Tales from the 800 #

Yeah, another big request people call in for is, "Can the driver call me when they get here?" We tell them no calls, drivers don't have company issued phones.

Also people always want to meet up with the driver to get their package. We tell them no.

People will call in complaints on drivers and the people at the center all the time so the smallest things. All I can do is roll my eyes as I type up their complaints.

Anytime someone doesn't get their way usually the first words out of their mouth are, "Well Fedex can do that blah blah blah". Wish I could say "Ok call them! *click*". I just have to laugh to myself.
How did customers ever get a package before cellphones?
 

'Lord Brown's bidding'

Well-Known Member
I am curious: why would you tell customers they cannot meet a driver on area? I have been instructioned by my center team on more than one occasions to meet a consignee with their package. Normally the center wants to know where I'd be in the next 20 mins so they can direct the person to meet me there. I can see there may be some cause for concern that a person may have other intentions than just getting their package (if they really have one), but get a tracking number from them, verify the name matches what they give over the phone or advise them that if the name or address doesn't match, they can't get the package, but after some verifying please, contact the center and set up the meet; most of us will be thankful (and if a particular driver is not comfortable doing something like that when the center team sends a message asking for his location, he can respond with why he isn't comfortable, and then the CR on the 800# would THEN be instructed to tell the customer a meet cannot be setup). I think that's bad policy.
 

'Lord Brown's bidding'

Well-Known Member
I love the he didn't leave an info notice ones. I have to scan it. Why wouldn't I leave it? :censored2: happens they blow away its wet they won't stick. List goes on.

While I mostly agree with this, some drivers have been known to scan notices in the truck to give the appearance that a legitimate attemtp had been made. Nonetheless CR rep, when you look up someone's tracking number, does it indicate that a notice was scanned? If it does, why arent all CR's trained to point out what brownslave said? Unless they can say they SAW the truck and SAW no driver leave, but have an info notice scanned to the stop, there is little they could say.
 

'Lord Brown's bidding'

Well-Known Member
I never mark a time I will reattempt unless its a NDA. Working in the hood I never leave a package with a customers homemade note. They must sign the back of the info notice for me to leave their package if I deem unsafe. I will not redirect a package unless they specify on the info notice. And, I swear people just can't read.
In urban areas that is not necessarily up to the driver. we are instructed to make an alternate delivery attempt, using the "triangle" method; it's company policy.

NOTE: I said urban areas, because on rural routes I can't see them expecting alternate attempts to be made, and I said drivers don't necessarily have a choice. We do have to be discreet. For example, on some blocks in my city there may only be a couple houses on the block: the one the package is addressed to, and a drug house. I am not going to make an attempt to leave it with the drug house.
 
In urban areas that is not necessarily up to the driver; we are instructed to make an alternate delivery attempt, using the "triangle" method; it's company policy.

NOTE: I said urban areas, because on rural routes I can't see them expecting alternate attempts to be made, and I said drivers don't necessarily[I/] have a choice. We do have to be discreet. For example, on some blocks in my city there may only be a couple houses on the block: the one the package is addressed to, and a drug house. I am not going to make an attempt to leave it with the drug house.


I thought triangle method was for backing!...lol
 

chadwick

Member
While I mostly agree with this, some drivers have been known to scan notices in the truck to give the appearance that a legitimate attemtp had been made. Nonetheless CR rep, when you look up someone's tracking number, does it indicate that a notice was scanned? If it does, why arent all CR's trained to point out what brownslave said? Unless they can say they SAW the truck and SAW no driver leave, but have an info notice scanned to the stop, there is little they could say.

No, it doesn't show us if a notice was scanned. We have to go by what the customer says and forward a concern to the center, and they look into it and followup with the customer.
 

chadwick

Member
I am curious: why would you tell customers they cannot meet a driver on area? I have been instructioned by my center team on more than one occasions to meet a consignee with their package. Normally the center wants to know where I'd be in the next 20 mins so they can direct the person to meet me there. I can see there may be some cause for concern that a person may have other intentions than just getting their package (if they really have one), but get a tracking number from them, verify the name matches what they give over the phone or advise them that if the name or address doesn't match, they can't get the package, but after some verifying please, contact the center and set up the meet; most of us will be thankful (and if a particular driver is not comfortable doing something like that when the center team sends a message asking for his location, he can respond with why he isn't comfortable, and then the CR on the 800# would THEN be instructed to tell the customer a meet cannot be setup). I think that's bad policy.

