Inarticulable Customer Complaints

[...]

and management took hers over mine. As a result I had to sign a few policy forms.

I can't help you, but this sounds like a harassment grievance. I hope you didn't let it slide.

 

[PPH_over_9000]

Holy hell, thanks for all the responses, guys. I'm on my dinner break right now, will log on later tonight and try to address everybody.

I got with my steward today, filled out the grievance form and gave it back to them. It was a different steward than the one that was in the meeting, but they both talked and one filled in the other on everything that was said in the office.
The steward in the meeting with me didn't do much. He made it seem as if two complaints in a single day tied his hands, and I see the logic there. I don't agree with it but I get his positioning. It's just strange to me that both complaints amounted to "I don't like the guy but I can't tell you why," and on the strength of that it turns into a suspension.

Again, I'll be back. Thank y'all for givin' it the time of day.

 

[Fido]

If he can’t say what he’s suspending you for then how are you suspended

 

[Brownwind]

Just kind of fishing here. I'm going to try to be vague, but if anyone wants more clarification I'd be happy to message them.

I've recently found myself the recipient of several complaints in short order. Every complaint the customer calls and says that I made them uncomfortable. I've been in the office once before on account of a PVD where it turned into solely a my-word-versus-her-word situation-- with nothing else to consider-- and management took hers over mine. As a result I had to sign a few policy forms.

Recently I was pulled into the office again. Two complaints the day before. I wasn't surprised, as I had two weird interactions that I phoned in on-route.

"What'd I do?" I asked shortly into the meeting.

'I don't know,' the supervisor said. Yet he had already met and spoken with both customers after I called him about strange customer interactions.

"What did I say?"

Dead eyes, he hit me with "I don't know" again.

I sat for a moment. I thought carefully, and after a few seconds asked "Is there any way we can articulate the problem? Can you tell me what about my actions, my behavior, my words led to this?"

Dead eyes again. "No," he said.

There was a lot of back-and-forth after this and a little bit of preamble, but it's the gist of it. The meat and bones. So, long story short, tl;dr, whatver, I've got a suspension I need to grieve in the morning. Anybody here have any advice for me, or experience with this kind of thing? I don't understand how I can be disciplined for the way a customer feels when that customer can't articulate why they felt that way.

I can’t help but ask what article they used on your paperwork. Please let us know. I’m definitely curious

 

[PPH_over_9000]

How’s your overallowed? SPORH? This could be made up whole cloth to dump you. Maybe they’re hoping you’ll just quit.

I'm consistently under 9.5 and since early January I've been code 05'ing nearly every single day. I do tend to have a whole lot of backs on rural routes but that's the only thing I've ever been called out on.

What did your steward say over all this? I can't see them getting away with suspending you while not telling you what for.

He made it seem like the fact that it was two in one day made it hard to defend. Then it turned into something reminiscent of an AA meeting and that I need to take time to reflect and that's the only way things will change. It got weird.

Yep.


"I thought... I heard... Or, somebody told me."

Nah, just wanted to talk. I found out yesterday morning, and by the end of the day it was still there bugging me. Figured it-- go home, drink some beers and try to talk it out and vent.

Never heard of someone getting suspended for doing nothing?

Right? The reasoning levied in the meeting was that given the past incident where I was made to sign anti-violence and code of conduct forms, this (these) new complaints show a pattern. Then they showed me the policies I signed and told me I'd be getting a 3-day.

Quit being a creep

Put them on permanent will/call and keep moving

10-4, good buddy. I don't think I'll be allowed to put them on will/call without approval, and I'm not getting that. Not as the situation stands right this moment, at least.

What do you think you should do in this situation?

Walk away and drive off. In retrospect I shouldn't've even given up the package, but I just kept thinking how easy it was to just deliver.

I can't help you, but this sounds like a harassment grievance. I hope you didn't let it slide.

