Is Ground really getting E2 and XS?

[DOWNTRODDEN IN TEXAS]

Here's one that I don't get, and Goldi can back me up since we're in the same district. Why are we told how the company has no money and that all is doom and gloom which in turn makes morale take a free fall into oblivion, when AGFS is taking good care of their employees? I will give an example, during peak we got cheap food...sandwiches and chips or fruit and granola bars, after peak we got nothing. At the hub they get fed catered meals from actual restaurants, bbq for post peak, turkey and ham dinners for peak and Italian food yesterday. I always heard rumors that managers would buy couriers lunch on check rides too, never had that happen.

 

[Route 66]

...... when AGFS is taking good care of their employees? I will give an example, during peak we got cheap food...sandwiches and chips or fruit and granola bars, after peak we got nothing. At the hub they get fed catered meals from actual restaurants, bbq for post peak, turkey and ham dinners for peak and Italian food

I guess it would be more accurate to say "when the Hub is taking good care of it's employees", as I can assure you the AGFS location where I'm assigned served us up the sort of fine dining cuisine which was much more similar to the description of what you guys enjoyed.

 

[Mr. 7]

I have $100 customers and then I have everyone else.

 

[jack584]

I do make an exception for a few regulars that treat me right.

I know you do! So do I, very few....

Thanks for that guys.

So I called up my rep like one of you told me I should do, and he said he hasn't heard anything about Ground taking anything from Express. Figures, if he knows something I don't think he would tell me.

I also had a quick chat with my courier while he was picking up my packages. He said he heard some talk floating around about Ground taking over E2 and XS, but he doubts it will happen. I hope he's right.

 

[TUT]

We do however know that our sales team have been targeting customers to switch over to Ground.

I just want to say in a polite tone, I do not agree with this. It is not happening.

 

[TUT]

I agree with you on all of this. Its pretty crappy how managers and above get payouts on our hard work while we get maybe 100 bucks a year. Wonder how much they recieved from their last payout for peak?..Its crazy,

I agree in principal for sure. But some of your rank could have taken a position in management or some other avenue that would have had more $$$ and bonuses etc... But they did not want to take it, assuming nothing changes, not going for it. Right or wrong that wasn't the best decision perhaps. I guess Fedex awards people for moving up.

 

[SmithBarney]

I just want to say in a polite tone, I do not agree with this. It is not happening.

Actually we had sales "present" at our location. And the flat out said that they "sell" ground on price and speed. and that GROUND is their priority.
they were three of the most arrogant a-sholes ever. driving up in their Lexus and BMW's

 

[vantexan]

I agree in principal for sure. But some of your rank could have taken a position in management or some other avenue that would have had more $$$ and bonuses etc... But they did not want to take it, assuming nothing changes, not going for it. Right or wrong that wasn't the best decision perhaps. I guess Fedex awards people for moving up.

Yes, we too can screw over our fellow man for money. What a lovely system.

 

[MrFedEx]

Thanks for that guys.

So I called up my rep like one of you told me I should do, and he said he hasn't heard anything about Ground taking anything from Express. Figures, if he knows something I don't think he would tell me.

I also had a quick chat with my courier while he was picking up my packages. He said he heard some talk floating around about Ground taking over E2 and XS, but he doubts it will happen. I hope he's right.

I have coffee with my rep regularly even though I never give him any leads...we're just friends. He admits to it (the changeover), but is not allowed to discuss it openly. He is also told to sell Ground first.

 

[TUT]

Actually we had sales "present" at our location. And the flat out said that they "sell" ground on price and speed. and that GROUND is their priority.
they were three of the most arrogant a-sholes ever. driving up in their Lexus and BMW's

They sell ground on price and speed because A. It's cheaper. B. It's faster in many lanes vs UPS. C. It is an easier sell. But if a customer wants Express they are not going out of their way at all and say things like this, "Don't use Express, Ground is better". If a customer wants Express for any reason, they are signing them up and not luring them to Ground at all. Also Ground is competing more vs UPS so that is the Fedex win, replace UPS Ground with Fedex Ground, Express isn't on the table or not the biggest factor. Now is there even an exception... small pockets perhaps.

 

[MrFedEx]

I just want to say in a polite tone, I do not agree with this. It is not happening.

You crack me up. You've just had a couple of insiders basically tell you that Sales is already making this happen, and you say it isn't happening. OK by me if you want to ignore reality. Our management team does it every day....they're just too stupid to know it.

 

[Goldilocks]

I just want to say in a polite tone, I do not agree with this. It is not happening.

In a polite tone, yes it is. Maybe not to you yet, but I do have a friend in a high position with a company and our sales rep has had a meeting with her about shifting her volume to ground. So yes it is happening, to our big volume accounts.

