Signature required or not?

[bottomups]

Have a little dispute with a new oncar. On certain parcels, such as those from TCW there is bold lettering under tracking label stating -- UPS Driver- DO NOT RELEASE WITHOUT SIGNATURE. Signature required is not built into barcode and thus shipper is not paying for this service. For years, I have been getting signature from consignee, indirecting or sheeting as a send again. On a recent OJS, I was directed to DR these parcels and will work as directed. Is this standard procedure from your experiences as well? Would I be liable for not obtaining signature on a Driver Followup?

 

[over9five]

There is an option in the DIAD to change the package to signature required, and the shipper will get billed for it. That's what I do. There is also an option to change it to adult sig required if it says that on the package.

That being said, you should do what your sup says, even though he is WRONG.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Have a little dispute with a new oncar. On certain parcels, such as those from TCW there is bold lettering under tracking label stating -- UPS Driver- DO NOT RELEASE WITHOUT SIGNATURE. Signature required is not built into barcode and thus shipper is not paying for this service. For years, I have been getting signature from consignee, indirecting or sheeting as a send again. On a recent OJS, I was directed to DR these parcels and will work as directed. Is this standard procedure from your experiences as well? Would I be liable for not obtaining signature on a Driver Followup?

The service code will give you your answer. If it is 03 you can release using proper DR methods. If it is 42 or A8 you must secure a signature or adult signature, respectively. These codes are for ground only but you get the idea.

Shippers print those instructions on the box asking us to get a signature without actually paying us to get a signature. You may have seen some shippers will make it part of the address label or they may put something like No Driver Release but unless they actually pay for a signature I DR them. The only exceptions are obvious high value items for which the shipper did not request a signature. I will get an autograph on these.

The DFU will show the 1Z and package value--it will not show any shipper instructions.

Your on car was correct.

 

[grgrcr88]

Ultimately, you could be liable for any package you DR. Use your best judgement and follow the methods. If the sup tells you to do something you think is questionable ask for that instruction in writing so you have something to cover your ass with in the future.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Ultimately, you could be liable for any package you DR. Use your best judgement and follow the methods. If the sup tells you to do something you think is questionable ask for that instruction in writing so you have something to cover your ass with in the future.

That was a very nice answer. Now, back to the question--CDW puts "Driver--Do Not Release Without Signature"--would you obtain a signature even though CDW did not pay for one or would you DR pkg?

 

[over9five]

That was a very nice answer. Now, back to the question--CDW puts "Driver--Do Not Release Without Signature"--would you obtain a signature even though CDW did not pay for one or would you DR pkg?

Or would you use the tools that we have in the DIAD? Go to Pkg Info, and change it to signature required. The shipper gets charged accordingly AND gets the signature they want!

 

[grgrcr88]

That was a very nice answer. Now, back to the question--CDW puts "Driver--Do Not Release Without Signature"--would you obtain a signature even though CDW did not pay for one or would you DR pkg?

You like that huh Dave,I should run for poltical office, with answers like that I could be the next President of the United States!!

I would obtain a signiture unless directly told differently by my sup. The shipper is the paying customer in this situation, as much as you talk about using common sense to take care of the customer I am very surprised you would chose not to in this situation Dave!!

 

[grgrcr88]

Or would you use the tools that we have in the DIAD? Go to Pkg Info, and change it to signature required. The shipper gets charged accordingly AND gets the signature they want!

I was not aware of that option, but I will look into that in the future.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I would obtain a signiture unless directly told differently by my sup. The shipper is the paying customer in this situation, as much as you talk about using common sense to take care of the customer I am very surprised you would chose not to in this situation Dave!!

The customer has not payed for this service. When you get a signature without changing the service level you are giving them what they want without them having to pay for it. Most of my CDW deliveries are commercial so this doesn't really apply. When I do have a residential CDW, or any other shipper who does the same thing, I simply DR it unless it is an obvious high value pkg.

I was not aware of that option, but I will look into that in the future.

This will ensure UPS gets the proper revenue for that package. If CDW chooses to print that on their boxes but does not choose to request a signature in their 1Z and you follow their instructions than we should be paid for obtaining the signature.

 

[brownmonster]

I DR packages such as CDW where they print it on the package. If the shipper puts a UPS provided signature required sticker on the box, I will change it in the DIAD to signature required. CDW is trying to get away with something, putting a sticker on the box shows they actually want the signature. Again, local rules apply.