I brought that up this morning. Stew' didn't say too much but I didn't really explain myself well, either. Just talking about this , like recounting it gets my heart going a mile a minute, but I'm doing my own homework too. Never was good at homework, though...

If he can’t say what he’s suspending you for then how are you suspended

I can’t help but ask what article they used on your paperwork. Please let us know. I’m definitely curious

These two posts bring up excellent points and made me realize that I haven't gotten or signed any paperwork. The only paper I left the meeting with were copies of the policies I signed and, as far as I understand them, I've been adhering to.

 

[Brown Down]

10-4, good buddy. I don't think I'll be allowed to put them on will/call without approval, and I'm not getting that. Not as the situation stands right this moment, at least.

They might not be able to or willing to will call them but they absolultey cannot force you to go back to them. We've had a few drivers with issues with various customers and never made to deal with them myself included(similar situation actually).

 

[MECH-lift]

My customers love me

Women love me
Men want to be me

 

[MECH-lift]

bryan kohberger creeped out people too

 

[PPH_over_9000]

bryan kohberger creeped out people too

Oh man.... well, luckily I've never really wanted to hurt anybody, I'm just not the most social.

Will keep watch on myself, though, never know when those warning signs will start to pop up.

 

[PPH_over_9000]

They might not be able to or willing to will call them but they absolultey cannot force you to go back to them. We've had a few drivers with issues with various customers and never made to deal with them myself included(similar situation actually).

That's actually comforting to hear. I've had several complaints but they don't vary wildly. In fact, with all but one involving a seasonal co-worker, the customer complaining couldn't even explain what they were complaining about-- just that they didn't like the interaction and felt off-put afterwards.

That's why I'm struggling with this. If I'm screwing up, I'll own it-- just tell me what the specific problem was and it won't happen again. If all they can tell me is that the customer just didn't like me and couldn't pinpoint it to any action, behavior or words of mine, then it honestly feels like it shouldn't be my problem.

I mean, I knock out over 200 deliveries a day, so 1 complaint means that there were at least 199 situations that went smooth as silk. Hell, half the time in the sticks I walk away with a business card from someone running some kind of hustle/business out of their home and we exchange numbers (like "bro, you mean to tell me you have an oil that can make my beard even thicker?! Right on, boss, sign me up")

Then if you look further into it, it's the same customers that keep calling in. It's almost like they're just upset that their regular driver has been out on injury for nearly half a year and they're not getting the preferential, break-the-methods-to-service-the-customer experience that they've been getting for the past 14 years.

I already know the answer to that, though. "But it is my problem now," lol, which is why I'm trying to navigate this whole situation instead of sweeping it under the rug. Personally, I'd like to get myself a bodycam to either exonerate or condemn me-- figured UPS would be happy with those options presented. One supe' agreed immediately, then I asked for that approval in writing and the witness supe came in and said they couldn't authorize it without shooting it up the corporate chain.

We'll see.

 

[I have NOT been lurking]

Are they a trannie?

 

[PPH_over_9000]

Are they a trannie?

...No, but I am.




lmao, just kidding! I'm just friggin' kidding, guys.

It's normally older folks out in the woods with half a million dollar homes and a multi-million dollar business being run out of the house/garage/workshop/separate house on the same property. All this money, but they still have a narrow driveway with exactly one place to turn around the PC that they like to park their RV in. "The usual guy just goes in the grass," they'll tell me.

Every morning, though, I'm told to keep my wheels on pavement. I can't go on the grass, sir.

 

[I have NOT been lurking]

...No, but I am.




lmao, just kidding! I'm just friggin' kidding, guys.

It's normally older folks out in the woods with half a million dollar homes and a multi-million dollar business being run out of the house/garage/workshop/separate house on the same property.

They're probably cranky

 

[UnionStrong]

What about the customer who verbally assaults the driver. What then

I always assaulted them right back.

 

[PPH_over_9000]

I always assaulted them right back.