 

[Goldilocks]

Here's one that I don't get, and Goldi can back me up since we're in the same district. Why are we told how the company has no money and that all is doom and gloom which in turn makes morale take a free fall into oblivion, when AGFS is taking good care of their employees? I will give an example, during peak we got cheap food...sandwiches and chips or fruit and granola bars, after peak we got nothing. At the hub they get fed catered meals from actual restaurants, bbq for post peak, turkey and ham dinners for peak and Italian food yesterday. I always heard rumors that managers would buy couriers lunch on check rides too, never had that happen.

Doesn't suprise me, I do however have a few friends that are CTV drivers that are not getting the OT the use to get. Its bad there too. Managers back in the day always paid for lunch, not anymore....

 

[vantexan]

I just want to say in a polite tone, I do not agree with this. It is not happening.

Building up Ground infrastructure has happened. Closing down Express stations has happened all over the country in a recent time span. Replacing large, no longer needed stepvans with Sprinters has happened all over the country. District directors and Sr. Mgrs have told employees in meetings all over the country that FedEx makes more profit per Ground pkg than with each Express pkg and that the times are changing, etc. FedEx didn't do all the above on a hunch. They did all the above while our volume was higher than now. They realized long ago that they'd do better with Ground and have been working towards that end, and at our expense in pay and benefits. Do you honestly believe they have gone to all this trouble and aren't pushing Ground with major shippers?

 

[Cactus]

Four pages later of a Ground thread and no input from bbsam??

Where's he at?

 

[vantexan]

Four pages later of a Ground thread and no input from bbsam??

Where's he at?

Doing the backstroke in his swimming pool full of cash.

 

[MrFedEx]

Four pages later of a Ground thread and no input from bbsam??

Where's he at?

I think he might have finally figured it out.

 

[MrFedEx]

Building up Ground infrastructure has happened. Closing down Express stations has happened all over the country in a recent time span. Replacing large, no longer needed stepvans with Sprinters has happened all over the country. District directors and Sr. Mgrs have told employees in meetings all over the country that FedEx makes more profit per Ground pkg than with each Express pkg and that the times are changing, etc. FedEx didn't do all the above on a hunch. They did all the above while our volume was higher than now. They realized long ago that they'd do better with Ground and have been working towards that end, and at our expense in pay and benefits. Do you honestly believe they have gone to all this trouble and aren't pushing Ground with major shippers?

Sounds like you have converted. Can I have a "Praise MT3"? Everything you just mentioned, along with all the other evidence that has been presented points straight toward the inevitable conclusion that E2 will also be going away.

 

[TUT]

Building up Ground infrastructure has happened. Closing down Express stations has happened all over the country in a recent time span.

That is because of customer demand and Fedex would prefer to grow everything if possible, who wouldn't? Your sales people will take whatever a shipper is offering to use and they only push Ground when the customer is asking for ground, aka a no-brainer. And if a shipper is asking for Express Saver, they will get pricing for us on E.S. and be very happy doing so. And if one wants Intl, Custom Critical, LTL, Ocean.... They will happily do that as well. The shipper is dictating to the carrier what they want, it is not the other way around, same as it ever was.

You guys can live with this one in denial, I know it is fact, without question and what it does is make me not believe a lot of what is going on here, it is more paranoia, anger and the continuation of making up a group conspiracy theory to explain why your situation is deteriorating. Some of the deterioration is true in our corporate world, but micro-discussing several details, it's your paranoia's and anger twisting things up some. Do this, go get a quote on Express Vs Ground Vs USPS and then ask to yourself.... If I don't have to have a package there ASAP -OR- if I put a few warehouses around the country instead of shipping from one local for everyone and to get packages there still fast... That wow.... $35 vs $10 vs $8 adds up really fast for me in savings, like millions. This is what is happening, I am deciding what I want to use Fedex for, not a Sales person. If there was some type of game going on here why is UPS and Fedex giving me competitive prices in comparable services?

For Example:
Fedex Next Day $40
UPS Next Day $40
Fedex Ground $10
UPS Ground $10

You are alluding that Ground is over-discounting and Express is over-pricing to make Ground the be all end all supreme service. I guess UPS is up to the same game with itself then. It's all an evil plan to get at Express Couriers, even UPS is against you.

I know over a half dozen sales people at Fedex (2 really close), worked with them for many years now, old one's out... new one's in. Even prior to the rise of Ground... they haven't changed their tune to me or others companies I speak with at all during this whole period. Sure they'll mention new services etc., but it is up to me to decide what fits. There is no bull from me here or guess work, I'm talking business straight to Fedex representatives. And guess what? You get a lot of 2 Day from me, because it fits. If I could I'd ship more ground even and save. This isn't rocket surgery.

It is so funny that some here will think a sales person outside my company will tell me how my customers need their packages in terms of expediency. That is not happening. I tell them my business needs, they craft a rate sheet based around that. Same as it ever was.

 

[bbsam]

I think he might have finally figured it out.

Figured it out? I told you three years ago this was coming one way or another. Not alot I can add now that the choir has finally arrived.