An Update for Customers on the FedEx Holiday FAIL

[MrFedEx]

Really? Where? I got an Express Saturday pickup incoming... Let alone they picked up today and will Friday as well.

I have no doubt you are slammed, you are now getting all the last minute freight that ground can't commit to. Must be amazing, for lack of a better word.

Hey Tut...lucky you. But, let's say another package gets picked up without any problems, and let's also say that it's destined for one of our many locations that have 10 or more containers that won't even get touched for several days. By Christmas day, I predict that at least half our stations will have massive amounts of unattempted freight...at least several J cans at each location. Lots of perishables, and lots of gifts...that might get there by New Year's Day.

 

[TUT]

Hey Tut...lucky you. But, let's say another package gets picked up without any problems, and let's also say that it's destined for one of our many locations that have 10 or more containers that won't even get touched for several days. By Christmas day, I predict that at least half our stations will have massive amounts of unattempted freight...at least several J cans at each location. Lots of perishables, and lots of gifts...that might get there by New Year's Day.

I'm am giving my personal experience, like you are. You of an driver, who knows his area and good read on your stations area. Me as a shipper who ships to all corners, who can run metrics to every zip, meaning 45000 drivers perspectives in terms of raw delivery performance. Now we haven't done that yet for the season. We are expecting a drop off, as it is common, we'll see "how bad" it does get. I am not questioning that there will be delays. You brought up pickups being stopped, I haven't see that, now in this case as a pickup spot, I'm just one shipper in a sole zip, so even a smaller sliver than what you see. But was just chiming in, sales/operations at Fedex have not put out an update stating "not good to go". I am also not sure by what on-calls mean in your world.

Now here is a little perspective we each could share. What percentage of late deliveries do you expect you'll see? What do you consider bad? I have a number of the worst I've seen historically from Express. I'll share, but you have to give me a good guess on what you think that number is? See you come in with these large words of doom. Are you saying 50% will be late? 75%, 25%, 10%... 5%... etc?

 

[cancan]

I'm am giving my personal experience, like you are. You of an driver, who knows his area and good read on your stations area. Me as a shipper who ships to all corners, who can run metrics to every zip, meaning 45000 drivers perspectives in terms of raw delivery performance. Now we haven't done that yet for the season. We are expecting a drop off, as it is common, we'll see "how bad" it does get. I am not questioning that there will be delays. You brought up pickups being stopped, I haven't see that, now in this case as a pickup spot, I'm just one shipper in a sole zip, so even a smaller sliver than what you see. But was just chiming in, sales/operations at Fedex have not put out an update stating "not good to go". I am also not sure by what on-calls mean in your world.

Now here is a little perspective we each could share. What percentage of late deliveries do you expect you'll see? What do you consider bad? I have a number of the worst I've seen historically from Express. I'll share, but you have to give me a good guess on what you think that number is? See you come in with these large words of doom. Are you saying 50% will be late? 75%, 25%, 10%... 5%... etc?

I'm not predicting doom. I think we'll have 5-10 percent wrong day lates. There are still enough good people here to make up for the management shortfalls. Its just not that bad.

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[TUT]

I'm not predicting doom. I think we'll have 5-10 percent wrong day lates. There are still enough good people here to make up for the management shortfalls. Its just not that bad.

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It may even drop another 10%, but you most likely are right in terms of you'll still get it done, even if you are hand tied. These numbers don't start revolts, stock prices to fall. etc. In fact both carriers are going to report their best #'s ever.

 

[5yearsleft]

Twice this week our outbound freight planes were still sitting at our ramp the following morning. Twice this week we have had to "roll" 1 of the 3 planes of inbound freight to the next day. We were still trying to deliver some of Wednesdays freight today. We stopped running P1 & P2 separately last week. It's all straightline. About 25 people have signed up to work Christmas day. I think I'll pass....

 

[Nolimitz]

Yesterday we had a plane that never showed till 1750. So today we had 55.5 positions (J-cans) of freight. Station record is 40, normal is around 24. We ran the sort until 10am (about 12k pieces) and stopped what was left for tomorrow. Currently snowing like a bat-out-hell. Should be a fun day in the am.

 

[cancan]

Yesterday we had a plane that never showed till 1750. So today we had 55.5 positions (J-cans) of freight. Station record is 40, normal is around 24. We ran the sort until 10am (about 12k pieces) and stopped what was left for tomorrow. Currently snowing like a bat-out-hell. Should be a fun day in the am.

I speak for only my location. Lol. Our ramp facility is 30 seconds from the station and we have mostly good weather as far as roads go.

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[MrFedEx]

Twice this week our outbound freight planes were still sitting at our ramp the following morning. Twice this week we have had to "roll" 1 of the 3 planes of inbound freight to the next day. We were still trying to deliver some of Wednesdays freight today. We stopped running P1 & P2 separately last week. It's all straightline. About 25 people have signed up to work Christmas day. I think I'll pass....

This is the norm. My station is refusing most inbound freight, and it's very obvious the system is completely overwhelmed. If they had planned this properly, hired runners and temps early, and had an actual real, workable plan, they would still be slammed, but they would have had it under control. As others have said, I also envision massive freight being delivered until New Years at a minimum. They have totally effed it up by treating people like crap, and making bad decision after bad decision. We don't deserve this, and neither do the customers. It will be interesting to see how MEM spins this disaster when they do the post mortem.

