Paid $90 on Thursday January 31st to have very important "medical" package delivered via UPS Next Day Early AM on Friday February 1st. I received one message on Friday saying that they were having "adverse weather conditions" (they sent my package from Chicago to Kentucky and apparently there was a big snow storm) but the package would still be delivered on Friday. So I wait at home all day on Friday (fortunatley I can work from home on occassion). Well the snow must have affected their computers too because the online tracking system was never updated throughout the day. Called the Customer Care line twice and was told the same thing. The third time I called I was told the package would not be delivered until Monday (totally screwing up my Super Bowl weekend plans). When I contacted the shipper and they followed up with UPS to see if I could go pick up my package, they were told by a manager that UPS would do a special Saturday delivery for those whose packages were supposed to be there Friday. Well it's now Saturday and no package. So I called UPS and they said the package will be delivered on Monday. I don't know if FedEx is better or not but I know I DO NOT LIKE UPS!!!! I will not choose them in the future.

I work for UPS, and have shipped both fedex and UPS and have u ever called fedex????? "oh its late..so sorry" thats all they do...call ups and if your the Shipper, they do all they can to get you the info ..and your money back if its past time of dlvy like i reg. ship from a company that only ships fedex EVERYTIME i order it for by 3pm or 1030am it always shows up by END OF DAY (if i wanted end of day service id order it.....) ups..its always 1030 or 3..never once has it been late..fed ex just says "oh well its res. and at least its the right day" ..blah!

My complaint about UPS was not about the snow delaying the package. I don't expect someone to risk their life even to deliver something that is a medical necessity. My complaint was about not being given accurate information when I called and when the shipper called to check on the status of the package. I have never had to call Fed Ex but then again I have never had a problem receiving a package shipped via Fed Ex either.

I agree, UPS sucks. If i get a package delivered to me when I am not home, they usually do not try to redeliver. One time I tried to call the main office just to ask if the UPS guy was still in my area and i can meet him downstairs. The woman at the main office started screaming at me telling me that I didn't pay extra for the service and they do not require to do so! I mean she was a real b**ch. And I know that they are not required but FedEx does more than what they are required and that is why I always request a FedEx shippment. With them it is much different. If I am not home, the FedEx guy comes back to redeliver without me even calling them. One of them actually gave me his number and told me next time I miss a package to call him to see if he is in the area. Their phone service is quicker and much more friendlier. It is a pleasure to do business with them and I will keep requesting FedEx. It is definitelly worth it. :)

Huh Olga i wonder what did you do to the lady the drivers are always happy to deliver the PKGs or meet up with the customers so next day they wont have to go back to your house , B UPS when you ship Ground you paid for 1 attempt a day for 3 days if its next day air the driver will attempt before 1030 and they will reattempt it when they are in your area wow what a lawsuit Feddex is about to pay good job uncle Sam

UPS is far better than Fed Ex in so many ways. From uniforms, speed of deliveries, area knowledge, The fact that you have the same driver everyday on his or her route delivering both air and ground (with all the different assortment of time commitments and many more than fed ex has, you must keep that in mind) While you have 2 sometimes even 3 Fed Ex drivers driving seemingly aimlessly all within 1 UPS drivers route. Talk about chaotic. Tell me where's the efficiency in that? When you talk to these fed ex drivers they bad mouth each other. " So and so takes all the work and doesn't like to share!" Can you believe that? In the UPS world of Brown we are all FAMILY!

Olga have you stopped to think that maybe you did something to the friendly neighborhood UPS guy that perhaps offended him or her so bad that now you find yourself alone and being comforted by the fed ex kid?

I have no dog in this fight, but I can say, for business I always use FedEX. Packages always arrive on time and undamaged. UPS packages are almost always on time, but also usually a bit roughed up. That's just my experience. I NEVER use UPS because my clients expect packages to arrive undamaged. My brother's fortune 500 company doesn't use UPS either - for the same reason. Too many damaged items in shipment. His hi-tech firm ships products worth thousands of dollars and UPS used to destroy them ALL THE TIME. The company now mandates that all items be shipped FedEX. If anyone uses UPS they are fired.

I do think the UPS guys in their shorts improve business when secretaries are given the option of who picks up packages.

What about the lawsuits that are hurting FedEx. FedEx has exhibited a DEFIANT attitude. In a group meeting a Manager said,"FedEx has a team of lawyers, sue us, we will win!" A FedEx Manager denied me time off to attend my Father's Funeral. He also denied a Hispanic employee time off to attend his StepFather's Funeral. A fellow employee informed me that this Manager gave a white employee time off to pay court fines for writing bad checks. My Father's death was not announced among my fellow employees. I did not receive a sympathy card from the Manager, and no flowers were sent to my Father's Funeral in New York. I am filled with EMOTIONAL PAIN when I see fellow employees taking off days for their loved ones. A Manager taking off days to attend his wife's Grandfather funeral. A fellow employee taking off days to visit her sick Father. FedEx is a CRUEL, UNCARING and CALLOUS company.

