The Competition in Countries Other Than USA

UPS Lifer · 09-21-2007, 09:27 AM

I just recently came back from a trip in the Med and visited 7-8 countries. We bought some stuff and had to ship some of it back. I always asked if they could ship it back UPS. I was pleasently surprised to find that most folks were well aware of UPS and could use them if I wanted that service.

HOWEVER
Venice Italy - I went to the island of Murano and purchased some glass. I wanted to ship it back by UPS and the owner of the factory told me that they had to many problems with UPS! He said they only use Emery and it is handled door to door through customs. I asked him what the problem was with UPS and he said that very expensive peices were being left on the door step with no signature and his special clients were very upset! I was happy to at least hear that it was not a breakage problem.

I would like to hear your thoughts on the competition in other countries as you see it when you either visited these countries or if you live in another country... What are your challenges on selling the service or how is UPS looked at?

david cassin · 10-21-2007, 10:23 AM

i have worked for ups for the last 19 years in ireland when ups had 2 vans in dublin and 4 employees.we now have over 50 drivers and 100 plus in our center.i think alot of people know what ups are about and we are up there with dhl.its hard competing on price here with our german government sponsered company.i hope ups buys tnt in europe and that would give us a great step up against dhl.
fedex are not as big as they were back pre 1992.dhl has some many unused buildings they know whether they are coming or going after all the companies they bought up over the last number of years they are only now coming together.we in ups should have ups and scs in the same buildings and have as i always say the one stop shipping shop.

UPS Lifer · 10-21-2007, 12:50 PM

It is good to see that we are fairing well in Ireland! I have seen that type of growth in the US. I started back in 1971 before we had rights to all 48 states. You are our future.
I know that we have done very well in Germany also as well as other EU countries. Our next big challenge is the Pac Rim and China. We need to tap into this region. We do have a foothold but we need to continue to make strides!

DS · 10-21-2007, 04:08 PM

I del to a cust that has her own business.She mentioned that she was going to China on business and she said that DHL owns the market there.She also buys and imports product from there.She also said it costs about 4 times as much to use ups over dhl.

david cassin · 10-22-2007, 02:24 PM

yes i think also we are making good progress in the uk also.we have 4-5 trailers 40 fts and some drawbars coming in each day so the "standard" as we call the roadfreight is going through the roof.unforunately management don't see it and the vans go out loaded to the roof.we need more vans and more drivers.our drivers are under so much pressure to get all deliveries done.i am glad to see fedex getting their come upence in the usa,the sub contractors are finally getting recognised as employees,poor old fred will have to give a few million back and about time.we should have bough eddie stobart in the uk as he is one of the largest independent road freight carriers with 900 plus artics and a couple of thousand trailers .i don't think dhl is the be all and end all in china,we are going after this market big time as are fedex.we should plow a fair few dollars into this market as it is a huge mkt awaiting more of ups presence.

UPS Lifer · 10-23-2007, 11:49 PM

Based on our latest earnings report, we all need to be thankful for the contributions our partners outside the USA are making!!! Our sustained earnings are in large part due to International success as well as other facets of our business other than our core US ground delivery system. Keep up the great work!

DS · 10-24-2007, 09:57 PM

I picked up 5 boxes going to Galway Ireland today...laser therapy equipment

coldworld · 10-25-2007, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by david cassin

yes i think also we are making good progress in the uk also.we have 4-5 trailers 40 fts and some drawbars coming in each day so the "standard" as we call the roadfreight is going through the roof.unforunately management don't see it and the vans go out loaded to the roof.we need more vans and more drivers.our drivers are under so much pressure to get all deliveries done.i am glad to see fedex getting their come upence in the usa,the sub contractors are finally getting recognised as employees,poor old fred will have to give a few million back and about time.we should have bough eddie stobart in the uk as he is one of the largest independent road freight carriers with 900 plus artics and a couple of thousand trailers .i don't think dhl is the be all and end all in china,we are going after this market big time as are fedex.we should plow a fair few dollars into this market as it is a huge mkt awaiting more of ups presence.

We need a company like TNT to totally boost ups ahead of fedex and dhl.

david cassin · 10-31-2007, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DS

I picked up 5 boxes going to Galway Ireland today...laser therapy equipment

our shannon office would have been delivering these pkgs,our flight goes into dublin on to shannon and our cork freight is taken off also

12-03-2007, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UPS Lifer

I would like to hear your thoughts on the competition in other countries as you see it when you either visited these countries or if you live in another country... What are your challenges on selling the service or how is UPS looked at?

I live in a reasonably large city in Canada (Edmonton, pop. 830,000) and I get a lot of stuff off ebay. I've had three 'encounters' with UPS and will no longer bid/buy from an ebay seller if they offer no option to UPS delivery.

When I call the number to tell them I'll pick the package up, they say they'll hold it no problem. I get to the counter (one in a city of this size) the next day, only to be told it's on the truck while the driver makes another attempt. That's what the phone call was for!

This happened TWICE with one package and once with another, about a month later. Add on to this all the time spent waiting in line while 20-30 people in front of me were having similar problems and it makes for a pretty aggravating ride home (with no package). The third time they got it right but I just waited until all the delivery attempts were made so that I knew it would be waiting in the warehouse....big waste of everyone's time and effort there, but at least I didn't make a wasted trip or two out to the depot.

