Stop thinking in crisis, start thinking in opportunities!

[tourists24]

No guts no glory!

I do not underestimate the job you have, you do a great job day in day out. I join a driver every year come in the center every week,
but not one driver visit me, not even 1 a year, although I like you so much!!!

why not join me a day and see what you need to give up to become succesfull if you are not working in ops. Although all the perception you have I think you will be very surprised, feel sorry and see that if you have the skills could grow to this as well. If you enter leads, you make the transistion go smoother

Salesguy, this thread has just shown the disconnect between the heart and soul of this company (operations workers such as drivers,feeders, pt hub/warehouse), and the rest of UPS.

As a driver who is 2/3 of the way to retirement, I have seen UPS change dramatically in the last 20 years. It is no longer the main commitment of service; it's all a numbers game. It doesnt mean we dont still care, just that most of the time, it is futile. Mgt has numbers to uphold, and that comes first.

I still take pride in what I do, and when I see something that is messed up, I speak up. If that falls on deaf ears, then I simply go back to taking care of what I CAN control (my route). As more and more of our decision making is controlled (running trace, running over allowed, cutting routes, etc), the more and more we simply work as instructed even if it makes no sense.

We dont need pep talks from Sales about what "we drivers" need to do for UPS. Drivers have enough on their plate already. We need a major change in the way UPS does business.

 

[BLACKBOX]

Ha ha good one!

Thats it"? Good One? I knew it. Everytime I approach a sales person with this question they do a Homer Simpson, they say 'Hey whats that?" you turn around to look and when you look back the salesperson is running down the hall laughing!

 

[Brownnblue]

I'm insulted at the way you speak to us. You came to the Brown Café, and you're gonna start demanding that we do things your way? How dare you come into our playground and start spewing about what we should and should not be doing. It's no wonder that you suck at sales. Aren't you supposed to get to know someone a little bit, before you start cramming your CRAP down their throats?

You guys came on this website and didn't even try to get to know us. You don't even know anything about delivering a route, yet you claim to know that we have time to get all of your leads? How about doing what was said above, and following a FedEx truck. Go to that company and find out who shipped their products. If you're hurting so bad, that you have to come to a place where we relax, just to get rebuffed, wouldn't it make more sense to just get out there and get to know some customers?

You guys are lucky we're not in a bar, I might not be so nice to you, face to face.

Extremely good post.

If I have to think twice about submitting a sales lead just because I feel that the BD guy has the people skills of a snail, that is a big problem.

At least Salesguy is trying to put his best foot forward.

 

[Salesguy]

I'm insulted at the way you speak to us. You came to the Brown Café, and you're gonna start demanding that we do things your way? How dare you come into our playground and start spewing about what we should and should not be doing. It's no wonder that you suck at sales. Aren't you supposed to get to know someone a little bit, before you start cramming your CRAP down their throats?

You guys came on this website and didn't even try to get to know us. You don't even know anything about delivering a route, yet you claim to know that we have time to get all of your leads? How about doing what was said above, and following a FedEx truck. Go to that company and find out who shipped their products. If you're hurting so bad, that you have to come to a place where we relax, just to get rebuffed, wouldn't it make more sense to just get out there and get to know some customers?

You guys are lucky we're not in a bar, I might not be so nice to you, face to face.

Don't worry be happy
If you would meet me in a bar the only reason would be that I would have asked you to come there so I could expres my apriciation for you.
Than I would tell you that I talked to your sup and we would laugh about the way he looked when I pressured him for more leads

 

[stevetheupsguy]

Don't worry be happy
If you would meet me in a bar the only reason would be that I would have asked you to come there so I could expres my apriciation for you.
Than I would tell you that I talked to your sup and we would laugh about the way he looked when I pressured him for more leads

Forgive me, I'm currently disillusioned by mgmt, and their idea of safety. I can only imagine that sales is run the exact same way, by identical people. If you guys want to get good results, get out there in the fresh air and spy on the competition. This'll give you better insight and get you out of that stuffy office. JMHO, as always.

 

[MechanicForBrown]

I'm insulted at the way you speak to us. You came to the Brown Café, and you're gonna start demanding that we do things your way? How dare you come into our playground and start spewing about what we should and should not be doing. It's no wonder that you suck at sales. Aren't you supposed to get to know someone a little bit, before you start cramming your CRAP down their throats?