Fed Ex truly Sucks! Brown Rules!

The recent online purchases I made were shipped via UPS, and ALL WERE BAD EXPERIENCE. The first two times, packages were attempted on Friday, and no one was home. They do not do redelivery on Weekends, so I had to go pick it up on Monday myself cause no one will be home either (Everyone works during daytime in my house). Picking it up myself is fine, but I have to call and tell them to leave my package at the station instead of go out for redelivery, And both times, they didn't get my message, and tried to redeliver on Monday to my place, where no one will be home. So I missed my package on Monday both times, and had to go back to the Station on Tuesday to pick it up again. If I work late, I won't get it either because the Station closes at 6pm.

Now I'm waiting for my other package shipped via UPS 3 day select. The bill was in on 8/27, and it's 9/3 today, the package is still not in my area, don't even mention about go home and find my package around.

It could well be the UPS people in my area is simply not good, but I'll make sure not to give UPS anymore chances if I want my packages on-time next time.

First off, remember that these two companies operate on completely different corporate models.
FedEx tends to lease everything from trucks, buildings and yes, almost their entire airline which cost them more in the long run, and drives their debt up through the roof, and provides employees and 1040 subcontractors an opportunity for a job, but this is where the real distinctions begin and the similarities end.
UPS is strong, deriving it's strength from it's 400,000 + work force with over 250,000 part-time workers, which all receive Health, Dental, Vision, 401K match and a the security in knowing their job will be secure as long as they take pride in their job! UPS owns over 300 aircraft as of Sept. 2008 (and these are big cargo frieghters, not cessna's) and leases another 265 to make ends meet. They own their feeders, trailers, package cars, and buildings, and the other strength of UPS is their assets, they have tons of them, assets, strong employment and personal pride are what separate UPS from the competition.
I have friends that have worked with FedEx and some love it, but most do not enjoy their work. There is no security blanket with FedEx like there is with UPS, but for all intents and purposes FedEx is a decent company on paper. I am sure if you are one of their 1040 sub-contractors without benefits, driving around a leased vehicle with FedEx emblems on the side, delivering packages brought to you by many different contractors and planes not owned by the company you know what I mean in this response.
Lastly, who would you invest in, a company that has been around for over 100 years, constantly staying at the forefront of business change, providing your shareholders a great annual dividend on stock, which seems to increase in value every year, that supports their emplolyees and provides excellent service , or a company that may make it's balance sheets look fishy to show some kind of profit, while having HUGE debt to revenue figures, while not owning very many assets and a huge workforce that is ready to rip their hair out.
In the end FedEx gets their parcels where they need to be, mostly on time, and the same goes for UPS, after all, we are all human and mistakes do happen, but I will forever go with the compnay that has good growth, consistant service, takes pride in their workforce and gives me return on investment.
That decision is UPS all the way!

I just want my package and fast....

FedEx just seems more efficient, when my package leaves China, it goes through Alaska (1st day)... then to Memphis (2nd day)... then to my cities airport (3rd day) and gets to me by the 3rd or 4th day (Always by the forth day, seems to be regardless of the weekend).

UPS is slower and less efficient.... China to Alaska takes 2 days, then to Louisville (4th day).... interim city #1 (5th day).... interim across the border city #2 (6th day) and I still don't have my package.

Both package originated from the same company and have the same custom/border issues.... both were laptops from Apple.

My experience shows that UPS is the best. And, no, I don't work for them. I just order a lot from amazon and UPS is always so quick and the guys is so thoughtful and polite. They also leave packages in a plastic bag.
FedEx is very impersonal. Today I tracked my packages from Joann mailed by FedEx and the package stayed at their facility after drop for the whole day - almost 24 hours. Anyway, my personal preference is UPS. No doubt!

UPS delivers to our business every morning, same time, all levels of service.

FedEx delivers 3, sometimes 4 times throughout the day with a few packages each time. Drives me crazy!

It's UPS for me -- (it's not even a contest)! UPS makes sense.

So I have bin reading a lot of comments about the condition of the package when they are delivered. And as a UPS supervisor I can say that UPS holds its employees to the highest standards and we do not tolerate any damaging of packages. So what I am getting at is that there is a reason why UPS is #1 in the delivery game.

Its are employees.

As a former employee (IS Manager) for UPS, let me tell those who say UPS respects their Employees a thing or two...

Mabye sometime in the PAST UPS respected their employees and treated them well, but after the company went public their focus slowly changed to become a profit driven, maximize every cent, screw the long term employee focus.

Over the course of 3-4 yrs. the company removed, revised and eliminated most of the benefits which made them stand out from the competition. They began a process of elimination, any who had more that 5 yrs (and didn't kiss the golden A**) did not last long.

I left before the axe fell... Now, I would not ship a package with UPS if they were the last shipping company on the planet...

I felt bias in ths article leading positively to FEDX and negatively to UPS but after all is said and done, most people voted for UPS. GO BIG BROWN.