I made Walmart mad

[Richard Harrow]

Really? How do you sheet the second package of a 2 package COD shipment that does not have the COD tag? No money? Doesn't have a COD tag.

I asked a division manager that once. The response shocked me a little, but I was cool with it. In a nutshell, COD's are an additional handling charge. Customers don't like to pay these additional costs. So in a shipment of say 3 packages from any given shipper, if box 1 has an amount due of $99, you must collect the $99. But if boxes 2 and 3 do not have any collection charges, then they are just your ordinary, everyday packages and should be delivered to the consignee.

If the shipper had done the right thing, they would have assigned COD charges of $33 on each of the 3 packages. We can't help that our customers are cheap. They typically learn their lesson the first time a consignee refuses the COD package but keeps the others. There's nothing we can do about it.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I asked a division manager that once. The response shocked me a little, but I was cool with it. In a nutshell, COD's are an additional handling charge. Customers don't like to pay these additional costs. So in a shipment of say 3 packages from any given shipper, if box 1 has an amount due of $99, you must collect the $99. But if boxes 2 and 3 do not have any collection charges, then they are just your ordinary, everyday packages and should be delivered to the consignee.

If the shipper had done the right thing, they would have assigned COD charges of $33 on each of the 3 packages. We can't help that our customers are cheap. They typically learn their lesson the first time a consignee refuses the COD package but keeps the others. There's nothing we can do about it.

You are forgetting the $10 COD charge to the shipper per package. UPS has stickers that shippers can order and put on the non-COD packages of a multiple package COD shipment which basically say not to deliver any of the packages without the COD being paid for. If the shipper does not have these stickers on the non-COD packages the consignee can refuse the COD and accept the non-COD packages and UPS would not be liable. The way to get around this is to do as you said and split the COD charges among all of the packages in the shipment.

 

[Richard Harrow]

You are forgetting the $10 COD charge to the shipper per package. UPS has stickers that shippers can order and put on the non-COD packages of a multiple package COD shipment which basically say not to deliver any of the packages without the COD being paid for. If the shipper does not have these stickers on the non-COD packages the consignee can refuse the COD and accept the non-COD packages and UPS would not be liable. The way to get around this is to do as you said and split the COD charges among all of the packages in the shipment.

I'm sure you see these stickers all the time on your route up there in Clarksville. I personally have never seen one here, and I'm in an area where it's not uncommon to have between 5 and 10 COD stops per day. I only had 3 checks today; very quiet day.

Frankly, I'm glad customers do it this way. It cuts down on send-agains.

 

[menotyou]

I'm sure you see these stickers all the time on your route up there in Clarksville.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I'm sure you see these stickers all the time on your route up there in Clarksville. I personally have never seen one here, and I'm in an area where it's not uncommon to have between 5 and 10 COD stops per day. I only had 3 checks today; very quiet day.

Frankly, I'm glad customers do it this way. It cuts down on send-agains.

One company that I know that uses them is Alhamrah. They send their COD's certified funds only and use the stickers for the non-COD packages.

 

[Bubblehead]

You are forgetting the $10 COD charge to the shipper per package. UPS has stickers that shippers can order and put on the non-COD packages of a multiple package COD shipment which basically say not to deliver any of the packages without the COD being paid for. If the shipper does not have these stickers on the non-COD packages the consignee can refuse the COD and accept the non-COD packages and UPS would not be liable. The way to get around this is to do as you said and split the COD charges among all of the packages in the shipment.

I have not seen any of these stickers and I have a COD heavy route.
Is there cost associated with these stickers?
Are they imbedded in the barcode?
If not, how do they prove they were present?

 

[Bubblehead]

I have not seen any of these stickers and I have a COD heavy route.
Is there cost associated with these stickers?
Are they imbedded in the barcode?
If not, how do they prove they were present?

I'm not sure he is talking to me.
Maybe somebody else could ask him?

 

[menotyou]

Ever see these???



My point is these stickers are a dime a dozen.

 

[scratch]

I have always been told if its a prepaid on a multiple package COD, then deliver it. If it doesn't have a Signature Required sticker at a residence on a multiple shipment, I DR it. I'm not going to look at the same box an extra day if I can help it. If the Shipper doesn't split the COD amount or pay extra for Sig. Required, then off my car it comes.

 

[Bubblehead]

Ever see these???

View attachment 7221

My point is these stickers are a dime a dozen.

I love telling customers that "the arrows are so you know which end to open".

