Dark day in my center

[Overpaid Union Thug]

Dude(BAU) I forgot the 3 part of my Glacier analogy,3)UPS is "Jack Frost". The up coming winter forcast calls for very little precipation(snow fall). More, that was great, "snow cones" lol that was a real ice breaker. By the way what is you favorite flavor? Oh, and you to bau.

Coca Cola all the way!

 

[1989]

When I went to people and labor class(AKA UPS mgmt. school) back in 1991. They said in those classes, you can't complain about a contract you agreed to.

 

[area43]

Cold world quote "everyone on this thread said UPS isnt growing". Not I, I said growth was weak, but there was growth. I also admit that I did say that we were losing much more ice than we are gaining(glacier analogy), I will take the comment back because it makes us sound like were not growing. In my opinion, I feel we are not aggresive enough. Price wars? yes(we are in price wars at the present). Could it get worse? yes. Would we win? I hope, but I do know this, the competitors do have the upper hand on the rate pricing( low wages). I believe the competition is frantically working on their customer service. When they gain ground on that area I believe UPS is in big trouble. Were not invincible. It will take time. As far as predatory pricing is concerned I ll have to bring up the old walmart and microsoft companies. To my knowledge there has not been too many serious challenges in taking them on, on this issue. I believe UPS will have the same sucess. I hope ( ; Also coldworld I have some good news on the start time issue. Here in virgina, since april 16,2007(the date of va start early campaign in our district). We have been starting at 8 am. We have 50 plus drivers in our building(small). About 40 start at 8 am/leave building around 815 est. Another 5(which Im in that group) start at 830 left buiding time 835 840 est, I like the 830 because every thing is ready to go and I can catch a few more winks ( ; Im more of a late nighter than earlier morning person. Then you have like 2 or 3 start at 9 930(they re pissed lol). They do this for the late pick ups. They also do this in order to keep everyone under 9/5. I had my reserevation as did everyone else as april 16 drew near, but to my surprise it has gone very well up till now. I assume this might be experimental, and if successful, could be coming to your area(or nationwide) very soon. Keep your fingers cross, I would say hold your breath, But you know how some things work out at UPS. ( :

 

[Griff]

As soon as the Teamsters "come down on their rates" UPS will be able to also.

Yeah, drivers pulling in 60k a year is the achilles heel of present day UPS.

If most management people share the same opinions floating on this board about drivers, why don't you man up and get rid of us in '08? We're uneducated, unemployable derelicts of the worst kind, so why continue to keep us on the payroll? Makes no sense to me, cut us all, save yourselves the embarassment and take your feeder fleet down to Mexico to pickup your new street soldiers.

Boiled Frog you sound an awful lot like most deadweight management types that UPS is currently getting rid of. What's wrong, your $1200 brooks brothers suit isn't good enough for you anymore?

 

[area43]

Bau, a couple of times you used the phrase "record high profits". I believe that will soon become the next catch phrase basically because of the oil companies(exxon one of them) having record high profits. The reason I bring this up is because if your in labor(hourly) that has a slight negative conatation. ex. those rich old bastards, making all that money off us worken folk. Its just a bunch of bs,lol. The by-product of growth is wealth. When addressing UPS,s record high profits its only fair I believe in same breath that you say, they also have record high operating cost. It lets the listener know that UPS does give back(because of the teamsters) to its employee s. It gives UPS a break on their image, Not to be grouped in with all the other Big, mean, old, rich, selfish(thinking of more adjectives,lol) profitable companies. ( ;

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

Bau, a couple of times you used the phrase "record high profits". I believe that will soon become the next catch phrase basically because of the oil companies(exxon one of them) having record high profits. The reason I bring this up is because if your in labor(hourly) that has a slight negative conatation. ex. those rich old bastards, making all that money off us worken folk. Its just a bunch of bs,lol. The by-product of growth is wealth. When addressing UPS,s record high profits its only fair I believe in same breath that you say, they also have record high operating cost. It lets the listener know that UPS does give back(because of the teamsters) to its employee s. It gives UPS a break on their image, Not to be grouped in with all the other Big, mean, old, rich, selfish(thinking of more adjectives,lol) profitable companies. ( ;

I believe it was more than clear that I don't group UPS with other companys that get rich off their employees while their empoyees make menial wages when I said that I didn't want any more money. I also said that our huge raises need to stop. So, it's obvious I wasn't implying that UPS is getting rich off of slave labor. The fact that they are spending record amounts in order to profit only proves one thing...you have to spend money to make money. Plus...AGAIN I must bring it up....UPS is still cashing in big $$$ year after year.

