Monday, June 22, 2009

Review: FedEx Mobile iPhone App: A Poor Effort on a Great Idea

"Don't relax, it's FedEx."

In an attempt to simplify and streamline your package tracking, FedEx (NYSE:FDX), created an App for iPhone, but the finished product  doesn't save you any time or effort compared to tracking it on the website- A method which is now considered the old-fashioned way by many of us.

I installed the FedEx mobile App a few months ago, but I never had much use for it until a few days ago, when I sent a very small package to a hotel in Virginia, where my girlfriend is staying for a week-long conference. I wanted to ensure that it arrived right on time for her 27th birthday.

With my receipt and tracking number in-hand, I figured the FedEx pp would simplify the entire tracking process, but as ESPN's Lee Corso would say: "Not so fast,my friend."
Once the app loaded, I realized I had to register as a FedEx user to login.  I clicked the "register online" button and proceeded to the next screen, where I was informed there was a processing error.

On my second attempt, I successfully completed my registration form, which included my full name, address,etc.

 

Despite the fact that I  submitted all of that personal data, the app couldn't apply that data to locate any of my packages. I scanned the screen for any clue to where I could at least enter my tracking number. I clicked, "Add", because it was the only option that seemed relevant. To my delight, a prompt read "enter your tracking number." I obliged, and my package's status appeared.

I realize FedEx must enforce a certain level of security to protect your information from entering the wrong hands,but I have two complaints with this App.

1. Inconvenience: If the premise of an App is to circumvent the web and provide faster access to information, why is the App slower than tracking via the website?
2. User interface: Typically, Apps are designed with a user-friendly interface. Whoever the drug addict is who developed the FedEx iPhone App,they weren't thinking of the customer or user first. Imagine how many users never realized they had to tap "Add" to enter the tracking number. Clear directions, such as "Add tracking number." would eliminate the annoying guesswork iPhone users don't want to mess with.

In retrospect,I shouldn't be surprised. When I called FedEx's media relations department to contact the App development team, the representative had never heard of an iPhone app.

Posted By Matt O'Hern at 11:27 AM
Permanent Link: Review: FedEx Mobile iPhone App: A Poor Effort on a Great Idea | Comments (4)

(4) Comments on Review: FedEx Mobile iPhone App: A Poor Effort on a Great Idea

Hi, Matt--

What questions did you have for the dev team?

As for your post. You're correct. The login prompt is to protect users' information. It also will synch packages with any other fedex application like FedEx Desktop (Adobe Air app) and FedEx InSight.

The app is always under development and I'll get your thoughts over to the team.

Again, get me what ever questions you have and I'll get them over to the team.

Thanks,
Matt Ceniceros
@mattceni

Comments by matt ceniceros : Monday, June 22, 2009 at 11:47 AM

Come on pal, lets relax and put things into perspective. You tried the app on your I phone and it didn't work. Granted. You still could have called the toll free number got an operator without being on hold for more than the time you took to download and use the app. My opinion is you didn't get your way the first time so you point fingers, my 2 pennies. Cheers mate

Comments by everton Drakes : Monday, June 22, 2009 at 06:09 PM

I bet it happend something like this - you see it in so many bloated companies...

They get a great idea, then someone else takes it and makes it even better - then someone else gets it that has been at the company since Fred Smith turned the key in the first van and starts cutting away at crazy things that would never have been useful in 1976 (that still being the benchmark) - then they spend 9 months shopping for a vendor through a "company process" (I hate that term) - even tho they have plenty of talent in-house, but those talented people have management that claim they are out of resources.

Then the app gets into the hands of marketing gurus who have reams of studies proving this or that and use terms like "demographic" and "corporate standard" as a weapon to fend off any crazy ground-breaking trends. Then probably add some bozo with the letters PMP or PMO at the end of their name who will organize all creativity out of the project - by then the app is already outdated - BUT THE SHOW MUST GO ON since it is now on the corporate radar!

So they force through some half-a$$ed watered down version of the original idea so that they can get it done in time to meet the original release dates and get credit for completing something that at least resembles the original product - even if in name only.

THEN it goes to a legal team who will manage to completely suck away ANY remaining forms of innovation that might have inadvertently been left behind by the project management team. An individual who undoubtedly will invent some form of security measure guaranteed to keep BAD people from getting info - EVEN IF IT MEANS the GOOD people also cant get any info! Brilliant!

Leaving you - the customer - with wonderfully useless apps like this one. Enjoy!

Suggestion - give the assignment to 5 high school seniors and watch in amazement what they produce...

Comments by Timmothy Jakes : Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 11:08 AM

Sounds like a great job by the developers. I just discovered a site that works as a platform for iPhone app developers and entrepreneurs - http://www.phoneappcoder.com/ The developers can take assistance from the site to get iPhone App Projects and Entrepreneurs find iPhone app Developers

Comments by iGeek : Friday, July 03, 2009 at 09:44 AM

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