Catatonic
Nine Lives
Don't be such a Nancy!
UPS mismanagement....
- Thread starter UPS1907
- Start date
Ouch
Well-Known Member
I think some are missing the big picture. It doesn't matter who the ceo is. You will still have the same problem next year if UPS goes by the projections they are given, and if the share holders decide to try and raise the stock as high as they possibly can. UPS is at the mercy of its board members. Its not the ups of old anymore were they would put in more routes if they wanted.
SignificantOwner
A Package Center Manager
The impact was the same to me. I found the tough talk paired with the tired old cliche to be rather humorous.
Lineandinitial
Legio patria nostra
You have mentioned "The Big Picture" a number of times in this thread.
Big pictures are relative to every person quoting "The Big Picture". Do you have any idea who "the shareholders" are that can affect the stock price? If you think they are the B share holders, who do you think will organize them to affect the stock price. Ha Ha
Big Picture....Ha Ha ha
Ouch
Well-Known Member
The big picture I was referring to is that it will not matter who the ceo is. As long as we are traded on the public market and have a board that only one UPS member sits on their will be the downhill spiral effect on the company. Do you remember the days you could talk to your center manager and work problems out or you could go to your center manager with a customer problem and they would actually listen and try and solve the problem? The days of your center manager being able to cut routes in, put air drivers in, put half day routes in are over. They are like robots because they have to cater to the share holders.
Floridacargocat
Well-Known Member
The "big picture" is, that forecasting is looking into a crystal ball and trying to find a path which is the "most likely one" without any hard facts underlying it.
Question is: have certain market factors such as unexpected and late promotional activities by key retailers been communicated and recognized we;; before the onslaught? In a certain sense, we could compare that to certain military campaigns (e.g. the Somme, Korea, Barbarossa), where certain elements of information were available beforehand, but were not considered properly.
Peak is peak, and if the operational envelope is not provided an adequate reserve, then the envelope will burst, and damage to the public image will happen; and this is what will be very expensive for a brand.
UPS (as well as others) has as such a finite capacity at a given moment, and if customers (providers of goods) exceed this capacity by willfully changing parameters, then they have to bear the consequences. Communication is of the key essence, especially in critical situations, and there something went wrong which even the best and most adequate planning could not have factored in. In our centres, we had no more space to park cars for deliveries, no more trained personnel (including seasonal) to load without significant levels of misloads. UPS has cut resources to more than eliminating the fat, they have cut into the bones of the supporting infrastructure.
Even though info from the centres where I work is more than ambiguous, the hard work of our service providers could not satisfy every customer. On the preload side, we did what we were supposed to do, but overall, an unhappy customer does have a memory (and the operational personnel on the ground level is not always given the "real" truth"). In the end, he/she/it will come back to us, but with a bitter taste. Major retailers will run their theoretical exercises of " Can we do it better than UPS on our own?", and one day the answer might be "YES".
Numbers are not everything. Eons ago, I worked for an American company, breathing and living by numbers. Today, they do not exist any more as a major factor in their sector of industry. Numbers are not everything. Using information sensibly has become a key factor for planners, and upper management should sometimes listen to those "peons" on the ground ("vox populi, vox dei").
Question is: have certain market factors such as unexpected and late promotional activities by key retailers been communicated and recognized we;; before the onslaught? In a certain sense, we could compare that to certain military campaigns (e.g. the Somme, Korea, Barbarossa), where certain elements of information were available beforehand, but were not considered properly.
Peak is peak, and if the operational envelope is not provided an adequate reserve, then the envelope will burst, and damage to the public image will happen; and this is what will be very expensive for a brand.
UPS (as well as others) has as such a finite capacity at a given moment, and if customers (providers of goods) exceed this capacity by willfully changing parameters, then they have to bear the consequences. Communication is of the key essence, especially in critical situations, and there something went wrong which even the best and most adequate planning could not have factored in. In our centres, we had no more space to park cars for deliveries, no more trained personnel (including seasonal) to load without significant levels of misloads. UPS has cut resources to more than eliminating the fat, they have cut into the bones of the supporting infrastructure.
Even though info from the centres where I work is more than ambiguous, the hard work of our service providers could not satisfy every customer. On the preload side, we did what we were supposed to do, but overall, an unhappy customer does have a memory (and the operational personnel on the ground level is not always given the "real" truth"). In the end, he/she/it will come back to us, but with a bitter taste. Major retailers will run their theoretical exercises of " Can we do it better than UPS on our own?", and one day the answer might be "YES".
Numbers are not everything. Eons ago, I worked for an American company, breathing and living by numbers. Today, they do not exist any more as a major factor in their sector of industry. Numbers are not everything. Using information sensibly has become a key factor for planners, and upper management should sometimes listen to those "peons" on the ground ("vox populi, vox dei").
BakerMayfield2018
Fight the power.
Plain and simple. Ups needs to put in more routes next peak and hire more workers.
Just Numbers
Retired
I think the key is training pt's to drive throughout the year so they are available at peak. The problem is union restrictions.
Just Numbers
Retired
Do you realize many share holders are UPS employees?
Catatonic
Nine Lives
Cheryl is afraid she would get a lump of coal!Why doesn't it change Santa to N*ncy?
It would only be fair.
Ouch
Well-Known Member
Do you realize not all the ups employee shareholders are on the board. My point is you have people making decisions that have never been on a package car or have any idea how an operation should be run.
bluehdmc
Well-Known Member
It's beyond me also, I guess we just don't understand big business.
Of course it could be kinda like Home Depot. When they first opened in my area they were open 24hrs, seemed to have all kinds of helpful knowledgeable people working there. Then they put most of the Mom&Pop Hardware stores out of business, and some of the smaller chains, (Like Rickel's).
Now Home Depot is open 8am till 9 or 10, and it's next to impossible to find someone to assist you.
Maybe as Amazon puts other retailers out of business they'll start charging higher prices and shipping charges.
slantnosechevy
Well-Known Member
That's exactly Amazon's plan. They're in it to make huge profits.....not operate at a loss every year. The drone comments on 60 Minutes were strictly diversionary. Amazon doesn't want to attract attention to what their real intentions are. They are UPS's worst enemy.
Lineandinitial
Legio patria nostra
In a week, this will all be old news and forgotten. The big picture is that UPS continues to make record profits, even with minor issues like this Peak.
UPS1907
Well-Known Member
I agree. The new profit over service UPS is out of the bag. I'm glad to see the screwing UPS has been giving management is now being extended to the customer as well
UnconTROLLed
perfection
It should be expected that as UPS became a 'more lean" corporation, the "lean" would trickle down to lean service.
Catatonic
Nine Lives
Good observation but you forgot to mention GREED.
I almost did not recognize this as you.
UnconTROLLed
perfection
Sorry, just woke up and out of form. But the whole "leaner, more competitive" phrasing years back was not much different rhetoric, than "enhancements" rhetoric is to management benefits and perks.Good observation but you forgot to mention GREED.
I almost did not recognize this as you.
UPS customer base will continue to experience the enhancements in service in the long-run, that's for certain.
