Problem with Driver-Helper Coordinator

[Need_advice]

Hello, and thanks for stopping to read this. I will try to make it brief and to the point.

I was hired this season as a Driver Helper- during the interview, I mentioned several times that I am indeed a college student who is in class daily (5 days a week) until ~12:30, though after Dec 10, I could work full time. The HR rep understood and said she would mention it to the coordinator at the facility I would work out of. At orientation, I reminded the rep that I was unavailable until 12:30 or so. The next week, I was called around 9am by drivers expecting me meet them and help out their route. I was able to, only because my college was closed for those two days- Nov 10 and 11, in observance of Veterans Day. I met the driver on the 11th in early afternoon after telling him that couldnt meet earlier (I had prearranged plans). The driver had called back to the center to let them know- the next day, I had a message from the coordinator (hereafter referred to as Coord) asking me to give him a call re: my schedule, as he wasnt sure what it was (never mind that I told the HR rep AND included it on my Online App)- I called the center, but he wasnt in, and I left a message with my schedule. He again called, I believe the next day, and left a message telling me it may be a bit before he has any work for me. No problem, with finals week rapidly approaching and misc papers and presentations due. I got one message a few weeks later from the coord, saying he hadnt forgotten about me, he will call when he has work. The quarter ended this last week (the 10th), and I hadnt heard from Coord, so I had my check from last months work picked up Tuesday. So Friday evening I miss a call from a friend, but notice I didnt get notification of a voicemail. Curious, I thought, Mike always leaves a message, so I dial up my voicemail. Surprise, I have a few *new* voicemails in there. Two of them where from the Coord, one from Thursday, and one from Friday. On the message from Friday, I hear a PO'd coord, saying that he noticed I had picked up my check, and if I didnt call him today (Fri), he was going to file a police report for my uniform. Well, of course by this time he wasnt there, and the drone who answered the phone was clueless as to what I should do (call monday, he said). SO. What do I do? Should I go to the center later today (is it even open?), should I wait until Monday and call him? How screwed am I? Any help/advice/suggestions would be greatly appreciated, as this is somewhat distressing. So much for being brief.

 

[toeknee2gx]

go turn in your uniform and call it quits...

 

[mgator39]

UPS is notorious for miscommunication. At my center there is way to many managers and none of them knows what the other one is doing. If you want the job call the center first thing Monday morning. The helper coordinator should be there and you can again explain your situation. They ussually need helpers so there should be a place for you. You need to be the one to contact them at this point.

 

[julesofthenile1]

Its unfortunate that you had to deal with such issues UPS has such high standards but not everyone holds up to those standards.

I have been with the company for over 16 years and I am a driver, peak season is a very demanding and stressful time for all employees because of the work load being so heavy. Just to give you a better understanding loads can and do blow out our trucks making it very difficult to work and for most drivers especially those with mostly residentially routes we need our helpers when we start our day and that is in most cases 9am. I think the coordinator should have been more informed but he is a coordinator not a driver so i must question myself about how much he really knows about what a driver deals with once he closes his doors and go out on the road. As for the idol threats I personally wouldn't want to deal with all the bull sh.....t and as the comment before me. I would take the uniform back get your last pay check and keep it moving......I feel the need to apologize as a employee representing UPS and I hope you have a blessed holiday. Take care.

 

[barnyard]

Maybe go back and edit your post with some paragraph breaks so that it is readable......

or how about the Cliff's Notes version??

TB

 

[BrownSuit]

The Coordinator is generally not used to keeping different schedules or dates in their mind and while the HR Rep may have told them, chances are it was never communicated or slipped their mind.

Call them on Monday, explain the situation. Keep in mind as was mentioned above, UPS does have very high standards. It's generally frowned on to call in sick or to be late. You probably shot yourself in the foot by telling the driver you couldn't meet him on-route until later in the day. Otherwise you would have been fine.