 

[cosmo1]

I have not seen any of these stickers and I have a COD heavy route.
Is there cost associated with these stickers?
Are they imbedded in the barcode?
If not, how do they prove they were present?

How about this?

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I will take a cellphone pic the next time I see one.

 

[gostillerz]

Part of the cost of running a retail store is the receiving, processing, storing and distribution of inventory within the store.

In order to do this properly, you need (a) adequate dock and storage space and (b) an adequate number of trained employees to handle the freight that is being received.

WalMart is simply trying to shift this cost back onto the various trucking companies by intentionally understaffing a receiving area that is totally inadequate in size and storage capability. Instead of having a receiving area that is open until 4:00 or 5:00 with adequate numbers of available docks and employees to process the deliveries....they have a ridiculously short "window" of time in which they will deign to receive deliveries (like from 8:00 to 1:00), and then require the drivers to wait in line for the "privelege" of using the only available dock.

This allows them to understaff the receiving operation, because the burden is being shifted back onto the delivery drivers to wait until help and dock space become available.

Before I worked at UPS I was an OTR driver. Every time going to a Walmart distribution center was hell. There were times I was sitting for hours waiting to be unloaded. Once in a while, I was stuck there for an entire day. The rules they have are insane. I'd have to drop the trailer in a certain spot, bobtail to receiving to sign in for the 2nd time, then sit and wait until they were ready for me. Then hook up the trailer again, bump the dock, drop the trailer again, go to the designated parking spot and wait some more. I was at one near Dallas once for 2 days. At least there were several "migrant workers" with taco trucks. Unfortunately, there would only be one bathroom for maybe 20 drivers who recently consumed said tacos.

 

[Jones]

I can recall seeing stickers on a few multi-box shipments that said "Part of COD shipment, do not release without collecting payment" or something to that effect, but it's been a while since I've seen them. I think they were green? No idea whether they were UPS issue or just something that the shipper came up with.

 

[BrownArmy]

Here's what my ex-ex center manager said when I asked him how to sheet the 2nd and 3rd boxes of a multiple box COD shipment when the receiver didn't have a check:

"Assign $0.01 in the COD field for the additional packages in the DIAD".

Brilliant.

I deliver to a shop that puts real big rims on real big cars.

Four packages, only one package has a COD (over $1000), but the COD is clearly for all four boxes (1 of 4, 2 of 4, etc...).

I'm a cover driver, but the other cover drivers (and the route driver) leave the three packages and only have the one send-again when this business doesn't have the check...which happens every first delivery.

I don't play that...

Look, I'm not the one who ordered the COD required package(s). Dear Lord, it's 2012, you know you have packages coming that require a COD, this isn't a guessing game. Change your business model or be ready with the check, or better yet, I'll be back tomorrow.

Some of you are going to go all freaking nuts saying bla-bla-bla, bla-blah, bla ba-ba-ba, but here's the thing:

They don't have the check. There's no immediate way to assign a non-delivery status to the additional packages...give them a $0.01 COD amount, call them NO$1, bring them back the next day. (Like plants, certain customers need training).

OR...you leave the three boxes, the company goes out of business that same day, and you're on the hook for $750.

(UPS will absolutely not have your back on this one, sorry.)


What the heck are you going to do with only three rims anyway?

 

[Dracula]

I can recall seeing stickers on a few multi-box shipments that said "Part of COD shipment, do not release without collecting payment" or something to that effect, but it's been a while since I've seen them. I think they were green? No idea whether they were UPS issue or just something that the shipper came up with.

Those are customer stickers. We went through this with our center years ago. If the package wasn't a COD--EVEN IF IT WAS PART OF THE COD SHIPMENT--that was just too bad. That was just an example of a cheap shipper trying to avoid paying a COD fee. No driver will ever get into trouble releasing a package part of a bigger COD shipment if it isn't a COD itself. PERIOD.

 

[Dracula]

Here's what my ex-ex center manager said when I asked him how to sheet the 2nd and 3rd boxes of a multiple box COD shipment when the receiver didn't have a check:

"Assign $0.01 in the COD field for the additional packages in the DIAD".

Brilliant.

I deliver to a shop that puts real big rims on real big cars.

Four packages, only one package has a COD (over $1000), but the COD is clearly for all four boxes (1 of 4, 2 of 4, etc...).

I'm a cover driver, but the other cover drivers (and the route driver) leave the three packages and only have the one send-again when this business doesn't have the check...which happens every first delivery.

