MrFedEx
Engorged Member
For the last few months, FedEx has been trading-off reducing hours for killing service, which is starting to have some real fallout with customers. This is, of course, a preview of the October "announcement", which is already being implemented in many areas of the country. No real surprises.
The big surprise is the uptick in Wrong Day Lates (WDL's) due to system failures. This tells me that systemically, Express is imploding right now. The numbers they publish may not reflect much of a change, but remember, that just like the SFA, they can publish whatever numbers they want.
Where I'm seeing this is with the customers. At least several times a week now, I have long-term customers asking "where is my package"? My reply is that I don't have it and to call 1800GoFedEx if they have an AWB number. Invariably, the package shows-up the next day... a day late. For a lot of customers, that isn't good enough, and I've had several say they're no longer specifying FedEx for their shipments and that they are requesting suppliers to use UPS NDA. Good, and I tell them that they are probably making the right choice. So are others.
I know that locally, we have several CTVs a week that miss aircraft, and also a few shuttles. Some of that is traffic, but most of it is understaffing routes and/or overburdening couriers with too much to do in the time they have available, Somewhere during the day, that will catch-up with FedEx, and crash the system...at least locally, in the form of freight that doesn't make the aircraft.
In Memphis, they're probably all comparing spreadsheets and scratching their heads as to why the new plan isn't working. "Must be local management's fault", or those "damned lazy couriers"...yeah, that's it. Let's blame it on the field. The computer says they can do MORE, and upper management agreed. As long as hours are reduced and money is saved, it's all good on their end.
Here's the deal. People are leaving, and the ones who are staying are calling-in sick, or just not caring when they do the job. They no longer care about service, sales leads, or much else than getting through the day without another OLCC or management threat. The RTDs I know, no longer take special shortcuts to make it to the ramp if they can, nor do they make any sort of extraordinary effort to make the plane. They don't care, and who can really blame them?
I foresee more of this as the witchhunt continues and they keep pressing for even more. The "talent" no longer cares about the quality of the show Fred, and you're too busy courting politicians to even care. Fred fiddles while Rome burns around him. I love it.
The big surprise is the uptick in Wrong Day Lates (WDL's) due to system failures. This tells me that systemically, Express is imploding right now. The numbers they publish may not reflect much of a change, but remember, that just like the SFA, they can publish whatever numbers they want.
Where I'm seeing this is with the customers. At least several times a week now, I have long-term customers asking "where is my package"? My reply is that I don't have it and to call 1800GoFedEx if they have an AWB number. Invariably, the package shows-up the next day... a day late. For a lot of customers, that isn't good enough, and I've had several say they're no longer specifying FedEx for their shipments and that they are requesting suppliers to use UPS NDA. Good, and I tell them that they are probably making the right choice. So are others.
I know that locally, we have several CTVs a week that miss aircraft, and also a few shuttles. Some of that is traffic, but most of it is understaffing routes and/or overburdening couriers with too much to do in the time they have available, Somewhere during the day, that will catch-up with FedEx, and crash the system...at least locally, in the form of freight that doesn't make the aircraft.
In Memphis, they're probably all comparing spreadsheets and scratching their heads as to why the new plan isn't working. "Must be local management's fault", or those "damned lazy couriers"...yeah, that's it. Let's blame it on the field. The computer says they can do MORE, and upper management agreed. As long as hours are reduced and money is saved, it's all good on their end.
Here's the deal. People are leaving, and the ones who are staying are calling-in sick, or just not caring when they do the job. They no longer care about service, sales leads, or much else than getting through the day without another OLCC or management threat. The RTDs I know, no longer take special shortcuts to make it to the ramp if they can, nor do they make any sort of extraordinary effort to make the plane. They don't care, and who can really blame them?
I foresee more of this as the witchhunt continues and they keep pressing for even more. The "talent" no longer cares about the quality of the show Fred, and you're too busy courting politicians to even care. Fred fiddles while Rome burns around him. I love it.
