Sales lead question

dannyboy · 02-28-2008, 05:46 PM

I was wondering, and have never had someone that actually knew anything tell my why we can not take packages from medical clinics that send blood and other fluids off to be tested.

I tried to land a large account several years ago, and when I followed up on it a while back, the girl in charge said the customer account rep told her we could not take the packages.

So my question is this, why not. If DHL and FEDX can take the packages, then why can't UPS?

d

mattwtrs · 02-28-2008, 05:55 PM

UPS can take blood & other fluids from hospital, clinics etc. There is a special "specimen" pak that is to be used. It's clear so if there is leakage it can be seen before its handled. I have picked them up from the office where our DOT physicals are done.

tups · 02-28-2008, 05:58 PM

Sounds fishy to me, because I deliver boxes and boxes to a hospital on my route, usually NDA, that are marked RUSH HUMAN TISSUE/ORGANS FOR TRANSPLANT. And one time I had to rush deliver one to the hospital because it contained an organ that was needed for some guy who was in the OR at 7 in the morning. Sounds to me like the sales people just dropped the ball on it, and were lazy. After all, we do take hazmats. Maybe this is why we as drivers are brow beaten into trying to get sales leads. And here in the northeast we have been getting what they are calling reverse leads. They hand us a paper with a name of a company and an address and ask us to go do a sales call!! I mean what the hell! Isn't that why there are sales people to begin with? And these so called reverse leads and almost all no good! I had 4 last week. 2 were current customers who I have a daily pickup from already, one was moved and the other was a house where someone who either worked at or owned the company lived. They tried it again this week and we asked how much time we get for sales calls, and were told that we get nothing. I watched two guys in my group just hand the papers back to the sup and walk away. UPS really needs to look hard at their sales departments and fix it. DRIVERS are not sales people!

dannyboy · 02-28-2008, 06:29 PM

Actually, drivers are the best sales tools there are, besides big discounts. BUT they need to give you a fighting chance and good leads.

In our center we have lost some of the best talent when it came to sales reps. Most went to coke, or drug companies. Less hours, less stress, company car, expense account, not to mention more money.

I thought it sounded strange, but I was already out on the street by then.

d

looper804 · 02-28-2008, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tups

And these so called reverse leads and almost all no good! I had 4 last week. 2 were current customers who I have a daily pickup from already, one was moved and the other was a house where someone who either worked at or owned the company lived.

I can tell you the guys in Business Development arent happy about them either.They are also given a stack to visit and they are telling similar stories.They knock on a door and ask for xyz company and the person answering tells them they moved years ago.Seems the visit orders are being taken from records that are too old.

browniehound · 02-28-2008, 07:53 PM

Dannyboy,
I don't know if you remember me from a couple years ago, but I remember you. I know you have been absent from the discussions and now I noticed you are contributing again. I just wanted to say welcome back

,

Brownie

rod · 02-28-2008, 08:01 PM

Dannyboy weren't you a "trouble maker"?

Welcome back. We need more trouble makers on this board. Tie is about the only one that we can count on to throw gas on the fire, other than them damm FedEX guys.

dannyboy · 02-28-2008, 08:01 PM

Thanks.

I have been spanked a time or two.

Will be in and out as time permits. If not careful, this site can take you away from really important things.

One of the reasons they were told we could not take them was they were considered Hasmat.

d

UPS Lifer · 02-28-2008, 11:25 PM

Dannyboy,
Get with your Dangerous Goods Coordinator for your district. Certain blood specimens are considered biohazards and are not accepted by UPS. If that DG Coordinator can not help you ask your PE manager to assist. I don't think you will have to go this far but the Region Dangerous Goods Coordinator will surely have the means to give you solid information on the account you have been trying to land.

I was a level 2 ADG - IDG and Freight DG Instructor until I retired in 07.

UpstateNYUPSer · 02-29-2008, 03:47 AM

Sales leads can be very frustrating, especially the "reverse" sales leads mentioned above which have a very low success rate due to many of the reasons stated above (moved, NSP/NSC, out of bus). However, I have had a great deal of success as I just had $1,000 added to my Amex card and have just passed the $9,000 mark during my time in the program. The key is to submit the lead and then follow up on it, asking why it was denied and then working to have it reopened. Also, if you notice one of your shippers has been shipping more volume, submit a lead for new/additional volume. Our center is looking for new drop box locations and have told us we will have $50 added to our card if we establish a new location which produces at least 2 pkgs per day. I submitted 3 and hope to have them in place and the funds added to my card within the next few months.

dannyboy · 02-29-2008, 04:56 AM

NY'er, lead on. You and those like you will be the reason for the future dominance or failure of UPS.

Lead on!

d

JustTired · 02-29-2008, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannyboy

NY'er, lead on. You and those like you will be the reason for the future dominance or failure of UPS.

d

And the future demise of all volume development personnel (account execs, sales reps...whatever you want to call them).

I'm not knocking you personally. I just see the handwriting on the wall. If they have drivers out there selling, why should they be paying someone a wage and benefits who's only job is to grow the volume? It's a lot cheaper to give a driver a few hundred bucks than to provide a livelihood for a dedicated sales rep.

