International holds

[soberups]

I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that a driver should be held responsible for international holds caused by clerical errors on an invoice.

I got chewed out this morning for a hold I had on Friday. The customer didint put a declared value on the invoice. Since the warehouse is empty and the shipping dept has all gone home when I get there to pick up, there isnt a whole lot I can really do about it even if I did have time to read every invoice...which I dont.

I have 32 pickups to do in 90 minutes. If I start any earlier, my first pickups arent ready yet. If I start later...or get delayed....I miss the shuttle that departs at 4:30 to take our East Coast NDA to the airport. That gives me about 178 seconds per pickup, including driving time. The idea that I am going to open invoices, check for errors, and wait there while the customer corrects them is absurd. I'm sure it makes sense from behind a desk, but it simply doesnt work in the real world.

What I find really ridiculous is that, on the one hand, the company wants to threaten disciplinary action for international holds....yet on the other hand they want me out there turning in sales leads for more international volume.

Why in hell would I want to solicit volume that could get me fired due to petty clerical errors committed by the customer?

 

[atatbl]

Why in hell would I want to solicit volume that could get me fired due to petty clerical errors committed by the customer?

Funny line. Understandable position, also.

BTW, unless I'm missing something, you have 168.75 seconds for each pickup.

 

[drewed]

I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that a driver should be held responsible for international holds caused by clerical errors on an invoice.

I got chewed out this morning for a hold I had on Friday. The customer didint put a declared value on the invoice. Since the warehouse is empty and the shipping dept has all gone home when I get there to pick up, there isnt a whole lot I can really do about it even if I did have time to read every invoice...which I dont.

I have 32 pickups to do in 90 minutes. If I start any earlier, my first pickups arent ready yet. If I start later...or get delayed....I miss the shuttle that departs at 4:30 to take our East Coast NDA to the airport. That gives me about 178 seconds per pickup, including driving time. The idea that I am going to open invoices, check for errors, and wait there while the customer corrects them is absurd. I'm sure it makes sense from behind a desk, but it simply doesnt work in the real world.

What I find really ridiculous is that, on the one hand, the company wants to threaten disciplinary action for international holds....yet on the other hand they want me out there turning in sales leads for more international volume.

Why in hell would I want to solicit volume that could get me fired due to petty clerical errors committed by the customer?

It sounds like a ty situation and nothing personal but....
Who else would they hold responsible? your the first one to see the package and "accepts" it into the UPS system, how would have you treated it if it was a DG shipment? would you have taken time to look through the paper work and make sure everything was in order?

Int'l shippers know the procedure and what needs to be on the package for it to fly, sounds like its not an everyday occurance, id say if it was just a little ass chewing take it in stride and follow up with the shipper, if it happens further ask a on road or a bd rep follow up with them.

 

[Big Babooba]

We get the same thing out here. We have been instructed to bring any international to the office if the paperwork is wrong and we cannot contact the shipper. We have a letterbox that gets bombed with internationals and almost always there is incorrect or no paperwork.

 

[Big Babooba]

It sounds like a ty situation and nothing personal but....
Who else would they hold responsible? your the first one to see the package and "accepts" it into the UPS system, how would have you treated it if it was a DG shipment? would you have taken time to look through the paper work and make sure everything was in order?

Int'l shippers know the procedure and what needs to be on the package for it to fly, sounds like its not an everyday occurance, id say if it was just a little ass chewing take it in stride and follow up with the shipper, if it happens further ask a on road or a bd rep follow up with them.

It's a Catch 22 situation and happens quite often. As drivers, we are instructed to pick up the package even if has bad/no paperwork and we cannot contact the shipper. If we are following instructions, then why should we be subject to discipline? I always cover my rear by calling the center and let them make the call.

 

[laborer]

I think it's UPS's responsibility to have clear, simple and concise instructions on international waybills and on the computer generated shipments all fields should have to be filled out before the package can be processed. It then falls on the shipper to fill out the paperwork correctly, if they are unsure about something they can call the international number that should be on all international paperwork.

If I screw up an address or don't put enough postage on a letter it comes back to me and guess what....I pay again (I'm pretty sure the postman won't be disciplined for my screwup) . I accept this because I messed up and so should anyone who wants to ship a package.

 

[worldwide]

There is a solution to international holds. It's called Paperless Invoice. Any customer that is using paper waybills or using WorldShip to print out their commercial invoices should be strongly encouraged to use Paperless Invoice--it greatly reduces the chances of an international hold.

Benefits:
* Streamlines the shipping preparation processes and reduces associated labor costs
* Eliminates redundant data entry, reducing the chance for error
* Reduces the risk of paperwork lost in transit
* Allows for faster shipment processing
* When shipping directly to customers, helps to ensure Customs values remain confidential
* Reduces need for ink and paper, promoting environmentally-friendly workplace practices

UPS can not simply make a customer use this service as they have to sign an agreement and provide a digitized signature. Still, if you have a customer printing out paper commercial invoices, you should be encoutaging the customer to sign up for the service.

 

[Covemastah]

Big Baboo is right,always put the ball in their court and write down who you spoke with and date and time!!

 

[drewed]

I think it's UPS's responsibility to have clear, simple and concise instructions on international waybills and on the computer generated shipments all fields should have to be filled out before the package can be processed. It then falls on the shipper to fill out the paperwork correctly, if they are unsure about something they can call the international number that should be on all international paperwork.

