The connection between The UPS Store and UPS corporation seems to be commonly misunderstood.  

The UPS Store is a franchise operation.  What this means to you is the store is privately owned.  Its owner and employees are in no way connected to UPS corporation other than to provide a convenient way for small businesses and residential customers to ship packages at the lowest rate possible for insured, guaranteed shipping via UPS .

We of course, also guarantee to pack your packages to meet or exceed insurance standards so if any damages do occur, you can make a claim and actually get paid.

Other common services at a The UPS Store are:

• Private Mailbox Rental
• Business Mailbox Rental
• House Accounts for Business
• Document Services
• Office Supplies
• Greeting Cards
• Notary Services
• Check your local store to verify the services they provide.

You also will find since these stores are privately owned you normally will find a closer customer relationship with their clients than the corporate or government run locations.

Common Misconceptions

The UPS Store is commonly thought to have something to do with the pre-paid UPS labels you may have received to do returns.

In fact, The UPS Store has no connection with this type of labeling.  A The UPS Store cannot see the account information provided by the account holder that made your label, nor do they receive any payment for this shipment.

The sender of the package holds complete responsibility for the package preparation, taping, and labeling.   This is why it is expected when you bring your “drop-off” package to a The UPS Store, you have taken care of your package.  Any handling by the store personnel could incur a fee for their time, and for the time you take from customers at the counter.

The UPS Store has NO accountability for your drop off packages:

• They cannot track them
• They cannot tell if they are insured.

High Value Drop Off Packages

Another misconception is that a The UPS Store can sign your high value receipt for your drop off.

In fact, they cannot.  A The UPS Store is not supposed to accept drop-off valued at $500.00 or more and definitely cannot, and should not be signing the accountability paperwork for your high value items since they can’t even be sure it has been processed or packed correctly.

For this reason, a The UPS Store is not part of the chain of accountability for a self-prepared label of high value

(note: any package over $1,000 value is “high value”)

Drop-Off “Receipts”

Some stores give you what they call a “receipt” for your drop off.  In fact,  the piece of paper they give you says right on it that it is not a receipt.  Therefore, many stores have the function removed from their software.

A The UPS Store cannot start the tracking process for you on your drop off packages.  They can’t do anything other than give the package to the driver.

When the driver scans this package is when UPS acknowledges its existence.  This is another reason the so-called “receipt” some stores give really is a waste of time, and giving you confidence for nothing.

The difference dropping at a The UPS Store versus a drop box is that someone is watching your package at the store and will ensure the driver gets it.  This is purely a convenience service.

I hope this clears up some of the common misunderstandings about The UPS Store and its relationship to UPS – the shipping company.

- Leslie

What to do if you have a UPS Delivery Problem

Sometimes difficulties occur with your package delivery.

Perhaps you aren’t home and a signature is required.  Maybe the shipper used the wrong or incomplete address, or some other unique situation occurs.

When these things occur, and your package was not shipped through our store, there is little a privately owned franchise store like The UPS Store DC can do for you.

To save time, you must contact UPS directly – not The UPS Stores.  Here’s the number for your shipping problem or UPS Delivery Problem resolution:

1-800-742-5877  (1-800- PIC-KUPS)

Now here’s the advantage you get by shipping directly through The UPS Store DC or any The UPS Store…

• We ship your packages and documents at the SAME RATE as the Online Rate!
• You don’t waste time trying to make unfamiliar, online software work.
  
• If our store shipped it, your headaches are eliminated when a rare confusion occurs with your package
• If our store packed and shipped it, it is guaranteed to be packed to insurance standards
• If our store packed and shipped it, we eliminate the hassles of insurance claims by dealing directly with UPS for you
• If our store shipped it, we will find the lowest cost option to achieve your delivery goals
• If our store shipped it, we validate every address and will identify potential address conflicts that you otherwise would not know exist
• If we made an address error, we will get it quickly fixed for you
• If you made an address error, we will still get it fixed quickly for you (though there is a service fee)
  

If there is a problem with a package that our The UPS Store in DC shipped with our shipping label, then you can call us and we, then, can work your problem to resolution directly.

Thanks again for coming to The UPS Store DC

- Leslie

What is a Virtual Office in DC?

Try this answer:  It depends….

It depends on you and what you require.

Many virtual office services offer conference rooms for rent, offices for rent – on an hourly basis.  They also have phone services – people who pretend to be your receptionist or administrative assistant, but really can’t answer any questions about your business.

They usually include mail reception service as well, and you pay for all the services – one way or another – even if you don’t use most of them.

