I happen to be of the opinion that the future looks bright for UPS. Yes, the competition is breathing down our neck but I believe its as far as they will get. The competition doesn't have the desire or impetus to run as efficently as UPS. If they had the desire they would have developed EDD/PAS and telematics on their own.
I understand UPS suffers from higher labor costs, but they enjoy stop-density that Fed-Ex ground can only dream of. I also believe in the appearence of our drivers compared to Fed-Ex ground. People notice this.
I don't know all the facts, but my gut tells me Fed-Ex ground has gone as far as it will. I mean no disrespect to the Fed-ex ground drivers but the customers percieve them as transients of some sort and the UPS driver as a man or woman that they've know for years or decades. When I first started I talk with a woman at my daughter's cheerleading comp.(I showed up in my uniform) who said she had the same UPS driver at her house for the last 15 years and she loves the guy.
It was the first of many stories I heard or hear from customers. I'm not talking about business customers. I'm talking residential consignees here. When I would cover routes I was amazed at the amount of "residentials" that know the UPS driver this well!
Do you think Fed-Ex ground has this luxury?
Yes, the negatives of UPS include (maybe) price, damages, or being too large to be personal ( I often hear I call the number and can't get anywhere!!).
If I were to start a business today, I would copy the cost controls UPS employs. I would model UPS efficencies in my own business. How could you not? I know Fed-Ex doesn't, why?
UPS has been turning a profit for a century. Why would we believe this will change?
Superior technology, management, and labor (how may fed-ex drivers could pull a UPS route day in/out?) will keep UPS as the leader in the indusrty.
I really take pride in my job even though its mindless labor. Yes my body aches (my only gripe I have with the job), but I want to do this job than any other in the world and I mean that. Yeah, I would like to be a doctor, senator, president, etc, but I'm not capable of that. Of the jobs I'm capable of doing, I want to do this. For example, I don't want to be a roofer, carpenter, painter, garbage man, machinist, mechanic, stone mason, bartender, pimp(lol).
I like people and the outdoors. UPS is a perfect match for me.