Federal Express Corporation was founded by Frederick W. Smith, the Chairman and CEO of FDX Corporation.  It made its first express delivery on April 17, 1973.  On the first day of operation, it served a network of 25 cities with a total of 186 packages delivered. Federal Express was among the first express transportation companies to realize the benefits of technology. The company pioneered the first automated customer service center as early as 1978, just five years after it began.

FedEx began its overseas operations with service to Europe and Asia in 1984.  In the express cargo transportation industry, FedEx was the first company to install computers in vans, provide sophisticated automation in the mailroom and develop tracking capabilities and software.  In addition, FedEx is now using one of the world�s largest computer and telecommunications networks to provide real-time package tracking for every shipment.

The chief way that FedEx maintains its leadership in the express cargo transportation industry is to develop innovative technologies continuously. The development of these technologies greatly improves the quality and efficiency of FedEx�s services, providing a time-definite service on which customers can rely on.  Among all companies in the express industry, FedEx is often the first to invent a new system or software.  And that system or software is frequently duplicated by competitors in the same industry.  For example, FedEx was the first to begin service via the Internet and the first to develop a package tracking system via the Internet; both ideas were quickly copied by competitors such as UPS and DHL.

Federal Express uses technology not only to surpass its competitors, but also to attract and better serve customers. FedEx allows customers to track their packages three ways: the official website of FedEx, the FedEx Ship® software, and an on-site PowerShip® terminal.  All of them provide the customers with convenient methods to track the status of their packages at all possible locations along the delivery routes at any time.  However, merely providing this tracking feature was not adequate for maintaining a leading position in the express service industry; these applications were duplicated by competitors in few months.  As a result, Federal Express has now implemented interNetShip?, which makes the entire shipping preparation process more accessible to customers.