You're my hero.
I always try to explain why I'm doing what I'm doing (you know, the methods.) That, uhh.... that always makes it worse, so recently I just started ending the conversation with a wave and "Enjoy your day" as I show them my back and walk back to the truck. Yeah, they're still talking but no, I'm not going to listen to it.

 

[UnionStrong]

You're my hero.
I always try to explain why I'm doing what I'm doing (you know, the methods.) That, uhh.... that always makes it worse, so recently I just started ending the conversation with a wave and "Enjoy your day" as I show them my back and walk back to the truck. Yeah, they're still talking but no, I'm not going to listen to it.

I only snapped back if they were obnoxious or swore at me. It was usually a shipper or receiver not residential. I acted professionally until they didn’t. I didn’t get paid to be abused by jealous A holes.

 

[Mutineer]

Then if you look further into it, it's the same customers that keep calling in. It's almost like they're just upset that their regular driver has been out on injury for nearly half a year

"same customers", eh? Those two words speak volumes.

That means it's them. Not you.

I once had a walmart stop where I had to interact with an older woman who worked by herself in returns. Always a pain in my ass.

A pain in everybody's ass. Other delivery drivers, and all her co-workers hated her. Very surprised nobody pummeled her into a bloody pulp. Always challenging me under the premise that I was trying to get away with 'something.' Over the course of about 4 years, called in to complain about me about 25 times.

Long story short: It all abruptly ended one day when I didn't see her silver Mustang in the parking lot. And as I was to later learn that her family had her involuntarily committed. Big men in white coats dragged her ass kicking and screaming to a nut-hatch. I wish I could have participated in that event.

"regular driver"

Yes. People will hate yer guts for no good reason simply because you are not their regular driver. The only cure for this is that one day the former driver will be mostly forgotten, and you are the "regular driver."

 

[PPH_over_9000]

"same customers", eh? Those two words speak volumes.

That means it's them. Not you.

I once had a walmart stop where I had to interact with an older woman who worked by herself in returns. Always a pain in my ass.

A pain in everybody's ass. Other delivery drivers, and all her co-workers hated her. Very surprised nobody pummeled her into a bloody pulp. Always challenging me under the premise that I was trying to get away with 'something.' Over the course of about 4 years, called in to complain about me about 25 times.

Long story short: It all abruptly ended one day when I didn't see her silver Mustang in the parking lot. And as I was to later learn that her family had her involuntarily committed. Big men in white coats dragged her ass kicking and screaming to a nut-hatch. I wish I could have participated in that event.

"regular driver"

Yes. People will hate yer guts for no good reason simply because you are not their regular driver. The only cure for this is that one day the former driver will be mostly forgotten, and you are the "regular driver."

DUDE! I had the same situation with a Wal-Mart shipping and receiving employee.

Beast of a woman, not physically but she was just cutthroat, man, no filter and no sense of eitquette.

She called me a friggin ret.ard the first time we encountered each other.

3 years later and now when I cover that route the both of us sit there and shoot the for a few minutes as I unload the delivery and load the pick-up pieces. She's awesome, just an older lady with no time for anybody's bull. Our issue was that I was bring packages to the back that were meant for the pharmacy and the regular driver knew that, but there was nothing on the shipping address designating a different delivery location.

I'm 100% able to salvage deteriorating relationships, but if the other party isn't receptive or willing and just want to express their displeasure every time they see me.... well , man, that doesn't feel like my problem.

 

[MECH-lift]

I bid the route with the poorest people they’re so friendly (usually drunk/high) , those yuppie culdasac high end fashion cali yuppies @542thruNthru people are nothing but trouble. They don’t even want you walking in their grass

 

[542thruNthru]

I bid the route with the poorest people they’re so friendly (usually drunk/high) , those yuppie culdasac high end fashion cali yuppies @542thruNthru people are nothing but trouble. They don’t even want you walking in their grass