No more unscheduled pick ups ?

stevetheupsguy

sʇǝʌǝʇɥǝndsƃnʎ
Yes, and unlike yours, it is not generic, lite or comical.
Meaning? Unlike you, not many things get under my skin, so there's really no need to give anyone a "smack down", which is what you seem to do all the time, lately.

Defying my contract?
I take my full lunch and break but I take them when it is convenient for me and for my customers, between my first and second set of pickups.
Most of the drivers in my center take their meal breaks outside of the contractual times.
Nice way of adding that MOST of the other driver's in your center do the same thing, which makes it perfectly okay for you to do so. If the other driver's jumped off a bridge.....?

Cutting corners?
If you are talking about calling certain COD customers so that they will have their checks ready so that I am not wasting time when I get there then, yes, I guess I do cut corners.
You're right, you are cutting corners. What you should do is inform that/those customers that they have a C.O.D. and wait for them to write the check. Now, while you are waiting, (and getting paid, may I add), you can suggest that future C.O.D. pkgs can be picked up at your center, or that the customer get the C.O.D. amount from the shipper via email, fax or phone call, when shipped, so it's not such a hardship on YOU.

If you are talking about customers calling me so that they can get their pkgs earlier then, yesI cut corners.
If you're breaking trace to coddle these customer's, then yes, you are cutting corners and could very well be reprimanded for your actions.

If you are talking about me taking the most direct route from the package car to the front door, which means walking on the grass, then, yes I cut corners.
Twisted ankle/sprained knee, stepping in dog doo or pissing off the customer, could be the outcome of THIS behavior. Is it really worth the risk?

Falsifying? Picking up an ARS/RS while making a delivery and then waiting until I get to my next pickup stop, scanning it and adding it to the total, is much more efficient than standing there and recording it as an unscheduled pickup for which there is a meager time allowance given.
Nationally we're being told to sheet them as special pick ups, not unscheduled. I believe by adding them to some other pick ups count total, YOU ARE falsifying your records, but I see, you're only working smarter (as you see it), not as the company that you get paid by, wants you to work.

I think I do a good job?
Still think so?

I work hard and I take care of my customers.
You wouldn't have to work so hard, if you changed some of the above behaviors.

For example, just last night I was at one of my drop boxes and noticed a NADA envelope with an ASD. The customer had forgotten to put the destination address on there--it was blank. I called the phone number on the return address but got no answer so I tried to find her name in the phone book. She was listed, I called her, left a message. She called the center about 10 minutes later, gave us the address, and her NDA letter will be at the destination Monday morning.
So you basically took it upon yourself to perform the night clerks duties? It's no wonder people are getting laid off at the rate they are. We're all part of the machine and should function according to our duties, so that other, may have duties to perform.

Would you have done all that?
That's what clerks are for.......

I could care less but this works out better for me.
And herein you have all the reasoning of the man they call Upstate.

I think you need to move on Dave.
This post has been edited to show the truth behind the post.


Thanks. As Over said I am simply working as directed. As for cutting corners, I am not too concerned about comments from that member.
Working as directed? I think not!
As far as not being concerned about comments from this or any other member, what's with the preceding manifesto on why you do things the way you do them? I called you on this because you put it out there for anyone to tear apart. Next time, you may want to try and keep it a little LITE.:happy-very:
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
Special counts PPD .....I think.... The first thing you're in when you hit special. Then it has all the other stuff, air, intl, hi val.

But I think you should keep doing it as you've been told by your own management team.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
Special counts PPD .....I think.... The first thing you're in when you hit special. Then it has all the other stuff, air, intl, hi val.

But I think you should keep doing it as you've been told by your own management team.

(Pssst...I had no intention of doing it differently....just wanted to think I was going to change based upon his suggestion.....make him feel good about himself)
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
Steven, in the case of the blank NDA ASD, there would have been no time for the night clerk to have obtained the address, filled out the ASD, and made sure the pkg made the plane (1930 pull) so that it would make service on Monday. I made both of my phone calls while sitting at the drop box waiting for the pickup time (1730). As it turns out, her husband was home, called her with my message, she then called the center with the address, the OMS sent me an ODS, I filled out the ASD and the pkg will make service. I then ran in to her while making my Staples pickup and she thanked me for going the extra step to help her out. Up here we call that customer service.

As for the rest of your post, if I can find any way to "work smarter, not harder" I will most certainly use it. Wouldn't you love to walk in to a multiple COD stop to see that the checks are all filled out and all you have to is get a signature and go? The customers who meet me on road is a win/win for both of us.

Steve, I have no doubt that I do a good job.

