The Latest Letter Writing Campaign

[Bubblehead]

As usual UPS has taken a good thing and taken it over the top.
Management has started a campaign this week asking all service providers in my center to solicit customers at pickup accounts to write letters to our state Senators in support of legislation up for vote regarding the Railway Act that FedX is hiding behind.
They are asking (so far) that we all secure two letters each.
Although I am all for the legislation and will write ten letters if they ask me, I find this tactic ridiculous and inappropriate.
It's my opinion that in a business relationship, much like in party conversation, the topics of politics and religion should be avoided.
Interested in hearing some opinions from the members of the Brown Cafe on this subject.

[Jones]

That sounds completely wrongheaded and inappropriate.

[helenofcalifornia]

Really doesn't take much for a customer to switch from UPS to Fedex with the differences in price. This might be a tipping point for some.

[MrFedEx]

Originally Posted by Bubblehead

As usual UPS has taken a good thing and taken it over the top.
Management has started a campaign this week asking all service providers in my center to solicit customers at pickup accounts to write letters to our state Senators in support of legislation up for vote regarding the Railway Act that FedX is hiding behind.
They are asking (so far) that we all secure two letters each.
Although I am all for the legislation and will write ten letters if they ask me, I find this tactic ridiculous and inappropriate.
It's my opinion that in a business relationship, much like in party conversation, the topics of politics and religion should be avoided.
Interested in hearing some opinions from the members of the Brown Cafe on this subject.

Whatever UPS does, it can't be any worse than Brownbailout.com and all of the other happy crap FedEx has been spewing. While it's kind of pushing the envelope to request customers to write letters, if you guys do it, we won't be far behind. It will be a cold day in you know where before I ask a customer to send a letter on behalf of our beloved dictator Smith.

[Sleeve_meet_Heart]

Originally Posted by helenofcalifornia

Really doesn't take much for a customer to switch from UPS to Fedex with the differences in price. This might be a tipping point for some.

As an aside, FedExs prices as of January just went up roughly 6% ? across the board. Not sure the exact number, but it is substantial.

[BLACKBOX]

The way I see it is, the only company willing to do this would most likely be in a union. Trying to explain what the letter is for to a non-union company well you may as well try to convince your pet rock.

[Bubblehead]

Originally Posted by MrFedEx

Whatever UPS does, it can't be any worse than Brownbailout.com and all of the other happy crap FedEx has been spewing. While it's kind of pushing the envelope to request customers to write letters, if you guys do it, we won't be far behind. It will be a cold day in you know where before I ask a customer to send a letter on behalf of our beloved dictator Smith.

I told them I would not participate.
Ironically they wore the poker face of a bad bluff.
I could tell their hearts aren't in it.
Just toeing the line like a good little "facilitators".

[ups79]

Originally Posted by Sleeve_meet_Heart

As an aside, FedExs prices as of January just went up roughly 6% ? across the board. Not sure the exact number, but it is substantial.

UPS and Fedex usually always announce rate increases that will become effective next year about this time. It will not be long that UPS will be making a similiar announcement.

[overallowed]

I will write letters to anyone covering any subject while on the clock. But they better not hold their breath waiting for me to bug customers about this. I will not be moved.

[Baba gounj]

Originally Posted by overallowed

I will write letters to anyone covering any subject while on the clock. But they better not hold their breath waiting for me to bug customers about this. I will not be moved.

[soberups]

I wonder how much time IE will "allow" us for soliciting our customers in this manner.

OOPS--I forgot--its already "built in"

[JimJimmyJames]

Hmm, what I do all day is pick up Chinese made products from warehouses filled with workers who have very questionable English speaking skills. Do you think any of them will write those letters?

[Sleeve_meet_Heart]

Originally Posted by ups79

UPS and Fedex usually always announce rate increases that will become effective next year about this time. It will not be long that UPS will be making a similiar announcement.

Yes, I realize that.

The question is whether UPS's prices are competitive with FedEx (which they are) and also whether UPS's price increase is in the same ballpark with FedEx (which it might be).

I do not see the big deal.

[brownmonster]

I would imagine it is with cooperation between these 2 companies that prices are raised each year. Not called a duapoly for nothing.

[TheDick]

Originally Posted by soberups

I wonder how much time IE will "allow" us for soliciting our customers in this manner.

OOPS--I forgot--its already "built in"

i ask those types of questions at PCM, but get the stink eye instead of an answer

[MrFedEx]

Originally Posted by JimJimmyJames

Hmm, what I do all day is pick up Chinese made products from warehouses filled with workers who have very questionable English speaking skills. Do you think any of them will write those letters?

Shhhhhh...don't tell. You'll have FedEx Ground in there trying to recruit them as drivers. English not required.

[BLACKBOX]

Originally Posted by JimJimmyJames

Hmm, what I do all day is pick up Chinese made products from warehouses filled with workers who have very questionable English speaking skills. Do you think any of them will write those letters?

Did they specify it had to be in English?

[happybob]

Give the same response I give when they tell me they want lead cards.


"Oh yes Mr Manager. I will comply wth your request to find more work for my truck, when you find mmore trucks to allieviate the fact I already have to much work every day"

[MC4YOU2]

My production is a topic of debate with my on car and cm from time to time. When they brought these letter packs out I said I was not interested in doing it if there was not a way to code it out.
You also have to really know a customer is already supportive of the legislation anyway before we just stumble in with a request like this. I think its like playing with dynamite. Most people have either a strong pro or anti union view. Very little middle ground. Most business owners I know don't support union friendly views even if they like me personally. UPS has done a good job of villifying the Teamsters over the years and now to ask it's customers to sign on to this seems like double talk. A lot of business owners and people in general believe that the "union" is what went wrong in Detroit, even though it was the companies who decided year after year to make gas hogs that just finally stopped selling.
I don't think this campaign will be very effective unfortunately.

[JimJimmyJames]

Originally Posted by BLACKBOX

Did they specify it had to be in English?

No, but I can't ask them in Spanish . If I knew that one day Spanish would become almost a necessity, I would not have dropped it in the 9th grade .

[pickup]

Originally Posted by JimJimmyJames

Hmm, what I do all day is pick up Chinese made products from warehouses filled with workers who have very questionable English speaking skills. Do you think any of them will write those letters?

you must pick up at the Bed Bath and English is Beyond us account.

[pickup]

Originally Posted by MC4YOU2

My production is a topic of debate with my on car and cm from time to time. When they brought these letter packs out I said I was not interested in doing it if there was not a way to code it out.
You also have to really know a customer is already supportive of the legislation anyway before we just stumble in with a request like this. I think its like playing with dynamite. Most people have either a strong pro or anti union view. Very little middle ground. Most business owners I know don't support union friendly views even if they like me personally. UPS has done a good job of villifying the Teamsters over the years and now to ask it's customers to sign on to this seems like double talk. A lot of business owners and people in general believe that the "union" is what went wrong in Detroit, even though it was the companies who decided year after year to make gas hogs that just finally stopped selling.
I don't think this campaign will be very effective unfortunately.

it is playing with dynamite. It would be the equivalent of going up to these business owners asking them to write letters to congress to not approve or approve a supreme court candidate. Pretty darn intrusive.

[Work right slow and safe]

if ups feels this should be done then they can send letters to all the comp and inform them of what is going on in the world and they can ask them to right the letters to support this no me