside our front door chained to the house marked 'A Safe Place - please padlock shut'. Nothing was placed in it.
- Even the use of this was not needed for my wife was at home waiting for the delivery, and she saw no-one.
The package contained one piece of card and one envelope. This was a very rare, certified flown First Day Philatelic Cover dating from 1965, signed by both the pilot and co-pilot. Historically speaking, it is irreplaceable.
I know the value for which I paid for it, but that is not the point - I just want to receive the item. Frankly, the comments that have come from the local Fed Ex depot have been decidedly vague, especially those passed on from the driver. Firstly the driver did not seem aware of where he actually delivered it, and then in the second reply did not say to which address he took it to. Then there is the matter of the 'D Smith' signature. No one locally seems to know who this is, and despite me asking Fed Ex for a sight of it on Friday, this still has not been provided.
Where do we go from here?
Graham M Simons
Less than an hour later this arrived:
Re: 398513549290
Sinead O'Brien <sinead.obrien@fedex.com>
Mon 09/11/2020 16:02
To: GM SIMONS <gmsimons@btconnect.com>
Good Afternoon,
Thank you for your email.
Unfortunately we are not taking physical signatures due to Covid-19 however the drivers should be obtaining names upon delivery.
I have asked the driver to return to confirm exactly who they gave this too and confirm where they had posted this ( to ensure correct street ect..)
As soon as I have any further information I will let you know.
Regards
Sinead O’Brien
Customer Experience Recovery Team UK & Ireland
FedEx Express Northern Europe, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent & Africa
Tel +44 (0)2476706229 -
How did we do today? Please take 2 minutes to let us know what you think of FedEx
At FedEx we are committed to our Purple Promise - a pledge that each and every experience you have with us is outstanding.
So, despite the proof-of-delivery form clearly stating that a signature image WAS available, it seems that they were not collecting signatures after all! What is more, we seem to be back to getting the driver to return to the scene of the crime again. The tone of the sign-off also suggests that they do not want me to keep contacting them.
I waited a week, then sent off this:
To: Sinead O'Brien <sinead.obrien@fedex.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: 398513549290
As of 1700 hrs 17/11/2020. No reply from FedEx. The clock is still ticking.
1350hrs. 18/11/2020 - a telephone call from a gentlement advising me that my consignment has been 'lost'. I asked exactly which house the driver delivered to, and was told the driver 'could not recall'. When I asked what I should do now, I was told I should reach out to the sender and get him to instigate a claim for compensation and hope that this gentleman will pass on whatever he gets back to me!