I think you should stick to being the court jester of Brown Cafe as that seems to be what you are best at. I know that whenever I see one of your posts I read it for comic relief.

I do know that if I ever need financial advice that you are not the person to talk to.
 

tracker2762

Well-Known Member
If you go to special counts while doing a stop, the first screen is for over 70 count, big arrow down takes you to the spec a count. If a customer hands you an ars while in the edd screen, the spec counts while take you directly to the spec a screen. There you can also get credit if it's a pkg you take off when returning to building.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
If you go to special counts while doing a stop, the first screen is for over 70 count, big arrow down takes you to the spec a count. If a customer hands you an ars while in the edd screen, the spec counts while take you directly to the spec a screen. There you can also get credit if it's a pkg you take off when returning to building.

I will try that on Monday--thanks.
 

stevetheupsguy

sʇǝʌǝʇɥǝndsƃnʎ
Steven, in the case of the blank NDA ASD, there would have been no time for the night clerk to have obtained the address, filled out the ASD, and made sure the pkg made the plane (1930 pull) so that it would make service on Monday. I made both of my phone calls while sitting at the drop box waiting for the pickup time (1730). As it turns out, her husband was home, called her with my message, she then called the center with the address, the OMS sent me an ODS, I filled out the ASD and the pkg will make service. I then ran in to her while making my Staples pickup and she thanked me for going the extra step to help her out. Up here we call that customer service.

As for the rest of your post, if I can find any way to "work smarter, not harder" I will most certainly use it. Wouldn't you love to walk in to a multiple COD stop to see that the checks are all filled out and all you have to is get a signature and go? The customers who meet me on road is a win/win for both of us.

Steve, I have no doubt that I do a good job.

I think you should stick to being the court jester of Brown Cafe as that seems to be what you are best at. I know that whenever I see one of your posts I read it for comic relief.

I do know that if I ever need financial advice that you are not the person to talk to.
I'm glad that you took the time out of your day to respond to my "hilarious" post. I hope I didn't make you laugh TOO hard. I knew you would continue about doing things YOUR own merry way, as though you make the rules and wrote the contract. I just felt I should give you a nice little shout out, so you could see the error of your ways, but as usual, there's very little light to be seen "up there". So it's back to Jester school for me.

Annex%20-%20Kaye,%20Danny%20(Court%20Jester,%20The)_01.jpg


As for financial advice, I just gave you a great way to make more money than ever and you have turned your nose skyward, yet again.
 

some1else

Well-Known Member
Stug the real problemmwith drivers like upstate that make their own rules is the effect on other drivers. How much fun is it for a cover driver to run a route that has the regular drver making 10 "courtesy" calls a day? Not to mention thE inflated numbers that everyone will be compared to
 

stevetheupsguy

sʇǝʌǝʇɥǝndsƃnʎ
Stug the real problemmwith drivers like upstate that make their own rules is the effect on other drivers. How much fun is it for a cover driver to run a route that has the regular drver making 10 "courtesy" calls a day? Not to mention thE inflated numbers that everyone will be compared to
+1 That's what I'm sayin!
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
I've never been a cover driver so i'm not familiar with "courtesy" call. Can you clue me in?

What they are referring to is the good working relationship that I have developed with my customers which benefits both of us. I have a couple of customers whom I call ahead with their COD's and the checks are all waiting for me when I make their delivery, so instead of spending 5-10 minutes at the stop I am usually gone in less than 2. I also have a couple of customers who like to get their pkgs earlier than I will be in their area so they call me, I quickly go through EDD to see if they have anything and, if they do, they ask me if they can meet me at my next stop.

Steve has a problem with those of us who choose to use modern technology (cell phone) to our benefit during the day, claiming that such use skews our numbers.

Work smarter, not harder.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
Stug the real problemmwith drivers like upstate that make their own rules is the effect on other drivers. How much fun is it for a cover driver to run a route that has the regular drver making 10 "courtesy" calls a day? Not to mention thE inflated numbers that everyone will be compared to

You are blowing this out of proportion. It is not as though I am on my cell phone all day; in fact, I clip it to my drink holder and it usually stays there all day. When I do choose to use it it is usually to make my day a bit easier. It is primarily there so that my kids can get a hold of me and vice versa.

I was also a cover driver and rarely if ever did the regular driver tell me all of his "tricks". I try to keep my primary cover driver as informed as possible of any "tricks" and changes to the area. For example, I have a "tobacco" shop on my area who gets most of her stuff COD. I have learned it is best to write down all of the CODs, give her the list, deliver the rest of the adjacent stops, and then deliver her stuff as I know she will have the checks ready. If I were to stand there and wait I would waste at least 5 minutes. I keep a list of access codes taped to my bulkhead door. I tell him what commercial stops also live on the area so that he can indirect their personal packages with their business pkgs and save time. I tell him what areas to avoid during certain times of the day (schools) and other things unique to the route.

