Real-time package tracking is handy. Sometimes, knowing where your package is can be a matter of life or death, depending on what’s in your package.
So why is UPS’s saying ‘Follow My Delivery live map is no longer available’ feature not available anymore? And what new tracking tool do they have in its place?
Why is UPS ‘Follow My Delivery’ Not Available?
Surprisingly, UPS discontinued its ‘Follow My Delivery’ feature without providing a clear explanation; we currently lack an official statement from the courier company regarding the rationale behind the tool’s removal.
What’s more, there’s currently no new real-time tracking solution to replace the ‘Follow My Delivery’ tool. However, there are multiple ways to track a parcel—and we list those in this article.
Although UPS’s motives for removing the tool remain undisclosed, we can offer some insights into their potential reasons for discontinuing the live tracking feature.
Here are the primary factors that may have influenced the courier company’s decision to discontinue the online tool:
1. Safety Concerns
Looting: It’s not uncommon for courier drivers to get hijacked and robbed. If hackers can determine the location of a delivery truck, it’s easy to intercept the truck and rob the vehicle.
Concerns over the potential for criminals to track the movement of UPS vehicles and, ultimately, rob the delivery drivers could’ve prompted UPS to reevaluate the real-time tracking feature’s viability.
So it’s possible that the company’s decision to remove the tool may have been rooted in their commitment to protecting the safety of their drivers, packages, and the communities they serve.
By mitigating the risks of theft and robberies associated with real-time tracking, UPS upholds the integrity of its operations while prioritizing the security and well-being of its employees and customers.
Driver harassment: The decision to remove the ‘Follow My Delivery’ real-time feature may stem from a growing concern surrounding the privacy and safety of UPS delivery truck drivers.
While the feature aimed to provide customers with real-time tracking of their packages, it inadvertently exposed drivers to a range of privacy issues. In certain instances, customers may have abused the ability to track the driver’s location, pressuring them to speed up deliveries and disregarding the driver’s scheduled route.
So the lack of boundaries caused by the real-time tracking feature may have significantly compromised the work schedule of UPS drivers, calling for its removal from the website.
Fix 1 – Online Tracking
Despite real-time tracking no longer being available, locating your parcel is easy and accessible via the UPS home page.
Method 1:
- Browse to the UPS website.
- Paste your number into the ‘Tracking number’ field and hit ‘Track’.
Or…
Method 2:
- On the menu bar of the home page, select ‘Tracking’. Or browse directly to the official tracking page by clicking here.
- Enter your tracking number in the space provided and hit ‘Track’.
Note: You can “enter up to 25 tracking numbers, one per line” using this tracking method.
Once the system has tracked the package, you’ll see the current status, estimated delivery date, and location of the package.
2. Customer Confusion
Courier companies use software to map the most cost-effective route for gas-mileage consumption. Imagine a UPS delivery truck goes through your neighborhood at 10am, leaving you thinking your package is about to arrive.
Likewise, customers who had been tracking their orders may have grown frustrated when they tracked their parcel in their area, only for it to arrive hours later. They may have reached out to customer support with complaints, unaware that the route is determined by software and the delivery driver is unable to make deviations from it.
This might have resulted in dissatisfied customers reaching out to customer support to express their complaints following using the real-time tracking feature.
Fix 2 – UPS Mobile App
Download and install the UPS mobile app on your smartphone or tablet. You can then input the tracking number to receive updates and notifications about your parcel’s status.
The main goal of the app is to help you keep an eye on the shipments you send out. However, it’s handy for getting packages too. The app offers notifications about delivery progress, gives you control over how deliveries are made, and helps you follow packages sent to you.
Notably, the app is a must-have if you often send and receive packages with UPS.
3. Technical Issues
The feature might be temporarily unavailable due to technical glitches or updates to the UPS tracking system.
For example, package tracking can fall short due to inaccurate GPS updates. The investment in GPS support for the ‘Follow My Delivery’ feature might not have been worthwhile, and abandoning the feature may have been better than the costs involved.