You guys came on this website and didn't even try to get to know us. You don't even know anything about delivering a route, yet you claim to know that we have time to get all of your leads? How about doing what was said above, and following a FedEx truck. Go to that company and find out who shipped their products. If you're hurting so bad, that you have to come to a place where we relax, just to get rebuffed, wouldn't it make more sense to just get out there and get to know some customers?

You guys are lucky we're not in a bar, I might not be so nice to you, face to face.

I think Hudson just got STUGED.......... AGAIN!!!

 

[hudson]

I'm insulted at the way you speak to us. You came to the Brown Café, and you're gonna start demanding that we do things your way? How dare you come into our playground and start spewing about what we should and should not be doing. It's no wonder that you suck at sales. Aren't you supposed to get to know someone a little bit, before you start cramming your CRAP down their throats?

You guys came on this website and didn't even try to get to know us. You don't even know anything about delivering a route, yet you claim to know that we have time to get all of your leads? How about doing what was said above, and following a FedEx truck. Go to that company and find out who shipped their products. If you're hurting so bad, that you have to come to a place where we relax, just to get rebuffed, wouldn't it make more sense to just get out there and get to know some customers?

You guys are lucky we're not in a bar, I might not be so nice to you, face to face.

I don't recall making any demands....

Maybe you will think twice about the sales lead program when you show up to work one day and there isn't enough volume and you are told to go home.

I hope that doesn't happen to you, but you never know.

 

[over9five]

Scare tactics. Good technique...NOT.

 

[tourists24]

I don't recall making any demands....

Maybe you will think twice about the sales lead program when you show up to work one day and there isn't enough volume and you are told to go home.

I hope that doesn't happen to you, but you never know.

Or maybe they decide to do away with your job because you are losing volume for the company instead of gaining

 

[Salesguy]

Forgive me, I'm currently disillusioned by mgmt, and their idea of safety. I can only imagine that sales is run the exact same way, by identical people. If you guys want to get good results, get out there in the fresh air and spy on the competition. This'll give you better insight and get you out of that stuffy office. JMHO, as always.

I am open to all suggestions, thanks for your contribution!
We all get disillusioned, normal due to the Multinational structure we operate in. its individuals that make the difference. both good and bad. Entering 1 lead per month will not hurt you.

If we all contribute just a little bit we can easily overcome any crisis and safeguard the future of our next generation UPSers.

 

[Salesguy]

I don't recall making any demands....

Maybe you will think twice about the sales lead program when you show up to work one day and there isn't enough volume and you are told to go home.

I hope that doesn't happen to you, but you never know.

Its a proven fact that organizations start cutting at sales last,
because they create growth, must be because they already have enough leads or bought them! Before that period they got pushed to ask others for more cheaper leads and to create partnership to increase service.

 

[UPSBOI]

I think we would respect the BD guys if they worked half as hard as the drivers.

If we turn in a sales lead ... work it in a timely fashion!
If it's on a "do not call" list ... make a visit ASAP!
If it's considered a "national account" ... go and take care of it anyway!
If it's a small shipper ... go after it too!

Problem is you guys want us to sell the business and don't want to take care of your problems.

and quit screwing us on the sales leads rewards!

 

[The Other Side]

You get what you except. Demand feedback on your leads!
Our sales are people too, mistakes are made, but we need to hold them accountable for the growth and our job security. Don't do it here, but go to your sup and tell him the same I tell you now....please....

If you want to hear the future, just call the UPS pick up line and you will hear that even office people can be replaced by computers.

Salesguy,

One of the biggest problems with salespeople at UPS, is that "THEY" have no concept of the operation for which they are trying to "sell" the business.

You have no clue about cube space, load locations, weights, time factors, packaging or service.

I cant even count how many times a new customer has been promised a 430 pm pickup without consulting my current pickup string.

However, before we even get to new leads, why are "we" as a company not concentrating on our "core" business or current customers?

Why is it, that the company is currently allowing its IE department to create massive pickup failures and multi-tudes of package failures on a daily basis?

When IE cuts cars to look good on paper, it negatively affects the "servicing" of our existing customers.

In my center, cuts are soo deep, we are rolling tons of packages daily and missing some of our million dollar accounts.

The only thing IE seems to be good at is expanding the overtime hours it pays its drivers.

With all the cuts designed to save the company money in the last 2 months, we have managed to increase overtime 30% over last year, same period.

We have exisiting customers threatening to leave UPS today because they cant get picked up daily or on time, yet you come on here asking us for leads to save the company??

Get serious.

When the district manager of one of the largest corridors in the USA has to personally visit million dollar accounts to try and reclaim business because the center level management team failed them, then thats when the "company" is responsible for lost business.

