20 Missed, OMS' fault

[bisongolfer]

I'm an afternoon dispatch OMS at a center with about 86 drivers. Today, one of our drivers came back to the center with 20 missed pieces. Apparently he missed them because he broke off from delivering business stops to make his daily pick ups. However, I called in a driver to specifically make his pick ups so that he could continue to get the business stops off.

What makes it worse is that I usually have to call in someone to make his p/us about 3-4 times a week (Which is another issue in itself). Apparently this was my fault because I failed to send him an ODS message confirming I had his p/us covered, even though we talked on the phone and I have never once sent a confirmation message via ODS while getting them covered before atleast 30 times. So now I've been instructed to do a write up on myself...which is also weird cause aren't write ups supposed to come from your supervisor?

Ironically enough, this driver said over the phone that he was tired of being constantly overdispatched and "I'll show them to do it again to me". I shrugged this off because many drivers get angry at full-time management and usually vent to me via phone call. Should I be afraid that I might lose my job tomorrow morning?

 

[speeddemon]

If the pickups are in his board, he has to get them unless communicated on a daily basis that hes not to make them.

 

[over9five]

The driver did the right thing. If he hadn't, it would be him worrying about losing his job in the morning.

 

[over9five]

"I usually have to call in someone to make his p/us about 3-4 times a week"

What is wrong with this picture??? Actually, it's the management team that needs to lose their jobs.

 

[DS]

Its only my opinion,but I think this driver is trying to make his point about being overdispatched every day and you are getting the **** end of the stick.If you told him on the phone that his pickups were covered,why did he break off from his deliveries to do pickups that were already covered?
I dont believe its written anywhere that a "text" message must be sent as a followup to a phone conversation.
As far as writing yourself up goes, if indeed the "text" message rule is in place,you are only guilty of failing to follow protocol.The driver missed on purpose .You are the scape goat.Make sure your superiors know this.
If they still pursue it,then nobody likes you,from management on down,
and suggest you try www.dhl.com and click on jobs.

 

[toonertoo]

Crap rolls down hill and from ft mgmt perspective, not mine, you are at the bottom.
I, and many other drivers insist on an ODS reply to such a sensitive thing as pick ups being made. I keep my digital with me to take a pic of it so I have a record. CMA.
You seem to be distressed that you have to help this guy with his pick ups 3/4 times a week. From your end you probaly think hes a slacker, and you could be right. More than likely the guy has too much work, and to not miss commercial or to make an air pull time he needs help. Most likely dispatch, problem, not yours or his.
A self write up, have a field day!!!!!!!!,. and include all the work you are doing above and beyond your work aka FT mgmt work, and give yourself an A+++, because you actually care enough to reach out to this community for help. Obviously you are not getting it where you are. Good Luck and keep us posted.

 

[bisongolfer]

Actually, I do not feel that this guy is a slacker. His route should have about 90-100 stops, not 125 as was the case yesterday. When I said that it was another issue in itself, I was talking about the full-time sup who is in-charge of dispatching in the mornings.

Infact, I tend to get into some arguments with the full-time dispatch sup because of the way he over dispatches. For example, Monday there was a route which should normally have 85 stops which he dispatched out with 130. Numbers like that are almost impossible for me to workout without the calling in an additional driver, which is already a big no no. The dispatch sup tends to think that drivers will have to kick it up a notch and "git-r-done". I can see that maybe once or twice a week with about 10 more stops than normal. But if the route is a purely business route including p/us, you just can't add 25-35 more business stops, and expect him to get it done all before 5:00.

And after "sticking up for the drivers", I am told that I whine just like the drivers do and that I'm just blaming AM dispatch....well....hell yes I am. I can't create miracles and I try the best I can. I can usually get a lot done on the PM side because I try and help out the drivers, and because of that, I get more help and cooperation from them than any other full-time sup does. However I do feel like this driver ****** me hard. He sure as heck "showed us" and now I'm to blame because I didn't send out a confirmation ODS message. Which FYI, is not standard protocal, since over half of my communications occur over the phone, and not the DIAD.

 

[Z Anonymous X]

Senior OMS got smart to problem and started to send messages, response required for all service change situations: p/u coverage by other drivers, help cover other drivers p/u's and or deliveries and so on. Then when they responded they would print screen and keep in their log book in case something fooled up.

