Stumbled upon this blog that mentions the browncafe:

[cheryl]

The topic is employees creating "pirate sites."

Pirates of the Internet - Simply Communicate

Here's some of what they say about browncafe:

Losing the radio station

In the meantime some other, far more successful, examples have become established. A good example is www.browncafe.com which is the site run by and featuring the comments of the many thousand employees of the parcel delivery company UPS.

Browncafe was established in 1999 and now boasts thousands of threads and hundreds of thousands of posts. They contain the obvious comments such as those about pay and conditions, disciplinary procedures and unpopular management initiatives. But the site is also home to a great deal of best practice advice as well as engaging humour.

The content is mostly from North America but it shows a healthy range of subjects (including tackling racism at work) that any intranet editor would be proud to have on their own site. But when I asked the corporate PR team at UPS what they thought about the site they pleaded a lack of resources to engage with it:

“Although we occasionally look at browncafe.com to see what's on there, it's not a UPS sponsored site so there isn't any interaction for us to discuss.”

Yet if you look at a word cloud of issues on browncafe then you will see that the most popular tag by far is “management”. It seems the internal team are in denial about where their audience is getting much of their information about the company where they work. Ignoring such rich and extensive content is not just short-sighted, it’s ceding communication power to a channel where the company has neither control nor influence.

 

[Indecisi0n]

They are watching.

 

[barnyard]

Interesting comments. I assume that they are from someone connected to academia. The UPS answer is really the only answer they can give. They have no control over the content and I believe that any idea that would come from here, no matter how good, would be dismissed as UPS typically does not work well with hourly people on best practices to run the company.

If anything, I would think that UPS picks some of the topics that we are most critical on and develops talking points to defend their position. Examples that come to mind include lap belts vs 3 point; crushing power steering vehicles and replacing with non power steering. Bring up some of those topics and it seems that driver supes and CMs all go to the same 'talking points.'

A smart manager would have someone submitting weekly reports on BC, but denying that person exists. Even though we are a relatively small sample of UPS, we are very diverse and certainly represent all areas of the country.

 

[soberups]

They are watching.

Let them watch. Perhaps they will learn something.

 

[Big Babooba]

Let them watch. Perhaps they will learn something.

NEVER HAPPEN!!!

 

[toonertoo]

Let them watch. Perhaps they will learn something.

You have a better chance of seeing GOD.

 

[bumped]

UPS definately reads this site. I have not used the DIAD 5, but if UPS ever took into consideration of anything a driver recommended I'd be surprised. Is there an employee that has used a DIAD 4 that did not complain about the signature button being on the top right? Then, the rollout of 5 and the button is still on the top right.

 

[ORLY!?!]

And working conditions within warehouses. I would like to see more of us talking here. A forum, as this, shows that people will come together on the internet and share their concerns and comments, those who are in the same boat. In most forums I've been in, the topics dont really relate to anything of real world value or concern. Here its different, thus making it unique. This forum supports individuals whom are serious and realistic posters. The language, lingo and complaints we all share and understand.

The average person in America will not, can not and never do our jobs. This is one reason to be here and read those thousands of post and threads every year. The average American is ignorant to what goes on both aspects of the job, inside a warehouse or driving. And yet, most Americans envy us, think we get paid greatly and / or think they can work in this environment.

Thousands of people are hired here each year, and yet thousands leave this job a year on their own terms. I, myself for one, have seen thousands come and go. I believe people should research this job moreso through the internet before applying. Those who really, really want it, should imply and try everything to be some sort of use. Those who think its just another job, should think twice about it. Those in college, should not apply. Those with other jobs, should not apply.

Those reading this site should keep reading. Dare they sit at their comfy A/c and cushioned seat jobs and call it actual work. May they also take a little undertanding and appreciation for the workers of the big brown monster called UPS.

 

[DS]

I think that there is lots of good feedback in the bc that could be beneficial to growth at ups,but I doubt if they really care.

 

[cheryl]

DS?
yes?

 

[BigBrown3605]

If they look, its just to make sure nothing illegal is happening. Otherwise, they can care less what we think.

 

[dilligaf]

Thanks for posting that Cheryl. It was an interesting read. I think the PR comment, “Although we occasionally look at browncafe.com to see what's on there, it's not a UPS sponsored site so there isn't any interaction for us to discuss.” ​begs being pointed out. How can a company be so blind as to say something like this? A matter of sponsorship should not be a factor. We literally post thousands of comments daily, many of which are directly related to working conditions at UPS. Yet, they all but deny BC's existence publicly. They may as well deny our (employees) existence. Behind the scenes, STUG gets reprimanded for posting pics and numerous people have commented on how management has either said something outright or implied a posters comments had been read. There is interaction and we are being watched. Why bother denying it?

Yet if you look at a word cloud of issues on browncafe then you will see that the most popular tag by far is “management”. It seems the internal team are in denial about where their audience is getting much of their information about the company where they work. Ignoring such rich and extensive content is not just short-sighted, it’s ceding communication power to a channel where the company has neither control nor influence.

I don't think they are in denial about where the information is coming from. I think they want to deny that the information is factual.

