Well folks, in a week Peak is over. Then we have the New Year and our thoughts focus on the future. So let's start a 'thought experiment' as the great Einstein did.......
What will UPS look like in 15 years in the Peak of 2022?
Oh, I see the long knives are already out. If you think that our company will no longer be solvent, give the reasons and the consequences(Fredex conducting a hostile takeover will be annulled by the Justice Department. Anti-trust laws.) If you really believe that you will be delivering stops in the brown version of the Jetson's flying cars, point to the scientific articles. If you believe that all supes will be cloned from a spore, give your sources. ( Robot deliverymen are nothing but a steal from the movie I, Robot. Teamsters would never allow this to happen.)
So, with no further ado, I will start. Here are my 'predictions' all based on off-the-rack technologies currently available....
1) Diad 22 will have the following:
a) all stops prerecorded as soon as the preloader places the package on the shelf;
b) the ability to photo all recipents and through self contained cameras with face recognition, matched to the ID swiped by the card reader (or fingerprint reading)
c) ability to swipe credit cards so as to make COD checks a thing of the past
d) package cars will not allow sliding doors of package cars to open except by diad signal
e) package cars will not be able to start until the diad is in the cradle
friend) diads will have bluetooth generation 10 technology to allow centers to speak with drivers. Hundreds or phrases can be 'spoken' by diad 22 in a multitude of languages
g) diad 22 will have instant ability to contact emergency services such as 911
2) The package cars will have the following:
a) scanners at the back door of all cars. This will scan the packages that the preloader is carrying into the car. A beep will sound to prevent the preloader misloads
b) When the package is scanned by the backdoor, the appropriate spot on the shelf will light up by LED. The preloader knows where to load the package.
Overhead secondary scanners will beep when pacages of the same address are not together, when a section needs to be resnaked, or add/pulls are needed.
c) the 'back' of all package cars are detachable from the cab/engine of the cars. With two 'back's to every car , preloaders can load the car for the following day instead of filling a boxline and then the cars.
d) all cars will be non-fossil fuel
3) Competitors and changes in service
a) more of our business will be providing for aged baby boomers who cannot leave their retirement homes. Drivers will dread the Happy Hills Rest Home like they now dread the Wal-Mart or the Pottery Barn.
b) DHL will give up in North America . A bidding war will ensue between UPS and Fedex. UPS will bid mainly to make certain that Fedex doesn't get DHL. Post Office hasn't gone private yet.
d) NDA letters of documents will be a thing of the past with secure internet .
e) guaranteed ground coast-to- coast in 2 days.(48 contiguous states) as high speed trains are constructed
g)nightime home deliveries. Possibly a guaranteed 2 hour delivery time frame. RFID technology can 'call' the customer with a hour's warning. Address changes can be done instantly by the dreiver or the preloader. ESIS clerks and Customer Counters are now just fond memories.
I am certain more than a few of you got a chuckle from this exercise, but what say you?
P.S. One last prediction: UPS stock price still at $75.00
What will UPS look like in 15 years in the Peak of 2022?
Oh, I see the long knives are already out. If you think that our company will no longer be solvent, give the reasons and the consequences(Fredex conducting a hostile takeover will be annulled by the Justice Department. Anti-trust laws.) If you really believe that you will be delivering stops in the brown version of the Jetson's flying cars, point to the scientific articles. If you believe that all supes will be cloned from a spore, give your sources. ( Robot deliverymen are nothing but a steal from the movie I, Robot. Teamsters would never allow this to happen.)
So, with no further ado, I will start. Here are my 'predictions' all based on off-the-rack technologies currently available....
1) Diad 22 will have the following:
a) all stops prerecorded as soon as the preloader places the package on the shelf;
b) the ability to photo all recipents and through self contained cameras with face recognition, matched to the ID swiped by the card reader (or fingerprint reading)
c) ability to swipe credit cards so as to make COD checks a thing of the past
d) package cars will not allow sliding doors of package cars to open except by diad signal
e) package cars will not be able to start until the diad is in the cradle
friend) diads will have bluetooth generation 10 technology to allow centers to speak with drivers. Hundreds or phrases can be 'spoken' by diad 22 in a multitude of languages
g) diad 22 will have instant ability to contact emergency services such as 911
2) The package cars will have the following:
a) scanners at the back door of all cars. This will scan the packages that the preloader is carrying into the car. A beep will sound to prevent the preloader misloads
b) When the package is scanned by the backdoor, the appropriate spot on the shelf will light up by LED. The preloader knows where to load the package.
Overhead secondary scanners will beep when pacages of the same address are not together, when a section needs to be resnaked, or add/pulls are needed.
c) the 'back' of all package cars are detachable from the cab/engine of the cars. With two 'back's to every car , preloaders can load the car for the following day instead of filling a boxline and then the cars.
d) all cars will be non-fossil fuel
3) Competitors and changes in service
a) more of our business will be providing for aged baby boomers who cannot leave their retirement homes. Drivers will dread the Happy Hills Rest Home like they now dread the Wal-Mart or the Pottery Barn.
b) DHL will give up in North America . A bidding war will ensue between UPS and Fedex. UPS will bid mainly to make certain that Fedex doesn't get DHL. Post Office hasn't gone private yet.
d) NDA letters of documents will be a thing of the past with secure internet .
e) guaranteed ground coast-to- coast in 2 days.(48 contiguous states) as high speed trains are constructed
g)nightime home deliveries. Possibly a guaranteed 2 hour delivery time frame. RFID technology can 'call' the customer with a hour's warning. Address changes can be done instantly by the dreiver or the preloader. ESIS clerks and Customer Counters are now just fond memories.
I am certain more than a few of you got a chuckle from this exercise, but what say you?
P.S. One last prediction: UPS stock price still at $75.00