I say defeated, but I actually mean perplexed and disappointed.
The strangest sequence of events have occured since we ordered the Headsweat KonaSpeed hats. Fedex has been the culprit. I don't mean it in a condemning way, it is just a strange disappointment. The way I feel about Fedex right now is similar to someone you respect making an honest, but very uncharacteristic mistake, and really letting you down.
You can accept the mistake because perfection rarely exists; forgiveness prevails, but disappointment lingers.
I know in my line of professional work, I been involved with the same thing numerous times. Sometimes things just don't flow as they should, and as a result people are inconvenienced. It is innocent, not necessarily anyone's fault, but sometimes the result of our ability to "normally" dance around nature's rules. Most of the time it works, but sometimes we fail miserably. Nevertheless, disappointment lingers.
Our hats were shipped from Headsweats September 11, 2007. On September 17th, Andrea and I received a postcard indicating additional information was required to finish the delivery.
I think I have shared this already. . . .
Since Monday of this week, we have called daily to find out why our hats hadn't been delivered. Sometimes the person in the call center was in Canada, other times, Arizona. Sometimes Memphis too. It seemed though, the deciphering skills of each person was different, and the reason for the failed delivery vascillated in all sorts of ways: No Apartment number, or wrong apartment number; no entry code or wrong entry code, you didn't pick it up, so its going back to the sender. So forth and So on . . . .
Even despite writing emphatically polite and clear e-mails with every bit of possible personal information to help them succeed delivering our package, we learned today, the Fedex driver couldn't remember whether or not he actually dropped it off at our house.
As the driver stood in front of me and said:
"I ah, hold on, ah, I am , ah, hold on, ah, I will be right back."
I thought "No Way - This is not FedEx."
But on second thought, I tried to apply it to my life as a pilot doing a walk around inspection. If I had missed something on a walk around, and was asked about it, I could conceive honestly not remembering. Especially, if I had done 10 -15 walk around inspections in the previous 3-4 days. Applied to a Fedex driver, who delivers packages to similar locations along the same route day after day, I could believe there would be some confusion on whether or not he actually visited our house.
Still, no package. This whole week was like waiting for a baby again!
Kathy, the Fedex lady called me (in response to my informative e-mail) to reassure a delivery on Thursday. Since then, we have spoken to a manager Leslie and another manager Enrique, plus the driver, Phil. We are not special people. We are nobody's in the eyes of Fedex. However, when something has been screwed up enough to get the polite help of three supervisors, you'd hope, dare I say, expect from an outstanding company like Fedex something to the effect of "Don't let this fall through the cracks anymore, get this package to its intended address TODAY, and put it in their hands. Don't come back until it is done." Obviously, a little of my former life in the military has leaked onto the keyboard. Fred Smith spent some time in the military too.
Realistically - and I do mean that - I don't deserve top notch treatment from FedEx. I haven't earned it. I don't keep them in business. But since their outstanding service as always been so prevalent, my disappointment lingers.
I felt defeated. Now for some honest perspective. How important were those hats?
The whole idea behind "KonaSpeed" was paying tribute.
To my other mom, Mary, who was taken from us too soon.
To so many good people getting sick with cancer for no reason, and raising money to help them.
To the innocent people in countries like Sudan, Africa who are victims of civil war.
To my friend Scott, his soldiers, and all of those who have volunteered to serve our country when they had so much to lose.
To my wife who has had to endure my selfish training habits since last December.
To all the athletes and their loved ones who have endured so much just to show up on race day in Kona.
And for you, yes you, the one reading so faithfully, for getting this far with me.
Thank You.
KonaSpeed!
There is so much good out there. Don't let your disappointment linger.
The strangest sequence of events have occured since we ordered the Headsweat KonaSpeed hats. Fedex has been the culprit. I don't mean it in a condemning way, it is just a strange disappointment. The way I feel about Fedex right now is similar to someone you respect making an honest, but very uncharacteristic mistake, and really letting you down.
You can accept the mistake because perfection rarely exists; forgiveness prevails, but disappointment lingers.
I know in my line of professional work, I been involved with the same thing numerous times. Sometimes things just don't flow as they should, and as a result people are inconvenienced. It is innocent, not necessarily anyone's fault, but sometimes the result of our ability to "normally" dance around nature's rules. Most of the time it works, but sometimes we fail miserably. Nevertheless, disappointment lingers.
Our hats were shipped from Headsweats September 11, 2007. On September 17th, Andrea and I received a postcard indicating additional information was required to finish the delivery.
I think I have shared this already. . . .
Since Monday of this week, we have called daily to find out why our hats hadn't been delivered. Sometimes the person in the call center was in Canada, other times, Arizona. Sometimes Memphis too. It seemed though, the deciphering skills of each person was different, and the reason for the failed delivery vascillated in all sorts of ways: No Apartment number, or wrong apartment number; no entry code or wrong entry code, you didn't pick it up, so its going back to the sender. So forth and So on . . . .
Even despite writing emphatically polite and clear e-mails with every bit of possible personal information to help them succeed delivering our package, we learned today, the Fedex driver couldn't remember whether or not he actually dropped it off at our house.
As the driver stood in front of me and said:
"I ah, hold on, ah, I am , ah, hold on, ah, I will be right back."
I thought "No Way - This is not FedEx."
But on second thought, I tried to apply it to my life as a pilot doing a walk around inspection. If I had missed something on a walk around, and was asked about it, I could conceive honestly not remembering. Especially, if I had done 10 -15 walk around inspections in the previous 3-4 days. Applied to a Fedex driver, who delivers packages to similar locations along the same route day after day, I could believe there would be some confusion on whether or not he actually visited our house.
Still, no package. This whole week was like waiting for a baby again!
Kathy, the Fedex lady called me (in response to my informative e-mail) to reassure a delivery on Thursday. Since then, we have spoken to a manager Leslie and another manager Enrique, plus the driver, Phil. We are not special people. We are nobody's in the eyes of Fedex. However, when something has been screwed up enough to get the polite help of three supervisors, you'd hope, dare I say, expect from an outstanding company like Fedex something to the effect of "Don't let this fall through the cracks anymore, get this package to its intended address TODAY, and put it in their hands. Don't come back until it is done." Obviously, a little of my former life in the military has leaked onto the keyboard. Fred Smith spent some time in the military too.
Realistically - and I do mean that - I don't deserve top notch treatment from FedEx. I haven't earned it. I don't keep them in business. But since their outstanding service as always been so prevalent, my disappointment lingers.
I felt defeated. Now for some honest perspective. How important were those hats?
The whole idea behind "KonaSpeed" was paying tribute.
To my other mom, Mary, who was taken from us too soon.
To so many good people getting sick with cancer for no reason, and raising money to help them.
To the innocent people in countries like Sudan, Africa who are victims of civil war.
To my friend Scott, his soldiers, and all of those who have volunteered to serve our country when they had so much to lose.
To my wife who has had to endure my selfish training habits since last December.
To all the athletes and their loved ones who have endured so much just to show up on race day in Kona.
And for you, yes you, the one reading so faithfully, for getting this far with me.
Thank You.
KonaSpeed!
There is so much good out there. Don't let your disappointment linger.
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