I don't play that...

Look, I'm not the one who ordered the COD required package(s). Dear Lord, it's 2012, you know you have packages coming that require a COD, this isn't a guessing game. Change your business model or be ready with the check, or better yet, I'll be back tomorrow.

Some of you are going to go all freaking nuts saying bla-bla-bla, bla-blah, bla ba-ba-ba, but here's the thing:

They don't have the check. There's no immediate way to assign a non-delivery status to the additional packages...give them a $0.01 COD amount, call them NO$1, bring them back the next day. (Like plants, certain customers need training).

OR...you leave the three boxes, the company goes out of business that same day, and you're on the hook for $750.

(UPS will absolutely not have your back on this one, sorry.)


What the heck are you going to do with only three rims anyway?

Sorry, but you and your ex-center manager are clearly mistaken. The other drivers are doing it correctly. And your ex-center manager is asking you to falsify the delivery records, and I can ASSURE you, you will get into trouble doing that.

This isn't a matter of whether or not UPS does or doesn't have your back. You are simply doing your job. Just what do you think you are going to get fired for? So what if they are out of business later that day. All you did was deliver three non-COD packages.

Again, this is a SHIPPER issue. No driver would be on the hook for the $750 dollars. The cheap shipper would be. Now if the driver left the COD without getting the money, well that would be a different story. But not your story.

There is a reason why UPS has extra charges for COD packages, and, obviously, there is a reason why some shippers cut corners to avoid paying those costs. But if things go south, UPS, and it's driver is clean and clear.

And to follow your logic, if a shipper falsifies the weights on packages going out of their business, and those packages are addressed to one of your customers, and you deliver them, do you believe you will get fired? Of course not.

This is a shipper issue. End of story.

 

[clarnzz]

Here's what my ex-ex center manager said when I asked him how to sheet the 2nd and 3rd boxes of a multiple box COD shipment when the receiver didn't have a check:

"Assign $0.01 in the COD field for the additional packages in the DIAD".

Brilliant.

I deliver to a shop that puts real big rims on real big cars.

Four packages, only one package has a COD (over $1000), but the COD is clearly for all four boxes (1 of 4, 2 of 4, etc...).

I'm a cover driver, but the other cover drivers (and the route driver) leave the three packages and only have the one send-again when this business doesn't have the check...which happens every first delivery.

I don't play that...

Look, I'm not the one who ordered the COD required package(s). Dear Lord, it's 2012, you know you have packages coming that require a COD, this isn't a guessing game. Change your business model or be ready with the check, or better yet, I'll be back tomorrow.

Some of you are going to go all freaking nuts saying bla-bla-bla, bla-blah, bla ba-ba-ba, but here's the thing:

They don't have the check. There's no immediate way to assign a non-delivery status to the additional packages...give them a $0.01 COD amount, call them NO$1, bring them back the next day. (Like plants, certain customers need training).

OR...you leave the three boxes, the company goes out of business that same day, and you're on the hook for $750.

(UPS will absolutely not have your back on this one, sorry.)


What the heck are you going to do with only three rims anyway?

There was a shady character around here that ran a rim shop and he would order five. I was instructed that package with the COD amount was the only one held back, it's on the shipper to be smarter than that.

 

[clarnzz]

Wow by the lack of comments after my post , I think you guys where hoping I get in trouble

Not at all, only the sickest of posters on here wish ill will on other people. There was a chance you would get in trouble if Wal-Mart filed a complaint, noone in your management team would of likely cared if they didn't. Glad it worked out, I just wouldn't of handled it the same way, but it worked out fine.

 

[soberups]

They don't have the check. There's no immediate way to assign a non-delivery status to the additional packages...give them a $0.01 COD amount, call them NO$1, bring them back the next day. (Like plants, certain customers need training).

OR...you leave the three boxes, the company goes out of business that same day, and you're on the hook for $750.

(UPS will absolutely not have your back on this one, sorry.)


What the heck are you going to do with only three rims anyway?

If the package has a COD label on it, then it is a COD and we are required to collect the specified amount of funds prior to delivering it.

If the package does not have a COD label on it, then it is not a COD and we are not required to collect funds prior to delivering it.

If the consignee wants us to collect a COD amount for every package in a multi-package shipment, then they need to pay the COD fee for every package in the shipment and put aCOD tag on every package in the shipment. It is not the responsibility of the driver to collect funds on packages that dont have COD tags and for which the applicable fee has not been paid.