Innovation vs. The Whipping Post

[MC4YOU2]

I believe that there must be better answers to the challenges that face our company and ourselves as it's employees than always looking with a single minded determination for ways to increase our productivity. I wonder if the focus on bigger bonus numbers is all it's believed to be in terms of profitability. There is a place for productivity, but where does it end? An hour overallowed? A half hour? 15 minutes? 1 minute? Is it always better to be faster?

How about innovating our way through these changing waters with new strategies rather than using the same big spackle approach to plug the smaller leaks in the boat. We can only go so fast. We can only move through our customers business so fast. Past a point it becomes costly in terms of actually turning customers off with a "more important than you" attitude.

Here's a couple of ideas to get things rolling:

How about driver to driver misload meet/drop events that can be scheduled in the diad, like OCA is currently?

How about promoting new or unused services to established customers with a discount incentive like the telecomm and snack industry does?

I wonder if the company backed off from this latest push to squeeze a bit more blood out of the rock and instead tried to squeeze out some new innovation, if we all wouldn't sleep better, look forward to our hourly and management jobs more, like each other a little more and become a stronger company in the process?

 

[mattwtrs]

I believe that there must be better answers to the challenges that face our company and ourselves as it's employees than always looking with a single minded determination for ways to increase our productivity. I wonder if the focus on bigger bonus numbers is all it's believed to be in terms of profitability. There is a place for productivity, but where does it end? An hour overallowed? A half hour? 15 minutes? 1 minute? Is it always better to be faster?



I had a supervisor that always preached work smarter not harder. I know I usually ended up getting done quicker with less effort and stress!



How about innovating our way through these changing waters with new strategies rather than using the same big spackle approach to plug the smaller leaks in the boat. We can only go so fast. We can only move through our customers business so fast. Past a point it becomes costly in terms of actually turning customers off with a "more important than you" attitude.



I remember the push to make us treat every customer as if the one you were at was the most important one. That did not last long. We all had certain customers or stops that we liked better than other. You are right about turning off customers with an overbearing "sense of urgency".



Here's a couple of ideas to get things rolling:

How about driver to driver misload meet/drop events that can be scheduled in the diad, like OCA is currently?



The drivers that I worked with did that long before ODS and Diad's. We were not micromanaged with communication like a driver is now.



How about promoting new or unused services to established customers with a discount incentive like the telecomm and snack industry does?

I wonder if the company backed off from this latest push to squeeze a bit more blood out of the rock and instead tried to squeeze out some new innovation, if we all wouldn't sleep better, look forward to our hourly and management jobs more, like each other a little more and become a stronger company in the process?

Some times you have to spend a little money to make a lot more money!

 

[MechanicForBrown]

I think that the ups of the past is gone for good, there will never be people running the company with the visions of our founders, and with that- a different company, always changing, always doing different things. Its a proven fact that most people don't like or even fear change. I think you have to play the cards your dealt in life, I'm 25 and gone through too many tough times with allot of things, IE; mother passing at too young of an age, father getting divorced, sister going down the WRONG path, and a 14 month old that is sick way to often for reasons we've yet to get answers for and even that isn't going well. I like to live for today and play my hand the best I can. Life in general has taught me to love what I have, and my job is one of them. I am lucky to go in every day and earn a days pay and provide for my family while others can't. I pray for people that don't have or can't do the things I can.
my rant is over but I hope there are others that feel the same, or I just feel embarrassed for telling my story!

I've included a picture of my family, this is what reminds me to do good and live well!!

 

[Livin the Dream?]

You have the right attitude, and of course you are correct. Thank you for your post.

It's just that, as correct as it may be, the saying "well, it's better than being unemployed" wears thin after telling yourself that two-three billion times.

 

[MechanicForBrown]

You have the right attitude, and of course you are correct. Thank you for your post.

It's just that, as correct as it may be, the saying "well, it's better than being unemployed" wears thin after telling yourself that two-three billion times.

THANK YOU!!!

 

[MC4YOU2]

I've included a picture of my family, this is what reminds me to do good and live well!!


