COD's

mattwtrs

Retired Senior Member
Yesterday I was covering a route that I had not been on in quite a while. I had 1 COD package for a Auto & Truck Accessory place along with 5 prepaid packages. The young punk receiver wanted to open the box of running boards before getting me a check. I told him politely that is not allowed and he started on me. I told him he better get the boss or I was leaving. He got the boss and boy was that a mistake, it was his smart mouth father. I handed him the packing list and he said he needed the package but he grabbed the package and started ripping it open to inspect it while the kid got a check. He said he's had too many damaged packages that he's been burnt on. The box was in like new condition and I didn't think of taking any pictures to prove my point. I got my check and left. I called in & told the OMS she'd probably be getting a concern or message. Sure enough the clown called the 800 #. Of course he said I was rude and was calling the shipper yada yada yada. I will be asking the regular driver who was on vacation what's this guy's problem. Years ago I know drivers got in trouble for allowing people to open COD's and then refusing them. Is this still the case?
 

705red

Browncafe Steward
Yesterday I was covering a route that I had not been on in quite a while. I had 1 COD package for a Auto & Truck Accessory place along with 5 prepaid packages. The young punk receiver wanted to open the box of running boards before getting me a check. I told him politely that is not allowed and he started on me. I told him he better get the boss or I was leaving. He got the boss and boy was that a mistake, it was his smart mouth father. I handed him the packing list and he said he needed the package but he grabbed the package and started ripping it open to inspect it while the kid got a check. He said he's had too many damaged packages that he's been burnt on. The box was in like new condition and I didn't think of taking any pictures to prove my point. I got my check and left. I called in & told the OMS she'd probably be getting a concern or message. Sure enough the clown called the 800 #. Of course he said I was rude and was calling the shipper yada yada yada. I will be asking the regular driver who was on vacation what's this guy's problem. Years ago I know drivers got in trouble for allowing people to open COD's and then refusing them. Is this still the case?

I dont let people open any packages unless they are pretty beat up. Its not our problem(ups) if people are sending damaged merchandise or even the wrong merchandise. To my knowledge this is the proper way, i have never been told different.
 

longlunchguy

Runnin on Empty
I know our policy is that no one opens a pkg until they pay for it and sign for it, but if something looks tattered, I want to open it with the customer. This way I know he ain't taking nothing , and he's not writing a check for damaged goods. If I'm watching the customer inspect the package, and it's damaged, I apologize and sheet it up as damaged.
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
"..but he grabbed the package and started ripping it open..."

At that point you should have called the police. You had not released the package to him; it was not his to open.
 

DS

Fenderbender
Being a ups driver often involves phsycology.
You dont want a complaint yet you also want the transaction to go smoothly so you can be on your way,giving him the packing slip was a seasoned ups driver move,at that point the package should be under your arm,and you should be on your way back to the truck with a hearty hi ho silver ,I`ll let you take this up with the shipper and I'll be back tomorrow if you decide to accept it.Please have a check ready if you do.
9 times out of 10 the check is ready in less than a minute.
 

Harry Manback

Robot Extraordinaire
This is slightly off topic, but it reminded me of a question I've been meaning to ask. Here in my area there a little stores (tiendas?) that are run by and geared toward Latin American immigrants. (Mexicans) These businesses get stuff all the time. (musica, cowboy hats, cowboy boots, large belt buckles, did I mention MUSICA!!??) Anyhow, it ALWAYS comes cert. check or money order.

My question is this, is there anyone here who can tell me how to say certified check or money order only in Spanish? Or better yet, "Bull crap Rosario!! You friggin knew this was coming! It's the third box of musica this week!! You just didn't get the money order again!" :lol:
 

VTBrown

Well-Known Member
Don't give them possession of the package till a check is handed to you.

I don't let anyone open a package prior to release or signing. Don't even think about a COD.

If the box is damaged they can always refuse it.
 

Dirty Savage

Paranoid Android
I don't let anyone even touch the c.o.d. package until i have the payment in my hand. I just stand back just out of arms reach. The exception to this is if the package is clearly damaged, then I have no problem letting them open it and checking out the contents - even though I have been told this is against UPS policy. But I have never been one to follow rules . . .
 

brownrodster

Well-Known Member
I acutally had 2 guys at bulk stops get pissed off at me this week when I told them they cannot open anything until everything is unloaded and they have signed. Whenever I uphold our rules shippers say something to the effect of "thats stupid!" And I'm like well 'expletive deleted'(in my head of course).
 
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VTBrown

Well-Known Member
When they say..."Well thats stupid."

Say is it stupid for me to follow UPS rules or break the rules and face up to termination. What looks like the stupid choice to my family?

If the box is damaged you can always put a remark in the remark column saying box torn/crushed/wet etc....

If thats not good enough, they can refuse it.
 

1989

Well-Known Member
Plain and simple....If the box is damaged, don't even show it to the customer. Sheet as damaged and bring in at night.
 

