FedEx generated some good will with at least one Florida customer late last week as Hurricane Irma began its ominous approach.
Scott Wolf’s Facebook attaboy for the Memphis-based carrier has drawn more than 16,000 likes, more than 2,600 shares and more than 1,200 comments.
As Hurricane Irma worked its way toward northern Florida, Wolf was keeping his fingers crossed that a generator he had ordered online would arrive ahead of the storm.
“I ordered a generator a few days ago online and paid a lot to have it overnighted to our home before the storm,” Wolf said in his Sept. 8 Facebook post. “The company didn’t mail it out until over 24 hours after I ordered it, but it finally arrived in Orlando around 8 a.m. today.”
Wolf said the generator was never delivered to his home, however. He said he called the FedEx customer service number and was told FedEx had suspended operations in Orlando already in advance of Irma.
“I really wasn’t mad, just frustrated I had spent so much to have it shipped next day and we might not have it in time for the storm.”
Imagine Wolf’s surprise, then, when a FedEx worker in his personal vehicle showed up at Wolf’s home about 7 p.m. on Sept. 8 with several generators stacked in his car.
“He said they unloaded all the generators from today’s delivery trucks and were personally delivering them to customers before the storm,” Wolf explained in his Facebook post. “WOW!”
Wolf said later, after Irma had passed, that his home never lost power, so he lent the generator to friend who needed it. He said everyone in his area was safe, though the area sustained a lot of tree and roof damage.
But Wolf remains impressed with FedEx’s service under dire circumstances.
“The director of communications for FedEx corporate and an Orlando supervisor both contacted me,” Wolf said.
FedEx announced earlier last week it was suspending some Florida operations in advance of Irma as the carrier geared up to offer assistance instead. The company committed to donating $1 million in cash and transportation services to help victims of Hurricane Harvey.
FedEx ranks No. 2 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest North American for-hire carriers.