 

[Catatonic]

1) Yet, they all but deny BC's existence publicly. They may as well deny our (employees) existence. Behind the scenes, STUG gets reprimanded for posting pics and numerous people have commented on how management has either said something outright or implied a posters comments had been read. There is interaction and we are being watched. Why bother denying it?

2) I don't think they are in denial about where the information is coming from. I think they want to deny that the information is factual.

1) UPS has not denied the existence of BC ... just that people are on the payroll with that part of their job description. Which also answers the second sentence ... individuals who are in management just like you and I can, do view the posts on the Brown Cafe. I don't know of anyone at UPS who has said that UPSers (Management and hourly) does not watch/view BC. STUG was stung because he posted picture of his supervisor not wearing a seat belt while driving a PC ... otherwise, he would never have been bothered. Any management person can monitor BC (on their own initiative) for any reason they want to. The same goes for the Teamsters.

2) UPS does not view BC as impacting the Public Relations of UPS in anyway. People other that Upsers or ex-UPSers do not come here and read the posts.

Keep in mind that UPS monitors the entire Internet using robots. No one at UPS is paid to read posts on the various Social Media sites on the Internet. The robots generate reports that score UPS relatedness and people then react to them. These people that react are typically Customer Service Agents and other CSC personnel. There are 2 or 3 administrative people that as part of their responsibilities, keep up the UPS sites on Facebook and Twitter and monitor the robot reports and what is posted on UPSers.com.

I have heard that HR will monitor BC to see how employees react to changes in Benefits, UPS Programs, etc.
I don't think anyone from IE or Operations monitor Brown Cafe to see how employees react to technology implementations or new operational programs.

 

[Catatonic]

If they look, its just to make sure nothing illegal is happening. Otherwise, they cannot care less what we think.

That is a succinct and accurate assessment.

 

[Old International]

Not at our center. BC is blocked on ALL computers in the building, as I have tried to bring press releases to the center manager, and he can't get to BC while at work.

 

[Cementups]

I'm kind of bummed that that super=awesome thread titled "How's the view..." wasn't mentioned.

 

[Ghost in the Darkness]

Isn't it funny that they beg us to give them good management assessment reports but yet they could care less about hearing the truth. They don't care about complaints and criticism (even constructive criticism), they are gonna do things the way they want to do them. They love logistics yet our routes always seem to cross the neighboring drivers route every day. So when they preach safety and send us out too heavy, its our fault that we choose to work safely and not cut the corners we would have to in order to make their numbers look good and not have any missed. I think the problem most of us have with management is the hypocrisy. They know its true they just realize they aren't under the microscope the same ways we are.

 

[ORLY!?!]

1) UPS has not denied the existence of BC ... just that people are on the payroll with that part of their job description. Which also answers the second sentence ... individuals who are in management just like you and I can, do view the posts on the Brown Cafe. I don't know of anyone at UPS who has said that UPSers (Management and hourly) does not watch/view BC. STUG was stung because he posted picture of his supervisor not wearing a seat belt while driving a PC ... otherwise, he would never have been bothered. Any management person can monitor BC (on their own initiative) for any reason they want to. The same goes for the Teamsters.

2) UPS does not view BC as impacting the Public Relations of UPS in anyway. People other that Upsers or ex-UPSers do not come here and read the posts.

Keep in mind that UPS monitors the entire Internet using robots. No one at UPS is paid to read posts on the various Social Media sites on the Internet. The robots generate reports that score UPS relatedness and people then react to them. These people that react are typically Customer Service Agents and other CSC personnel. There are 2 or 3 administrative people that as part of their responsibilities, keep up the UPS sites on Facebook and Twitter and monitor the robot reports and what is posted on UPSers.com.

I have heard that HR will monitor BC to see how employees react to changes in Benefits, UPS Programs, etc.
I don't think anyone from IE or Operations monitor Brown Cafe to see how employees react to technology implementations or new operational programs.

Not robots, bots. A script or a system written to track anything with certain keystrokes and keywords. A lot like the way search engines are written today, just narrowed down to pin point out of the vast array of turn ups a search will find.

Btw, great post, couldnt agree more.

Last, this forum isnt named " UPS forum co. " its brown cafe. And the caption below " not sponcered "" "" "" " by UPS ". Of course the original story was themed for employee start forums. Perhaps if those companies would start their own forum and get feed back that way. Would they ever dare such a thing? Hell no, they know they are what management makes, souls less. Those " types " have gotten too comfortable playing the system for the matter of funds. And funding they GREATLY get for it.

And last post below this one. I agree with that as well. I'm sure they check we arent talking about how to cheat the system. By wiring packages with different addresses, stealing time and many others. In that case all they would have to do is ping our IP's and know who we are. And it isnt that hard to do. They probably know all about you and I and the rest of us posting on this forum, or they could know all about us in a few seconds.

 

[UPS Lifer]

Hoke,
I think you hit it on the head.

However,
As one of the other posts indicated ... I wouldn't go so far as the company does not care what anyone on this site thinks. Probably ,the most important thing to UPS is there anything on the net that can damage UPS's reputation. I would not doubt that Human Resources monitors this site for HR related and union related concerns.

Another thanks to Cheryl for posting this!!!