 

[Mr. 7]

I am also not sure by what on-calls mean in your world.

You, are a regular pup. You are pupped on a regular basis, either every day, every other day, every Monday, etc. An on call pup is any yahoo in the world that calls in or, requests via on line to have a pkg. picked up. They can (and do) give us as small as a 1 hr. window. This can really screw a CRR if he has left the area and normally does not return. WE HAVE TO GET ALL PUPS ON TIME.

Now here is a little perspective we each could share. What percentage of late deliveries do you expect you'll see? What do you consider bad? I have a number of the worst I've seen historically from Express. I'll share, but you have to give me a good guess on what you think that number is? See you come in with these large words of doom. Are you saying 50% will be late? 75%, 25%, 10%... 5%... etc?

This will depend on whether or not most of your shipments are going to resis., or, bus. We prioritize bus. dels. b'c most bus. close by 5.

 

[!Retired!]

I'm not predicting doom. I think we'll have 5-10 percent wrong day lates. There are still enough good people here to make up for the management shortfalls. Its just not that bad.

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Not in my loop. If we see we're going to run into a problem finishing, We'll Stat 41 the next days package and deliver whats due that day. So far, you can count on 1 hand how many unattempted stops the 4 in my loop have brought back. And that was only because of DOT hours.

 

[TUT]

You, are a regular pup. You are pupped on a regular basis, either every day, every other day, every Monday, etc. An on call pup is any yahoo in the world that calls in or, requests via on line to have a pkg. picked up. They can (and do) give us as small as a 1 hr. window. This can really screw a CRR if he has left the area and normally does not return. WE HAVE TO GET ALL PUPS ON TIME.



This will depend on whether or not most of your shipments are going to resis., or, bus. We prioritize bus. dels. b'c most bus. close by 5.

40-60 Biz vs Resi.

I was thinking that is what was meant but thankful to get affirmation. So for a brief period of time and then it was abandoned, Fedex was saying to some non-daily pickup customers, that they said "Sorry we don't have the ability to pickup your package today" to a random pickup. Although not ideal, that is hardly (and not referring to you) disastrous and to me falls under "could very well happen in times like this, don't wait to the last second people".

I think some here who very well could have points, overstates pretty much everything, which they must think helps their cause, but remaining accurate is always critical for credibility. There are all kinds of industries that have capacity problems and the public understands, even if not happily. "Opening night at a movie release. Sold Out.", "Only 10 left in stock, order soon.", "Hours of operation 8 to 5 as you stand there reading it at 6", "Standing 2 hours in line to get on a coaster", "moving 5 mph on a two lane highway that needs 4 lanes". And many more. It isn't unlimited anything all the time, so when you hit capacity it isn't sky is falling and all plans were foiled, because almost everyone has a capacity of some sorts, or best described on the street these days "It is what it is". From my perspective you just do what you can and if you want it to change, start planning a path of promotion.

But big load of Express heading out today for ya'lls... Thanks in part to "Last minute shopper"! We don't even particularly like it.

 

[fredup]

as far as I am concerned, if your present was ordered yesterday or today, you don't deserve to get your gift on time

 

[fredup]

cjinx, you must have ordered something today.

 

[Mr. 7]

I just now pupped a Kinkos.
Guess what? Practically all 2 day, Tuesday due frt.

 

[overflowed]

That must be nice. Sounds like a lot of stations are doing ok. My station looks like beirut in 1983. Just imagine the rubble as packages. I feel like this kid when I look around.

Not in my loop. If we see we're going to run into a problem finishing, We'll Stat 41 the next days package and deliver whats due that day. So far, you can count on 1 hand how many unattempted stops the 4 in my loop have brought back. And that was only because of DOT hours.

 

[hypo hanna]

40-60 Biz vs Resi.

I was thinking that is what was meant but thankful to get affirmation. So for a brief period of time and then it was abandoned, Fedex was saying to some non-daily pickup customers, that they said "Sorry we don't have the ability to pickup your package today" to a random pickup. Although not ideal, that is hardly (and not referring to you) disastrous and to me falls under "could very well happen in times like this, don't wait to the last second people".

I think some here who very well could have points, overstates pretty much everything, which they must think helps their cause, but remaining accurate is always critical for credibility. There are all kinds of industries that have capacity problems and the public understands, even if not happily. "Opening night at a movie release. Sold Out.", "Only 10 left in stock, order soon.", "Hours of operation 8 to 5 as you stand there reading it at 6", "Standing 2 hours in line to get on a coaster", "moving 5 mph on a two lane highway that needs 4 lanes". And many more. It isn't unlimited anything all the time, so when you hit capacity it isn't sky is falling and all plans were foiled, because almost everyone has a capacity of some sorts, or best described on the street these days "It is what it is". From my perspective you just do what you can and if you want it to change, start planning a path of promotion.

But big load of Express heading out today for ya'lls... Thanks in part to "Last minute shopper"! We don't even particularly like it.

I agree with most of what you say except the oncall stops aren't some random customers. In my market they represent about 40% of total stops and about 25% of the package volume.That's a lot of pissed off customers. Until we started with CIB call ins and brought on the massive confussion From ground, we could expect 95% of those stops to be productive with a package. something that was not the case with the regulars.