I cant over the fact that our district manager has to do this on a weekly basis! I just want to laugh in his face as he asks us to provide him leads.

Its embarrassing when a shipper that gives us 8 to 10 pallets of packages daily and we can only get 2 to 3 pallets before they close, and the company expects an 18 year old inexperienced OMS to call the customer and ask them to wait after closing for us to free up some trucks to pickup the volume.

Yet, as a salesguy, you will walk into that company and make promises you cant keep. They ask you for a 430 pickup, you say yes, they open an account and boom, here comes 630 and some kid is on the phone giving them an excuse.

You need to fix this first before you pile on more service failures.

This is the main reason drivers are un-motivated to assist in the lead business.

Other factors play a part as well. When a driver is knocking on a customers door at 930pm, what do you think is running thru his mind when it comes to more leads?? How about friend.U.

How about when a driver is in the building at 945pm and recording packages as missed only to have them again the next day and probably miss them again?? Again, friend.U.

What do you think a driver is thinking when a package is 3 days late because it was service failed the 2 days prior and now the customer is in his face giving him the business?? Yeah, you guessed it friend.U.

A salesperson having absolutely no INTEREST in the everyday operation of the business would have no clue what the driver is thinking when they approach one and asks for a lead.

If the salespersons were in the center teams face the very next business day demanding answers to why pickups were failed, why packages were rolled or why bulk stops failed to leave the building on the scheduled business day, THEN the drivers would be more willing to help them out.

But in the meantime, the salespeople walk around clueless talking about useless rhetoric they have no intention of honoring.

Yes, more business is good for UPS, but bad business is bad for UPS.

You want leads? Fix a broken system. RID yourselves of the useless charts, figures, graphs and numbers that mean absolutely nothing to the operation of the business.

UPS's biggest problem is the creation of paper tigers.

From the center manager to the district manager. Useless paper tiger's chasing around useless numbers that are mostly fudged, altered or inaccurate in the first place.

You want leads? Then take the LEAD and demand that the center team you are assigned to is DOING THE JOB to protect the business.

Then you will have my attention. Until then, I'm deaf ears.

 

[1989]

Nobody is asking a driver to sale anything, just qualify a lead for someone todo the selling. Some drivers think their job is rocket science. Instead of talking about the game last night, talk about why the customer is sending some package fed ex and some ups. Could be a simple answer of Fed Ex picks up later. Will probably take less time than talking about the game and you will be under 9.5.

 

[westsideworma]

I agree that we need leads (we are being pushed for them as well), but I don't know that its all lack of leads that the package volume is down if that makes sense. Maybe there just aren't that many packages going out? I don't just mean for us, its likely the same for fed ex as well. You know their trucks were never full to begin with and I know for a fact they're even emptier now. BD and upper management make it sound like we're the only one this is affecting.

I know fed ex has some major businesses but maybe they WANT to be there, just like some WANT to be with us. I know of a business in our area that was just simply happy with fed ex and didn't see any reason to change to us (they were contacted and visited by BD). I know that doesn't mean don't try but trying to convince drivers that theres this wealth of packages out there and they're just not doing their job is stupid. If theres that many packages out there then where are they? If our volume is down and fed ex is fielding empty trucks...where is all this mystery volume that is talked about?

I'm just sick of hearing all the negativity at my building...yes I know its tough times but do you really need to kick all the drivers in the face at PCM before going out there over something I know a lot of have done (submit leads).

 

[Salesguy]

Salesguy,

One of the biggest problems with salespeople at UPS, is that "THEY" have no concept of the operation for which they are trying to "sell" the business.

You have no clue about cube space, load locations, weights, time factors, packaging or service.

I cant even count how many times a new customer has been promised a 430 pm pickup without consulting my current pickup string.

However, before we even get to new leads, why are "we" as a company concentration on our "core" business or current customers?

Why is it, that the company is currently allowing its IE department to create massive pickup failures and multi-tudes of package failures on a daily basis?

When IE cuts cars to look good on paper, it negatively affects the "servicing" of our existing customers.

In my center, cuts are soo deep, we are rolling tons of packages daily and missing some of our million dollar accounts.

The only thing IE seems to be good at is expanding the overtime hours it pays its drivers.

With all the cuts designed to save the company money in the last 2 months, we have managed to increase overtime 30% over last year, same period.

We have exisiting customer threatening to leave UPS today because they cant get picked up daily or on time, yet you come on here asking us for leads to save the company??