It may be a good company in the US, but up here it sucks big time. USPS/Canada Post all the way, baby!!!!

I will never, ever use this company again....that's what a bad experience will do for business.

Brown is brown for a reason......what's that smell?

Fredless · 12-04-2007, 08:17 PM

Wow, I'm willing to bet you did not follow the directions on the info notice like most of the people that come into the customer counter.

You guys expect because you call in at 11pm the night before, that it will be ready for you first thing the next morning when it clearly states on the info notice, you must call before 7pm.

big_arrow_up · 12-08-2007, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fredless

Wow, I'm willing to bet you did not follow the directions on the info notice like most of the people that come into the customer counter.

You guys expect because you call in at 11pm the night before, that it will be ready for you first thing the next morning when it clearly states on the info notice, you must call before 7pm.

Remember the thread about the stupidity of the general public? LOL! Follow the directions on the info notice? LOL! Most customers don't read those. Most seem to think that they are "Golden Tickets" like in the Willy Wonka movies and show up at the customer counters thinking they'll recieve their prize. It's silly.

12-09-2007, 05:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by david cassin

yes i think also we are making good progress in the uk also.we have 4-5 trailers 40 fts and some drawbars coming in each day so the "standard" as we call the roadfreight is going through the roof.unforunately management don't see it and the vans go out loaded to the roof.we need more vans and more drivers.our drivers are under so much pressure to get all deliveries done.i am glad to see fedex getting their come upence in the usa,the sub contractors are finally getting recognised as employees,poor old fred will have to give a few million back and about time.we should have bough eddie stobart in the uk as he is one of the largest independent road freight carriers with 900 plus artics and a couple of thousand trailers .i don't think dhl is the be all and end all in china,we are going after this market big time as are fedex.we should plow a fair few dollars into this market as it is a huge mkt awaiting more of ups presence.

Just as UPS bought Overnite, they submited papers to begin the first LTL/TL road freight operations in China. As Overnite, UPS assumed their key management would be able to make the transition to Brown. The top "O" management has been shown the door and UPS is bringing in their own as well as soliciting the experience of other well respected top freight executives to make it a premier world freight carrier. China is an important link in business plan as well as the Paific Rim. I believe over the next 10yrs. you will see great gains in ocean freight being services by UPS Freight.

We had a UPS executive state that along with key aquisitions, the freight division will be become as important to the bottom line as the package division. In other words, expect UPS Freight to start to make its mark where ever UPS small package delivers.

jlphotog · 12-09-2007, 11:32 AM

I'm not defending USPS Rocks, I'm just saying people in this country have been conditioned by Canada Post and Purolator (who is owned by Canada Post) that after ONE delivery attempt the package will be held at the ctr for 5 business days. (can you imagine, no send agains)

And by the way Rocks, you are about 10 years behind in your population figures for Edmonton. According to the 2006 census Edmonton has 1,034,945 people and the 2001 census pegs it at 937,845. 830,000 is probably closer to the 1996 census.

jlphotog · 12-09-2007, 11:41 AM

Actually I just did some research. Saying the population Of Edmonton is 830,000 is more than 10 years old. The 1996 census has it at 862,597 and the 1991 census puts the population of Edmonton at 841,132. Still higher than you 830,000 statement.

menefrego · 01-10-2008, 12:56 PM

I work in UPS in Italy since 1990 when Ups bought Alimondo an young express courier...
In Italy we have many problems...first of all our facilities
For example TNT have more of 170 facilities we 26...
Sicilia Sardegna and Calabria are not served directly by UPS but with others partners like SDA ( controlled by Poste Italiane ) or others couriers...
We don't have Hubs but only 2 little hubs old and very little...
In my office desks are white...brown...grey...scanners are broken...there are holes in the floor...it is all old...
In my center there are 26 drivers and only 5 are brown...and we are the more brown center in my division !!! Cars are white...red...brown without decals...decals only on a side of the car...dirty...drivers have broken uniforms...not all naturally...only the drivers who have uniforms...

Drivers in the morning load the car and after have loops of 250 km...came back in the center and unload the cars...12/13 hour every day...70/100 stop every day...

Our drivers when not delivery for no street...not in etc...not put in the diad the correct exception but go in delivery...and write "absent" "no street"...so the IPWT is low...
And every big manager who came in Italy do nothing nothing nothing...
We in UPS are demoralized and demotivated to work...
I do not believe in UPS...in Italy...

menefrego · 01-10-2008, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coldworld

We need a company like TNT to totally boost ups ahead of fedex and dhl.

UPS Lifer · 01-12-2008, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by menefrego

I work in UPS in Italy since 1990 when Ups bought Alimondo an young express courier...
In Italy we have many problems......
And every big manager who came in Italy do nothing nothing nothing...
We in UPS are demoralized and demotivated to work...
I do not believe in UPS...in Italy...

UPS is in its infancy in areas like yours. When you take a trip to America you should go to some of our bigger facilities and see what the company is doing. When we started in Germany and Canada it was the same way. it will take time. You probably have easier access to Germany than to the USA. Go on holiday to Germany and see how things have changed over the years.
Don't get to down...things will get better. The key is getting packages to pick up. The more packages you pick up the more money your operation makes and will see improvements based on pick up volume. Trust me on that one!

My family immigrated to the USA from Italy back in the late 1800s. Somehow I feel connected to your plight. Good luck and stay up!