 

[6 comm 3centerdispatch]

If you want to share in the profits you should buy the stock. If you want a job that pays more you should go look for one elsewhere. The fact that the company makes profits doesn't mean the job you do is worth more.

* Profit is defined as $$$ left after cost including our top rate rates.


* It's not the point to give us more raises. That's not at all THE POINT.


* The point is that there is obvious room to reduce prices by cutting into the profit. (90 billion dollars worth).


* It's not our high pay rate thats keeping our price to the costumer from being more aggressive. it's the high profit that corp keeps building even after our top rate.


* Would it hurt to profit $70 billion ,(instead of $90 billion), and $20 billion gets back to our costumer base via reduced price, keeping our top rate as is. It would benifit by gaining more volume and profit will go up do to increased volume and less risk of lossing more big accounts do to price.



* Do you see anyone in here saying we need paid more cause of the large profit. I don't. The discussion is keeping accounts and not lossing the large one's.



I think the problem is that we have boiled frogs for management.

Management is more worried about how things look on paper rather then the truth.

Example, "duplicate stops", complete B.S.

We should be credited for making an extra trip going out of our way to make a 2nd attempt.

yea, I'm going to same place a 2nd time. Yea costumer request or management request but It doesn't change the fact that it is an additional stop. Especially through the day and you have quit a few 2nd attemps.

Oops I think i just got into a whole nother topic.

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

* Profit is defined as $$$ left after cost including our top rate rates.


* It's not the point to give us more raises. That's not at all THE POINT.


* The point is that there is obvious room to reduce prices by cutting into the profit. (90 billion dollars worth).


* It's not our high pay rate thats keeping our price to the costumer from being more aggressive. it's the high profit that corp keeps building even after our top rate.


* Would it hurt to profit $70 billion ,(instead of $90 billion), and $20 billion gets back to our costumer base via reduced price, keeping our top rate as is. It would benifit by gaining more volume and profit will go up do to increased volume and less risk of lossing more big accounts do to price.



* Do you see anyone in here saying we need paid more cause of the large profit. I don't. The discussion is keeping accounts and not lossing the large one's.



I think the problem is that we have boiled frogs for management.

Management is more worried about how things look on paper rather then the truth.

Example, "duplicate stops", complete B.S.

We should be credited for making an extra trip going out of our way to make a 2nd attempt.

yea, I'm going to same place a 2nd time. Yea costumer request or management request but It doesn't change the fact that it is an additional stop. Especially through the day and you have quit a few 2nd attemps.

Oops I think i just got into a whole nother topic.

Well, that about sums up what I've been trying to say. LOL! For me the key point you made was that if UPS reduced their rates from $90 billion to $70 then $20 billions essentially go back to the customers. Well, our volume would more than likely go up as a result of the reduced rates and eventually that could take profits up greatly in the long run. UPS already provides a superior service but maybe not so much better as to keep customers from stearing the other way for a cheaper rate. We have the ability financially to take the rates down so that we could not only provide the bettr service but a more affordable service as well.

 

[satellitedriver]

Congratulations satellitedriver. Did you just find Google or something?

Thanks for the congrat.
I learned that recipe from a Cajun in 1979. I was working in a strip coal mine, while on a dragline boom 250 ft. in the air at about 2 o'clock in the morning.
We were dicussing, during a break ,why some people keep themselves in a comfort zone of denial. He told me the reason through the recipe.
Google rocks. That is why I bought it at it's IPO.
I just wish I would have bought more, but I was sitting in my warm comfort zone and being frugal.

 

[1989]

* Profit is defined as $$$ left after cost including our top rate rates.


* It's not the point to give us more raises. That's not at all THE POINT.


