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FedEx Delivery Driver Debacle Ends With a Whispered Apology

posted on December 21, 2011


After writing about the FedEx delivery driver that was caught on video, throwing a customer’s expensive computer monitor over a fence, many asked if the video was faked, a FedEx publicity stunt (huh?) or the antics of a competitor.

Well, it turns out that the FedEx video–which now has over 2.6 million views–is legit.

In fact, FedEx has apologized and apparently resolved the issue. Though, unless you went digging around, you wouldn’t know that.

You see aside from these few tweets…

…FedEx doesn’t appear to have taken the issue seriously enough to warrant much of an official apology.

No Facebook update.

No YouTube video response.

No press release.

Not even a blog post. Update: There’s now a blog post.

Now, you could argue that the incident is minor and doesn’t warrant a concerted response. However, considering the story has gone global AND viral, you have to question why FedEx is not working harder to protect its reputation.


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  • http://www.frankthinking.com Frank Reed

    Andy, shhhhhhh! If you act like it didn’t happen it really didn’t happen, right?

    That works with my 4 year old but not in the new world order of the Internet fish bowl. I bet FedEx makes a mountain out of the initial mole hill by fumbling this one faster than a Tar Heel running back. :-)

  • Eddie

    FedEx may want to keep quiet and let it blow over, but I won’t be using them ever again. I’m pretty sure that millions of other businesses will be doing the same.

  • david

    As a Fed ex employee I would like to say this persons actions does not reflect the culture or dedication of the majority of Fed ex employees. I truly treat customers freight as if it was my own and have never witnessed this type of activity in my 20 yrs at Fed ex. Please don’t allow the actions of one bad Apple to taint the reputation of the vast majority of hard working Fed ex employees. I am a front line delivery person not part of management.

    • http://www.marketingpilgrim.com Andy Beal

      Thanks for commenting David. I am glad to hear that there are caring employees at FedEx!

  • AR

    They actually DID issue a facebook apology and update. It is here: http://blog.fedex.designcdt.com/absolutely-positively-unacceptable

    • http://www.marketingpilgrim.com Andy Beal

      Thanks, looks like they have finally published a blog post. I’ve updated our post.

      • http://www.burgoblog.com Matt

        Andy, your update should include both the blog post AND the facebook post. Just FYI :)

        • http://www.marketingpilgrim.com Andy Beal

          Thought about that, but the Facebook post is just a link to the blog post. :-P

  • http://www.deanjshaw.com dean

    Should make a good case study after the dust settles. What happens when a major company experiences a reputation disaster in the midst of a very distracting time of year and makes just a muted acknowledgement and response.

    My bet is by Christmas we’ll have all forgot.

    @Eddie really? You’re not going to use FedEx EVER again because some wacko employee wrecks a guys flatscreen? C’mon they got 290,000 employees, give em a break.

    • http://www.deanjshaw.com dean

      UPDATE: Seems the feedback to the muted responses has been overwhelmingly positive. Score one for the “acknowledge the problem, take responsibility for the problem, fix the problem and move on” approach. No point in turning it into anything more than the isolated incident it is.

      • http://www.marketingpilgrim.com Andy Beal

        Hush down, we’re trying to milk a few more page views out of this one before the dust settles! :-P

        • http://www.deanjshaw.com dean

          To be honest I’d fire Matthew Thornton III the Sr VP. of FedEx. Anyone named “Matthew Thorton III” sounds like I guy that’s never lifted a package in his life. Fire him and replace him with a guy named Skip or Billy who knows what its like to hoist boxes all day.

  • http://www.marketingpilgrim.com Frank Reed

    @Dean On behalf of all the Skip’s and Billy’s they take umbrage (see they can speak in Matthew Thornton III’s language!).

  • http://www.erpsystem.net ERP

    It’s one of those ‘you gotta see it to believe it’ videos. Really —- a TV over a fence? :)

    I’m happy for the customer that it’s resolved now, but what would have happened had the delivery person not been caught?