 

[tracker2762]

I asked my center manager about CDW and was told to get a signature. I also do as Over said and charge them through the diiad.
If they want that service then they are going to pay for it. It's located under pkg info

 

[beentheredonethat]

Or would you use the tools that we have in the DIAD? Go to Pkg Info, and change it to signature required. The shipper gets charged accordingly AND gets the signature they want!

Here's the problem, many customers can just call up UPS and dispute the bill, said I was charged for something I shouldn't of, and it will often get waived. The customer can easily pay for Signature at the time they print the label. They are hoping to get a service for free, or mostly for free. If they want the service, they can and should pay for it at the beginning.

 

[scratch]

We have another shipper that does the same thing that CDW does. I thought they just shipped medical office supplies, like bandages and stuff. I deliver to an area where a lot of doctors live. I DRed one at a doctor's house and had a Driver Followup on it. It turns out they also ship drugs too, this was a strong morphine base prescription that should have been signed for. They just print "signature required" on the cardboard box, instead of using the proper code in the tracking number.

 

[brownmonster]

Maybe these shippers should get a visit from a UPS rep to explain the situation and what do do if you require a signature. Do we have people that visit accounts? While they are at it, go to the place that ships videos to Walmart and tell them to PUT SOME TAPE ON THE BOXES!

 

[brownman15]

That was a very nice answer. Now, back to the question--CDW puts "Driver--Do Not Release Without Signature"--would you obtain a signature even though CDW did not pay for one or would you DR pkg?

yes and there is a option in the diad to change it to sig required and the customer will get billed for the sig required we were trained to do this when they added this option a few years ago

 

[soberups]

I do what the barcode tells me to do. That is what the shipper paid for.

Its a bad idea for the driver to take it upon himself to change the service level of a package. Its putting a Band-Aid over the underlying problem of the shipper not correctly labeling their packages.

 

[over9five]

Its a bad idea for the driver to take it upon himself to change the service level of a package.

The option is in the DIAD specifically for the driver to change the signature required service. Dontcha think that's why they put it there??? C'mon, it's not rocket science. Recover that revenue AND get the signature the customer wants.

 

[EmerCond421]

We've been told here that when the package is scanned and it does not come up as signature required we are to DR using the proper methods. Just goes to show once again different rules for different areas.

We also have never been told to use/change the requirement to signature required.

Years ago, when a shipper affixed one of those stick on labels that said signature required or delivery confirmation and it did not come up as such in the barcode, we were instructed to peel those labels off.

 

[UPSGUY72]

Have a little dispute with a new oncar. On certain parcels, such as those from TCW there is bold lettering under tracking label stating -- UPS Driver- DO NOT RELEASE WITHOUT SIGNATURE. Signature required is not built into barcode and thus shipper is not paying for this service. For years, I have been getting signature from consignee, indirecting or sheeting as a send again. On a recent OJS, I was directed to DR these parcels and will work as directed. Is this standard procedure from your experiences as well? Would I be liable for not obtaining signature on a Driver Followup?

To start you are NOT going to be liable unless it a HV item that you shouldn't have DR in the first place or the address has a No DR status on it. That being sad you you need to take into account the area in which your in and the the type of package. Staples and Office Depot are known for doing this all the time except they put a sticker on the box. There has been alot of good advise from people here. AS I see it there is no correct anwser to your question becasue the circumstances that must be taken into account to make the decision to DR or not vary stop to stop and package too package.

 

[soberups]

The option is in the DIAD specifically for the driver to change the signature required service. Dontcha think that's why they put it there??? C'mon, it's not rocket science. Recover that revenue AND get the signature the customer wants.

Taking it upon ourselves to upgrade the srvice level to sig required.... could set a precedent that we are somehow responsible for doing so whenever the shipper places a sticker on the box that conflicts with the barcode .

I'm not interested in setting that precedent. I'm not interested in taking on that responsibility.

That responsibility lies with the shipper, not with 150,000+ individual drivers nationwide.

I can forsee see the day where I am expected to pay a claim on one of those packages for failing to get a signature, and when I try to defend myself by claiming that "the barcode didnt require a signature"....UPS's response will be "it doesnt matter, you should have gotten one anyway just like you have been doing."