Get serious.

When the district manager of one of the largest corridors in the USA has to personally visit million dollar accounts to try and reclaim business because the center level management team failed them, then thats when the "company" is responsible for lost business.

I cant over the fact that our divison manager has to do this on a weekly basis! I just want to laugh in his face as he asks us to provide him leads.

Its embarrassing when a shipper that gives us 8 to 10 pallets of packages daily and we can only get 2 to 3 pallets before they close, and the company expects an 18 year old inexperienced OMS to call the customer and ask them to wait after closing for us to free up some trucks to pickup the volume.

Yet, as a salesguy, you will walk into that company and make promises you cant keep. They ask you for a 430 pickup, you say yes, they open an account and boom, here comes 630 and some kid is on the phone giving them an excuse.

You need to fix this first before you pile on more service failures.

This is the main reason drivers are un-motivated to assist in the lead business.

Other factors play a part as well. When a driver is knocking on a customers door at 930pm, what do you think is running thru his mind when it comes to more leads?? How about friend.U.

How about when a driver is in the building at 945pm and recording packages as missed only to have them again the next day and probably miss them again?? Again, friend.U.

What do you think a driver is thinking when a package is 3 days late because it was service failed the 2 days prior and now the customer is in his face giving him the business?? Yeah, you guessed it friend.U.

A salesperson having absolutely no INTEREST in the everyday operation of the business would have no clue what the driver is thinking when they approach one and asks for a lead.

If the salespersons were in the center teams face the very next business day demanding answers to why pickups were failed, why packages were rolled or why bulk stops failed to leave the building on the scheduled business day, THEN the drivers would be more willing to help them out.

But in the meantime, the salespeople walk around clueless talking about useless rhetoric they have no intention of honoring.

Yes, more business is good for UPS, but bad business is bad for UPS.

You want leads? Fix a broken system. RID yourselves of the useless charts, figures, graphs and numbers that mean absolutely nothing to the operation of the business.

UPS's biggest problem is the creation of paper tigers.

From the center manager to the district manager. Useless paper tiger's chasing around useless numbers that are mostly fudged, altered or inaccurate in the first place.

You want leads? Then take the LEAD and demand that the center team you are assigned to is DOING THE JOB to protect the business.

Then you will have my attention. Until then, I'm deaf ears.

Thank you for your life time and sharing your inner feelings with me.
It would be naief to think I did not have your attention.

Have you ever considered applying for management and change it all?

You are not the only one in this and you can change it! UPS is even willing to get you there if you have the required skills!
Dream over it tonight and hand in your letter of intend tomorrow!
(after you entered your monthly lead af course)

 

[The Other Side]

Thank you for your life time and sharing your inner feelings with me.
It would be naief to think I did not have your attention.

Have you ever considered applying for management and change it all?

You are not the only one in this and you can change it! UPS is even willing to get you there if you have the required skills!
Dream over it tonight and hand in your letter of intend tomorrow!
(after you entered your monthly lead af course)

Thanks, but no thanks.

Being a robotic maroon without any ability to "manage" the business isnt my style.

I do have a solution however to offer you in response.

Why not RID ourselves of the BD department alltogether? The money/cost savings could pay for the additional training of our drivers to be both drivers and solitictors.

You could pay the drivers an additional smaller commission for sold leads to supplement the income and each driver could be the point man for the company.

The cost savings alone in the elimination of BD would help the business tremendously.

We drivers could do this alot better and alot faster. Having the knowledge, insight and practical working knowledge of the business is something you will never be able to attain.

The point remains, UPS has to fix UPS in order to grow the business. The business model used during "good" times is clearly not working in "bad" times.

Sorry to bust your bubble.

 

[Catatonic]

Thanks, but no thanks.

Being a robotic maroon without any ability to "manage" the business isnt my style.

It's good for a person to know their limitations.

 

[brownrodster]

No guts no glory!

I do not underestimate the job you have, you do a great job day in day out. I join a driver every year come in the center every week,
but not one driver visit me, not even 1 a year, although I like you so much!!!

Salesguys start their day after I've already started mine. And are home eating dinner while I'm still delivering. Kind of difficult to visit a salesguy.

Maybe IE should set up some bogus numbers that the salesguys are held accountable for. So the center manager can ride them for being overallowed everyday.

 

[pudg00]

Salesguy still has not answered the question. What planet are you from? Your reality is not even in the same ballpark as ours. It sounds like he started this thread to make us mad and not submit leads. FEDEX SPY!!!!!