interaction time with customers.

Coldworld

60 months and counting
is there a certain time alloted allowed for customer interaction? Do any of you say a few words to your customers, or just drop off the box and go?
 

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
is there a certain time alloted allowed for customer interaction? Do any of you say a few words to your customers, or just drop off the box and go?
I try to be pleasant with my customers and maintain a positive image for UPS. Sometimes, this means taking a brief moment to chat. Other times, I just have to smile and say "hey, I hate to interrupt but I really have to go." Dealing with the public can be challenging.
 

barnyard

KTM rider
If I see a lead, I take a bit more time than normal. It's hard to say though.

We had a business move from one route to another. The route they moved to, the driver has an excellent reputation for gaining volume and going the extra mile. This company was a UPS account and they have been featured in the local paper as a hugely expanding business. Anyways, they had problems with UPS software and went to Fedex. They moved and about a month later, the driver was talking to them, explaining when he normally would deliver and when he would pick up if they switched (about an hour later than on the other route at the old location, earlier delivery too.) Turns out the center manager was doing an on area observation and he thought he spent too much time there. So much, that he called a division manager and she said, "fire him."

He did not get fired or suspended, but it did throw a bucket of ice water on leads in our center. His experience is the 1st thing that comes up when we have a PCM on leads.

TB
 

dannyboy

From the promised LAND
Maybe I was just a control freak, but I went into the door talking, and left talking. Always kept the conversation light and positive. You would be suprised at how much you can say while you are scanning and getting the signature. And with you controling the conversation, you decide when it stops.

It also helps you to get to know your customers that way. Especially if you are on the route for a long time..

d
 
If you throw the box at the door hard enough you will accomplish the "knock" and "drop" in one fell swoop.
Who says UPS doesn't encourage efficiency.
 

feeder53

ADKtrails
I would try to get a healthy ballance for the customers sake, and UPS too. When I get a package from UPS and I am home, I chat a little, but understand the time requirements he has to follow.
 

browniehound

Well-Known Member
You actually get at time allowance during time studies. Its called "customer contact" and IE dreamed a number up that they thought was fair. I believe their number dosen't come close to reality and think we are being unprofessional if we keep customer contact to this number.

So no I have my own scale, lol. If your customer contact is less than the time allowed, you are either really shy or a big-time jerk, lol. If you make the number, you're just a jerk. If you go over the number by 10-60 seconds there is potential that your customers will like you. Anything in the 1-5 minute range and your customers absolutely love you and this is very good if you want to generate sales leads but bad if you make to make your SPORH.

And that is my philosophy on "customer contact", LOL. Its not always about the numbers!
 

dannyboy

From the promised LAND
There was a saying at my center. Too much customer contact is if you are on top. Pretty much else went.

You can do a lot of communication while you do other things. Most of the drivers I know can walk and chew gum at the same time.

d
 

Cementups

Box Monkey
I got my balls busted once a few years back for talking to a guy in the middle of the mall where I delivered for abut 5-10 minutes. I never knew the guy but my boss automatically decided the guy was a friend of mine. I fonally convinced my boss that the guy was sking UPS related questions. I closed with, "Everybody is a potential customer!" It was left alone after that, especially I turned in a successful sales lead on teh guy I was talking to in the mall.
 

Coldworld

60 months and counting
Im not suggesting talking to someone for 15 minutes, but customers are more willing to give us their business if they know we care, or at least pretend to. But with our great bosses going around checking us out, probably not the best thing. But I do remember one time going out with a sup, and he saw someone on the route they knew from off the job and those two sat there for 20 minutes chatting, even though I told him 2 or 3 times that we had to get going....talk about an absolute joke!
 
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Coldworld

60 months and counting
If I see a lead, I take a bit more time than normal. It's hard to say though.

We had a business move from one route to another. The route they moved to, the driver has an excellent reputation for gaining volume and going the extra mile. This company was a UPS account and they have been featured in the local paper as a hugely expanding business. Anyways, they had problems with UPS software and went to Fedex. They moved and about a month later, the driver was talking to them, explaining when he normally would deliver and when he would pick up if they switched (about an hour later than on the other route at the old location, earlier delivery too.) Turns out the center manager was doing an on area observation and he thought he spent too much time there. So much, that he called a division manager and she said, "fire him."

He did not get fired or suspended, but it did throw a bucket of ice water on leads in our center. His experience is the 1st thing that comes up when we have a PCM on leads.

TB
Its been 100 years and this company still doesnt understand that happy employees are productive employees, and if they are happy WILL go the extra mile for you. Can you imagine if ups was a place where management and the workforce could get along and work together...ahhh, what a wonderful dream.
 

dannyboy

From the promised LAND
I had a time study done a while back. THe young girl had played basket ball at one time in college, and was pretty good. We were ahead of schedule, and picked up at Trane MFG, where the guys were outside shooting hoops. After about 1/2 hour, they just about had enough. Never knew how she coded the time, cause we had taken the hour and 10.

d
 
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