Word(s) to the Wise! - Brown Cafe

Cole · 06-19-2007, 09:08 PM

Every driver/ person that meets with the public please be careful in the way you conduct yourself with the public/customers. Use extreme caution in the way you talk to the opposite sex, as anyone can misconstrue your words, and you could find yourself with a sexual harrassment charge!

Do not assume you know people well enough to make even slight leud comments, as even a witness can call in a complaint as we're dealing with for one of our guys. It's based on the individuals perception as to how our words are taken so please be careful, because as UPS people we are walking dollar $bills$ to the general public and in a sue me climate out there caution is always advisable. When one of us is accused the company has no choice but to take action, and even though it's not listed as a Cardinal Infraction, they will pull you off the road, as it's a huge liability. Then as in this case if you go to try and apologize it can make it worse as they can throw in the fear factor.

Please don't put you and your family in a scenerio that could put your job on the line, because it's really tough to defend it.

We've got to try and smooth the waters for a case here, but it's not looking good! The only point we may have is a manager that has been charged with it twice, and still is working, but was demoted to on car sup.

Caution is the word folks!

RockyRogue · 06-20-2007, 01:45 AM

[quote=Cole;211203] Every driver/ person that meets with the public please be careful in the way you conduct yourself with the public/customers. Use extreme caution in the way you talk to the opposite sex, as anyone can misconstrue your words, and you could find yourself with a sexual harrassment charge!

Do not assume you know people well enough to make even slight leud comments.[quote]

Great post!!!! I stick to "Ma'am," "Miss," "Lady," and "ladies." ANY comment other than that might be asking for trouble, which I've gotten

. WATCH YOUR MOUTHS!!!!!!!! -Rocky

Channahon · 06-20-2007, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cole

Every driver/ person that meets with the public please be careful in the way you conduct yourself with the public/customers. Use extreme caution in the way you talk to the opposite sex, as anyone can misconstrue your words, and you could find yourself with a sexual harrassment charge!

Do not assume you know people well enough to make even slight leud comments, as even a witness can call in a complaint as we're dealing with for one of our guys. It's based on the individuals perception as to how our words are taken so please be careful, because as UPS people we are walking dollar $bills$ to the general public and in a sue me climate out there caution is always advisable. When one of us is accused the company has no choice but to take action, and even though it's not listed as a Cardinal Infraction, they will pull you off the road, as it's a huge liability. Then as in this case if you go to try and apologize it can make it worse as they can throw in the fear factor.

Please don't put you and your family in a scenerio that could put your job on the line, because it's really tough to defend it.

We've got to try and smooth the waters for a case here, but it's not looking good! The only point we may have is a manager that has been charged with it twice, and still is working, but was demoted to on car sup.

Caution is the word folks!

UPS is one of the most respected companies and our people are the most visible to the public.

It is for that reason that all UPS employees must be professional at all times, when dealing with the public.

One of the worse ways to go home and tell the family you no longer work for UPS, if that is the outcome.

How do you do that???

wildgoose · 06-21-2007, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Channahon

UPS is one of the most respected companies and our people are the most visible to the public.

It is for that reason that all UPS employees must be professional at all times, when dealing with the public.

One of the worse ways to go home and tell the family you no longer work for UPS, if that is the outcome.

How do you do that???

I have seen many a driver on the outside because he thought ups is a dating service on his run. All it takes for someone to have a bad day to say you made a suggestive comment and here comes some unpaid vacation time. Ever heard the expression don`t poop where you eat ? This one applies.

local804 · 06-21-2007, 05:28 PM

I really dont think there is anything wrong with telling a lady how good she looks or how nice her hair is today. Sometimes its the little things you say that will brighten up thier day. On a OJS I remember a supervisor telling me he only wants me to say hello, goodbye and keep it short and simple. I tend to disagree and only would apease him during our ride. The majority of my customers are more than customers, they are my friends.They ask about my family and vise versa. Know what to say and how to say it and you will be allright.

