GSRs

[freeloader]

Reading the thread about customer service (or lack thereof) made me think about Guaranteed Service Refunds (GSRs). Essentially, if your package isn't delivered on time, you request and get your money back. The only problem is, how many people go to the trouble to find out if their package was delivered on time or not? I have heard there are enterprises out there that are in the business of processing tracking numbers and getting GSRs for customers (for a fee of course). It's not a bad business if you think about it. Daily volume by UPS is roughly 15 million pieces, maybe 5% of that doesn't make service on time, so there is 750,000 potential GSRs each and every day just waiting to be found.

What I know from working at UPS in the past is that there are applications that import tracking numbers by the thousands and track them. UPS backend systems, however, prevent bulk tracking by requiring a developer key for that particular shipper number. UPS prevents further exploit by requiring a phone call to process the GSR (no online form or automated process).

I was just wondering what experience anyone has had with getting a GSR, or if anyone has used or is involved with a GSR company.

 

[sx2700]

Are you sure about the 5%? That's a huge number. Our misload frequency is around 1 in 6000 which is only .0017%. I think the goal is 1 in 3000 which is .0034%.

 

[freeloader]

Even if missorts, misloads and mistoggles are a fraction of a percent, there are still packages that are delivered late that may not even be caused by a missort, misload or mistoggle. I threw 5% out there as a ball park figure, but even so, let's assume 1% then. That's still 150,000 packages delivered late on a daily basis. Of that, how many people actually request a GSR? Very small percentage. Someone with the know-how could work that niche and probably be very profitable.

 

[upsmanagement]

It is nice to see that people care about the GSR;s, but the only way to make sure that all the service levels are on time is to hold accountable the people that cause misloads, late air, misrouts, ect... Maybe everytime UPS has to pay for a late delivery, they take it out of the preloader, local sorter, or service providers paycheck that caused it. It sounds like a good idea to me. If I mess something up, I take ownership of it. Maybe ALL UPSers should do the same instead of talking a big game.

 

[BigBrownSanta]

It is nice to see that people care about the GSR;s, but the only way to make sure that all the service levels are on time is to hold accountable the people that cause misloads, late air, misrouts, ect... Maybe everytime UPS has to pay for a late delivery, they take it out of the preloader, local sorter, or service providers paycheck that caused it. It sounds like a good idea to me. If I mess something up, I take ownership of it. Maybe ALL UPSers should do the same instead of talking a big game.

My dispatcher would owe so much money that he'd never receive a retirement check if that were to happen.

Funny though.

 

[sx2700]

It is nice to see that people care about the GSR;s, but the only way to make sure that all the service levels are on time is to hold accountable the people that cause misloads, late air, misrouts, ect... Maybe everytime UPS has to pay for a late delivery, they take it out of the preloader, local sorter, or service providers paycheck that caused it. It sounds like a good idea to me. If I mess something up, I take ownership of it. Maybe ALL UPSers should do the same instead of talking a big game.

It sounds good to me too, only let's do it the right way. If you really are management then the people screwing up are your responsibility, therefore, their mistakes are your mistakes. The money comes out of your paycheck.

 

[MarePare]

It is nice to see that people care about the GSR;s, but the only way to make sure that all the service levels are on time is to hold accountable the people that cause misloads, late air, misrouts, ect... Maybe everytime UPS has to pay for a late delivery, they take it out of the preloader, local sorter, or service providers paycheck that caused it. It sounds like a good idea to me. If I mess something up, I take ownership of it. Maybe ALL UPSers should do the same instead of talking a big game.

In my building, the preload start times keep getting pushed later and later. With the same average volume. And they wonder why the preload is wrapped later than before. Later start time = later wrap time. Coincidence? I think not. They pressure us to wrap by the same time, if they want the same amount of work done in less time, misloads are inevitable.

We also frequently have air that arrives at our building late. Many of our drivers have a commute from the center to their delivery areas of at least 30 minutes one way, I know some travel as much as 45 minutes. When they cannot leave the building until 9:30 because of late air, it is difficult to get all of their air off by 10:30.

So how again can any of this be blamed on the preloader or driver?

I would agree 100% with your statement of "hold accountable the people that cause misloads, late air, misrouts, ect...". Only you and I do not see eye to eye on who it is who really has caused these service failures.

 

[soberups]

It is nice to see that people care about the GSR;s, but the only way to make sure that all the service levels are on time is to hold accountable the people that cause misloads, late air, misrouts, ect... Maybe everytime UPS has to pay for a late delivery, they take it out of the preloader, local sorter, or service providers paycheck that caused it. It sounds like a good idea to me. If I mess something up, I take ownership of it. Maybe ALL UPSers should do the same instead of talking a big game.

Methinks I smell a troll...

 

[BrownSuit]

I also smell a troll . . . I've heard it blamed on late air, which is enviably blamed on weather or some other event that is not covered in our tariff as a reason to claim a GSR. How many times is air late before somebody notices? I've also seen a lot of fishiness happen to keep the GSR from being claimed, like marking Emergency, DR, or Weather when it's a clear sky.

As for the question posted about ways to track reliability and GSR's, there are many systems in place to do so internally with UPS that shouldn't be discussed here.

On the customer end of things, you can always recommend that they setup Quantum View Manage through contacting somebody at www.ups.com/quantumview, their BD Rep, or you can always submit a SLIM lead and get credit as a retention lead.

One of the things Quantum View Manage can do is send an e-mail every time there is an exception notification for a package sent on your account. You can do this through InternetShip, CampusShip, and WorldShip as well for each shipment, or set it to do it by default, with Quantum View Notify, but in my opinion, Quantum View Manage seems to be the easiest way to catch all three as well as any packages others may be shipping on your account.

Exceptions are anything that would keep the package from arriving at the scheduled time.

Remember, it the job of the one paying for the shipping to claim the GSR.

It also has the ability to view inbound shipments and setup the same for inbound shipments, thus letting their vendors know when something doesn't arrive on time so they can get refunded the shipping costs.

It's really not designed for GSR's, but it's one of the things that folks have used it for.

It's an easy way to get a Retention lead and some money on the AMEX. For those who have a lot of packages coming in and don't necessarily pay for them ask them if they know what's coming in. Would it benefit them to know if there was an easy way they could go online and see everything, not just billed on their account.

Then let them know somebody from BD should be calling them to get them setup.

 

[filthpig]

Methinks I smell a troll...

Verily, thou dost...