I am curious, are you unable to pick up the phone? It sounds like there is a lot of Phone tag, even with your friends. Put yourself in his shoes, he's got positions to fill, here is somebody that says they want to work, but he calls, by the time that you call him back, it's probably at least an hour or two later and he isn't able to get back to you until the next day.

He leaves a couple of messages and you don't return them. You go in and pickup a paycheck but don't make a point of talking to him when you are there or leave a message.

Again, just call him. Chances are you may have to turn in your browns and find another job for the rest of the winter break or sit at home without a job. Either way, make sure before you leave the employ of UPS, you've turned them in.

 

[rocket man]

DO God in college thanks for he help good by. theres 1000s waiting to tke the job NEXT.

 

[Bad Gas!]

Usually if you work in Nov. and then have to miss time you get thrown to back of the pack unless the driver lobbies for you with the co-ordinator.You could contact the driver and see if he will explain you situation...........He/she probably has replaced you with a dependable person who is not in school.....If I were you, I would pursue trying to work next week.It gets relly crazy and have been been proceesd to work.........Leave mesages Mon. starting at 8 am with co-ordinator...

 

[trplnkl]

Did you even read Need-Advice's post?

The Coordinator is generally not used to keeping different schedules or dates in their mind and while the HR Rep may have told them, chances are it was never communicated or slipped their mind.
Then he/she isn't much of a coordinator and very unorganized. I wonder if the coord ever heard of pencil and tablet? If the coord was not notified of the schedule conflicts bad on the HR rep.

Call them on Monday, explain the situation. Keep in mind as was mentioned above, UPS does have very high standards. It's generally frowned on to call in sick or to be late. You probably shot yourself in the foot by telling the driver you couldn't meet him on-route until later in the day. Otherwise you would have been fine.
Of course UPS wants what they want and they want it now, what anyone else wants of needs is unimportant. If Need's schedule was not acceptable he should have been told that right out of the gate.

I am curious, are you unable to pick up the phone? It sounds like there is a lot of Phone tag, even with your friends. Put yourself in his shoes, he's got positions to fill, here is somebody that says they want to work, but he calls, by the time that you call him back, it's probably at least an hour or two later and he isn't able to get back to you until the next day.
DUH, he said he was still going to classes in the AM. I'm willing to bet most professors would frown on him answering his phone during class. Put yourself into Need's shoes, he applied, was accepted with his limitations on schedule and repeated said schedule to the driver he helped to begin with.

He leaves a couple of messages and you don't return them. You go in and pickup a paycheck but don't make a point of talking to him when you are there or leave a message.
Again, READ then understand. Need said "so I had my check from last months work picked up", meaning he did not go into the center himself. Maybe he was busy elsewhere, thinking he had not gotten any calls. I know sometimes my cell does not flash that I have a voicemail and I find them days later.

Again, just call him. Chances are you may have to turn in your browns and find another job for the rest of the winter break or sit at home without a job. Classic management degrigation speach, attaboy. Either way, make sure before you leave the employ of UPS, you've turned them in.
If I were in Need's shoes and wanted to keep working I would call the coord every ten minutes or so until I got to talk to him/her. Then I would explain the situation and see if I was still needed to work, if not I would make an appointment to return the work clothes to the coord and the coord alone.
It sounds to me that Need did all that he should have done, given the info. IMO, it was the coord that dropped the ball.

NOTE to Need...whatever you do, however this turns out, be sure you turn in that 25-30 dollars worth used brown uniforms, the company may go broke without them.

 

[beentheredonethat]

When I did HC, I got burned teh first year by similar situations. The Helper told HR who never told me. Well fool me once, shame on you (or HR), fool me twice shame on me. I made it a point when I was given a helper, to t/w them and tell them. Anyone you talked to before, hasn't told me a thing. Now, is there any issues. Can you drive to meet points, are there any days you can't work, is there times of day you are unavailable. What's the best number to call you, a secondary number etc. I made it quite clear, that this is your chance to tell me the whole story so I can make proper plans, dont' not tell me something and then later tell me well I told the HR person.
Then I told them, when I assign you on with a driver at a time and place. You will be with that driver until I t/w with them to change it. I did tell the helper, the driver may give you a different meet point that's easier for them, or a slightly different start time. That's fine. Usually with those kind of instructions, it made peak a heck of a lot easier. Fortunately I haven't been a HC for at least 3 years. woohoo.