You have the right attitude, and of course you are correct. Thank you for your post.

It's just that, as correct as it may be, the saying "well, it's better than being unemployed" wears thin after telling yourself that two-three billion times.

Thanks for the feedback, we all have to remind ourselves why we put ourselves through this every day. I know there are more out there who have better ideas from both sides than the ones being implemented at UPS right now.

I also know that there is a lot of complacency among us hourlies due largely to the atmosphere of mistrust when we speak out and are shut down with a defensive tirade from management, who are following orders from upstream, without necessarily being in agreement with what they are being ordered to implement.

Regardless of how we may feel about the situation, UPS can only accomplish so much by going down this rocky road. No company can survive in the long run without the preserving the hearts and minds of the workforce. And you're right MFB, the founders knew this!

I know that this is a lousy phase our company is trying to flounder through, and I don't mean just the economic one. I also mean this phase of trying to bully people into submission to accomplish something great for the shareholders.

I have been here 20 years and I have seen other phases like: "production is on the back burner", outside consultants suggesting UPS might be overly supervised, and KORE. But something always brings us back around to the 2x4 approach to problem solving like a crack addict trying to kick the monkey off his back only to end up boosting it back up on his own.


Whatever we may think now, this phase will still pass, at least for awhile, but in the meantime it's a shame that we are missing a great opportunity to achieve a better middle ground where real strides could be made if only the footing we find ourselves on was not so badly divided.


I have times I surely disagree with some other drivers and other times I totally agree with some management decisions. Don't we all? That's the point to me. It seems we are all in this together, but we are not really able to work together to solve the issues confronting us if we are not only worried about the economy taking our jobs, but also our employer doing the same.

 

[DS]

I wonder if the company backed off from this latest push to squeeze a bit more blood out of the rock and instead tried to squeeze out some new innovation, if we all wouldn't sleep better, look forward to our hourly and management jobs more, like each other a little more and become a stronger company in the process?

(short version)
I actually agree with every facet of your post MC4,I'd love to see more driver and loader/unloaders given the chance to submit suggestions that would benefit everyone given half a chance,but the corporate higher ups are" not gonna look at the 27 8x10 color pictures with circles and arrows with an explanation on the back of each one"(Arlo Guthrie)
I also remember the comment "we will be focusing more on fulfilling the customers needs,with less emphasis on production",those wise words were spoken just before we went public.This economic downturn should be viewed from corporate as a way to help small business with reduced rates and more leeway until this thing turns around.While fedex is busy fighting with Obama over unions and its unwillingness to play that game. This would reassure our current customers,and possibly gain some new ones,while earning thier dedication and respect.
The bottom line is, operations requires wisdom area knowledge and above all,flexibility to fulfill all our promises,and when that link is compromised,
revenue goes down.This was a great company,lets allow it to grow back into its namesake again,providing one thing , UPservice.
sorry for the rant.

 

[MC4YOU2]

The bottom line is, operations requires wisdom area knowledge and above all,flexibility to fulfill all our promises,and when that link is compromised,revenue goes down.This was a great company,lets allow it to grow back into its namesake again,providing one thing , UPservice.
sorry for the rant.

And I agree with you! You provided some good ideas here as well. And while I believe it's not normally easy to get corporate attn to ideas that make sense, remember UPS was once nothing more than ONE good idea.

Who knows, if enough good ideas start flowing, maybe one will surface that deals with how to get the decision makers to implement something that actually benefits and inspires the entire organization, not just the top 2%.

 

[myback]

if our sups werent so concerned about busting our ears about nothing i might be a little more motivated to get the biz. but why look for new volume when your mgmt team is so disfunctional they cant even correctly dispatch the volume we have now. two of the three ties i think do try and arent stupid. but the one. complete idiot, dead weight pulling the the center straight down the crapper. but nobody dares to call bs in fear of a possible legal issue. doesnt matter if they can or cant do the job because if you got the right junk in the trunk, your golden baby. untouchable. were you born a fat disgusting piece of # or did you have to work at it.