Hey folks,
As I posted in another thread a few days ago, I have nothing but the highest regard for the super-human work performed by package shipping companies like UPS, Fed-Ex, and even USPS during this time of year. There are days I have enough trouble waking up and driving into town 
, yet these companies manage to transport zillions of packages every day across ridiculous amounts of miles in record time. 
I honestly don't know how they do it.
Last night around 7PM, I headed over to our local UPS depot to pick up a couple of packages that I had held there, since I wasn't gonna be home during the day to accept delivery. And I gotta say, the whole place felt like Grand Central Terminal in NYC at evening rush-hour. 
I don't think I've ever seen the place buzzing like it was. Brown delivery trucks whizzing back to base with packages, and big 18-wheeler trucks pulling in and out with packages galore. WOW!!! I was impressed to say the least -- especially when I was able to walk out with the two packages they were holding for me at the will-call counter! 
But if you didn't watch where you were walking, you could have gotten run over!!!
Fast forward to tonight now... I was working on my computer at home, when I received an email around 10PM indicating two new packages I was expecting for today had been delivered. It was very late, but I figured they were just busy. So I looked outside, but... zip, zilch, nothing! 
I double-checked outside again... the front porch, garage doors, and even the deck by the garages. Still nothing. So I returned back inside and looked at the tracking info again. Yep, it said DELIVERED for both packages. 
The delivery location stated "OTHER", when it normally might indicate FRONT DOOR or GARAGE. Puzzling to say the least, and I first thought the package may have been delivered to one of the neighboring properties in error.
So I phoned the courier's customer service line just to report that the two packages were showing DELIVERED but they weren't actually in my possession. The automated tracking system informed me that the packages were delivered to the address of the local depot. When I finally spoke to a real customer service rep, she apologized for the erroneous tracking status and informed me that the packages will be delivered TOMORROW. During this time of the year, the driver may not physically complete all deliveries. So some trucks will return back to base with packages to be delivered the next day. But that's not what the tracking info will say immediately. Plus getting the email indicating the packages were delivered is just plain "mis-information" that can be a bit unsettling in its own right. By the time I finished the phone call, the tracking info had been updated in the detail area to say "OUT FOR DELIVERY", but the overall tracking summary still indicated DELIVERED. Not the most re-assuring info, but I have a pretty good feeling I see the packages tomorrow. Let's hope!!! 
Anyway... just wanted to share this little tidbit of info that the tracking information isn't always what our eyes read -- especially during this crazy time of the year. No need to panic immediately, but certainly worth confirming with a "live" customer service rep if you see something that looks amiss.
Have fun with those Black Friday and Cyber Monday purchases, everyone!!! 
David
