What are you doing/saying about DHL?

[BrownSuit]

I'm just curious what everybody is doing/saying, if anything, to customers about changes coming with DHL.

We are presently under a big push to capitalize on this any way possible with many of their changes slated to happen June 30th.

I've heard of great successes with drivers taking articles to customers and customers coming back as a result, on-roads going out to visit DHL customers that we never went to see before, BD people going after accounts that were lost because we would never touch the price.

What are you doing/saying with customers about the changes coming with DHL?

For those that don't know . . . DHL is closing roughly 1/3rd of their centers, adding another 3600 postal codes to last mile Post Office Deliveries and cutting a number of pickups on routes that aren't profitable. This is all scheduled to happen June 30th.

By September, UPS will be handling the air-lift, DHL@Home, the FedEx Home-Delivery equivalent is closing doors, and tens of thousands will be without jobs.

 

[barnyard]

I have been asking my accounts if they are using DHL at all. Only one is and it is for preprinted labels provided by the shipper. They are not happy with DHL service, but right now, there is nothing they can do about it. Evidently, DHL is not picking up the same day the account calls....

We do have a couple of guys that deliver and PU from optical manufacturers. They are doing everything they can, deliver 1st and PU last, to show them that we deserve a shot at their business.

Our center is also having a sales lead contest right now to give folks even more incentive to turn in leads. I won yet another UPS racing hat. I'm running out of relatives to give them to..... UPS needs to offer motorcycle racing shirts, I'd wear one of those.

TB

 

[brownrodster]

I have seen very little DHL ever. On the routes I know I can think of 1 account that ships DHL and it's maybe a letter or two a week.

So I never really have the opportunity to talk to customers about DHL! Fedex seems huge around here but DHL is nothing.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

We are being encouraged to submit sales leads not only for DHL pickup accounts but for their dropboxes as well. This is a great time for those who have either never participated in the sales lead program or those who have had a negative experience in the past to try it once again as most of these leads should be fairly easy to convert to UPS accounts.

 

[barnyard]

We are being encouraged to submit sales leads not only for DHL pickup accounts but for their dropboxes as well. This is a great time for those who have either never participated in the sales lead program or those who have had a negative experience in the past to try it once again as most of these leads should be fairly easy to convert to UPS accounts.

I never thought of the dropboxes. I might have to ride around town (on my motorcycle, natch) and find out where they all are.

TB

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I never thought of the dropboxes. I might have to ride around town (on my motorcycle, natch) and find out where they all are.TB

You will stll need contact information unless the dropbox is on public property.

 

[Mike Hawk]

You just open up the drop box and look at the return address?

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

You just open up the drop box and look at the return address?

No, if the DHL box is located on private property (bank) then you will need contact information for that location so that UPS can call and ask permission to put one of our boxes there when DHL pulls theirs. It is worth $50 on the Amex card for each new box.

 

[barnyard]

In our area, there are a lot of parking garage drop boxes and a few near banks and title companies. I am not aware of any that are on public property.

Warning, warning, thread hijack!!!

A couple of years ago, I was covering a route that had 8 boxes to PU. Several parking ramp boxes, including a couple that were near competitors boxes.

Anyways, I was on the route for a week and on Tuesday, there was a large box (about the size of a large microwave) on top of our dropbox. The box had a Fedex ground manifest on it, so I left it (I did check all sides for a UPS label, none.)

Still there on Wed., Thurs. and on Friday. On Friday, after I pick up our box, someone yells, "Hey you."

I look around.

"Yes you, dumb."

I look around some more.

", I am talking to you"

This suit comes walking over, grabs the box and says, "You stupid , when are you going to take this box!"

I calmly pointed to the Fedex label and said, "Fedex, I work for UPS, I'll probably pick it up shortly after hell freezes over."

I turned and walked away. It was very satisfying to rub his nose in it.

Hijack over.

TB

 

[looper804]

Every Wednesday our pcm consists of Take Charge info.We have been talking up DHl for a while now,giving info to drivers for their customers who ship DHL.It is working.We have won back a few customers and with this weeks announcement of no more DHL home delivery starting September 1st there are more customers getting nervous and calling UPS to switch.Definetly a good time to be turning in sales leads for all you DHL customers.(may as well submit the lead.Most likely they will be calling on their own if you don't)

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

I never discuss competition with customers unless they bring it up first. I haven't heard any good remarks about DHL from anyone since I've been driving. I've been informing customers that DHL is now having to use UPS so ship some of their packages but other than that most of the DHL bashing is dished out by the customers instead of me. DHL isn't really that big here. If they were to close down completely next week it would raise our volume slightly but it definitely would not even come close to adding a route to the center. The extra volume would probably add 10 extra stops to the city routes and less or none to the rural routes. So, at best our area would be rid of those horrible yellow vans. And also the thugs that drive them. I doubt many customers will miss them and their dreads or braided hair and their baggy sagging uniforms.

 

[TheBatman]

And also the thugs that drive them. I doubt many customers will miss them and their dreads or braided hair and their baggy sagging uniforms.

 

[soberups]

DHL (also known as hot dog on-a-stick) has been circling the drain for a while out here. They drive beat up rental vans and wear blown-out tennis shoes with white socks. I remember seeing one of them getting a signature for a package while smoking a cigarette.

 

[rwsmith67]

I Hear Them In My Neighborhood, Love The Sound Of That Boom Box In A Residential Neighborhood, And The Dreadlocks Add A Special Look That Any Customer Can Trust!!

30 Year U.p.s Ret.

 

[soberups]

.....

 

[brownmonster]

Punched out at quarter to 8 on Friday. Let the DM talk to customers. I have work to do.

 

[brownrodster]

Punched out at quarter to 8 on Friday. Let the DM talk to customers. I have work to do.

That is pretty much my attitude too. I just deliver boxes. When they notice I don't have any sales leads they'll just have some other driver put my name on one... At least I think that's probably how I got my last sales lead... I never turned one in but I got a sold lead anyway.

 

[But Benefits Are Great!]

Page one of any business rule book; Never sell the services of YOUR company by putting down the services of another. Ever.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Page one of any business rule book; Never sell the services of YOUR company by putting down the services of another. Ever.

Woud you agree that there is a distinction between pointing out the operational differences between UPS and DHL rather than talking poorly about DHL? Using examples of our service benefits which are not offered by DHL in an attempt to secure new volume is perfectably acceptable. Pointing out that DHL will probably leave your Dell sitting by your front door may not be. I don't see anything wrong with using our operational advantages to my benefit when trying to get a sales lead.

 

[New Englander]

Woud you agree that there is a distinction between pointing out the operational differences between UPS and DHL rather than talking poorly about DHL? Using examples of our service benefits which are not offered by DHL in an attempt to secure new volume is perfectably acceptable. Pointing out that DHL will probably leave your Dell sitting by your front door may not be. I don't see anything wrong with using our operational advantages to my benefit when trying to get a sales lead.

EXACTLY!

The simple fact that DHL will NOT deliver to every address on any given day is a huge selling point for UPS.
DHL will hold packages for an extended area until they get a few more or are closer to that individual delivery area.

I don't ever put down the individual DHL drivers to my customers or actually talk bad about DHL or FedEx. I may think it but I don't portray it.