 

[sendagain]

Let's hope the guy actually made those pickups and wasn't sitting on his butt somewhere making his point. It seems to me that if he was told the stops were covered over the phone, he should have kept delivering. A lot of these problems could be handled if the company allowed the drivers to take their breaks at their discretion. I frequently was heavy on my business route, and worked through a lot of breaks to get my customers serviced properly. I couls always take those breaks later on before coming in. Making some rigid rule just to fend off lawsuits makes us a less effective company.

 

[Coldworld]

why in the hell is this overdispatching happening ACROSS THE COUNTRY. There has to be someone from the top who has communicated this across the board. The days of staying out 15 hours are OVER!!!! Get this through your brain. I know this company has been into production since day one, but what is needed to happen is a change. This is the number one priority from a drivers perspective, im sure. I really think most drivers like the physical atmosphere that this job provides, and that having a busy 8 or 9 hour day is fine. WHY ARE DRIVERS GOING OUT WITH 20-30 EXTRA STOPS, OR HAVING TOO MANY PICKUPS OR STAYING OUT 11 HOURS. This is happening across the board in every center in america. And filing a grievence isnt going to stop it. Making a comment in the eri survey doesnt mean jack. In my center all I hear from the OMS persons is that"ups needs to hire more drivers" They are in a position that is stuck between managenent and the drivers. They get stuck with finding help for drivers after management has gone home.

 

[oko]

Wow, looks like they are putting you under the bus, a phone call should be enough. Now you will waste more paper and time printing every ODS msg you get. Dont worry, your job will be safe, I dont think they want to train a new OMS. A OMS job isnt just answering phones and typing. They take care of things no one wants to do, and without help. They hear all the complaints from customers to drivers. But to write yourself up? How stupid ,looks like they need something to put in a file, and you are the easy way out. Your name will be on the file, not theirs.

 

[upsdawg]

Bison-----sorry to hear that you are having problems with your management team--is the center manager aware of what is going on??? Now that you have been instructed to send ODS messages----do so in the future to CYA.

You are between a rock and a hard spot.......actually between the driver and Center Team ,and have to get along with both. We have great drivers and, as you know---drivers who whine and complain about everything....and take up a lot of precious time.

Play the game and save your job----document everything that you need to do---starting with your write up-----which is common for management--it just documents tha you are aware of something that has transpired----take the opportunity in your write up to indicate that someone is instructing you to ODS all messages and that you will do so in the future----so when it comes back as to why youo are sending so many ODS messages , you can refer to your write up!!

 

[bisongolfer]

First of all let me say thank you to everyone who has posted a response.

UPSDAWG: Yes the ctr manager was the person who called me initially and informed me to do the write up. He was meeting with the district manager all morning so I did not get a chance to talk to him more in depth about the situation. As for what transpired today...

I was met outside of the center by two full-time sups where they informed me that I was to call the division manager as soon as I got inside. However before I went inside, I was "coached" on what to say and also...what not to say (which was to not blame it on anyone else and to pretty much accept full responsibility, apologize, and say it won't happen again) So the full-time dispatch sup and I went in and called up the division manager on the speaker phone.

Division manager asked me for my side of the story on how events went down and I told him exactly what had happened. Div. mgr then went on to asking the full-time sup as to why the driver did not communicate with the center to inform mgmt of the potential missed pieces. Div. mgr also questioned the intergrity of driver's side of the story given the history of how pick ups had been covered in the past without a confirmation ODS message, and how I have never goofed something like this before.

So the call basically went from questioning me, to questioning the rest of the full-time staff and particularly the actions of the driver. I never did perform a write up and for the most part am in the clear. I will say that I learned a lesson from it all and will be sure to send a confirmation ODS message from here on out....that way nobody can say that I didn't. I already keep a notebook and write down everything that I do and get covered, whether its a driver taking stops or pick ups, or dropboxes, drivers over 9.5, etc....

On a side note, dispatch was still pretty terrible and I ended up having to call in two additional drivers to not have massive service failures. Two extended routes had double the amount of stops that they should have had...I kid you not, double!!!! I cannot comprehend for the life of me why these issues tend to be overlooked until 1:00PM considering dispatch is done so early in the morning.

 

[over9five]

I hope you mentioned to the DM the DAILY screw-ups by the management team regarding dispatch.
Did you ask the DM why in the world the management team is allowed to screw up the dispatch every day?

I'm just hoping you didn't take total blame like they told you to. They told you to say that to save their own a$$es. You certainly should have told the truth to the DM.

 

[toonertoo]

Bisongolfer,
Wouldnt it be something if they just dispatched properly in the AM before people are sent home or laid off.
geeZ what a novel idea. Look up the meaning of dispatch in the dictionary. