Saturday Air -- Special Premium Service or just another day

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I can top that story. I had a customer, who was also a friend of mine, call me in a panic on a Saturday. He and his wife were going on a cruise and she had ordered a new bikini Saturday air. Our air driver could not find his house (even though he lives in the city) and brought the package back. The customer calls me to see if there is any way that he can get the pkg as they are leaving the next day. I call my boss to explain what is happening, tell him that I would like to help this guy out and would I set the burglar alarms off I did it. Turns out we didn't have any alarms (we do now) so I had no problem getting the package and helping my friend out. He in turn helped me out by giving me a $20 gift certificate to his michigan stand.

All of this would have been avoided had the Saturday air driver taken two seconds to call the number on the package or used a little bit of logic in trying to determine which house was the right one.

 

[brownmonster]

Re: Ups security guards

I can top that story. I had a customer, who was also a friend of mine, call me in a panic on a Saturday. He and his wife were going on a cruise and she had ordered a new bikini Saturday air. Our air driver could not find his house (even though he lives in the city) and brought the package back. The customer calls me to see if there is any way that he can get the pkg as they are leaving the next day. I call my boss to explain what is happening, tell him that I would like to help this guy out and would I set the burglar alarms off I did it. Turns out we didn't have any alarms (we do now) so I had no problem getting the package and helping my friend out. He in turn helped me out by giving me a $20 gift certificate to his michigan stand
All of this would have been avoided had the Saturday air driver taken two seconds to call the number on the package or used a little bit of logic in trying to determine which house was the right one.

The things we will do for girls in bikinis.

 

[stevetheupsguy]

Re: Ups security guards

I can top that story. I had a customer, who was also a friend of mine, call me in a panic on a Saturday. He and his wife were going on a cruise and she had ordered a new bikini Saturday air. Our air driver could not find his house (even though he lives in the city) and brought the package back. The customer calls me to see if there is any way that he can get the pkg as they are leaving the next day. I call my boss to explain what is happening, tell him that I would like to help this guy out and would I set the burglar alarms off I did it. Turns out we didn't have any alarms (we do now) so I had no problem getting the package and helping my friend out. He in turn helped me out by giving me a $20 gift certificate to his michigan stand.

All of this would have been avoided had the Saturday air driver taken two seconds to call the number on the package or used a little bit of logic in trying to determine which house was the right one.

You've obviously never been a Pre-loader or a Saturday Air Driver, so you don't get why they do the things they do. That "2 secs" would be more for a person without a cellphone, btw. What about the fact that the Air Driver is pressed for time and would eventually like to make the cut as a friend/T driver, so they do the job, "as it is prescribed", and move on.

"Logic/Intelligence/Being an Upstate Clone", are not requirements of the job. When will you get the fact, that not everyone will do the things you do, behave like you do or drive like you do? Show a little empathy once in awhile. Jump into someone else's shoes and experience life from a different point of view, for a change.

 

[cachsux]

Re: Ups security guards

You've obviously never been a Pre-loader or a Saturday Air Driver, so you don't get why they do the things they do. That "2 secs" would be more for a person without a cellphone, btw. What about the fact that the Air Driver is pressed for time and would eventually like to make the cut as a friend/T driver, so they do the job, "as it is prescribed", and move on.

"Logic/Intelligence/Being an Upstate Clone", are not requirements of the job. When will you get the fact, that not everyone will do the things you do, behave like you do or drive like you do? Show a little empathy once in awhile. Jump into someone else's shoes and experience life from a different point of view, for a change.

Ain`t you pretty stiff for a Saturday morning!

 

[FracusBrown]

Re: Ups security guards

You've obviously never been a Pre-loader or a Saturday Air Driver, so you don't get why they do the things they do. That "2 secs" would be more for a person without a cellphone, btw. What about the fact that the Air Driver is pressed for time and would eventually like to make the cut as a friend/T driver, so they do the job, "as it is prescribed", and move on.

"Logic/Intelligence/Being an Upstate Clone", are not requirements of the job. When will you get the fact, that not everyone will do the things you do, behave like you do or drive like you do? Show a little empathy once in awhile. Jump into someone else's shoes and experience life from a different point of view, for a change.

A Saturday air driver with 10 stops is more pressed for time than a regular driver with 200 stops including 20 NDAs?

We charge a premium for Saturday delivery. Customers should at least receive service equal to a normal m-friend delivery.

I'm not sure anyone needs to be cloned, but logic and intelligence should be a requirement for a job that requires little else in terms of mental capacity or education.

To put the shoe on the other foot, imagine what you would think if you paid a premium for a Saturday delivery and then found out the reason you didn't get your package was because the driver lacked basic logic and intelligence and he's more concerned with his future job prospects than he is with you getting your package.

 

[pickup]

Re: Ups security guards

Ain`t you pretty stiff for a Saturday morning!

betcha' upstate uses his 11,000 post to bash stug!

 

[stevetheupsguy]

Re: Ups security guards

Ain`t you pretty stiff for a Saturday morning!

Just letting the north know that the south has an eye on him.

A Saturday air driver with 10 stops is more pressed for time than a regular driver with 200 stops including 20 NDAs?

We charge a premium for Saturday delivery. Customers should at least receive service equal to a normal m-friend delivery.

I'm not sure anyone needs to be cloned, but logic and intelligence should be a requirement for a job that requires little else in terms of mental capacity or education.

To put the shoe on the other foot, imagine what you would think if you paid a premium for a Saturday delivery and then found out the reason you didn't get your package was because the driver lacked basic logic and intelligence and he's more concerned with his future job prospects than he is with you getting your package.

You said it all in your first sentence. If anyone wants anything shipped to the proper address, it should be addressed "properly". If it is not addressed properly, it will be relegated through the proper channel's to be corrected. That's what Air driver's get paid for, as well as clerks. If UPS wanted it done differently, THEY would change the rules. Some of us play by our OWN rules, but since there is no play book for "those" rules, I'll just stick to the rules that do exist, and not make them up as I go along, or see fit.

betcha' upstate uses his 11,000 post to bash stug!

I'd be close to 11,000 posts as well, if I didn't use multi-quote.

 

[Shifting Contents]

Re: Ups security guards

I was a saturday driver for almost a year. I delivered 34 stops and 40 packages in 2 1/2 hours ONCE. That was my record. As a driver I delivered 264 stops and 450 pieces in a little less that 12 hours. That is my record thus far. The 34 stop day was a lot more stressful than my 264 stop day let me tell you.

As a full time driver I have better training, I have experience and I am held to a lesser standard in my mind. I have no where to progress to. An exception air driver has something to prove and more to lose. They all want to become full time drivers (most of them anyway).

A saturday driver has more of an expectation of perfect service because who can't deliver 15 stops in 2 1/2 hours (thats the average for my center on a sat)? However, a saturday driver should have NO problem sheeting as need directions, or NSN or something, and then coming back at the end of his run after making a phone call or ODSing in for an a/c. We always went out with the attitude, NO SATURDAY SEND AGAINS. People paid for that service, we gave it to them.

 

[over9five]

Re: Ups security guards

However, a saturday driver should have NO problem sheeting as need directions, or NSN or something, and then coming back at the end of his run after making a phone call or ODSing in for an a/c. We always went out with the attitude, NO SATURDAY SEND AGAINS. People paid for that service, we gave it to them.

+1, that's what I was thinking.

 

[Catatonic]

Re: Ups security guards

A saturday driver has more of an expectation of perfect service ... However, a saturday driver should have NO problem sheeting as need directions, or NSN or something, and then coming back at the end of his run after making a phone call or ODSing in for an a/c. We always went out with the attitude, NO SATURDAY SEND AGAINS. People paid for that service, we gave it to them.

+1, that's what I was thinking.

You two have it right ... this is a premium premium service.

 

[stevetheupsguy]

Re: Ups security guards

You two have it right ... this is a premium premium service.

But not everyone that wants "premium, premium", will be there to receive their pkgs or will address them properly. Not all failure's should be attributed to someone that's not thinking "logically". We get paid to do a job. Some will go above and beyond to do that job and some will JUST do the job the way they were told to. Can you really find fault with either of them? If we were all the same, we'd be like the birds of the air.

 

[Shifting Contents]

Re: Ups security guards

But not everyone that wants "premium, premium", will be there to receive their pkgs or will address them properly. Not all failure's should be attributed to someone that's not thinking "logically". We get paid to do a job. Some will go above and beyond to do that job and some will JUST do the job the way they were told to. Can you really find fault with either of them? If we were all the same, we'd be like the birds of the air.

I can not find fault in that however as a Sat driver that's how we were told to do our jobs. The medical office/title company/mortage office that gets a sat del is going to be closed obviously, use your brain. But with those exceptions in mind my building makes two attempts on every sat air and every EAM. We were always told to call in/ODS in for A/C as time permitted. It's just the way we have always done it.

 

[stevetheupsguy]

Re: Ups security guards

I can not find fault in that however as a Sat driver that's how we were told to do our jobs. The medical office/title company/mortage office that gets a sat del is going to be closed obviously, use your brain. But with those exceptions in mind my building makes two attempts on every sat air and every EAM. We were always told to call in/ODS in for A/C as time permitted. It's just the way we have always done it.

We obviously work in different franchises.

 

[Shifting Contents]

Re: Ups security guards

We obviously work in different franchises.

We are not as far away as you think STUG

 

[stevetheupsguy]

Re: Ups security guards

We are not as far away as you think STUG

Ahhh, how intriguing.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Re: Ups security guards

You said it all in your first sentence. If anyone wants anything shipped to the proper address, it should be addressed "properly". If it is not addressed properly, it will be relegated through the proper channel's to be corrected. That's what Air driver's get paid for, as well as clerks. If UPS wanted it done differently, THEY would change the rules. Some of us play by our OWN rules, but since there is no play book for "those" rules, I'll just stick to the rules that do exist, and not make them up as I go along, or see fit.

The package in question was properly addressed. The house does not have a number (21) but the homes on either side (19 and 25) are numbered so a little bit of logic would have clued the driver in to which house it was (there is a vacant lot which is why there is no #23). If nothing else, get off your butt, knock on a few doors...

I have driven Saturday air as recently as a month ago. It is the easiest money I have ever made, other than working on a UPS "holiday". They would much rather pay a cover driver to work but they know that I will fill in when needed. (Yes, they are supposed to go through the seniority list, but...). 20-30 stops in 5 hours is gravy.

Steve, there are no clerks on Saturday and, as was said above, the goal is no send agains on Saturday. These folks pay a premium ($10 extra) for Saturday service--that is what they expect and that is what they will get if I am working. Our Saturday service area covers some towns that I am not that familiar with so I bring a map and my cell and have yet to bring one back for directions. If there is a phone number on the package and I can't find the address they will get a call and I will either get directions to the house or ask if they would like to meet me to get their pkg.

The level of service that Steve describes is "acceptable". I don't strive for "acceptable". "Acceptable" would not have worked two weeks ago when I made my last drop box pickup only to find a NDA ASD with no destination address. Now, if "acceptable" was all that I was interested in I would have brought the pkg back and let the PM clerk do her job. The only problem with that is she would not have had time to have done her job and make sure the package made the plane on time. Now, that is not a concern if "acceptable" is all we are striving for. So, since I don't strive for "acceptable", I made a few phone calls, we got the address and the pkg made the plane. "Acceptable" simply would not have gotten it done for this customer. "Acceptable" may be OK for Steve but it don't cut it for me.

"Acceptable" would also not have worked two days ago. I had a neighbor who was expecting a golf club and wanted to know if he could meet me on the road to get it early as he was heading down to Albany and wanted to bring the club with him. I asked him for the 1Z and left a note for the dispatch sup to have the pkg held out of my PC so that I could load it to where I could get to it. Met my neighbor as planned--he was happy and all it took was a little more than "acceptable" service.

As far as the 11,000 posts, I don't know of many court jesters with that many jokes in their routines.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Re: Ups security guards

But not everyone that wants "premium, premium", will be there to receive their pkgs or will address them properly. Not all failure's should be attributed to someone that's not thinking "logically". We get paid to do a job. Some will go above and beyond to do that job and some will JUST do the job the way they were told to. Can you really find fault with either of them? If we were all the same, we'd be like the birds of the air.

Steve, I find it ironic that you refuse to say "good enough" when it comes to your devotion to running but you have no problem saying it when it comes to your livelihood.

 

[stevetheupsguy]

Re: Ups security guards

The package in question was properly addressed. The house does not have a number (21) but the homes on either side (19 and 25) are numbered so a little bit of logic would have clued the driver in to which house it was (there is a vacant lot which is why there is no #23). If nothing else, get off your butt, knock on a few doors...

I have driven Saturday air as recently as a month ago.

Steve, there are no clerks on Saturday and, as was said above, the goal is no send agains on Saturday. These folks pay a premium ($10 extra) for Saturday service--that is what they expect and that is what they will get if I am working. Our Saturday service area covers some towns that I am not that familiar with so I bring a map and my cell and have yet to bring one back for directions. If there is a phone number on the package and I can't find the address they will get a call and I will either get directions to the house or ask if they would like to meet me to get their pkg.

The level of service that Steve describes is "acceptable". I don't strive for "acceptable". "Acceptable" would not have worked two weeks ago when I made my last drop box pickup only to find a NDA ASD with no destination address. Now, if "acceptable" was all that I was interested in I would have brought the pkg back and let the PM clerk do her job. The only problem with that is she would not have had time to have done her job and make sure the package made the plane on time. Now, that is not a concern if "acceptable" is all we are striving for. So, since I don't strive for "acceptable", I made a few phone calls, we got the address and the pkg made the plane. "Acceptable" simply would not have gotten it done for this customer. "Acceptable" may be OK for Steve but it don't cut it for me.

"Acceptable" would also not have worked two days ago. I had a neighbor who was expecting a golf club and wanted to know if he could meet me on the road to get it early as he was heading down to Albany and wanted to bring the club with him. I asked him for the 1Z and left a note for the dispatch sup to have the pkg held out of my PC so that I could load it to where I could get to it. Met my neighbor as planned--he was happy and all it took was a little more than "acceptable" service.

I love the wording of this post. As a matter of fact, UPS should use this is their newest commercials. "Acceptable" may be alright for some, but here at UPS we strive to go above and beyond...............I edited the post so that when people read it, they won't see how you disobey the contract and how snippy you can be. Like I said........

Very well said, Upstate!

 

[stevetheupsguy]

Re: Ups security guards

Steve, I find it ironic that you refuse to say "good enough" when it comes to your devotion to running but you have no problem saying it when it comes to your livelihood.

I find it ironic that you continually use YOUR own methods, expecting everyone else to follow suit. Also, you do realize that working Saturday Air, as you posted, could cause a grievance to be filed and won, due to you not obeying seniority, dontcha? I doubt your handler's would be so proud of you at that point. When you ride the bus like you do, remember, you ride at your own risk. Eventually you will slip and fall under those wheels.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Re: Ups security guards

I find it ironic that you continually use YOUR own methods, expecting everyone else to follow suit. Also, you do realize that working Saturday Air, as you posted, could cause a grievance to be filed and won, due to you not obeying seniority, dontcha? I doubt your handler's would be so proud of you at that point. When you ride the bus like you do, remember, you ride at your own risk. Eventually you will slip and fall under those wheels.

Do you think I just show up and say that I am going to work on Saturday?