* The point is that there is obvious room to reduce prices by cutting into the profit. (90 billion dollars worth).


* It's not our high pay rate thats keeping our price to the costumer from being more aggressive. it's the high profit that corp keeps building even after our top rate.


* Would it hurt to profit $70 billion ,(instead of $90 billion), and $20 billion gets back to our costumer base via reduced price, keeping our top rate as is. It would benifit by gaining more volume and profit will go up do to increased volume and less risk of lossing more big accounts do to price.



* Do you see anyone in here saying we need paid more cause of the large profit. I don't. The discussion is keeping accounts and not lossing the large one's.



I think the problem is that we have boiled frogs for management.

Management is more worried about how things look on paper rather then the truth.

Example, "duplicate stops", complete B.S.

We should be credited for making an extra trip going out of our way to make a 2nd attempt.

yea, I'm going to same place a 2nd time. Yea costumer request or management request but It doesn't change the fact that it is an additional stop. Especially through the day and you have quit a few 2nd attemps.

Oops I think i just got into a whole nother topic.

I don't want to hear that kind of talk as a stock holder...Giving $20 billion away...maybe UPS should give stock to hourly employees...That would be alot of stock. 20,000,000,000 divided by 380,000 teamsters or so is about $52,000 each. correct me if i'm wrong.

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

I don't want to hear that kind of talk as a stock holder...Giving $20 billion away...maybe UPS should give stock to hourly employees...That would be alot of stock. 20,000,000,000 divided by 380,000 teamsters or so is about $52,000 each. correct me if i'm wrong.

One would think that as a stock holder you'd want to hear that. Isn't thinking long term the best investing stategy? Taking off $20 billion to reduce rates and ultimately rase volume and profits in the long run seems to fit into the long term strategy I think. Or maybe I'm just too optimistic about things.

 

[1989]

I think it would bridge the gap a little between management and union fanatics. I've been on both sides...Everyone would own stock in the company.

 

[Aaron]

I'm not surprised. We lost a state account in California because nobody in UPS bothered to call in the bid. They just let it go. This was for all state agencies (Sheriffs, Highway Patrol, Crime Labs, etc.). When I mentioned to the center manager that they may be switching, his only response was "must not be a big shipper."

The gal that's suppose to go out and retain accounts asked "do they ship a lot?" So I think right now UPS is only focused on big accounts, and not worried about the small shippers.

 

[Coldworld]

I really think that fedex, especially ground croanies, are adapting to the methods and delivery and pickup times of ups. Fedex is going after accounts that are shippers with multiple bulk to same business and lots of volume. They are trying to make it so that more fedex ground guys dont sue fedex corp. They get paid by package so they want that bulk. They are getting out to the areas earlier than us..even though they always cover a larger area they are adapting beter than before. Jumping around to get the larger accounts off, and doing it much better than dhl. I really dont think that fedex ground, air or dhl are pushed to "ask" for volume by management like ups is. No, I have no problem with this...it has to be done especially how we have clout with small and medium customers. But with national accounts, sorry ups, drivers really cant do much in regards to talking to decision makers..thats where our reps are failing to a certain point. It would be interesting too be a fly on the wall and hear a ups rep and fedex rep try to get volume from a national acct...probably two very different meetings. ups reps are stretched with work...thats a problem, and many never go out to see the customers anymore, another problem(ha, but they have time to follow drivers around....another counterproductive business move from ups...great job guys!)Finally, it would be nice to get more information on accounts, "churn", new accounts, lost accounts, price points for heavy volume shippers, etc. This info is kept quiet from us and it would really help in the basic sceme of things when we are looking for potential customers.

 

[Sammie]

I'm not surprised. We lost a state account in California because nobody in UPS bothered to call in the bid. They just let it go. This was for all state agencies (Sheriffs, Highway Patrol, Crime Labs, etc.). When I mentioned to the center manager that they may be switching, his only response was "must not be a big shipper."

The gal that's suppose to go out and retain accounts asked "do they ship a lot?" So I think right now UPS is only focused on big accounts, and not worried about the small shippers.