If I screw up an address or don't put enough postage on a letter it comes back to me and guess what....I pay again (I'm pretty sure the postman won't be disciplined for my screwup) . I accept this because I messed up and so should anyone who wants to ship a package.

then what are you paid 70grand a year to do? i mean as someone else pointed out most drivers dont have a college degree, because you dont need one, but there are quite a few college grads that make less then you make plus they have 50 grand plus in debt. So honestly yea sober has a ty situation but if im making 70grand a year im not gonna bitch about having to make sure some boxes are checked and an invoice is attached

the difference is....a stamp costs what 40 cents now, the average UPS int'l package creates about 120 dollars in revenue, its apples and oranges

 

[cachsux]

then what are you paid 70grand a year to do? i mean as someone else pointed out most drivers dont have a college degree, because you dont need one, but there are quite a few college grads that make less then you make plus they have 50 grand plus in debt. So honestly yea sober has a ty situation but if im making 70grand a year im not gonna bitch about having to make sure some boxes are checked and an invoice is attached

the difference is....a stamp costs what 40 cents now, the average UPS int'l package creates about 120 dollars in revenue, its apples and oranges

Do you have any driving experience to base your criticism on? No? Then I guess it`s time to shut the pie hole.

 

[rod]

Do you have any driving experience to base your criticism on? No? Then I guess it`s time to shut the pie hole.

I'll vote for that

 

[looper804]

I have a customer that ships exclusivly to Canada.Got him on paperless invoice and all my problems went away.He is much happiier also.So my vote is to get everyone on paperles invoice !!

 

[But Benefits Are Great!]

Hey! HEY! HEY!!!!!!

Who do you think you're talking too? Me?

 

[drewed]

Do you have any driving experience to base your criticism on? No? Then I guess it`s time to shut the pie hole.

is what im saying really labor intensive? am i missing something?

 

[cachsux]

Your bashing people based upon how much they earn. Have you ever had to deal with this i before e,flavor of the week,paperwork regulations? Half the time they teach us one way and about the time we get it right it`s changed again. If you like I could dredge up some part time sup friend-ups that I have seen if you want to trash each others jobs. For example just last night we had a sup have his ptimers top off a load with packages for MN. Unfortunately he had them load it into a trl headed for NM. Darn that dyslexia,but hey thats what you guys make the small bucks for,right?

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Paperless invoices are the best thing to happen to international shipping. The customers love it, our PM clerks love it, and drivers love it for the reasons sober outlined above. FedEx doesn't have this yet so this may be a good selling point for those who actually care about sales leads.

 

[drewed]

Your bashing people based upon how much they earn. Have you ever had to deal with this i before e,flavor of the week,paperwork regulations? Half the time they teach us one way and about the time we get it right it`s changed again. If you like I could dredge up some part time sup friend-ups that I have seen if you want to trash each others jobs. For example just last night we had a sup have his ptimers top off a load with packages for MN. Unfortunately he had them load it into a trl headed for NM. Darn that dyslexia,but hey thats what you guys make the small bucks for,right?

I wasnt bashing drivers, this just sounds like one of the little things thats part of the job.

And yes I work in the int'l dept so yea i know the regs change constantly. But the need for an invoice hasnt changed in years.

There are bad drivers, just like there are bad sups, just like there are loaders etc. And there are some excellent employees, that have bad days, everyone does. Its nothing personal against Sober, I sympathize in his situation but what im saying is in both our jobs we make more than the average loader or sorter so the little things in our jobs that we hate to do, maybe we shouldnt bitch about it when we have people sweating their asses off making 8.50 an hr

 

[drewed]

Hey! HEY! HEY!!!!!!

Who do you think you're talking too? Me?

attention deprived BBAG? lol

 

[cachsux]

I wasnt bashing drivers, this just sounds like one of the little things thats part of the job.

And yes I work in the int'l dept so yea i know the regs change constantly. But the need for an invoice hasnt changed in years.

There are bad drivers, just like there are bad sups, just like there are loaders etc. And there are some excellent employees, that have bad days, everyone does. Its nothing personal against Sober, I sympathize in his situation but what im saying is in both our jobs we make more than the average loader or sorter so the little things in our jobs that we hate to do, maybe we shouldnt bitch about it when we have people sweating their asses off making 8.50 an hr

Ok,fair enough. Wasn`t looking for an argument. It`s frustrating as hell trying to keep track of all the crap they want us to check nowadays. Feel like the corporate babysitter.

 

[soberups]

...in both our jobs we make more than the average loader or sorter so the little things in our jobs that we hate to do, maybe we shouldnt bitch about it when we have people sweating their asses off making 8.50 an hr

I'm not bitching.

My management team has made a business decision to dispatch me with a pickup route that allows me 168 seconds per pickup. If for any reason I cannot maintain this pace, the 40-60 Next Day Air and International Express packages in my truck will miss the airport shuttle and become service failures.

I am able and willing to meet those expectations....but I cannot do so while also being expected to correct clerical errors on invoices. It is mathematically impossible. Something has to give. When I have 10 minutes and 35 seconds left until the shuttle pulls, 4 pickups left to do, and a 250 pound pile of international packages that have to be handtrucked out to the package car, checking each invoice is simply not an option.