At The UPS Store DC, a virtual office is more tailored for small business owners that really don’t need all those extras that they never use.

What do you get with The UPS Store as your virtual office in DC?

There are certain things every small business needs:

1.  An address that is considered a legal business address.  At The UPS Store DC, your private mailbox is recognized as a legal street address for your business – and is yours for as little as $1.50 per day.

2. Fax services, document services, notary services, and secure – reliable – shipping and packing services.  All available, but you only pay for them when you need them

3.  Despite what our competitor tells you, our UPS shipping prices are the same as online account prices.  We can more accurately ship your parcels and documents, and in many cases, save you money.  Recently, we saved a local business over 60% on their shipment, and got the shipment delivered a day faster than they expected!

We don’t have conference rooms and office rentals, and we don’t do reception services – but the fact is, most small businesses don’t need them.

I’m willing to bet that you can represent your business much better personally, than someone pretending to be your receptionist.  What do you think?

There are many advantages to The UPS Store as your virtual office in DC.  You get a prestigious downtown address at a fraction of the cost.  We look forward to providing your business the virtual office it needs.

- Leslie

Mailbox Rental Notification System

What exactly am I talking about.

Here in Washington DC, and other The UPS Stores, if you get a private mailbox rental, you also get a mailbox notification system.

The question I have been asked several times is, “What exactly do I get with the mailbox rental here in DC.  What kind of notification?”

The system is really quite straight forward.  So first, here is what we don’t do.  We don’t send notification for the receipt of mail that fits inside your mailbox.

We’re not lazy, but we have 300 private mailboxes, and 2/3 of them receive some mail every single day.  We would have to raise your rent to do that, because it would be a manual action to make it happen.

But what The UPS Store here in DC and in most places do is provide you notification by email when we receive mail or packages which cannot be put in your box.

We will scan the shipping label bar code when we receive it.  Then put a receipt label in your mailbox (it looks just like the printed labels you see on UPS packages).  And we put a copy of that label on your parcel.

When the package information is saved in our Mailbox Rental software, the software automatically sends you an email notification of the package.  This is important, since we need you to pick up your parcels within 3 days of receipt to prevent storage charges.

When you come to the store, and you find a shipping label in your private mailbox, you bring to the counter and we will retrieve your package for you.

The Mailbox Rental system will also send you notification of the end of your rental payment, letting you know that your next payment is due.  Remember, this is all done automatically.  The store associates never see your email.

I hope that explains things.

Be sure to leave comments, I would love to hear from you.

- Leslie

>>> Complete your Secure, online Mailbox Rental in DC Application

We have had many customers ask why doesn’t The UPS Store accept UPS Corporate Account numbers.

The answer is simple – to protect your account number.

Your account number can be used by anyone if privately owned stores, like The UPS Store, were to accept them.

It is important for you, as a UPS account holder to realize, it is your account, and you are responsible for your account.

The UPS Stores are privately owned, franchise stores.  As such, they are just like you!  They cannot verify your account as being yours, or that whoever is using it is authorized to use it.

The UPS Stores, as private account holders, can only access the account data for their own accounts.

What’s the Solution?

The UPS Store DC and other franchise stores offer businesses a The UPS Store House Account.

By using The UPS Store House Account, your business gets billed periodically, just like a UPS corporate account.  But you now have an expert agent who will resolve any shipping issues for you should they occur.  Plus, you now have their packing expertise at your fingertips.

Why Switch to a The UPS Store House Account?

First and foremost, overwhelmingly – most businesses get no discounts for shipping through an online account.  Shipping discounts are based on volume.  If your business isn’t shipping in large quantities you don’t get a discounted rate using an online UPS corporate account.

Why is your business using productivity time of its money making employees to process shipping labels and then pay more to have them picked up in your office?  Consider this – Don’t you have something more productive to accomplish than losing valuable time processing shipping labels?

With The UPS Store House account, we give you back that time!

Simply bring your package in with the address information on a piece of paper, tell us when it needs to be there, and leave.  It’s that simple.

We do the rest.  Our rates are the same as the online rates most businesses pay, and we will ensure you use the proper rates to make your delivery schedule.  Plus, if anything happens (it very rarely does), we will be your agent to track down any claims or tracers.  You don’t have to spend hours on the phone.

Think of the time your employees get back.  Time spent doing money making activities instead of laborious administrative is returned to your business.  Your productivity increases, and your shipping errors decrease.

There are many more benefits of a The UPS Store House Account.

Click here for more ways a The UPS Store House Account make your business money …

– Leslie

P.S.  Apply securely online now with The UPS Store DC House Account