I have often posted comments about how fleeting reputation can be. Well, let me share a personal example. Recently, I ordered some new home-office furniture from a major name-brand big-box retailer. It was delivered this morning by UPS. But I didn't know that -- despite the fact that two of us were in the house at the time and we had just had an earlier pick up this morning by a rug cleaning service. I opened the door at approximately 11 am to find the following in my front yard.
Nothing was missing, but I wonder what might have happened if I was not working from home today. Or if we had gone away for the Easter weekend (since the original delivery date I was given was next Monday).
Now, granted that the retailer did not require delivery signatures. And granted that these boxes are probably not the easiest for some one to walk off with. But opening up the door to find the front yard full of boxes is disconcerting and upsetting -- especially since there have been a number of complaints about stolen packages in the neighborhood. It is also an example of how UPS's reputation has taken a big hit -- at least in this consumer's eyes.
As I have said over and over -- the value of the brand and reputation is only as good as the value of the product or service behind it. The intangible world continues to rest firmly on the tangible.
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