More wasteful spending to meet the metrics... (right up your alley Sober)

[tourists24]

Had a ride along this week by my on car and I listened to him on the phone maneuvering routes and boxes around to meet his numbers. Some interesting things I found out:

He had recently moved an entire section (driver A) of one county to a driver (driver B) in another county because for whatever reason the overallowed is better for driver B than driver A with the switch. Driver A gets cut stops from another route so the planned day doesnt get messed up. I have no idea how many miles this adds to both drivers but it is at least 20 to 30 miles out of the way and thus has eliminated any "loop" both drivers had. BUT the overallowed for both drivers looks better.

On my old mall route, there are two trucks. First truck has the largest bulk stops and SSI accounts and some residential/business mix. The second truck is strictly the mall. Usually arrives there anywhere between 2:30 or 4:30 in the afternoon. Until now delivery and pickup are done at the same time even though you cannot hit that 15 +/- minute window with any accuracy. Now, because the center manager has been ordered to correct this, all pickup compliance must be met. So now all pickups must be done in order and then turn around and start delivery from stop one. This adds about an hour to an hour and a half to the workday, but compliance will be met. Since overallowed is always a problem on this route (1-2 hours over every day), the center simply takes the hit. Driver loses no stops. Screw service, the driver simply has to tell the customer that he is there to pickup and will return in a couple of hours to deliver.

Finally, in our center, dispatch tries to dispatch everyone with a certain amount of stops. Even if it is right in the middle of a street with add/cuts. Has to show up just right I guess. Thursday I had a stop for "123 Main St." As I deliver, here comes another driver delivering to "127 Main St"........

Stupidity reigns and then they wonder why I have a bad attitude

 

[barnyard]

Wow.

Here, as long as the center average is above 80%, they do not worry about individual routes. Me and the guy next to me are typically above 95%, the guy on the other side of me and the one 2 trucks down both are near 0%. No matter, enough others are high enough that a couple of zeros are not a big deal.

 

[hurricanegunner]

They fudge the numbers in ways we will never know. It's all to make them look as though they are doing the job. We just get stuck in the middle.

 

[tourists24]

Wow.

Here, as long as the center average is above 80%, they do not worry about individual routes. Me and the guy next to me are typically above 95%, the guy on the other side of me and the one 2 trucks down both are near 0%. No matter, enough others are high enough that a couple of zeros are not a big deal.

used to be that way here also. Now for some reason they have this total scorecard thing and every driver is reviewed with their results from the day before. They want everyone to be at least 85% on pickup compliance and 85% in trace. There are a few extended routes that get some leniency on pickup compliance but that is all. Things also covered with each driver is # of paid send agains (has to be 5 pieces or less), a.m. time leaving the building, number of late airs, number of missed pieces, etc.

 

[barnyard]

All these things are being done to 'save money.' At what point is someone going to realize that it takes longer to work out of a truck without power steering than with power steering. When I lost my Ford P1000 and it was replaced with a GM P1000, I gained 20-30 minutes a day. Pushing any harder will result in a shoulder or knee injury (those cost UPS $15-30,000).

2 car shop managers were recently demoted. Why???? They committed the mortal sin of trying to retrofit power steering to a POS GM.

I'd like to buy the guys a beer or 12.

 

[rod]

Had a ride along this week by my on car and I listened to him on the phone maneuvering routes and boxes around to meet his numbers. Some interesting things I found out:

He had recently moved an entire section (driver A) of one county to a driver (driver B) in another county because for whatever reason the overallowed is better for driver B than driver A with the switch. Driver A gets cut stops from another route so the planned day doesnt get messed up. I have no idea how many miles this adds to both drivers but it is at least 20 to 30 miles out of the way and thus has eliminated any "loop" both drivers had. BUT the overallowed for both drivers looks better.

On my old mall route, there are two trucks. First truck has the largest bulk stops and SSI accounts and some residential/business mix. The second truck is strictly the mall. Usually arrives there anywhere between 2:30 or 4:30 in the afternoon. Until now delivery and pickup are done at the same time even though you cannot hit that 15 +/- minute window with any accuracy. Now, because the center manager has been ordered to correct this, all pickup compliance must be met. So now all pickups must be done in order and then turn around and start delivery from stop one. This adds about an hour to an hour and a half to the workday, but compliance will be met. Since overallowed is always a problem on this route (1-2 hours over every day), the center simply takes the hit. Driver loses no stops. Screw service, the driver simply has to tell the customer that he is there to pickup and will return in a couple of hours to deliver.

