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What's your prediction.....
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<blockquote data-quote="Ricochet1a" data-source="post: 1025569" data-attributes="member: 22880"><p>This is where Express and UPS are markedly different. if a customer calls in for a reattempt, more often than not, they expect to get the package within 30 minutes. The Courier has to "break trace" and make the delivery attempt. A lot of these are residental customers, who are "waiting" for their package so that they can go back to work or whatever. They caused a hell of a lot of headaches when I was a Courier, and I'm sure they still do. </p><p></p><p>Another issue are businesses which are closed during Express' P1 cycle, for which Couriers have to indicate "closed" (DEX 8) and move on. From what I understand, Couriers are expected to make another attempt for these business after they open, WITHIN THEIR P1 CYCLE. That is absolutely NUTS. The routes go out with so much P1 (optimized) that they barely have time to make it all off within the commit window. If Express had a built in 15 cushion in P1 load (have routes go out with P1 that can reasonably be delivered by 10:15 AM), then they'd have that cushion to use to make this sort of reattempt. Express sends out routes with virtually all of them getting off their last P1 stop between 10:25 and 10:30. This policy of Express' means that the Courier will automatically burn a few P1 deliveries, in the process of getting off the P1 volume to the business which was closed. Now admittedly, the Courier knows which of his regular business customers open "late" in the morning - these don't cause a problem. It is the "once in a blue moon" customer which has a P1 delivery that isn't open till 9:30 or 10:00 that causes the headaches. </p><p></p><p>In doing pickups with early close times, the Courier has NO OPTION but to break trace - the service metric applies to these just as any other time specific metric. If the Courier is late to a pickup, it went against their performance review (in the old days), and currently, Couriers are being handed discipline for having missed pickups and too many deliveries after commit time. </p><p></p><p>In being called outside one's route area to help other Couriers, there is no way to put it off till the end of the day. Those stops which are shifted over to other routes still have their ready and close times in full force. </p><p></p><p>Through all of this, "productivity" is lost to ensure service - both in delivering and in geting volume picked up in time to make the outbound trucks. </p><p></p><p>This is the paradox of having a system which guarantees delivery and pickup within tight time windows ALONG with trying to measure productivity by SPH. Given the nature of the beast, you can't do both well, either service is provided and anticipated SPH drops, or if SPH is to be maintained regardless of the cost, service is sacrificed. Right now Express is holding up the metric of SPH as the definitive measure of a Couriers productivity - and they are paying the price.</p><p></p><p>There are ways to game the system - I used the shuttle time code extensively when I was forced to run around like this. it is perfectly in line with Express guidelines for use of shuttle time code. Many managers don't like their Couriers doing this though, since many abuse it (shuttle for 5 minutes, back to on road, shuttle for 7 minutes, back to on road time code). The shuttle time code ISN'T meant to be used in this manner. I covered myself by keeping note of when i went into a shuttle time code, and included a written note of where and why I did so along with my time card.</p><p></p><p>The whole concept of aggressively utilizing the SPH statistic flies in the face of the old concept of providing service. To me, it isn't a surprise, FedEx Corporation made the decision to cash in on the brand name they established in the 70's, 80's and early 90's - all in an effort to maximize profits. I've commented on it before, service is being cut back where ever possible, in order to squeeze an additional bit of profit out of operations. The people being caught in the middle of this are the Couriers. They are literally between a rock and a hard place, with no where to turn.</p><p></p><p>And most of them (it seems) still don't think organizing is a good idea.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ricochet1a, post: 1025569, member: 22880"] This is where Express and UPS are markedly different. if a customer calls in for a reattempt, more often than not, they expect to get the package within 30 minutes. The Courier has to "break trace" and make the delivery attempt. A lot of these are residental customers, who are "waiting" for their package so that they can go back to work or whatever. They caused a hell of a lot of headaches when I was a Courier, and I'm sure they still do. Another issue are businesses which are closed during Express' P1 cycle, for which Couriers have to indicate "closed" (DEX 8) and move on. From what I understand, Couriers are expected to make another attempt for these business after they open, WITHIN THEIR P1 CYCLE. That is absolutely NUTS. The routes go out with so much P1 (optimized) that they barely have time to make it all off within the commit window. If Express had a built in 15 cushion in P1 load (have routes go out with P1 that can reasonably be delivered by 10:15 AM), then they'd have that cushion to use to make this sort of reattempt. Express sends out routes with virtually all of them getting off their last P1 stop between 10:25 and 10:30. This policy of Express' means that the Courier will automatically burn a few P1 deliveries, in the process of getting off the P1 volume to the business which was closed. Now admittedly, the Courier knows which of his regular business customers open "late" in the morning - these don't cause a problem. It is the "once in a blue moon" customer which has a P1 delivery that isn't open till 9:30 or 10:00 that causes the headaches. In doing pickups with early close times, the Courier has NO OPTION but to break trace - the service metric applies to these just as any other time specific metric. If the Courier is late to a pickup, it went against their performance review (in the old days), and currently, Couriers are being handed discipline for having missed pickups and too many deliveries after commit time. In being called outside one's route area to help other Couriers, there is no way to put it off till the end of the day. Those stops which are shifted over to other routes still have their ready and close times in full force. Through all of this, "productivity" is lost to ensure service - both in delivering and in geting volume picked up in time to make the outbound trucks. This is the paradox of having a system which guarantees delivery and pickup within tight time windows ALONG with trying to measure productivity by SPH. Given the nature of the beast, you can't do both well, either service is provided and anticipated SPH drops, or if SPH is to be maintained regardless of the cost, service is sacrificed. Right now Express is holding up the metric of SPH as the definitive measure of a Couriers productivity - and they are paying the price. There are ways to game the system - I used the shuttle time code extensively when I was forced to run around like this. it is perfectly in line with Express guidelines for use of shuttle time code. Many managers don't like their Couriers doing this though, since many abuse it (shuttle for 5 minutes, back to on road, shuttle for 7 minutes, back to on road time code). The shuttle time code ISN'T meant to be used in this manner. I covered myself by keeping note of when i went into a shuttle time code, and included a written note of where and why I did so along with my time card. The whole concept of aggressively utilizing the SPH statistic flies in the face of the old concept of providing service. To me, it isn't a surprise, FedEx Corporation made the decision to cash in on the brand name they established in the 70's, 80's and early 90's - all in an effort to maximize profits. I've commented on it before, service is being cut back where ever possible, in order to squeeze an additional bit of profit out of operations. The people being caught in the middle of this are the Couriers. They are literally between a rock and a hard place, with no where to turn. And most of them (it seems) still don't think organizing is a good idea. [/QUOTE]
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