I am not going to apologize for using my cell phone to my advantage but never as a substitute for customer service (I don't call pickups).

Work smarter, not harder.
 

stevetheupsguy

sʇǝʌǝʇɥǝndsƃnʎ
What they are referring to is the good working relationship that I have developed with my customers which benefits both of us. I have a couple of customers whom I call ahead with their COD's and the checks are all waiting for me when I make their delivery, so instead of spending 5-10 minutes at the stop I am usually gone in less than 2. I also have a couple of customers who like to get their pkgs earlier than I will be in their area so they call me, I quickly go through EDD to see if they have anything and, if they do, they ask me if they can meet me at my next stop.

Steve has a problem with those of us who choose to use modern technology (cell phone) to our benefit during the day, claiming that such use skews our numbers.

Work smarter, not harder.
Steve's "problem" is that YOU are in fact skewing the numbers by NOT working according to the methods. Your boss will NOT tell you what you are doing is wrong, because you are in fact making him look good by letting him show numbers in his report that are skewed. Had you actually taken the alloted time to deliver those C.O.D.'s and delivered those customers pkgs when you got to their area's, the report would then be valid, showing the real numbers, because you actually took the time, and went the miles.

I understand that you want to get off of work as soon as you possibly can. It can't be easy trying to catch up to moreluck's lead on you. I guess you could call that, "Poster Envy".:wink2:

You are blowing this out of proportion. It is not as though I am on my cell phone all day; in fact, I clip it to my drink holder and it usually stays there all day. When I do choose to use it it is usually to make my day a bit easier. It is primarily there so that my kids can get a hold of me and vice versa.

I was also a cover driver and rarely if ever did the regular driver tell me all of his "tricks". I try to keep my primary cover driver as informed as possible of any "tricks" and changes to the area. For example, I have a "tobacco" shop on my area who gets most of her stuff COD. I have learned it is best to write down all of the CODs, give her the list, deliver the rest of the adjacent stops, and then deliver her stuff as I know she will have the checks ready. If I were to stand there and wait I would waste at least 5 minutes. I keep a list of access codes taped to my bulkhead door. I tell him what commercial stops also live on the area so that he can indirect their personal packages with their business pkgs and save time. I tell him what areas to avoid during certain times of the day (schools) and other things unique to the route.

I am not going to apologize for using my cell phone to my advantage but never as a substitute for customer service (I don't call pickups).

Work smarter, not harder.
I thought your kids were grown already. Are you telling me that you are ready to dump your route in your supe's hands if an "emergency" arises? I don't really need an answer to that. I know that a lot of people need the "security" that a cell phone brings them, because they don't trust that the world can go on without them nearby.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
Steve's "problem" is that YOU are in fact skewing the numbers by NOT working according to the methods. Your boss will NOT tell you what you are doing is wrong, because you are in fact making him look good by letting him show numbers in his report that are skewed. Had you actually taken the alloted time to deliver those C.O.D.'s and delivered those customers pkgs when you got to their area's, the report would then be valid, showing the real numbers, because you actually took the time, and went the miles.

I understand that you want to get off of work as soon as you possibly can. It can't be easy trying to catch up to moreluck's lead on you. I guess you could call that, "Poster Envy".:wink2:

I thought your kids were grown already. Are you telling me that you are ready to dump your route in your supe's hands if an "emergency" arises? I don't really need an answer to that. I know that a lot of people need the "security" that a cell phone brings them, because they don't trust that the world can go on without them nearby.

Steve, on behalf of the rest of the Brown Cafe team, I would like to formally invite you to join the rest of us in the 21st century.

Yes, my kids are grown, but I still like to be available if they need to get in touch with me. My son delivers for Papa John's and, if something were to happen to him, I like knowing that I am just a phone call away, even if it is just for directions. If it were something serious I would most certainly dump the route in a second.

Are you seriously saying that I should not be allowed (expected) to use my cell phone as it gives me an unfair advantage over my cover drivers and that the numbers on the OR are not a true representation of my day as I "cheated" to obtain them? What happened, did you fall off your bike and forget to wear your helmet again? Do you even read this stuff after you type it? You would rather I stand there while this customer pulls invoices and compares the COD total that I gave her before she will write the check. This is why I call her--it lets her do her thing and I simply make the delivery and go. The miles are the same but I will concede that I am gaining on the 3 minute per COD allowance. Work smarter, not harder.

