Delivery charges (FedEx)

[bill kahny]

We are getting a lot of address correction charges on our Fedex bills. Even when shipping 3rd party the address correction fees are coming to us as shipper. I am using my cass certified software to look for bad data as early as i can in production but its not catching a high enough number of changes. Is there a look up service (software) that can be run on a list for fedex deliverys on a list before actually processing each address?

 

[Stickman42]

Interested to know your findings. I have the exact same issue with UPS. Even VERY simple corrections cost us $18 each. My only recourse at this time is to send clients a revised invoice.

Optionally, the USPS shines in situations like this, if you can work with them.

 

[DYP]

Interested to know your findings. I have the exact same issue with UPS. Even VERY simple corrections cost us $18 each. My only recourse at this time is to send clients a revised invoice.

Optionally, the USPS shines in situations like this, if you can work with them.

It more like will USPS work with you. Around they are a real problem even getting them to pickup when the they don't feel like doing it.

 

[Stickman42]

It more like will USPS work with you. Around they are a real problem even getting them to pickup when the they don't feel like doing it.

We do mostly Media Mail pieces, which our local PO won't even pick up on a good day. But our clients ask us to use this service. If you've got the time, a trackable package for a few dollars coast to coast? No address corrections or residential surcharges? Not bad.

 

[bill kahny]

I've been toying around with the usps click-n-ship software for the desktop, If I had more time for delivery that may be my answer and that fact that usps trachking is a joke.

 

[farcrowd]

@bill kahny - Do you know what type of errors are being corrected by FedEx? Are they performing any sort of forwarding if an individual/business has moved?

I manage a university print shop and mailroom. I wouldn't think addresses would be that 'off' that FedEx would flag a parcel as undeliverable to the address (requiring an address correction). It all depends on the local delivery driver as well as they are usually the ones who will make the determination if the package requires address correction.

Also - are you running a NCOA validation before CASS? If not - you'll want to do that, otherwise all you're doing is ensuring the recipient's old address is formatted correctly, but the shipment will still go to their old address. Apologies if you know all that already!

 

[tngcas]

We do mostly Media Mail pieces, which our local PO won't even pick up on a good day. But our clients ask us to use this service. If you've got the time, a trackable package for a few dollars coast to coast? No address corrections or residential surcharges? Not bad.

We must be lucky here, USPS picks up reliably every single day of the week for us. We have a pickup scheduled through the USPS pickup scheduler and I scheduled them out in advance for the year. I just put in an average for the number of pkgs and the weight.

re: FedEx - I know that Kelly Connect has some sort of shipping system that has a FedEx|UPS|USPS in one platform but we aren't large enough yet for that to make sense for us. You could reach out to them to see if they have an address verification setup.

 

[bill kahny]

We do the standard USPS address abbreviations, I can do the move update but right now the customer doesn't want to. As the charges grow and get passed on I assume they will take advantage of that. My question is; is Fedex using the same COA as the USPS, if not how do I change them or what do i update them against.

 

[tngcas]

We do the standard USPS address abbreviations, I can do the move update but right now the customer doesn't want to. As the charges grow and get passed on I assume they will take advantage of that. My question is; is Fedex using the same COA as the USPS, if not how do I change them or what do i update them against.

I don't think FedEx does COA updates at all. They deliver to the address provided. Their address verification system only checks if the address location is a valid location that a package can be delivered to, not whether that is the correct customer for that address. -- I could be wrong but that's my understanding of their documentation.

 

[bill kahny]

nope, they are drastically changing some addresses and charging for slight changes on others. I can't get a straight answer from fedex. I have heard they even are temperately forwarding people that are known to be working from home but I can't get through to the right people to confirm that.

 

[kansasquaker]

We also run lists through Cass and NCOA but still get lots of correction charges from both UPS and FedEx. Some of them seem legit. Some are ridiculously minor. Some are flat out incorrect. All cost $18 and we aren't gonna get it back unless we want to spend at least $50 worth of time arguing with them.

I'd love to know if anybody has a better approach, or other ideas.

 

[kansasquaker]

I don't think FedEx does COA updates at all. They deliver to the address provided.

We've had them update addresses and deliver to businesses that have moved. I don't know if that would apply to a residential address tho.

 

[Stickman42]

UPS's WorldShip software can be set to validate an address as you process the shipment. As long as the address matches their database (not sure what that is), the shipment will go through to labeling. In speaking with my UPS delivery driver, he gave an example of a shipment going to an apartment building, but without an apartment # in the address. This would be a valid address in the eyes of UPS, but undeliverable by some drivers (who don't seek out help from the super, for example), kicked back to the UPS clerk who works to correct the address and assess the $18 fee.

 

[tngcas]

UPS's WorldShip software can be set to validate an address as you process the shipment. As long as the address matches their database (not sure what that is), the shipment will go through to labeling. In speaking with my UPS delivery driver, he gave an example of a shipment going to an apartment building, but without an apartment # in the address. This would be a valid address in the eyes of UPS, but undeliverable by some drivers (who don't seek out help from the super, for example), kicked back to the UPS clerk who works to correct the address and assess the $18 fee.

I doubt they validate the actual customer name at that address, just whether or not it's a valid address which is what FedEx's address verification system does.

FedEx doesn't know that the customer/business has moved before you ship it (COA-style updated database). They update the shipment after they go to deliver it and it gets rejected for delivery, then they charge the $18 fee for the extra work of redelivering it.

 

[Stickman42]

I doubt they validate the actual customer name at that address, just whether or not it's a valid address which is what FedEx's address verification system does.

FedEx doesn't know that the customer/business has moved before you ship it (COA-style updated database). They update the shipment after they go to deliver it and it gets rejected for delivery, then they charge the $18 fee for the extra work of redelivering it.

Yes, I agree. Maybe I should have clarified that an "address" doesn't include a recipient/business name.

 

[bill kahny]

See I think there is some forwarding going on. It may be at the end users request and temporary but I get charged for it. I'll try and get an example posted soon.