A real live person at UPS?

January 4, 2008 4:03 PM

Can someone point me to a phone number for UPS where I can get a real person on the line? I've tried navigating their annoying phone menus and sent an email (easier to ignore than a phone call), but can't get to a real person.

I'm in NJ, if that matters. And its a customer service issue - paid for 2nd day shipping and now my tracking indicates it won't be delivered today. I watched the UPS truck go flying by my house around 3pm today, so I'm pretty confident it was driver error... and of course, its equipment that I need first thing tomorrow morning. Murphys Law, I guess...

Any help will be appreciated!

posted by blaneyphoto to shopping (14 comments total)

Just call and don'y press anything when prompted, after a while it will put you through to an operator.
posted by BobbyDigital at 4:06 PM on January 4, 2008

gethuman.com might help.
posted by modernsquid at 4:06 PM on January 4, 2008 [3 favorites]

Just keep saying customer service.
posted by sugarfish at 4:08 PM on January 4, 2008

I've had deliveries this late.
posted by smackfu at 4:11 PM on January 4, 2008

I don't think it's driver error because they have to attempt to deliver everything on their truck. Maybe it didn't make it to the truck. Can you do a Yahoo local search and find the local UPS branch? There is usually a central hub that is open later and you might be able to pick up your package in person if you need it tonight.
posted by 45moore45 at 4:12 PM on January 4, 2008

After a certain amount of cussing out loud at the voicemail prompts, I usually find my way to a human. Maybe there are key words that pop out in the course of frothing at the mouth that triggers that, but I've never figured out what. "NO, WHAT I WANT IS TO SPEAK TO A HUMAN BEING!" might be it.

It's rough to tone it back down when you do get a real person, but please do.

This kind of thing is just a small part of why I won't order anything that I know will be shipped by UPS.
posted by dilettante at 4:20 PM on January 4, 2008

Call the 800 number. Select the most relevant option from the first menu, then say "customer representative" on the second or any later menu.
posted by Skwirl at 4:22 PM on January 4, 2008

Thanks guys!

BobbyDigital - tried that, didn't work.
Modernsquid - thanks for the reminder about that - I'm off to look...
Sugarfish - tried that too...
Smackfu - I'd be greatful if they did deliver, but I almost always get UPS deliveries between noon and 3pm. Never later in the 5 years I've lived here.
45moore45 - it DID say "out for delivery" so I think it must've been on the truck. And of course, even if it was available to be picked up at the local branch, tonight I've got no car! Can't win...
posted by blaneyphoto at 4:23 PM on January 4, 2008

Keep hitting 0. That usually works for me.
posted by Metroid Baby at 4:30 PM on January 4, 2008

I can typically get a human by pressing 0 repeatedly. If that doesn't work, i'll go to the next menu down and press 0 repeatedly.

And for those who hate the crappy voice recognition systems, you can still type in numbers as answers - just pay attention to the order!
posted by odi.et.amo at 4:30 PM on January 4, 2008

Pressing 0 was the suggestion made at GetHuman.com too - I'm on hold right now....
posted by blaneyphoto at 4:34 PM on January 4, 2008

Problem solved, sort of. Pressing 0 twice, plus a wait on hold DID get me a real person - Thanks!
Unfortunately, 45moore45 had it correct - it was scanned but never got on the truck. They're gonna reimburse me for the difference in the shipping cost though, so I guess that's ok. I still won't have that equipment for my shoot tomorrow though - monday hopefully.
posted by blaneyphoto at 4:56 PM on January 4, 2008

Glad you got through. The zero suggestion to get to a live person is what we were officially told to do when I was working in a call center.
posted by sian at 5:08 PM on January 4, 2008

ISTR I said something like "operator" and the system recognized what I said, but made me go through some extra questions first.
posted by dirigibleman at 5:48 PM on January 4, 2008