Finally, in our center, dispatch tries to dispatch everyone with a certain amount of stops. Even if it is right in the middle of a street with add/cuts. Has to show up just right I guess. Thursday I had a stop for "123 Main St." As I deliver, here comes another driver delivering to "127 Main St"........

Stupidity reigns and then they wonder why I have a bad attitude

No need to worry about it until you've had 3 different drivers delivering to the same residential address on the same day like I've witnessed.

 

[Re-Raise]

The pickup compliance number is a joke and in no way is there to help the customer like it was intended.

When they cut routes they just change the times on the pickups in your board in the morning. We have pickup times that may change 4 hours, but if they change it in the boards it looks like we hit the 15 min window.

To the customer we were 4 hours off.

 

[tourists24]

The pickup compliance number is a joke and in no way is there to help the customer like it was intended.

When they cut routes they just change the times on the pickups in your board in the morning. We have pickup times that may change 4 hours, but if they change it in the boards it looks like we hit the 15 min window.

To the customer we were 4 hours off.

So glad you brought this up Re.... same thing happens here (esp on Mondays). Dont know how many times Ive gone to pick up a business and the say "you are way too early"... My response is "I know"......

 

[brown bomber]

Had a ride along this week by my on car and I listened to him on the phone maneuvering routes and boxes around to meet his numbers. Some interesting things I found out:

He had recently moved an entire section (driver A) of one county to a driver (driver B) in another county because for whatever reason the overallowed is better for driver B than driver A with the switch. Driver A gets cut stops from another route so the planned day doesnt get messed up. I have no idea how many miles this adds to both drivers but it is at least 20 to 30 miles out of the way and thus has eliminated any "loop" both drivers had. BUT the overallowed for both drivers looks better.

On my old mall route, there are two trucks. First truck has the largest bulk stops and SSI accounts and some residential/business mix. The second truck is strictly the mall. Usually arrives there anywhere between 2:30 or 4:30 in the afternoon. Until now delivery and pickup are done at the same time even though you cannot hit that 15 +/- minute window with any accuracy. Now, because the center manager has been ordered to correct this, all pickup compliance must be met. So now all pickups must be done in order and then turn around and start delivery from stop one. This adds about an hour to an hour and a half to the workday, but compliance will be met. Since overallowed is always a problem on this route (1-2 hours over every day), the center simply takes the hit. Driver loses no stops. Screw service, the driver simply has to tell the customer that he is there to pickup and will return in a couple of hours to deliver.

Finally, in our center, dispatch tries to dispatch everyone with a certain amount of stops. Even if it is right in the middle of a street with add/cuts. Has to show up just right I guess. Thursday I had a stop for "123 Main St." As I deliver, here comes another driver delivering to "127 Main St"........

Stupidity reigns and then they wonder why I have a bad attitude

 

[brown bomber]

reminds me off the "old days"......we had 3 drivers show up @ 1 delivery at the same time...............the more things change, the more they remain the same

 

[The Blackadder]

Nothing is more fun then having two drivers on the same street at the same time. I myself have been able to park across the street from another UPS driver as we each did our 1 stop on the street.

I also love driving 5 to 6 miles off route to do 10 to 12 stops then drive back to my area to finish my day. Its just so smart Why give me the house stops right next to me when you can have me spend 45 to 50 mins to do 10 stops that would take the driver in that area 20 mins.?
When I ask about BS like this My sup tells me he has to meet his numbers.

Now at want point did just burning money become a good idea for a business?

 

[Anonymous 10]

reminds me off the "old days"......we had 3 drivers show up @ 1 delivery at the same time...............the more things change, the more they remain the same

And I know for a fact that they were all great guys.

 

[tourists24]

Nothing is more fun then having two drivers on the same street at the same time. I myself have been able to park across the street from another UPS driver as we each did our 1 stop on the street.

I also love driving 5 to 6 miles off route to do 10 to 12 stops then drive back to my area to finish my day. Its just so smart Why give me the house stops right next to me when you can have me spend 45 to 50 mins to do 10 stops that would take the driver in that area 20 mins.?
When I ask about BS like this My sup tells me he has to meet his numbers.

Now at want point did just burning money become a good idea for a business?

and yet we have guys like Pretzel say that if they just all followed the system the way it was meant all would be perfect. Pipe Dream comes to mind

 

[soberups]

The UPS Corporate motto reads...."Its not what you accomplish that gets you promoted, its how good you look on paper pretending to accomplish it."