Cole · 06-22-2007, 10:34 AM

It's when you make a suggestive type comment that can get you in trouble, as it's on their perception. I can't go into specifics but the case we have was plainly a guy joking, but the comments were not well thought out.

cino321 · 06-22-2007, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by local804

I really dont think there is anything wrong with telling a lady how good she looks or how nice her hair is today. Sometimes its the little things you say that will brighten up thier day. On a OJS I remember a supervisor telling me he only wants me to say hello, goodbye and keep it short and simple. I tend to disagree and only would apease him during our ride. The majority of my customers are more than customers, they are my friends.They ask about my family and vise versa. Know what to say and how to say it and you will be allright.

That's how you learn to deliver your route, and not bring a crazy amount of send agains back. The more personal you get, you learn who's going to steal from you, who is going to give you a key to their apartment building, who lets you leave stuff and where.

area43 · 06-22-2007, 05:24 PM

We live in a very politically correct society(pc)now days. Have you ever been on your route and said something to a customer and never thought anything about it ? Then you get back to the center and they have called in a complaint. It totally floors you. I have learnd it all comes down to the maturity of the driver, being wiseful enough to analize a situation quickly and act responsibly. Yes, their are customers out there that are a couple cans short of a six pack, but that is what you always have to be on the look out for. Keep it always professional, have a line drawn in the sand(so to speak). The job s stresses(time constraints, family....) is tough enough, lets not add another variable into the mix if its at all possible. ( :

Residential deliveries(dr stops) UPS policy is that you have little or no contact with the customer if they happen to be at home, UPS prefers the latter. Having said that I come to my next point Iam on a rural route. There are some stops that take me 5, 10 or 15 minutes,depending on the stop (remind you this is one stop,one pkg drop). Ok, now if I happen to come in contact with the customer I will initiate a conversation(deduct from my own time). The whole purpose is to develope a bond, so then I can drop the bomb on them(the big question). Can I leave this at an alternative location(rubbermaid tub in the woods, billy bobs house or whatever)? 99 % of the time they say yes. YIPPPEEEE. Having been on this route for 5 years I have MANY and I say MANY short cuts on my route. Saving the company gas,wear and tear, and labor cost. Freindships do reap rewards in more way than one.

Now the problem is that my sup wants to dispatch my run on the short cuts I have created myself on my own time ( ; Is he nuts lol. I told him no wwwaaaayyyy. Those are my short cuts not UPS s. Go ahead buddy(sup) raise my stop count and Ill just start running them to the front door. He never mentioned it again.

Cole · 06-22-2007, 06:31 PM

This is not an issue of building a relationship w/ customers etc...but about comments made to a customer related to sex etc...so I am saying do not just assume you know customers well enough, as anyone can have a bad day, and could call in a complaint, or being looking for some easy money etc...

area43 · 06-22-2007, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cole

This is not an issue of building a relationship w/ customers etc...but about comments made to a customer related to sex etc...so I am saying do not just assume you know customers well enough, as anyone can have a bad day, and could call in a complaint, or being looking for some easy money etc...

Cole your right, I guess I went on a little bunny trail in the last part(2 paragraphs) of my post. lol

rebel · 06-22-2007, 07:12 PM

Cole, we lost a coworker last year for the same thing. Good message you are sending, I hope everyone listens and sends the message to their friends. We are here to do a job, thats it. Another thing we need to remember is the company will get written statements from the accuser and they will not be at the panel. Just dont put yourself in this position because the end result is not a good one.

local804 · 06-22-2007, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rebel

We are here to do a job, thats it.

Dont forget that part of our job is to service the customer. I would rather have a delivery service that speaks and is friendly than the UPS robot they want us to be. What UPS driver hasnt went out to a happy hour with an office full of thier customers? What UPS driver wasnt asked to atleast 3 Christmas parties a year? Sporting events? ect ect. Once again, there isnothing wrong with making friends on the route, just watch what you say to the ladies.

Sammie · 06-22-2007, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Channahon

UPS is one of the most respected companies and our people are the most visible to the public.

