United Parcel Service, Inc. Q4 2008 Earnings Call Transcript

[cheryl]

United Parcel Service, Inc. Q4 2008 Earnings Call Transcript - Seeking Alpha

Scott Davis
Let’s wrap up with a few comments. Nobody is escaping pain in this financial crisis. Our employees feel it, our customers feel it and certainly our shareowners feel it. I want to remind you that we’re a great company that’s operating in a bad economy right now. Great companies do weather the storm and they come out stronger. What it comes down to is the strength of our balance sheet, the power of our brands, the value of our services, the contributions of our people and the quality of our leadership. UPS has all of these strengths and we will prosper as we move into the future. Thanks so much.

 

[feederrunner]

Just wish that we can care for are customers in are small centers, more than we care for numbers. I have seen many number games that look good on paper, and cost us more money. We need to rethink some methods in are company.{the shop management would rather pay a $400 tow bill than a driver to move a pkg car or a feeder from center to center.} Lets all be held accountable.

 

[trickpony1]

feederrunner-
The different departments are alloted certain amounts of money each quarter to use. If they don't use up all that money, they don't get budgeted the same amount, or more, for the next quarter. Hence you have the wasting......I mean using of money for things like towing a vehicle when using a driver would be much cheaper.
If you will look around your facility, you will usually see money being spent on some really dumb things right before the quarter ends.

 

[mnnice]

feederrunner-
The different departments are alloted certain amounts of money each quarter to use. If they don't use up all that money, they don't get budgeted the same amount, or more, for the next quarter. Hence you have the wasting......I mean using of money for things like towing a vehicle when using a driver would be much cheaper.
If you will look around your facility, you will usually see money being spent on some really dumb things right before the quarter ends.

Trick- I was in management for many years and we were never asked to spend more money at the end of a quarter just to spend it. You have been around UPS long enough to see our cost cutting measures and at times I'm sure you really didn't agree with them. When we plan our costs for the upcoming year, we are always asked to reduce cost if possible in numerous areas, but that isn't always the case since our labor costs are always going up along with the benefits. The wasting of money has never been a culture at UPS and never will.