I've no complaints with UPS in the UK, they are the only people I trust when sending something valuable.
..I realise this isn't helping ^^

Cold comfort...but I always have boxed stuff delivered to my business and know the guys from UPS and FedEx well enough to have them go to the piano store next door if I'm not there. But I know in New York City!!!!!( as we affectionately call it down here in dumbassville) it's different. Or is it?
:-)

I generally find UPS and FedEx to be head and shoulders above the post office, which in my experience stinks like nothing else. I don't know about outside of New York but USPS employees here are generally very rude and unhelpful and I don't think I've ever had a trip to the post office without almost losing the plot. The people behind the counter are some of the most surly and unhelpful employees outside of the DMV. I get strong "nobody can fire me so I'm just going to sit here and expend the minimum required energy for my paycheck" vibes from them. All of the branches are a complete shambles, which is apparent if you ever have to pick up a package. They take your delivery card and disappear for sometimes 5, 10 minutes. Not only do they shuffle around at snail's pace with an "I ain't getting paid enough for this s***" attitude but the place is so disorganized they can't find anything. Which is why the line at the package delivery counter is usually about 15 people deep and you're faced with a 30-45 minute wait. As you can imagine, getting to the front of that line only to be told that your package is actually out on the road and they don't know why you were told to collect it here, can pretty much send you over the edge. 
 
I contrast this to picking up a package at the UPS depot, in which there's generally a wait of 2-3 minutes to be seen, then a dynamic, friendly UPS employee disappears for about 20 seconds and comes back with your package before you've even had time to whip your phone out to check the Cakewalk forums. Which is why I was so surprised to have them screw up so badly on this occasion. 

In Canada they've concluded that the post office is no good so they are laying off thousands and eliminating home delivery. People will have to go to their community mailbox to get junk mail. The government is also installing community mailboxes wherever they want and that's got a lot of home owners up in arms. Most of this is driven by banks and utilities switching over to the internet. IF I want actual bills delivered to me I have to pay those sending them for the privilege. We call it "pay to pay".

ampfixer
 IF I want actual bills delivered to me I have to pay those sending them for the privilege. We call it "pay to pay".

Sounds like a scheme by TheBouy Ltd.

I've never had an issue with UPS where I live. In fact, I ran with my UPS guy for a couple years during holidays to get out of the house for a bit so I got to know him and learn about how UPS actually works. I can't imagine how it is in cities, but here, they would not be able to get away with things like not leaving notes. That's calling for a firing. Dunno, I'd have words with the local distribution center about your driver to the manager. If nothing else, he might think twice about pulling that crap again.

Hi,
 
Sharke ... stop complaining!
 
Go to the NY State website and find the consumer complaint form and file it. They should have left the slip for you to go pick it up.
 
Procedure was not followed.
 
Nail them, and they will personally go after the whole thing and bring it back to you on a silver platter.
 
I have little patience for these big companies, that in the end, do not give a cahoot about service! I fight like crazy for good service at the work I do, and just like in restaurants, you do NOT drop a customer hung out to dry! These companies/people, essentially, have no respect for the customers that pay them in the first place, and they need to be taken down, one at a time until they learn what "service" and "taking care of a customer" is important and what should define a company ... !!! For them, specially in a place like NY, it is all about the bottom line!
 
Do not, ever, compromise that ... it is your right!