The volume development dept. is in a shambles as it is. These people are spending so much time checking email, on conference calls, and logging their every move (on the computer), that they have little time to sell or service the customer. Even they are being micromanaged. To the point that they can't even do their job. Is it any wonder they are leaving to find place where they can actually do their job?

In my opinion, they are (were) the most important management (company) position this company has(had). You either make this company money, or you cost it money. They were the ones making it money (along with the drivers). JMO

mattwtrs · 02-29-2008, 09:44 AM

Many years ago while I was in High School my economics teacher taught us that there are times when you have to spend money to make money. UPS speak would be grow the business. We all know that the drivers are good sales people but they can only do so much. BD is still needed. It seems that any of the good producing BD people have seen the light & moved on to better opportunities?

02-29-2008, 09:52 AM

Pharmaceutical / Medical industry is high growth; UPS absolutely takes specimens and lab materials. New in 2008 is the Proactive Response service. If a customer sends a NDA with perishable items in it; a special group will monitor the package at all locations. If there is an exception that will cause delay and ruin the package, UPS will either; return the pacakge back to the customer or repack it with dry ice (or refrigerate.) We are the only carrier to offer this...

dannyboy · 02-29-2008, 02:06 PM

Matt

I agree. The only ones left seem more interested in moving into another department, or job at UPS rather than becoming great sales people. I also wonder about how the people further up the ladder hamstring the good salespeople into going somewhere else.

As for the HAZMAT question, if you are taking blood from an HIV positive patient, and transporting it, yes, I would think that is a HAZMAT package.

If instead it is blood that is to be tested for any number of things, then it would not be considered HAZMAT, and there should be minimal restrictions on how that customer should be able to ship.

d

UpstateNYUPSer · 02-29-2008, 03:47 PM

I don't know about all that, but I am sitting here watching my 42" plasma, with a complete home theater system and a blu-ray DVD player courtesy of the sales lead program so will I continue to go out and pursure sales leads--you damn right, I need new wheels and tires for my Colorado.

BrownSuit · 02-29-2008, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by looper804

I can tell you the guys in Business Development arent happy about them either.They are also given a stack to visit and they are telling similar stories.They knock on a door and ask for xyz company and the person answering tells them they moved years ago.Seems the visit orders are being taken from records that are too old.

Or better, calling a lead where the person is you name it: Dead, Fired, Retired, Moved, Quit, or vanished from the company years ago. Companies that don't have correct names, are part of larger companies and the lead providers try variations of the company name.

Phone numbers that are for fax numbers, disconnected, cell phone numbers for folks that you don't want to know what they do for a living if you get my drift.

My favorite is the "Contact is Aware" when the contact literally has no clue why you are talking to them and there are absolutely no comments to clue you or the person in as to why you are talking to them.

Or leads that are duplicated the next day.

I realize that providers are under the gun to submit the leads and honestly I think that's screwed up. Business Development is under the gun to sell the leads, the Providers (ie drivers for the most part) are under pressure to submit them, and the customers are just annoyed that they keep getting contacted.

That's just my two cents, I realize I probably just stirred up a hornet's nest.

brownmonster · 02-29-2008, 07:48 PM

I'll watch my blue ray HD tv custom chrome wheeled entertainment center without the benefit of sales leads.

UpstateNYUPSer · 03-01-2008, 05:50 AM

Yeah, but the picture seems so much sharper and the sound so much clearer when you don't use your own money to pay for it!!

toonertoo · 03-01-2008, 01:14 PM

I agree the sales lead dept is in shambles. I put in one for UPS freight, in March 2007. The account was sold. The shipper tells me he saves 2k a month by using the discount he got from ups freight. I followed up for months, and kept hearing Ill look into it. They paid me correctly for the ground I obtained which they should not have since I already had that account, but they told me they got a discount on that too so I got credit for above the avg, before. I kept saying I got my ground payment but not UPS freight. Finally this month, almost 1 yr later, after saying Im not submitting till im gitting, I got 25$ and they said thats all im gitting. While I agree we should help, dont offer incentive if you arent paying.

Harley Rider · 03-01-2008, 06:03 PM

I won't get into my story about sales leads but it is in line with what you have explained Tooner. Since I refuse to turn in anymore sales leads, my on-car supervisor puts one in my board every so often just so he can obtain his quota. Last month he just picked a NDA off my shelf and turned in the address on my DIAD before we left the building for my yearly safety ride. Now how screwed up is that?

wasBrownnowPurple · 03-06-2008, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustTired

And the future demise of all volume development personnel (account execs, sales reps...whatever you want to call them).

I'm not knocking you personally. I just see the handwriting on the wall. If they have drivers out there selling, why should they be paying someone a wage and benefits who's only job is to grow the volume? It's a lot cheaper to give a driver a few hundred bucks than to provide a livelihood for a dedicated sales rep.

another perfect example of drivers somehow thinking they close the business for turning in a lead!
Do you really think the jamoke on the dock signs agreements for accounts?
Just keep driving that package car genius!