Marine folks how do you handle deleveries?

[Mike]

when I started I had my shop on a lake big boat came to me at the dock trailer boat on trailers I never left a didn't make patterns so I was always at the shop for deliveries. 9 years ago I moved to florida and im always leaving the shop to go pattern install canvas opr remove or install seats but when I had a delivery coming I had to stick around and wait for the delivery rather then go to work many many time when the delivery finally got there  it was to late to go pattern something so work was delayed because of the delivery.
Then the end of 2010 i ended up having a shop at the house and if i had to go out the delivery could be left on my screen porch now that i have a commercial shop space if a delivery came there id have to stay again so for now im going to leave it as is and not have to wait all day for packages my deliveries come late so i aint gona use it that day and i can see on tracking if its delivered early i can swing by and get it .

[Darren Henry]

Similar issue back in Kenora Mike. My office was at my house and my shop [which I might be out of]  had no defined physical address. 139n White head road described an ?? industrial park?? Three large shops, some with multiple tenants, two houses etc... so Purolater, who delivered 90 +% of my stuff would only drop it off at home. There is a breezeway between the house and my "work shop" so goods could be left even in the rain etc... I signed a Signature Not Required (SNR) agreement and they put a bar code sticker on the work shop door. If Winnie wasn't home when they showed up ( and often when she was) they scanned the bar code and left my stuff in the breezeway.

Might be worth looking into in your area.

[Mike]

I cant be the only guy that had to go out and pattern but didn't waiting for a delivery all day

[JuneC]

I schedule deliveries for days when I don't have to be away but mostly go pick up the goods myself.  It costs way less to have them delivered given the time it takes to drive to Ft. Lauderdale, but at least that way I don't sit just waiting. 

June

[Mojo]

It all gets delivered at my house. I know the delivery people well and they know where to leave things and they know where not to go to keep from getting attacked by our German Shepherds. :)

I had buddies who had businesses in commercial areas and they typically had their neighbors collect their deliveries for them. They arranged with the UPS, Fed Ex or what guy to deliver to the business " next door ". One used to hang a sign on his door when he left for an hour or so stating " please deliver next door ".

I was out having lunch the other day with the Doc and my phone rang. It was the delivery lady. She was calling to tell me she left it inside the garage on a table but was worried I may not find it. I know our UPS man and the postal lady both well. I give them cold drinks ( bottled water or pop ) in the summer time and they look after me. The courier driver I pay for his lunch every month or every other month. He makes crap wages but is so concientous and works hard. On certain days his wife delivers packages for him. Both are immigrants and can barely speak English but are awesome people.

Chris

[JDUpholstery]

build a delivery box outside your shop...bolted to ground, leave it unlocked and tell the delivery guy about it next time you get one...have him lock it when he delivers....

[sofadoc]

I'm seldom gone from my shop for more than 30 minutes. Maybe a quick errand, or house call.

But I swear, the UPS and FedEx guys must wait around the corner for me to leave. Both have been instructed to leave my packages at any of a dozen nearby businesses, but for whatever reason, they sometimes (often) opt not to.
Those guys have such tight schedules, they don't want to "backtrack" even 50 feet. They'd rather leave a "Missed Delivery" note, and move on.

I miss the good ole' days, when my packages would arrive at my local Post Office the next day. Early that morning, I would walk in through the "Employees Only" entrance in the back of the building, go over to the only hopper that had rolls of fabric protruding from the top, grab-n-go.

I would probably get shot if I tried that now.

[scarab29]

Since most of my orders come in ups , I see the same guy almost everyday. I ask him where he is early in the am and after lunch. If i miss him it's easy to track him down in the neighborhood. If I need it and have to go out early , I can usually catch him doing his next day air.

[regalman190]

If there is a business next door, maybe they can leave them there.

Or, how about having deliveries still go to your home. Then you can bring them in the next day.

[Mike]

that what im gong top do regal . I was just thinking od al the time ive waysted in the past for the driver all day.  there no shop next door that is always open also.

[Grebo]

that what im gong top do regal . I was just thinking od al the time ive waysted in the past for the driver all day.  there no shop next door that is always open also.

Me two, I try to line up enough work to do in the shop for a couple of days when I know it 'should' be arriving. 8/10 times it works.
If it's really urgent, I just have to wait in, if it isn't I just carry on & wait for the missed delivery slip to appear then call for a redelivery.

Suzi

[Mike]

I hate it when it should be here but ups misrouted it on the wrong truck.

[regalman190]

That's been happening a lot lately Mike. Just happened to me last week with FedEx. Only they forgot to scan it in when they picked it up.

[timtheboatguy]

I use my home for my shipping address unless it is a big item, then I have it shipped to my shop (which is twenty minutes from home). Just last week I was waiting for a shipment of pontoon furniture from Veada, the tracking info said Tuesday so I waited around the shop most of the day. At 4:00pm I still had no delivery so I called the trucking company; they said "Oh we only deliver to your area on Wednesday or Friday" Nice of them to let me know. This kind of crap makes it hard for a small timer to make a buck!