From what I've seen, one of the first things Fedex did when they got their feet off the ground was to snag government accounts from the Feds all the way down to local city governments. Government accounts are something I've rarely seen this company focus on. Of the many cold calls I made, Fedex already had discounts in place for every govt agency here that I could think of to contact...

 

[area43]

I'm not surprised. We lost a state account in California because nobody in UPS bothered to call in the bid.

We also lost 87 millon in a class action suit in California(Ouch!), but lets not go there. What is with California? The place just isnt the same after I left 24 years ago.lol

 

[GuyinBrown]

* Profit is defined as $$$ left after cost including our top rate rates.


* It's not the point to give us more raises. That's not at all THE POINT.


* The point is that there is obvious room to reduce prices by cutting into the profit. (90 billion dollars worth).


* It's not our high pay rate thats keeping our price to the costumer from being more aggressive. it's the high profit that corp keeps building even after our top rate.


* Would it hurt to profit $70 billion ,(instead of $90 billion), and $20 billion gets back to our costumer base via reduced price, keeping our top rate as is. It would benifit by gaining more volume and profit will go up do to increased volume and less risk of lossing more big accounts do to price.



* Do you see anyone in here saying we need paid more cause of the large profit. I don't. The discussion is keeping accounts and not lossing the large one's.



I think the problem is that we have boiled frogs for management.

Management is more worried about how things look on paper rather then the truth.

Example, "duplicate stops", complete B.S.

We should be credited for making an extra trip going out of our way to make a 2nd attempt.

yea, I'm going to same place a 2nd time. Yea costumer request or management request but It doesn't change the fact that it is an additional stop. Especially through the day and you have quit a few 2nd attemps.

Oops I think i just got into a whole nother topic.

I could be wrong but I think UPS has an annual gross REVENUE in the 40 billion range and and annual net PROFIT of about 10%, placing it in the 4 billion range.


Even if I'm wrong, I'm fairly certain that your $90 Billion in profit numbers are way off....

 

[satellitedriver]

I really think that fedex, especially ground croanies, are adapting to the methods and delivery and pickup times of ups. Fedex is going after accounts that are shippers with multiple bulk to same business and lots of volume. They are trying to make it so that more fedex ground guys dont sue fedex corp. They get paid by package so they want that bulk. They are getting out to the areas earlier than us..even though they always cover a larger area they are adapting beter than before. Jumping around to get the larger accounts off, and doing it much better than dhl. I really dont think that fedex ground, air or dhl are pushed to "ask" for volume by management like ups is. No, I have no problem with this...it has to be done especially how we have clout with small and medium customers. But with national accounts, sorry ups, drivers really cant do much in regards to talking to decision makers..thats where our reps are failing to a certain point. It would be interesting too be a fly on the wall and hear a ups rep and fedex rep try to get volume from a national acct...probably two very different meetings. ups reps are stretched with work...thats a problem, and many never go out to see the customers anymore, another problem(ha, but they have time to follow drivers around....another counterproductive business move from ups...great job guys!)Finally, it would be nice to get more information on accounts, "churn", new accounts, lost accounts, price points for heavy volume shippers, etc. This info is kept quiet from us and it would really help in the basic sceme of things when we are looking for potential customers.

You make some very good points.
The key is our sales reps and they are over stretched.
A fellow driver went into management. On road sup for about 2 yrs. Then a couple of special assignments. Typical sup training.
Then, he was made the sales rep for our district. 1,200 active accounts to maintain and was told he had to increase his accounts by 20% in the next quarter. I have never seen a person age so quickly.

 

[browniehound]

I'm not surprised. We lost a state account in California because nobody in UPS bothered to call in the bid.

We also lost 87 millon in a class action suit in California(Ouch!), but lets not go there. What is with California? The place just isnt the same after I left 24 years ago.lol

It almost has as many left-wing nuts as Massachusetts. Problem is Massachusetts has about 1/6 the population of CA, thats why we're so screwed up, LOL.

 

[brownman170]

Our rates have nothing to do with customers going to FED EX or even DHL. If you look at to Fed Ex published rates we are still lower than theirs. There reps make promises of service that there drivers can't commit too. Eventually they'll catch on and they'll come back when there contracts end, they always do.