    For whatever it’s worth, I really do like the title to FedEx’s blog post: “Absolutely, Positively Unacceptable “

  • Albert

    Did you all noticed that the courier made sure to follow correct delivery procedures and put his hazards on when stopped on a delivery???:) he does take his job seriously!!! By the book! Haha…
    I’m a courier as well . FedEx has got its reputation . It didn’t fall from the sky…they worked hard to get it…just cus one police officer beats up a civilian it doesn’t mean that’s a reflaction of the whole police dept. and police services suck.
    Whatever…fire the guy – he obviously hates his job. FedEx red to say thanks to him since otherwise it’s hard to find a good reason to get rid of employees at FedEx. Thanks and goodbye…. Buy the guy a new monitor …MOVE ON !!!!!

  • Dean Henderson

    Please read this article on why FedEx should be boycotted: http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/boycott_fedex_20100222/

    Thank you for reading.

  • Susanna

    As a retired FedEx employee with 27 years service, this courier’s actions does not reflect the attitude of the entire company. I worked as a courier and a customer service agent and it is drilled into us that customer satisfaction and service is our main goal. Working in both front-line positions, I bent over backwards to accommodate customers even when I knew they were lying or trying to get away with getting something for nothing. In my day, throwing a package was automatic termination and in my opinion, this courier should be fired. I find it insulting to every FedEx employee that does a good job for their customers.

  • bill

    At least he did not leave it outside the fence where it could be stolen, give the elves a break!

  • http://www.churchofthecustomer.com Jackie Huba

    Andy, they did apologize on YouTube as well.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4ESU_PcqI38

  • http://www.digitalhighrise.com Aaron Friedman

    Andy,
    I read the first article you wrote about this and thought you made a good point about how they should have responded and done something to correct this issue.

    Honestly, as much as I am a proponent of social media, not every situation needs to be headline news. A company cant be responsible for the actions of every employee. What they can, and should be responsible for, is the lack of taking action.

    But in this situation, I wholeheartedly disagree with you that they needed to have done more. As is evident (and yes, I know its easier to say this after the fact) the dust has settled and they made the right choice.

    I think this takes tremendous foresight for a company to realize when it is and is not imminent that they respond. Because more often than not, their response will become misconstrued and a mountain will likely be made out of a molehill.

    Aaron
    @aaronfriedman

  • http://www.stanleyoppenheimer.com searchengineman

    Andy you should put the apology up front..and change the article… they did the right thing..
    some people will not read below.. in these comments.

    Fedex Apology.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4ESU_PcqI38

  • Kenny

    C.H.A. Him and give his job to a person who really wants it. CHA means Can His A_s. I can’t believe anyone in that company would even want to work with with that guy. Now you can all start over and build your name back up. If that was another company doing that on video the fed x managers would say they should fire him on his next stop. Or are we affraid of the human resource police. After all we do have to give him a verbal warning first. All you other workers for Fed X keep up the hard work. I decided not to get a new monitor this year. My last package that was hand delievered to my house was open. Must have been a bad ride.

  • John(UPS Guy)

    As a dedicated UPS employer, I want to thank this fellow for all his “fine work”. He has indirectly done more for my company than any multi-million dollar advertising blitz could ever hope to do!

    I think we should send him a christmas bonus check? He’s going to need it in January… when he starts his “new job” search.

  • Worlds greatest Courier

    This guy gave all of us Couriers at Fedex a good laugh but it did get annoying hearing people spout off after every delivery did you see that guy throw the package over the fence. After awhile I had to stop it and the next lady that said it to me I hit her with ” it was probably his exwife” and laughed inside as I left.

  • kie uno

    im waiting my documents its too late i check in the web. site the tracking number its already delivered. but i didnt recieved the actual time is 1:37 sign by YAMATAKA here in japan

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