No more unscheduled pick ups ?

[Big Babooba]

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.

UPS supplies us with the technology they believe we need - truck, handcart, DIAD, EDD, pen and paper (delivery notices). They provided us with beepers before they had the ability to text message us through the DIAD. If they believe that we need cellular phone technology, then they should also provide it.

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

Screw all of the justifications for doing things "your way." Look...we have a job to do and are supposed to follow the methods while doing it. Whats so hard to understand about that? If the methods say scan a walk up under special counts then I don't see why anyone wouldn't do that. The same applies to other methods. I too hate it when I run a route that a bid driver has jacked up so badly that results in me hearing "but my regular driver......" If people would just follow the methods then ALL customers would know what to expect from ALL of the drivers. Its that simple right? Well, apparently not. There seem to be too many "special" drivers out there that think they are running their own business and are exempt from the rules.

 

[over9five]

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.

I'm thinking you could have made the same point without flaming STUG.

 

[Big Babooba]

By the way, I have nothing against calling a customer with COD info, specially when they print their checks out on their computer. That can take sooooooooo much longer than writing one out.

 

[tracker2762]

I would like to know if after these customers check their invoices has it change the amount of the COD. I'll answer that, it's no, they still have to pay the same amount either way. If they have a problem with what the invoice says and the amount of the COD, they can take it up with the shipper after you leave. If you feel you need to call ahead with an amount that's your call. I would also let a customer that comes to expect this call to know that a cover may not do this or expect them to do it.

 

[brownmonster]

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

How would you like to cover a route where the bid driver swings between Fedex trucks, takes pictures of lizards and alligators, hides the DIAD in clothing at Kohls, etc. Kind of hard to follow in those footsteps.

 

[QKRSTKR]

Fine, I will try this on Monday. Is it Special Counts A or B?

its spec. cnts hit soft key, put # of pkgs, scan pkgs, big arrow up, matter of 2 seconds. I use a for air. enter to get there.

 

[BrownArmy]

In SPECIAL COUNTS:

Rec A = NDA, 2nd Day Air AM
Rec B = 2nd Day Air
Rec C = Three Day Select

I've got whatever package scanned in Special Counts before my foot hits the package car step...

 

[stevetheupsguy]

Did they call on their cell to let you know they were coming? (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

LOL, they called from the driveway because we needed to move one of our cars. Cellphone=Lazy?

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.

Wow, that's mighty condemning of you, my "friend". I think it's just a matter of ME "not needing" a cellphone to be equally or more productive, than my Northern counterpart. May I even add, that ALL of my customer's are treated equally well and without disdain?

How would you like to cover a route where the bid driver swings between Fedex trucks, takes pictures of lizards and alligators, hides the DIAD in clothing at Kohls, etc. Kind of hard to follow in those footsteps.

Ouch! I thought this was about cellphones.

 

[Dragon]

LOL, they called from the driveway because we needed to move one of our cars. Cellphone=Lazy?

Wow, that's mighty condemning of you, my "friend". I think it's just a matter of ME "not needing" a cellphone to be equally or more productive, than my Northern counterpart. May I even add, that ALL of my customer's are treated equally well and without disdain?

Ouch! I thought this was about cellphones.

Sorry STUG, as over9five put it, I could have gotten the point across with out flaming you. Its just the post touched a raw nerve with me.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I tried using Special Counts today and it is much easier than they way that I was doing it.

 

[Big Babooba]

I tried using Special Counts today and it is much easier than they way that I was doing it.

Who said that you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

 

[Catatonic]

Who said that you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

My wife.

 

[over9five]

Tomorrow Upstate will get a warning letter for "failure to follow"!!!!

 

[dilligaf]

I tried using Special Counts today and it is much easier than they way that I was doing it.

 

[brownmonster]

I tried using Special Counts today and it is much easier than they way that I was doing it.

Wipe off that smirk.

 

[grizbiker]

So, we got the issues of phones and ASDs and methods covered, I think I will continue on with the no scheduled pick up thing. Here is one problem I have with this, not everybody got the memo that things changed! Can you guess what happened to these drivers? Accusations of falsifying info and padding stops! I know, I know, that wouldn't happen and I'm just a bitter person. It did and a driver's job was in jeopardy. Luckily that's as far as it went. Cooler heads prevailed and the situation was quickly resolved. My other issue is why are we changing this? I was told that this was a great way to help with sales leads because customers got dinged a little more for unscheduled. If they got schduled pick ups they got a rebate. I thought we wanted to make money and show where money is coming from? Oh well, we deliver packages. We don't make sense.

 

[satellitedriver]

So, we got the issues of phones and ASDs and methods covered, I think I will continue on with the no scheduled pick up thing. Here is one problem I have with this, not everybody got the memo that things changed! Can you guess what happened to these drivers? Accusations of falsifying info and padding stops! I know, I know, that wouldn't happen and I'm just a bitter person. It did and a driver's job was in jeopardy. Luckily that's as far as it went. Cooler heads prevailed and the situation was quickly resolved. My other issue is why are we changing this? I was told that this was a great way to help with sales leads because customers got dinged a little more for unscheduled. If they got schduled pick ups they got a rebate. I thought we wanted to make money and show where money is coming from? Oh well, we deliver packages. We don't make sense.

On all the issues above;
It is my cell phone and I will use it as I damn well please.
ASD'S/ RS pkgs - throw them in the back of the truck. Scanned or not.
When you posted this;
I thought we wanted to make money and show where money is coming from? Oh well, we deliver packages. We don't make sense.
You posted the new economic metrics employed by the new and improved micro -management style.
Just as TIDE was "new and improved" each year, it was still the same old soap in a new colored box.
Remember this,
It is no longer about the customer, it is about UpS.
I still am having a hard time understanding how we can be an us -( as a company)- without them-( meaning a satisfied customer)-.