One of the reasons we lose customers

[IDoLessWorkThanMost]

Aint it just wonderful when the customer counter clerks act like the gestapo and start asking why are you shipping this package with us today? What does it matter why? Some one asked them to, and unless it is prohibited, its your job to take the package. Their reason why is none of your business. Unless I am missing something in your job description???

As for interesting things prohibited from certain countries, we had a well known actor from scotland here a while back. It seems he left some very expensive clothes in his hotel room, and asked for us to send them on. Cant do it, cause they will not allow the importation of used clothes into scotland. New clothes, yes, used no, even if they are your own personal clothes.

d

Not telling you something you don't know here, but asking why someone is shipping a package and asking what's in the package are two completely different things. One usually can deduct why they're shipping an item or items when we know what it is they're shipping. That is how we knew they were pulling a fast one against a states regulations. Yes, we have 100% authority to know what people are shipping. This is why we need a matching address on a government issued ID and description of goods for all sales.

 

[dannyboy]

Why would they send 100 pounds of fertilzer to CA costing 135

Just responding to what you posted.

So what evil were they up to?

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[IDoLessWorkThanMost]

Just responding to what you posted.

So what evil were they up to?

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I had already said they were breaking California shipping guidelines by sending this fertilizer there. No vendor can ship it there or several other states. By knowing what the customer was shipping, it was 300$ worth of fertilizer, was pretty obvious they were trying to get around the law.

This is a case where we didn't question this persons intentions shipping this fertilizer, but I did ask the person what the contents were at first encounter. .

Wanted to leave the 2 packages outside for the weekend... hopefully the odor isn't too bad inside on Monday! I had a fair headache after whiffing the stuff for an hour or so.

 

[UPS Lifer]

Talking about gestapo....
Right after 911 - any package going air (at the CC) had to be opened and inspected. We took it one step further and had the customers bring the packages in open and we sealed the packages.

WOW! some customers were upset but they understood and it really helped with the damage picture.

We brought out rolls of packing material and made sure everything was protected properly.

We were able to educate the customer and turned a lose - lose into a win-win. The customers really appreciated the way we handled it!

 

[brownmonster]

We could go a step farther and actually send a rep into most of our accounts and show people how to package and ship things. For god sakes we run the shipping for Sprint and every package I deliver the label is upside down on the side of the box. Put the damn label on the top of the box.

 

[Mike Hawk]

While your at it, tell them not to put the barcode part of the label over the seam/corner of the box so it can be scaned.

 

[rushfan]

Yah, I tried to ship ganja from vancouver, to my address stateside. It didn't happen. UPS lost my business.

 

[Tyler Durden]

Some chemicals in fertilizer are used in the making of bombs. It was a truck full of fertilizer that blew up the Govt build. in Oklahoma.

That's right... One could make all kinds of explosives, using simple household items, if one were so inclined.

 

[dannyboy]

Some chemicals in fertilizer are used in the making of bombs. It was a truck full of fertilizer that blew up the Govt build. in Oklahoma.
That's right... One could make all kinds of explosives, using simple household items, if one were so inclined.

And it sure wouldnt take a heavy amount of anything to do so. You can get a big bang out of a lot of small amounts of certain chemicals. And many are already in a UPS truck, just not mixed together yet

My question for I do still remains. You mentioned why would someone want to ship something. Is that a part of your job, to ask and why are you shipping this with us? and that is what I have a problem with, not that you ask what is the contents of the package. Its that you think you need to know the motive of each and every customer that ships something through the counter.

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[thebrownbox]

I see boxes of live plants almost everyday...

 

[thebrownbox]

We get trash bags, water bottles with water, brooms, racks. Why ship this stuff when you can buy it and save money.

I asked myself the same last week when the store "Forever 21" ordered a friken broom and I load a mall truck.

