California Insider

A Weblog by
Sacramento Bee Columnist Daniel Weintraub

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March 31, 2004

Shipping News

Last week I ordered a new laptop over the Internet, and I watched online as its progress was recorded. I knew when the kit was prepared, when the machine was tested, boxed and shipped. But the real fun started when it was shipped. I saw when the package reached Sparks, Nevada, outside Reno, and when it got to West Sacramento. On Tuesday, it was sent out for delivery, and at 2:20 p.m., the driver reported that no one was home when the first attempt was made to deliver the computer. I noted that a second attempt would be made today, and I knew no one would be home for that one, either. Then I saw that there was a way for me to go online and change the delivery instructions. I was able to request that the box be pulled from the truck and held at the warehouse for me to pick up that same night. Although the shipper closes at 6 p.m. for normal business, they re-open at 9:30 p.m. for folks who want to come in late and pick up their packages. A few minutes after I made the request online, a woman from the shipping company called to confirm, and at 9:30 p.m. I showed up at the security booth outside the warehouse. I was ushered inside. They asked for my picture ID and had me sign my name on one of those electronic recorders. Then they handed me the box, and I was home by 10 p.m. No fuss, no muss. It's amazing that they can provide this kind of personal service, given that they move thousands of packages into and out of Sacramento every day. The technology is what makes it possible, letting them track packages in real time and posting it online so the customer can do most of the work. You can imagine how the same tools that made my life a little bit easier have become absolutely crucial in the business world, where shipping and receiving products efficiently can make the difference between a profit and a loss.