New Service Level?

grgrcr88

No It's not green grocer!
It is my theory that UPS will buy out FedEx ground within the next 10 years. I think Fred is getting to the age where he doesn't want to deal with it any more and will let it go. He will keep express, however. UPS doesn't have a real big problem with letting Fred expand and build hubs on his dime as they will aquire it in the future.
No insider information, just my opinion.

Will it be funny when the jokes come about at your expense?
Will it be funny when you are out of a job?
No- that's not Christlike

Nice theory but it will never happen. Why would UPS want to spend billions of dollars on a delivery system that is completely redundant to the existing infrastructure. The only purpose of that would be to shut it down which would cost more than any shareholder would aprove. You forget, UPS is all about the current stock price, that would not help.
 

AKX

Well-Known Member
Upstate is correct with this one. it is an RTS package being returned via our basic service to the shipper.

Packages used to be returned the same service level they were shipped but I noticed here recently a package that was shipped NDA being refused and RTS 3 Day select. I guess since this package was ground to Im guessing Canada the only lesser service to ground is Basic.
 

iowa boy

Well-Known Member
Packages used to be returned the same service level they were shipped but I noticed here recently a package that was shipped NDA being refused and RTS 3 Day select. I guess since this package was ground to Im guessing Canada the only lesser service to ground is Basic.

A while back our clerk was told not to return everything at the same service level that the package went out with. I've seen certain packages returned with the same service level, but most are now returned 3 day or ground to save the company money.
 

bbsam

Moderator
Staff member
It is my theory that UPS will buy out FedEx ground within the next 10 years. I think Fred is getting to the age where he doesn't want to deal with it any more and will let it go. He will keep express, however. UPS doesn't have a real big problem with letting Fred expand and build hubs on his dime as they will aquire it in the future.
No insider information, just my opinion.

Will it be funny when the jokes come about at your expense?
Will it be funny when you are out of a job?
No- that's not Christlike
Did I joke about somone losing their job? Did I joke in a manner that came at someone elses expense? Maybe UPS corporate, but I think they can handle it.
 

bbsam

Moderator
Staff member
And just to clarify, I do not view anyone, myself or any other Christian or non-Christian as "Christlike".
 

bbsam

Moderator
Staff member
We are to strive to be more like Christ Jesus; is that not Christ like?
No. It is not. There is trying and there is doing. We fail and continue to strive. Why? Because we are commanded to. We have chosen a Master who's demands are humanly unobtainable but who's mercy is equally limitless.
 

upsgrunt

Well-Known Member
No. It is not. There is trying and there is doing. We fail and continue to strive. Why? Because we are commanded to. We have chosen a Master who's demands are humanly unobtainable but who's mercy is equally limitless.


I totally agree! Please don't confuse my semantics with my intended meanings.
 

brownedout

Well-Known Member
A while back our clerk was told not to return everything at the same service level that the package went out with. I've seen certain packages returned with the same service level, but most are now returned 3 day or ground to save the company money.
It's not so much that the clerks have been told to downgrade the service level, it is done automatically while the return is being processed. I would suspect in this instance a Standard has been downgraded to Basic. Most of these international returns have paperwork in the original int'l pouch documenting reason for return. For the occassional shipper the Basic designation allows the driver the chance to not have to re-itterate this document. The last sentence also takes into account, this is the only package a commercial stop might be receiving that day. Even World Wide Express returns are downgraded to the Basic service. I don't feel this downgrade is fair to our shippers, as it sometimes does not afford them the time to make the proper corrections, as a NDA probably would. The real interesting thing about these downgrades are the tracking #'s, obviously the service level is changed/different, and the last number of the final four digits will be off by 1 either way from the original thus 0000 would become 0001 or 0009 or 1234 would change to 1233 or 1235, and the rest of the shippers tracking number remains.
 

worldwide

Well-Known Member
A while back our clerk was told not to return everything at the same service level that the package went out with. I've seen certain packages returned with the same service level, but most are now returned 3 day or ground to save the company money.

it does not save UPS any money since the shipper is charged to have the package returned. Happens automatically in the system--the clerk does not control what service level the package comes back. Air packages come back via 3 Day Select and ground packages come back via ground. Fedex does the same thing--industry standard.

From the UPS tariff:

"Packages refused by the consignee, or which cannot be delivered due to any other cause beyond UPS’s control, will be returned to the shipper at shipper’s expense, including, but not limited to, forwarding costs, return transportation charges, duties, and taxes. Undeliverable international shipments returned to the shipper also are subject to an undeliverable shipment surcharge set forth in the effective UPS Rates."
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
Nowhere in the tariff does it say that the package will be returned to them at a reduced level of service. Used to be you sent something NDA and it was refused you had it back the next day.
 

iowa boy

Well-Known Member
it does not save UPS any money since the shipper is charged to have the package returned. Happens automatically in the system--the clerk does not control what service level the package comes back. Air packages come back via 3 Day Select and ground packages come back via ground. Fedex does the same thing--industry standard.

How does it not save UPS money to downgrade the service level? If I send you something that weighs 50 lbs. via air so you have it the next day, you refuse it, and it is returned to me via ground, wouldn't this not save on fuel and thus save UPS money ? Last I checked, jet fuel was over 6 bucks a gallon vs 3.90 for a gallon of diesel. If this happens to a plane load of air, wouldn't this save UPS money by cutting a flight?

I understand and agree with what you are saying, but when this first started, I was told by our clerk that she was instructed to RTS at a lower service level rather than the same service level it came in under. This eventually became automatic within her system.


From the UPS tariff:

"Packages refused by the consignee, or which cannot be delivered due to any other cause beyond UPS’s control, will be returned to the shipper at shipper’s expense, including, but not limited to, forwarding costs, return transportation charges, duties, and taxes. Undeliverable international shipments returned to the shipper also are subject to an undeliverable shipment surcharge set forth in the effective UPS Rates."

Where in the tariff does it state that UPS has a right to downgrade the service level of an RTS'ed package? Obviously this somehow saves UPS money as they otherwise would not have changed their own policy 'just because they wanted too'.

 

worldwide

Well-Known Member
Where in the tariff does it state that UPS has a right to downgrade the service level of an RTS'ed package? Obviously this somehow saves UPS money as they otherwise would not have changed their own policy 'just because they wanted too'.


Page 61 of the UPS service guide.

http://www.ups.com/media/en/daily_rates.pdf

"Service level of the return will be UPS 3 Day Select for Air and UPS Ground for Ground shipments."

How is UPS saving money when the customer is being charged for the service? UPS was losing money when they returned packages for free. The policy was changed as it is a standard industry practice--FedEx does the same thing.
 
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