Waking Up From The Stupor

So how to wake up from blogging stupor?

Rant, of course. Hahahahaha!

I was trying to find more courier options aside from JRS, which will be increasing its shipping fee once again in September. Somebody suggested AP Cargo. FreestatePH and Fully Booked used it to send my orders last year, and I was satisfied with their service naman.

So I was sending three parcels, one of which didn't fit the pouch and would have to be measured. I asked the lady processing my parcel the approximate amount, but she couldn't quote the price because the one who assesses the amount was still busy. I had to go to the bank and asked again, even just the ballpark figure, before I left. Ang sagot niya, "barato lang" [cheap]. Okay, fine. I left 500 pesos, thinking it would cover the two 100-plus-peso parcels and the box. Sabi ko babalikan ko na lang ang sukli and receipt. When I came back from the bank, sabi sa akin kulang pa daw ang payment ko. When I asked why, kasi daw inabot ng 284-something yung boxed parcel kasi volumetric measurement. Ay naku, I only charged the buyer 160 pesos for the shipment. I asked kung pwedeng cancel na lang. The frontliner said that she would charge me 100 for the cancellation. Eh if I cancel and send via JRS, halos ganun din aabutin. Hay. I asked for other ways para mas mababa ang cost. She suggested that the consignee (buyer) can just pick up the parcel from Pasay. I declined, saying that San Pablo (Laguna) is too far from Manila. Sabi ko ang mahal naman, eh ang sabi sa akin kanina barato lang. She explained that the amount is for air-to-door delivery. After much hemming and hawing on my part, I sucked it up and acquiesced. Haaaaayyyy...the perils of pricing the shipping fee without much leeway.

Akala ko tapos na.

Two days after, tumawag sa akin ang AP Cargo Manila. Ang layo daw ng location ng buyer and that they don't have a branch there. When I asked what they wanted, they replied na pwede daw bang pickup na lang sa Manila. Of course I declined. They suggested Calamba. Again I declined. They called again, saying that I would have to pay 200 pesos more. Say what?! Sabi ko I paid na when I sent it, why would I pay again? Sabi ko kausapin nila AP Dumaguete, not me. So, eto ngayon, AP Dumaguete called. Ang layo daw pala ang San Pablo, Laguna, and that I have to pay 200 pesos more. I replied that I already paid, and as far as I'm concerned tapos na usapin when I agreed to pay 284+ pesos. Eh dito ako nairita ng todo, humirit ba naman ng, "Hindi kasi alam ng frontliner namin na malayo pala yung lugar ng consignee." Ammmmpppphhhh!!! Courier company tapos walang alam sa geography ang empleyado nila?! Muntik nang mahulog mata ko sa sobrang kaka-eyeroll. Then he changed tactic, ang computation daw nung frontliner eh para sa Manila lang. After I told her that San Pablo is far from Manila, she still computed it using Manila rates? Aba, wala na ngang alam sa geography, wala ding alam sa logic?! Talaga naman. I responded that I wasn't paying anymore, but if they wish to charge the consignee, they can ask her. But I DM'd the consignee and explained what happened. I told her that she's free to do what she wants, i.e., pay more, but that I highly recommend that she doesn't, because I already paid, and she agreed. Tumawag na naman ang AP Dumaguete, eto naman, appeal to pity. "Ma'am, konting consideration naman..." Had they been considerate in the first place, I dunno, perhaps by quoting me a price before preparing the receipt and not essentially binding me into paying something without a heads-up, then we wouldn't have been in that call, with him imploring for 200 pesos and I getting "high blood" about it. Long story short, I reiterated that I wasn't paying anymore and that they were already disturbing me in my work. He stopped calling after that. Ang sa akin lang naman, it was negligent of me to leave the parcel for processing without knowing the full amount despite the reassurance that it was going to be cheap, kaya naman I sucked it up and shelled the quoted amount. BUT to pass the buck to me for their ineptitude and lack of knowledge of basic geography? Aba naman, it's their turn accept the hardship. Saka, hello, if they consider 284+ barato lang, aba, 200 is much more barato jud so sila na magbayad.

In fairness to AP Cargo, they delivered it to the consignee on the same day in good condition and didn't demand additional charges anymore. I was half expecting they'd be passive-aggressive about it and not deliver it immediately, and I commend their professionalism in that aspect. Only that aspect.

Lesson learned: Huwag basta-basta maniniwala habang walang hard figure. Pwedeng shipping fee, pwedeng din na job tender.

PS: Marami pa akong kwento next time. Mga kahayupan -- may bago kaming aso. :)