Just Lurking

Well-Known Member
I know our policy is that no one opens a pkg until they pay for it and sign for it, but if something looks tattered, I want to open it with the customer. This way I know he ain't taking nothing , and he's not writing a check for damaged goods. If I'm watching the customer inspect the package, and it's damaged, I apologize and sheet it up as damaged.

While you know that consignee is not stealing anything from from a "damaged" package. How does the shipper or anyone else know that it was not you when something is missing on return to shipper. All the consignee has to tell the shipper "The driver opened it".

LP -> God -> Shipper -> UPS management -> Consignee -> every other object in the universe -> Driver

Will I let few people on my route look if it looks "damaged". Most people get "Our DMP clerks will inspect it tonight. I am not authorized to inspect "damaged" packages for UPS. Its a tough position but I'm not paying for anyones "damaged" package.
 

scratch

Least Best Moderator
Staff member
My question is this, is there anyone here who can tell me how to say certified check or money order only in Spanish? Or better yet, "Bull crap Rosario!! You friggin knew this was coming! in!" :lol:

I'm surprised we don't have Infonotices printed in Spanish. It used to be, the illegal aliens would always have the money order ready on the first attempt. Now they just look at me in astonishment, the language problem is not on me, this is an English-speaking country. I just fill out the Infonotice and drive away.:mad:
 

Just Lurking

Well-Known Member
I'm surprised we don't have Infonotices printed in Spanish. It used to be, the illegal aliens would always have the money order ready on the first attempt. Now they just look at me in astonishment, the language problem is not on me, this is an English-speaking country. I just fill out the Infonotice and drive away.:mad:

Not on exactly on topic. But for non-English speaking or I'm faking I do not know English Japanese customers -

Honda Suzuki Yahama Sony Hiroshima Nagasaki BOOM.
 

Dirty Savage

Paranoid Android
Plain and simple....If the box is damaged, don't even show it to the customer. Sheet as damaged and bring in at night.

I used to do that too until one day I had this 120 lb computer desk in a box. Apparently most of it was made of glass and when it came out of the trailer it was obviously smashed as glass was pouring out of a hole in the bottom. The customer lived on a third floor walk up apartment and my way of thinking was, hey, this is obviously ruined and there's no sense lugging this thing up three flights of stairs just to have the customer refuse it anyways. So I just sheeted it up as refused - damaged and took it to the clerk at the end of the day.

Come to work the next day to find there was a complaint against me. The customer was tracking the package and called to complain that the driver - me - did not come to their door and they in no way refused the package. So that day I dragged this damned thing up all those stairs, broken glass trickling out all over the floor, and when the customer opened the door I asked them if they really wanted a smashed computer desk. Of course they said no.
 

Just Lurking

Well-Known Member
I used to do that too until one day I had this 120 lb computer desk in a box. Apparently most of it was made of glass and when it came out of the trailer it was obviously smashed as glass was pouring out of a hole in the bottom. The customer lived on a third floor walk up apartment and my way of thinking was, hey, this is obviously ruined and there's no sense lugging this thing up three flights of stairs just to have the customer refuse it anyways. So I just sheeted it up as refused - damaged and took it to the clerk at the end of the day.

Come to work the next day to find there was a complaint against me. The customer was tracking the package and called to complain that the driver - me - did not come to their door and they in no way refused the package. So that day I dragged this damned thing up all those stairs, broken glass trickling out all over the floor, and when the customer opened the door I asked them if they really wanted a smashed computer desk. Of course they said no.

Do not sheet it as Other Non-Delivery (2) Refused than "Damaged" for refused reason but Other Non-Delivery (1) Damaged.
 

1989

Well-Known Member
I used to do that too until one day I had this 120 lb computer desk in a box. Apparently most of it was made of glass and when it came out of the trailer it was obviously smashed as glass was pouring out of a hole in the bottom. The customer lived on a third floor walk up apartment and my way of thinking was, hey, this is obviously ruined and there's no sense lugging this thing up three flights of stairs just to have the customer refuse it anyways. So I just sheeted it up as refused - damaged and took it to the clerk at the end of the day.

Come to work the next day to find there was a complaint against me. The customer was tracking the package and called to complain that the driver - me - did not come to their door and they in no way refused the package. So that day I dragged this damned thing up all those stairs, broken glass trickling out all over the floor, and when the customer opened the door I asked them if they really wanted a smashed computer desk. Of course they said no.


That's because you sheeted as refused...Just sheet as damaged. No refused involved.
 

705red

Browncafe Steward
Not on exactly on topic. But for non-English speaking or I'm faking I do not know English Japanese customers -

Honda Suzuki Yahama Sony Hiroshima Nagasaki BOOM.
My first week i had a little old japanese lady sign in japanese and couldnt speak english, i called the center (being a rookie) and they laughed at me and hung up, so now every japanese person is hiroshima and every indian is now patel.
 
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