 

[UPS Lifer]

And it sure wouldnt take a heavy amount of anything to do so. You can get a big bang out of a lot of small amounts of certain chemicals. And many are already in a UPS truck, just not mixed together yet

My question for I do still remains. You mentioned why would someone want to ship something. Is that a part of your job, to ask and why are you shipping this with us? and that is what I have a problem with, not that you ask what is the contents of the package. Its that you think you need to know the motive of each and every customer that ships something through the counter.

d

Dannyboy,

You may not approve of the way some clerks do their job but they may be doing it correctly.

Since 911, we have instituted security procedures to outline what a clerk needs to look for and also trigger terms that should pop out to them in the description of the contents of the package. If the description is not clear, they need to identify it. Customer IDs need to match return addresses. If a customer looks or acts nervous or fidgety that is also a trigger to the clerk and additional security measures may need to be taken.

I used to have my wife go out and salt UPS counters with haz-mats or packages that had poor descriptions of articles inside to see if the clerks asked the right questions to make sure the package was OK to ship through our system. I would usually be close by out of sight to correct the situation on the spot if necessary.

It is a clerk's job to make sure they do not allow anything in the system that should not go. Hope this resolves the conflict.

By the way - the UPS Customer Center (counter) associates need to take a test every year to refresh these procedures. The procedures are in writing and can be found on the Haz-Mat website under the CC portion. Call the Haz-Mat Support Center and they can guide you through the website if you want to check it out.

 

[dannyboy]

Lifer

You side stepped the question. The poster asked "WHY" the customer was shipping the article. Not what was in the package. And it is the why of the post that I take issue with.

I understand that post 911 a lot of people are walking around still in shell shock and responding in a knee jerk reaction. Problem is we had lots of warnings and lots of practice runs by not only terrorists, but home grown nutcases. Those always have and always will be among us. And the way our laws are written, even if they do cross the line, they will be out in short order.

I order chemicals all the time through UPS. Some times HAZMAT, other times not. I am so glad that customer counter clerks are ever vigilant to not take explosives and dangerous goods from underhanded individuals.

But I still cant figure out why they would want to know why someone would be wanting to ship something out.

d

 

[UPS Lifer]

dannyboy,
With all due respect, I think you missed the context of what the poster said about the fertilizer. It does not say that he asked the customer why they were shipping the fertilizer.... He is asking WHY to us in the post. Why would the customer ship fertilizer?

I have had 3 separate jobs as a manager where I had support, training and oversight duties for all the counters in our district and I need to make a point perfectly clear.

It is not just the Customer Center Associate's job to accept packages at our CCs. They are trained and have a responsibility to stop any package that is not compatible or meets state, federal or UPS regulations. This is in their job description. Once we accept a package into the system we accept liability as the carrier. If it can go no further, and the shipper does not come back to pick it up, we have to dispose of it at a cost of $200 to $1200 depending on the content.

 

[dannyboy]

Well as a customer, I can tell you why we ship things. Because its here, and they need it there. Simple as that.

In the case of the plants that started this thread, the plants have no worth down in texas, where the state spends millions to try to control it. But up north, they are a much sought after decorative plant that is worth 3-5 bucks a piece.

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[myback]

did it smell like a skunk

 

[trplnkl]

What kind of plant are you talking about?

 

[dannyboy]

Water Lettuce and hyacinth.

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[siouxman]

You want to know another way we lose customers? DAMAGES!!! It seems like every package I get from UPS has been stomped on or got caught in the conveyor belt system.

Case in point: I ordered a nice frame to hang up a collectable hockey jersey. Naturally, it was an irreg. And of course, it had a huge footprint in the middle of the box and the glass was shattered. Now I have to try to get my insurance money or a replacement...

My driver even told me that sometimes he gets packages so mangled that he's embarrassed to deliver them.

I sent a package to my brother in Virgina and ups missorted it so I called in to get a refund on my shipping. They said I would have to call back and request the refund after the package is delivered. I asked the phone service rep if she saw the tracking info and that it said left in ups facility. she said yes but I would still need to call back. so I now have to make another phone call to get a refund. Just think what our customers must think of the hassel of calling back

 

[trplnkl]

Water Lettuce and hyacinth.

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it is illegal to possess or transport this species in Texas.