Fix 3 – UPS My Choice
If you create a free UPS My Choice account, you can receive personalized delivery alerts, change delivery options, and track your packages more conveniently.
Also, with UPS My Choice, tracking numbers are unnecessary. What’s more, you can accomplish the following on a single screen:
- Access comprehensive information about both incoming and outgoing shipments.
- Receive delivery notifications via text and email.
- Adjust the delivery date or destination.
- Provide instructions for package placement to the driver.
- Observe the estimated delivery time.
- Track the progress of shipments on route to their destinations.
4. Service Changes
The discontinuation of UPS’s ‘Follow My Delivery’ could stem from changes in their services. These changes might be due to operational reasons, cost considerations, customer feedback, competition, privacy concerns, or ongoing development efforts.
Fix 4 – Email Tracking Updates
If you send or receive a parcel using UPS shipping, they might send you emails to let you know where your package is moving to next.
If you’ve signed up for UPS My Choice, you will get delivery updates via text and email.
Note: Real UPS emails will come from these email addresses.
5. Privacy Concerns
These could include issues related to the tracking and sharing of real-time package location data, potential lack of clear user consent for data collection, retention of historical data, sharing data with third parties, and transparency regarding data usage.
Addressing these privacy issues could have led UPS to make the strategic decision to discontinue the feature, to ensure compliance with data protection regulations, and to protect customer privacy and trust.
Fix 5 – Text Message Alerts
If for some reason you aren’t kept in the loop of the status of your package, sign up for UPS’s text message alerts.
“By sending the keyword “TRACK” to UPS, you will receive shipment status details (such as current status, delay or exception, and delivery) which may come in one or more SMS messages.”
United States UPS SMS Number: 69877
So, stay informed with SMS updates regarding the progress and delivery status of your package—SMS “TRACK” to 69877.
Note: Real UPS texts will come from 94601, 69877 or 48515
You can view UPS’s SMS terms and conditions here.
6. User Experience Improvements
UPS might be working on enhancing the tracking experience with new features or improvements, which could temporarily affect the availability of the ‘Follow My Delivery’ tool.
This could involve improving the design, accessibility, performance, and accuracy of the tracking feature. The company might be incorporating user feedback, introducing new real-time features, and upgrading technology to provide customers with a more intuitive, efficient, and satisfying tracking experience.
Fix 6 – Phone Tracking (1-800-PICK-UPS)
At times, it’s important to verify the information provided by an online tool. While tracking methods are generally reliable, confirming the accuracy of a system’s message with a phone call can offer added assurance.
Dial the UPS customer service number (1-800-PICK-UPS in the United States), then just follow the automated instructions to track your package. You can use voice commands or enter your tracking number.
My Final Thoughts | Transparency and Control
People are busy, and the more they can plan their lives, the better.
However, considering the potential dangers of real-time delivery tracking, do the benefits of having these tools in place really outweigh the drawbacks?
You decide.
Prioritizing responsiveness to customer demands remains crucial. And to elevate customer satisfaction, UPS needs to overcome limitations that hinder the accessibility of real-time tracking.
To recap, these limitations include, but are not limited to:
- Safety Concerns
- Customer Confusion
- Technical Issues
- Service Changes
- Privacy Concerns
- User Experience Problems
Currently, through the following tools and resources, UPS strives to make parcel tracking easy and accessible:
UPS Parcel Tracking Solutions
- Online Tracking Via the UPS website
- UPS Mobile App
- UPS My Choice
- Email Tracking Updates
- Text Message Alerts
- UPS Customer Service: Number 1-800-PICK-UPS
As you can see, UPS’s customer-centric approach entails merging technology and logistics to allow their customers to manage their shipments based on their needs and timetables.
Of course, strengthening customer empowerment solidifies UPS’s leading position in the market.
Ultimately, UPS’s online tracking tools highlight their strong commitment to meeting the ever-changing needs of today’s consumers amid constantly evolving industry trends.