 

[trplnkl]

When I did HC, I got burned teh first year by similar situations. The Helper told HR who never told me. Well fool me once, shame on you (or HR), fool me twice shame on me. I made it a point when I was given a helper, to t/w them and tell them. Anyone you talked to before, hasn't told me a thing. Now, is there any issues. Can you drive to meet points, are there any days you can't work, is there times of day you are unavailable. What's the best number to call you, a secondary number etc. I made it quite clear, that this is your chance to tell me the whole story so I can make proper plans, dont' not tell me something and then later tell me well I told the HR person.
Then I told them, when I assign you on with a driver at a time and place. You will be with that driver until I t/w with them to change it. I did tell the helper, the driver may give you a different meet point that's easier for them, or a slightly different start time. That's fine. Usually with those kind of instructions, it made peak a heck of a lot easier. Fortunately I haven't been a HC for at least 3 years. woohoo.

Now that's what I mean by organized, I bet you had all that written down also.
The last two years we have had a retired HR sup(he started with the company 30+ years ago as a driver) come in to coordinate the helpers, I haven't heard a complaint from any of the drivers about the process.

 

[mattwtrs]

Now that's what I mean by organized, I bet you had all that written down also.
The last two years we have had a retired HR sup(he started with the company 30+ years ago as a driver) come in to coordinate the helpers, I haven't heard a complaint from any of the drivers about the process.

Back in October three different drivers asked me if I would be their helper. Two of them had been my helper years ago.

I politely thanked them for the offer but I thought to myself will they do it when they retire...

 

[omgitsnick]

Im still waiting on my uniform lol, every day i call i used to get we are inventorying them. Last week she said she thought she saw it and will call me back. I called 30 mins ago and she said it might have got in today she will call me back. Persistance never pays off, she could of saved both of us time and tell em straight up they dont intend on giving me a uniform. I guess she likes the sound of my voice? im calling back today at ~2 and asking her why she never returns my calls and to be honest about not having enough work for me.

 

[freeloader]

Keep in mind that the Driver Helper Coordinator position is a peak assignment (meaning this position only exists during peak season). The person doing that job usually is from another completely different function (sales, tsg, etc) which means they don't have a clue as to what they are doing. One of my sups had that assignment and said it sucks. He was putting in 14-16 hour days easily, plus having to actually go pick up some helpers who didn't have their own transportation (yes, they are THAT desperate for helpers in some places) and people not showing up or quitting halfway through the day. Driver Helper Coordinator is a brutal assignment.

 

[JustTired]

A lot of these helpers just want to make some money. They are told to be prepared to work long hours, 5 days a week. Then they get used for 3-4 hours every other day or 3. I've seen so much frustration on their faces and in their voices. What they thought was going to be a good way to make several hundred dollars turns into a job where most of the time and money is being spent driving to meet points.

Most of the helpers that were given to me were good, hard workers. If they weren't, I let it be known when I got in that night. You can tell when they are trying and when they are just looking for (what they thought would be) easy money.

One of the first things I would ask them is "Do you want to make money?" When the answer was yes, I would keep them as long as I possibly could. We would run our butts off and at lunch time I always bought. Most peaks I had the same helper throughout. They would show up on time and ready to hit it.

If the coord tried to give me a helper for "a couple of hours", I'd say "forget it". The poor kids are just looking to make some money. Why discourage them by only working them a few hours here and there. It's cheaper to pay a driver and helper 8 hours each than the driver for 11-12 hours.