It is for that reason that all UPS employees must be professional at all times, when dealing with the public.

The impact we have on the public and on our customers is huge.

No kidding on this one - my dentist, a rough and tough kind of guy, was close to tears one day when I went in for a routine exam. He was losing his UPS driver of many years, a black guy by the name of Willie Mays.

Willie has a personality out of this world and he decided to go into feeders. His daily package customers were devastated!! THAT says something!!!

One of the jobs I had in customer service, (NOT the phone center that I've mentioned) was as part of a group (before it was outsourced) assigned to such companies as IBM, Sears, Toys R Us, Wells Fargo, Winnebago, Ball Corp, and any of the other big guys whose headquarters are located here.

What I had no inkling of, as Channahon says, was the impact we made on our customers. We talked to these people every day,"wore kid gloves" with them and got to know them extremely well. I became aware of the trust that had been created when a customer would call us with the news that a loved one had passed away. Or that their home had been repossessed. Or that their kid had gone to rehab. Or that the divorce had just gone thru. Or that one of them had just received a pink slip and as a good friend, could we put some feelers out for him?
I made a call to a business owner (at his request) and when I got there, he had no business issues. He had just come back to work from losing his wife and wanted
to talk about her with someone he felt comfortable with. That was a tough one.

BTW, a large part of that trust stems from the fact that their drivers move heaven and hell for them...

BCFan · 06-22-2007, 08:56 PM

dont sow wild oats on the route (but if you have to pray for crop failure!)

BC-(not Boston College)

rebel · 06-22-2007, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by local804

Dont forget that part of our job is to service the customer. I would rather have a delivery service that speaks and is friendly than the UPS robot they want us to be. What UPS driver hasnt went out to a happy hour with an office full of thier customers? What UPS driver wasnt asked to atleast 3 Christmas parties a year? Sporting events? ect ect. Once again, there isnothing wrong with making friends on the route, just watch what you say to the ladies.

I agree with you, but we have to keep it professional. I have seen to many times our LM rip a new one because we do not get paid to socialize. The company can and will paint a awful picture at the panel just to make a point.

705red · 06-22-2007, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rebel

I agree with you, but we have to keep it professional. I have seen to many times our LM rip a new one because we do not get paid to socialize. The company can and will paint a awful picture at the panel just to make a point.

But the company cant argue 25 customer statements praising you in your work, and no arbitrator would rule against that!

Cole · 06-22-2007, 10:32 PM

Look folks again, and Red you can vouch here as I shared w/ you what was said, this wan't establishing a relationship, but a very ignorant couple of statements, so I am just encouraging folks to be cautious, in the topics you bring up, or in how you communicate them is all.

local804 · 06-23-2007, 06:08 AM

Sammie,
I agree 100% with you. When I transfered to a different route I had a office building thow me a little party. It really wasnt anything big, but it was the thought was was sweet. We also read on these forums ALL the time when drivers retire from delivereing to towns for 25+ years and the town actually throws them a party. Nice post

local804 · 06-23-2007, 09:32 AM

I also understand what cole posts here also though. Some people take some comments out of context and next thing you know you have a problem on your hands. We all know who our friends are and should know what to and what not to say to the people. Dont forget, there are alot of gold diggers out there and see UPS as an unmined mountain. If a guy says you look good in that dress I dont think it is offensive, but if he says the same sentance with his eyes glued to her breasts, Im sure we get the point.
Good post Cole, one of the better ones.

705red · 06-23-2007, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by local804

I also understand what cole posts here also though. Some people take some comments out of context and next thing you know you have a problem on your hands. We all know who our friends are and should know what to and what not to say to the people. Dont forget, there are alot of gold diggers out there and see UPS as an unmined mountain. If a guy says you look good in that dress I dont think it is offensive, but if he says the same sentance with his eyes glued to her breasts, Im sure we get the point.
Good post Cole, one of the better ones.

HERE COME THE CUBS! Now if the yankees can start playing some baseball maybe we can whoop you in the world series, until then i plan on playing the red sox!