Steve, the methods are a guideline on how to do our job. There is technology available which will allow us to use the methods more efficiently. If this is something you choose not to embrace that is your choice. For the rest of us, and by "us" I am referring to those who voted "yes" on my poll, we have chosen to become more efficient.

I do pray that nothing ever happens to a member of your family that would require you being there but no one was able to reach you and your center team did not think it a priority to notify you and simply put a note in your slot---"Daughter in ER with broken arm". This was the way that it used to be. They used to call one of your pickup stops and ask them to have you call the center. Suppose that God forbid your wife and daughters are involved in a car accident and you are desperately needed at the ER. Do you really want to rely on your center team to relay this information to you?

As for your comment about More, she seems to have forgotten that the words "quantity" and "quality" do not share the same meaning.
 

stevetheupsguy

sʇǝʌǝʇɥǝndsƃnʎ
Steve, on behalf of the rest of the Brown Cafe team, I would like to formally invite you to join the rest of us in the 21st century.

Yes, my kids are grown, but I still like to be available if they need to get in touch with me. My son delivers for Papa John's and, if something were to happen to him, I like knowing that I am just a phone call away, even if it is just for directions. If it were something serious I would most certainly dump the route in a second.

Are you seriously saying that I should not be allowed (expected) to use my cell phone as it gives me an unfair advantage over my cover drivers and that the numbers on the OR are not a true representation of my day as I "cheated" to obtain them? What happened, did you fall off your bike and forget to wear your helmet again? Do you even read this stuff after you type it? You would rather I stand there while this customer pulls invoices and compares the COD total that I gave her before she will write the check. This is why I call her--it lets her do her thing and I simply make the delivery and go. The miles are the same but I will concede that I am gaining on the 3 minute per COD allowance. Work smarter, not harder.

Steve, the methods are a guideline on how to do our job. There is technology available which will allow us to use the methods more efficiently. If this is something you choose not to embrace that is your choice. For the rest of us, and by "us" I am referring to those who voted "yes" on my poll, we have chosen to become more efficient.

I do pray that nothing ever happens to a member of your family that would require you being there but no one was able to reach you and your center team did not think it a priority to notify you and simply put a note in your slot---"Daughter in ER with broken arm". This was the way that it used to be. They used to call one of your pickup stops and ask them to have you call the center. Suppose that God forbid your wife and daughters are involved in a car accident and you are desperately needed at the ER. Do you really want to rely on your center team to relay this information to you?

As for your comment about More, she seems to have forgotten that the words "quantity" and "quality" do not share the same meaning.
Trying to get the heat off of you by using your clever whiticism's again?
If the customer is checking the invoice, will they not STILL check the invoice while you are there? How would calling ahead save you time, in this instance?

I deliver C.O.D.'s when I get there. I pull up, honk, attempt the delivery, wait for the check/M.O., receive the proper amount, thank the customer, and go to my next stop. If a customer walks up to me and asks me for their pkg, I will oblige them, as long as they are known to me. I don't spend my day calling ahead to anyone, or digging pkgs out of the load. I get there when I get there.

It's funny how this discussion is between us, yet you choose to say "Steve, on behalf of the rest of the Brown Cafe team" or you continue to say We and Us, when it is only You and I involved. Seemingly you would have the rest of the readers believing that it's me against everyone else, when it is just you and I involved. I thought you were defending yourself, as far as using YOUR cellphone and YOUR methods?

As for my family, and I've said this in another thread/s, I am a man of faith and trust God to take care of my family. If you don't have the faith to be able to leave the phone at home and trust God to take care of your family/friends, including those here on the BC, then I guess you'll spend your day biting your nails, worried to death about how much you really aren't in control. I'm not trying to get all religious on you. I'm just giving you the reason for why I'm not worried about your accident scenario's, as a reason for me "needing" a cell phone.

Have a great Sunday!
 

Dragon

Package Center Manager
I am with UPstate on this one. UPstate has a smooth daily routine that works well for him, his customers and UPS. My hope is the OC supervisor knows UPstate's routine and can train someone to cover just as efficiently. If the cover drivers were to spend a few minutes with UPstate and get some details about his daily routine, I bet they would love to cover his route when he is not there.

STUG and anyone else for that matter, lots of drivers have developed successfully routines that work well for themselves, the customers and UPS. Does that mean its wrong? No its not, we receive receive messages in the center regularly, about how the driver did something great, outstanding that was definitely not part of the "methods".

We can debate this till the cows come home, however more drivers like UPstate and less like STUG, make UPS successful on a daily basis.

OK, getting off my soapbox now. :its_all_good:
 
Top