• Mood: annoyed

It's Not THAT Difficult to Find Me

The replacement hard drive from Dell came in a reusable box intended to be used to return the drive to them. (I expect they'll try to refurbish it and send it out as a replacement part; the replacement drive I received was refurbished, for instance.) I packaged it up, put the return airbill on it, and called DHL. I carefully spelled my name and made sure they had an apartment number for my address. cherylmorgan agreed that she'd stick around during the afternoon. That evening, the box was still there. I called DHL. The person on phone said, "The notes say 'Driver unable to get past gate.'"

I said, "Why didn't he go to the box and bring up my name; that would have let us ring him through."

The agent said, "I'm not sure; it looks like we've got your name wrong here..."

"It is S-T-A-N-D-L-E-E?"

The agent sounded surprised. "Well, yes, it is."

"I know my name is spelled strangely. That's why I take such care to spell it for people."

"I'm sorry, sir, but we can try scheduling the pickup again."

I told her, "Never mind. There is a DHL office in Redwood City on my way to work. I'll drop it off myself. But I'll tell you something: I work professionally in the transportation logistics industry, and don't think this isn't going to color my opinion the next time I have to make a carrier choice. Incidentally, both UPS and FedEx deliver regularly to my address, and they've never had any problem finding me or getting through the gate."

Then this morning, I went on auto-pilot when I got on East Bayshore Frontage Road and drove right past that DHL office and had to make a U-turn to get back. But at least now I have their signature on the return slip, so if it goes astray, it's no longer my fault.