Turnover

[Express Courier]

We have a swing that's been here about as long and is about as good. She can usually set up her P1's without much of a problem but after that it's similar to what you've described. I suggested that she pull into a parking lot after she finishes her P1's and look up the rest of her stops and put them in order, but that doesn't work too well because she insists on looking them up on her phone instead of using a map.

But... it's progress. She was VANning her pkgs and randomly putting them on her shelves during the sort, then standing around afterwards waiting for someone to put them in order for her.

I think swings are either really, really good or really, really bad. There doesn't seem to be very much in between.

If she insists on looking them up on her phone you should suggest one of the routing apps. On iPhone i know there is an app called Route that I have used. It's actually pretty handy for swings. On Android the app was called Best Route Pro.

 

[McFeely]

Mapping out a route on a phone is great until you end up on a route with no cell coverage.

 

[Express Courier]

Mapping out a route on a phone is great until you end up on a route with no cell coverage.

You can download the maps to your phone in Google now. In the settings there is an option called Offline Areas and you can select the area to download.

 

[McFeely]

You can download the maps to your phone in Google now. In the settings there is an option called Offline Areas and you can select the area to download.

I'll have to look into that when I run new-to-me areas on the occasional Saturday. I usually have the time to plot them out before leaving the building, but not always. I always do have a mapbook with me regardless.

 

[Express Courier]

I'll have to look into that when I run new-to-me areas on the occasional Saturday. I usually have the time to plot them out before leaving the building, but not always. I always do have a mapbook with me regardless.

When I used to use it all the time I would go to the conference room or somewhere quiet and voice to text all the stops into the app. Can plot about 80 stops in 10 minutes that way. I would say like 123 Fake St. 90210. Boom plotted. Much faster than having to look each stop up in the book. (btw I did the highlighting and making copies of map pages for years) Plus the app puts the dot right on the house of course. Very handy for swings but yeah give it a look one day.

 

[El Morado Diablo]

I suggested that she pull into a parking lot after she finishes her P1's and look up the rest of her stops and put them in order, but that doesn't work too well because she insists on looking them up on her phone instead of using a map.

All of our newbies write down the address for every stop they have and most of them look them up on their phones instead of using a map.

None of them seem to know what a load chart is or how to use one so putting their stops in order is a foreign concept for most of them.

I think swings are either really, really good or really, really bad. There doesn't seem to be very much in between.

I agree 100%.

 

[Express Courier]

You realize that those phones have maps in them, right? lol

 

[SmithBarney]

You realize that those phones have maps in them, right? lol

yes, and they do help, but they are a crutch and will nothing can replace area knowledge, and you can't learn if you just plug them in, if you pour over a map, you undoubtedly will learn more since you have to look at all the other streets.
We have guys that look up every stop every day, I mean you were at 123 MAIN ST yesterday so do you really need to look that up again? They can't remember because they aren't learning.

 

[Express Courier]

yes, and they do help, but they are a crutch and will nothing can replace area knowledge, and you can't learn if you just plug them in, if you pour over a map, you undoubtedly will learn more since you have to look at all the other streets.
We have guys that look up every stop every day, I mean you were at 123 MAIN ST yesterday so do you really need to look that up again? They can't remember because they aren't learning.

Yeah I used to use it on the rural routes when I was swinging. I liked having every stop plotted and delete as I went through. You overlook a stop in some of those outer areas and it could ruin a day quick.

 

[whenIgetthere]

When I was a swing, I had laminated maps of each area, and my dry erase marker. It gives you the big picture when you're area knowledge is low. When I got my route, kept the map in the truck for about a month, but knew the route my memory after about two weeks. I believe using the phone apps hurts, as it doesn't allow the user to see the big picture.

 

[59 Dano]

The best thing to do to a courier who isn't making an honest effort to learn the area is to let him flop, get discouraged, and quit. Give him an honest chance and make an honest effort to help, but once it's clear that the effort isn't there, forget about it.

 

[SmithBarney]

The best thing to do to a courier who isn't making an honest effort to learn the area is to let him flop, get discouraged, and quit. Give him an honest chance and make an honest effort to help, but once it's clear that the effort isn't there, forget about it.

The best thing to do to a courier who is making an honest effort and proving it, is to pay them what they are worth, incentive pay really needs to come back. right now there is no incentive for these new hires to work harder or smarter, they clearly can't get fired, so they just drift along collecting paychecks.

 

[MrFedEx]

The best thing to do to a courier who is making an honest effort and proving it, is to pay them what they are worth, incentive pay really needs to come back. right now there is no incentive for these new hires to work harder or smarter, they clearly can't get fired, so they just drift along collecting paychecks.

Ironic, isn't it? Fred has created an environment where he can't really afford to fire poor performers because nobody really wants this job any more.

It just gets better.

 

[vantexan]

Ironic, isn't it? Fred has created an environment where he can't really afford to fire poor performers because nobody really wants this job any more.

It just gets better.

But if he's really bad he may be discouraged into quitting. Just as long as FedEx doesn't have to pay unemployment....

 

[MrFedEx]

But if he's really bad he may be discouraged into quitting. Just as long as FedEx doesn't have to pay unemployment....

Fred hates to pay unemployment.

 

[vantexan]

Fred hates to pay unemployment.

That's my point, they'll carry a lousy employee who's probably doing more harm than good instead of firing him and pay unemployment. Dano all but admitted it but stopped short rather than say something that might get him in trouble with his handlers.

 

[Purplepackage]

yes, and they do help, but they are a crutch and will nothing can replace area knowledge, and you can't learn if you just plug them in, if you pour over a map, you undoubtedly will learn more since you have to look at all the other streets.
We have guys that look up every stop every day, I mean you were at 123 MAIN ST yesterday so do you really need to look that up again? They can't remember because they aren't learning.

Regardless if your using a map or a phone, if you can't remember the same stops you do every day(such as the same p1 stops we have every morning) you have a bigger problem then not learning the area. You just have a terrible memory and aren't made for this job

 

[Express Courier]

Regardless if your using a map or a phone, if you can't remember the same stops you do every day(such as the same p1 stops we have every morning) you have a bigger problem then not learning the area. You just have a terrible memory and aren't made for this job

The person that was being discussed was a swing driver that does not have the same route/stops every day. I think there are about 100 routes at the station I'm in.

 

[MrFedEx]

That's my point, they'll carry a lousy employee who's probably doing more harm than good instead of firing him and pay unemployment. Dano all but admitted it but stopped short rather than say something that might get him in trouble with his handlers.

You're probably right. if you want to watch a real live cage match, watch FedEx go after someone who gets fired and then tries to get unemployment.

 

[Purplepackage]

The person that was being discussed was a swing driver that does not have the same route/stops every day. I think there are about 100 routes at the station I'm in.

It doesn't matter, if you run a p1 cycle once you should be able to do it any day of the week.