UPS: Great Social Media Based Customer Service

Last night I arrived home to find a UPS notice stuck to my door. The only filled out was the date. This isn't an odd thing. It happens quite frequently. However, I typically have been e-mailed a tracking number so I know all the details.

Here is where we have an issue:

1. Where was it left. Was it left at the office or was it an item that needed *my* signature
2. Who was it from? I was not expecting anything to be delivered by UPS. I have one pending order from a company that has shipped using UPS on past orders, but I have not received an e-mail saying my item has been shipped. Actually, I was told it would take 1-2 weeks for the item to ship...which is another issue.

Not to worry. I would just Look up the info notice number. However, the web site was down. I tweeted about it and left to go to dinner.

When I returned I had a reply from @UPShelp offering assistance. I tried the website again with no luck, so I I emailed them my Infonotice #.  I didn't expect to hear back from them.  Honestly, much of that stemmed from my poor experience with @Brookstone earlier in the week.

Remember when I said I had a pending order? I ordered an item for my boyfriend's birthday. It said on the web site that the item would be delivered in 5-7 business days. I had very good luck with Brookstone in the past. If it said it would be delivered in 2-5 business days, I usually had it in hand in 2-3 business days. When I didn't receive a shipping notice after a few days, I started to worry. I contacted Brookstone only to be told that it would take 1-2 weeks to ship and 2-3 weeks for delivery. It took several e-mails for me to even get them to stop telling me I hadn't read carefully. I never asked for anything. I just voiced my disappointment. I made no threats to never shop with them again, but that it would change how I ordered and how likely I would be to order from them in the future. They did offer (and since have) to refund my shipping charges. I accepted the concession and thanked them for it. I expressed my frustration on Twitter that time and @brookstone did reply and asked me to send him/her and e-mail. I sent one on Monday basically recapping the info I just gave you. It is Thursday and I have yet to hear back. This has been the case with several other Twitter customer service accounts. They offer to help, but they are slow to get back with you, if they do at all. I figured UPS would be more of the same.

I was wrong.

I put my laptop away and figured I wouldn't hear back until at least the morning. I looked at my phone a few minutes later and I had a response. My infonotice number and address brought up nothing. A rep did take my phone number and said he would have the package center that does the deliveries in my area  call me today.

I missed the call, but the supervisor said that my item had been left at the office. He did not say it who it was from. He also apologized that the "slip wasn't filled out clearly" which means the delivery person didn't own up to it, and he or she will keep half filling the slips out. All of my questions were not answered, but the social media team did a great job and followed through for me.

I thanked them for their help and let them I know I did get a call, but I still didn't know where it was from. The team got right back on it and is working on getting me that info now.

They have gone above and beyond for me, and I am very grateful!