Basically UPS doesn't have a formal process for requesting a driver meetup. If we send a message to the center with some "invalid" request we can get dinged...
 

'Lord Brown's bidding'

Well-Known Member
What's an "invalid request"? If the person's request can be "validated" to some degree (able to provide legitimate tracking number, provide address info connected to the tracking number, and are notified they need to have ID matching the address), I'd say due diligence has been done.

I'd also like to say I am glad to have a chance to chat with a CR rep. No, you may not be aware of all that goes on in operations, as a driver upthread suggested, but I appreciate what you guys and gals do. I frequent the Facebook site and get a taste of the complaints you guys have to put up with (oh BTW, yes, yes I can believe some of the things you hear and wouldn't be surprised by anything, because we hear it firdt, and it is us turning around and walking away that causes them to call you with the crazy story). I see how often the geuine care you guys display soothes many a customer who had just threatend never to use UPS again, now somewhat singing the CR's and Brown's praises (they will often include the suggestion that the CRs are better than the "local reps"-read: OMS. It seems many a driver feels the same, amazing how much alike we are). This driver knows you guys are anything but a joke.
 

'Lord Brown's bidding'

Well-Known Member
I thought triangle method was for backing!...lol

The method involves knocking on the addressee's door, one of their immediate neighbors, as well as the door of a neighhbor across the street, thus forming a "triangle". It is suggested just a good DR driver is scanning suitable places to DR a package as he or she is walking towards it, or even perhaps as they are coming to a stop and securing the vehicle, a driver proficient in the triangle method will be looking to see which neighbor(s) may be home to receive the package, as well as keep mental note of those likely to accept packages for others (for those who cover a route frequently).
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
I am curious: why would you tell customers they cannot meet a driver on area? I have been instructioned by my center team on more than one occasions to meet a consignee with their package. Normally the center wants to know where I'd be in the next 20 mins so they can direct the person to meet me there. I can see there may be some cause for concern that a person may have other intentions than just getting their package (if they really have one), but get a tracking number from them, verify the name matches what they give over the phone or advise them that if the name or address doesn't match, they can't get the package, but after some verifying please, contact the center and set up the meet; most of us will be thankful (and if a particular driver is not comfortable doing something like that when the center team sends a message asking for his location, he can respond with why he isn't comfortable, and then the CR on the 800# would THEN be instructed to tell the customer a meet cannot be setup). I think that's bad policy.

The main problem I have and why I won't meet customers on road is our definition of "sense of urgency" is usually not the same. If they say they will meet me at a specific location in 20 minutes it might be 30-35 minutes before they actually show up and the last thing I want to do is sit for 15 minutes. If the customer insists upon meeting I will give the OMS one of my drop box locations and tell them that I will be there at this time, will only wait until the commit time on the box and will leave if the customer has not shown up by that time.

I will normally make a second attempt on any send agains to try to avoid the above.
 

dilligaf

IN VINO VERITAS
I am curious: why would you tell customers they cannot meet a driver on area? I have been instructioned by my center team on more than one occasions to meet a consignee with their package. Normally the center wants to know where I'd be in the next 20 mins so they can direct the person to meet me there. I can see there may be some cause for concern that a person may have other intentions than just getting their package (if they really have one), but get a tracking number from them, verify the name matches what they give over the phone or advise them that if the name or address doesn't match, they can't get the package, but after some verifying please, contact the center and set up the meet; most of us will be thankful (and if a particular driver is not comfortable doing something like that when the center team sends a message asking for his location, he can respond with why he isn't comfortable, and then the CR on the 800# would THEN be instructed to tell the customer a meet cannot be setup). I think that's bad policy.

We get this all the time. Unfortunately, more times than not, the center will ODS saying, "you need to meet so and so at xx:xx time.". :nonono: Excuse me!!! I have things that I need to get done and YOU need to check with ME before YOU make any committments to customers. I've have ripped OMS's more times than I can count over this. BS!!

Yesterday, I get an ODS, so and so customer (business) is going to find you in such and such resi area (I usually do the resi area before getting to his business). I sent an ODS back, "Good luck with that. I'm not any where near there." The OMS didn't even bother to look at my GPS location. The customer could have been saved time and effort. :thumbsup: Good job on taking care of the customer.
 

rod

Retired 22 years
Whats with all this "do not give out your personel phone number stuff? I am almost a total tech dummy but even I know that if you call someone on your phone once they have access to retrieving your number just by hitting the "recent calls" dohicky button.
 
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