Management Union Representation

dannyboy

From the promised LAND
center managers are scared of BD because they know they must do what we require to win/save a customer.
Really?

Then a group of customers that are dissatified with the moving around of delivery times because of cutting and adding areas, you could force the center team to quit that behavior?

Interesting.

d
 

tieguy

Banned
P man

Thank you for the reply, It was the honest post I was expecting from you.

But let me play devils advocate, something I seem good at.

As a business owner, I chose FDX because not only the was the price a lot cheaper ($19 and change per box flat rate, boxes were each 33-35 pounds) but the service in the past has been as good as UPS's.

Therefor, instead of paying three times that much for the same service, I opted for the same service at the lower cost.

That allows me to do the following.

The fish I shipped in cost me 5 dollars each, and there are 20 a box. So the total cost per fish is 6 dollars. Shipped in UPS the cost per fish would have been over 8 dollars a fish.

That allows me to sell the fish around $10, instead of 12-13, so the customer catches a nice price break as well. The people in the area that sell this same type of fish are selling them in the 11-35 dollar range depending on if they are in a box store (the highest price) or family owned pet stores. So that allows me to be very competitive in the market place.

I also use the airlines, where I can usually get same day pickup at the airport for about the same rate, 20-25 bucks a package, but the packages are usually larger and heavier. The ups rate on the last shipment, that cost 122.87 via delta, would have been over $600. That shipment had 4 fish, so the shipping cost about 30 bucks a fish, instead of 150 each. Through UPS, they would have been delivered the next day, instead of same day, and would have been handled many more times enroute. A win win for the fish as far as stress.

Now, is this something popular to post on a UPS website? Probably not. Is it the cold hard truth, regardless of who's toes we step on? I think so. Its real life.

Here they are asking to roll back 10:30 commits to 12 or later. Is that a better way to compete? Cutting back on the service level we supply our customers? I dont think so.

New products when we have a hard time making service commits on what we have already? I know we need to grow and give new services that the customer needs and wants. That is normal business growth. But like I posted on another thread, what good is a delivery of my shipments to me at end of day instead of before 12. If it gets here at end of day, its like getting it the next day, for practical purposes. I cant do a thing with a package that rolls in after 4. So yes, you lived up to the letter of the commit time, but as a practical matter to my business, you didnt. And as that trend continues, that makes me have to consider alternative means to get my shipments.

I think that might be one of the most sinister issues we have. In a time of double digit returns with many companies, UPS is trying hard to give investors reason to take a serious look at us. I dont think that the emphasis was on bottom line at any cost, before we went public. Yes, we were very focused on making a good profit, but we did it by supplying a service to the customer. When we no longer provide that best service, then we lose the customer base, and then revenue.

I know the focus of sales guy is on the super shipper, but its the little guy that made UPS. The ones like myself that gets and sends a steady supply boxes every day.

And it seems that those are the very customers that we are first in line to screw when it comes to revamping routes.

Maybe so, for cost cutting. But I really believe that if the company has the guts to try to expand dramatically, instead of consolidating, right now would be the time. Given the right leadership and vision, I really believe that we could increase our market share by 10-20% world wide be not retreating to a comfort zone, but moving boldly forward. And smack down Fedex like DHL.

d

Once you guys get Fdx organized and waged appropriately ups would hopefully be more competitive on their pricing.

As a small business man you are seeing the pricing differences.

as a union man you helped create those pricing differences.:happy-very:
 

dannyboy

From the promised LAND
as a union man you helped create those pricing differences

Tie

I appreciate you thinking I am as powerful as you are trying to give me credit for.

But I was either not yet alive, or still in diapers when that happened.

Jim Casey invited the teamsters to UPS. IT was not myself. So that point is mute.

As for the unions creating pricing differences, what would you expect the drivers to make, $15 an hour, 18? What is the fair price you think we ought to get paid?

That being one point, we have always as drivers made around 4 times min wage. That is right about where we are now. It has been that way since the early 70's. Way before Fedex.

So, unless you think that the raising of min wage is something I also control..........

Your union thug

d
 

upsgrrl

New Member
Normally, I just come in and read the posts to see what is happening in other parts of the country. But I had to reply to this. Since this is my first time replying, forgive me if I don't do it quite right.

I am a driver in the midwest. I know first hand how we treat our customers. It is the driver, not management, who tries to service the customer. Most of my management team doesn't care about our customers, as long as the numbers on the paper look good. I try to get to my businesses early in the day, so they can turn around and ship the packages out that day if need be. But of course that slows me down because my small businesses are scattered throughout the route. Then I get in trouble for running late (on paper).

I realize that businesses must make a profit to survive. And in this economy, cutbacks in various areas are inevitable. But I think UPS is cutting the wrong areas. Instead of cutting out more and more routes and drivers, let's keep the stops on the cars manageable so the driver can serivice his customers. We seem to have a surplus of management people that do very little anymore. Why don't we cut in those areas? Most center managers these days don't even run their centers, they just get orders from above, and relay those orders down the line. So let's do away with the center managers.

Since the driver is the person everyone relies on to get sales leads, let's get rid of some of the sales guys, and give the driver more time to interact with his customers. These are just a couple quick ideas for cutting back.

And before you say that I am anti-management, I'm not. But I would like to retire from UPS, I am too old now to look for another job. Many of the decisions that come from upper management, many of whom I don't think ever drove more than 3 or 4 months, are down right stupid. If they keep going they way they are, UPS could cease to exist. And don't ever say UPS is too big to fold. Remember, the bigger they are, the harder they fall. It would be nice to see the union members and management try to work together to keep our company strong. Sorry for being long winded, I hope I made some sense.
 

upssalesguy

UPS Defender
Really?

Then a group of customers that are dissatified with the moving around of delivery times because of cutting and adding areas, you could force the center team to quit that behavior?

Interesting.

d

how the heck would you know what is going on in a hub these days or what goes on when the drivers leave the building? the short answer to your question is YES. growth is the number one thing on every management persons balanced scorecard and our pay hinges on that growth.

do you want help or not? purple is a good color for you.
 

SuperSup

Well-Known Member
bro,i appreciate the bias towards me, but please note...there is not one customer that has contacted me with a delivery issue that has not been fixed within 24 hours. center managers are scared of BD because they know they must do what we require to win/save a customer.

i dont care about his pricing, i care that he has a delivery issue and has done nothing to try to correct it but badmouth management on browncafe! I can help if given the chance.

Um, are you for real? I require BD to "make an appointment", and if they do it, they are allowed to participate in the PCM. The next day, I'll tell the SPs what's really happening. Don't ever say that we're afraid of BD, we'll listen to the District Sales Manager, but you, a simple account exec, are what we like to refer to as "Support", as in supporting the front line where the rubber meets the road. Drivers are what "Win/Save" a customer, and when you don't screw up a sale, drivers are what keep a customer. IE is also the most important support function, because without them we wouldn't know how many cars to run. I had better be afraid of them. No, wait, PE is the most important support function, because without them, our belts wouldn't run. I'm afraid. Actually, automotive.....nevermind, auto is actually important. OK, HR is the most important support function, because without them, we wouldn't...........hire anybody? Know how to give a safety PCM? I guess I'm afraid of them. Go schmooze customers into signing up accounts (off of info obtained by drivers, not by you), and leave the actual service to the operations. And by the way, if you think everybody's wrong about the daily changes in loops and areas, and how it can negatively affect a small business, then you don't work for the real UPS.
 
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