 

[Dragon]

used to be that way here also. Now for some reason they have this total scorecard thing and every driver is reviewed with their results from the day before. They want everyone to be at least 85% on pickup compliance and 85% in trace. There are a few extended routes that get some leniency on pickup compliance but that is all. Things also covered with each driver is # of paid send agains (has to be 5 pieces or less), a.m. time leaving the building, number of late airs, number of missed pieces, etc.

tourist24 - heard some rumors flying around here that they may try that total scorecard thing here...when do they review it with you?

 

[satellitedriver]

Now at want point did just burning money become a good idea for a business?

Never,
this "new" micro-managed concept will just have to learn the hard way.
It never worked in the past and the company will pay for this mistake in the future.
JMHO

 

[Shortimer]

In our ctr the supes go around, BEFORE START TIME, & review previous days numbers w/ drivers who do not care about getting paid for this time. They try & get the rest of us after start time. In my case I have only had 1 review in last 2 wks when
they started this "flavor of the wk". I do not see that it will last-----too much AM time

 

[pretzel_man]

and yet we have guys like Pretzel say that if they just all followed the system the way it was meant all would be perfect. Pipe Dream comes to mind

Nothing is perfect.....

Its very easy to find examples of issues and then paint a broadbrush that everything is like that. Its easy to play Monday morning quarterback. Hindsight is 20/20.

Its much harder to take a stand and make a change.

I find it interesting.... On one hand, people say that managers make stupid decisions and waste time and money. Then when I say that this can be fixed to reduce cost, you also say that cannot be done.

Seems like people just want it both ways.

 

[Re-Raise]

Nothing is perfect.....

Its very easy to find examples of issues and then paint a broadbrush that everything is like that. Its easy to play Monday morning quarterback. Hindsight is 20/20.

Its much harder to take a stand and make a change.

I find it interesting.... On one hand, people say that managers make stupid decisions and waste time and money. Then when I say that this can be fixed to reduce cost, you also say that cannot be done.

Seems like people just want it both ways.

I want more local control. Use the resources that are available to you. The greatest of these are the combined knowledge of your workforce.

Friday they cut my route and blew out all the drivers in my loop. I run a combination route when this happens and know it like the back of my hand.

I run it nowhere near the trace because there are so many variables each day. The drivers who had to run the air and other pieces of my cut route were around me as soon as I walked in asking me questions.

I know the time from each stop, I know when each driver is in each area. I said you take these five businesses, I'll take these two air, and you take those three on your way out.

The four of us probably saved a half hour each at least in wasted time from their "plan". I walked by the driver sup and said I moved a few things around and he said thanks.

What these ties don't understand is we are being compensated over 100k a year and they think they know better than we do by looking at reports and generating metrics that mean nothing to the customer or the bottom line.

Give us back some local control and quit shoving these numbers down our throat.

 

[pretzel_man]

I want more local control. Use the resources that are available to you. The greatest of these are the combined knowledge of your workforce.

Friday they cut my route and blew out all the drivers in my loop. I run a combination route when this happens and know it like the back of my hand.

I run it nowhere near the trace because there are so many variables each day. The drivers who had to run the air and other pieces of my cut route were around me as soon as I walked in asking me questions.

I know the time from each stop, I know when each driver is in each area. I said you take these five businesses, I'll take these two air, and you take those three on your way out.

The four of us probably saved a half hour each at least in wasted time from their "plan". I walked by the driver sup and said I moved a few things around and he said thanks.

What these ties don't understand is we are being compensated over 100k a year and they think they know better than we do by looking at reports and generating metrics that mean nothing to the customer or the bottom line.

Give us back some local control and quit shoving these numbers down our throat.

am sure he has a strong grasp of what our target should be at our center since I have never seen the man and couldn't even tell you his name.

Like I said , it is a man sitting in an office somewhere who just said raise the SPC division wide.

Just like you saying improve the loads. It is easy to say when you have no actual responsibility in making it happen.

First, the problem is NOT with the drivers. I rarely see this as the issue. Drivers generally do the best with the cards they are dealt.

I also agree that it's easy for me to say "just fix it" from behind my computer screen. However, its even easier for you local management to blame their problem on a nameless, faceless person in a cubicle. It's easy for them to say that they have no local control.

They should have some guts and tell their boss (the division manager) that they do not have control of their dispatch or SPC. They won't. Why???

Because contrary to what they may tell you, SPC is created and managed locally. Now, its true that a person in a cubicle will hold them to their own plan. Yes, that will happen.

If the center manager says he does not have responsibility for his / her own dispatch and plan, he / she should tell that to his boss......

P-Man