Patent ID: 7742928

Claim:
A method for resolving a distressed shipment, comprising one or more parcels, rendered undeliverable by an exception event during transport by a carrier from a shipper to a consignee, the method comprising: detecting an exception event, wherein detecting the exception event comprises receiving an exception code at a carrier computer system from a wireless handheld device operated by a driver attempting delivery of a shipment and the exception code indicates that said shipment is distressed and undeliverable to a consignee; assigning a carrier code from a plurality of carrier codes, said carrier code correlated to said exception code and indicating that said shipment is distressed and undeliverable to the consignee; initiating a hold command, wherein said hold command indicates that said distressed shipment should be stored in a trap during a finite intervention time window; transmitting (a) said exception code, (b) said carrier code, or (c) both from the carrier computer system to a shipper computer system; receiving input identifying said consignee's instructions about the disposition of the distressed shipment; assigning, by the shipper computer system, a resolution code from a plurality of resolution codes, said resolution code correlated to said consignee's instructions; transmitting said resolution code to said carrier computer system; and electronically providing, by said carrier computer system, an instruction to complete said transport of said distressed shipment in accordance with said resolution code.