its your decision

[DS]

Job security advice for service providers.
This thread is dedicated to every service provider that plans on staying with the company until they retire.In my 20 years as a driver I have learned some things through trial and error,and even right here in the browncafe,that may help.I,by no means think I know everything,and I'm having a bit of a hard time trying
to describe my idea here.
I'll just start with an example or two...
Every single day we make hundreds of decisions.Approaching a pickup we see that theres a tractor backed in to our regular spot,so we decide to go further down the street to do a resi and an oncall.It involves a left turn and the traffic is non stop.Be patient.Do not make the wrong decision.
Do not record anything in the diad that is untrue.It's almost impossible to do given that every day brings a new set of cicumstances,and every center has its own idea of what this truth is.The best you can do is be ethical.If you are the type that runs all morning and find yourself ahead,decide to put your down time in as break.
Its true that every once in awhile you get away with making a bad decision,(say no more)but 99% of the time you will be held accountable for the ones you make.
I bet theres a lot of folks in here with good advice,and god bless those former upsers that made that one wrong decision that day.

 

[pickup]

DS, could you make your letters a little bigger? I am having a hard time reading your post.

 

[dilligaf]

If you are going to battle with mgt over something you feel is wrong:

Make sure it is worth the fight.
Make sure you know what you are talking about.
Stick with it, giving up halfway through serves no purpose but to give mgt the upper hand.

 

[dannyboy]

dil

there is not a thing wrong with letting management think they have won, or have the upper hand. that allows you to actually win on other things that are really important when the time comes.

ds

there are so many things.

leave the job at work. taking things home (not packages) is a good way to burn out. when you are off duty, you need to be off duty, including mentally. love your family with a passion, live each day like it is the last night/morning you get to spend with them. cause you never know.

as dill stated, there are things you can change, others you can not. learning the difference saves a lot of grief and headaches.

always, and i do mean always trust the kids in your hood to do the most stupid and dangerous thing around your package car, including catching a ride on the back bumper. used to be a real problem before cameras.

as you make your way through the day, you never know when that kind word can make a mountainous difference to a customer or perfect stranger. and it really does not take any time.....

your day, regardless of length, will always be longer if your attitude sucks. leave your wars with management at the center. even with all the snooping, its your day baby, make the most of it.

enjoy what you do, dont let them ruin it for you. and if they try, smile and make them wonder what you're up to.

one more thing. ups cant take your pride or integrity away from you, you have to give them away. dont ever do it. because the first time you do, there will never be a road back to integrity.

treat your fellow employee like you would like to be treated, and that includes management. some times, if you extend respect, you get respect back.

ok, ill quit.

d

 

[sealbasher]

cya

 

[soberups]

If you cant be right...be wrong at the top of your voice.

 

[DS]

as you make your way through the day, you never know when that kind word can make a mountainous difference to a customer or perfect stranger. and it really does not take any time.....


d

Thanks DB you kinda touched on my idea,but its those instantanious decisions that I'm talking about.
Now I'm not sure about the karma thing,but I have learned you get more flys with sugar than vinegar.
sorry my text was so big in my op, I used wordpad and forgot to belittle it

 

[CharleyHustle]

You come into work, and everything is screwed up and upsidedown. If you panic and freakout it is amazing how fast that clock tics. If you stay calm and relaxed and take a systmatic approach, you'll amaze yourself at what you can accomplish in a short amount of time.

 

[JustTired]

leave the job at work. taking things home (not packages) is a good way to burn out. when you are off duty, you need to be off duty, including mentally. love your family with a passion, live each day like it is the last night/morning you get to spend with them. cause you never know.

Good advice!
On a related note..... one of the best things that happened to me was that my last day of work came without me knowing that it would be my last day. Health-wise it probably wasn't for the best....but it mentally made it much easier to take.


enjoy what you do, dont let them ruin it for you. and if they try, smile and make them wonder what you're up to.

More good advice! Easier said than done, though! The last couple of years I worked was quite a struggle. The job I enjoyed doing all those years took a real turn and became almost unbearable. I came to the conclusion that those making the decisions really had no clue as to what the job should have been about. It became apparent to me that "They weren't happy until you weren't happy".


d

The job would be much easier to take if you didn't put yourself in the customers shoes and just did as you were told. JMO

 

[IWorkAsDirected]

The job would be much easier to take if you didn't put yourself in the customers shoes and just did as you were told. JMO

Perfect!! That is sooooo true, and the newer drivers will never "get it" as they will never see good service.

 

[MC4YOU2]

I think as far as job security goes, when you mention the many decisions we all have to make, what I have learned is to try your best to stay calm in the face of a cranky customer or a hell bent sup who is trying to make you have as bad a day as they might be experiencing. It's always easier to make a decision you will less likely regret if you do not allow yourself to get pulled down to the level of someone who is pissed off.
On a larger level I try to remind myself often that this is just a job. I did have a non UPS life before, and when I retire I will again. I try not to get too wrapped up in the day to day stuff that can make me nuts. Keep it all in perspective.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

We are just a number in the eyes of the company. Treat the company the same - an outlet to get a paycheck and nothing more or less, just as we are an outlet for them to make a number.

Control what you can control, and what you cannot control, ignore.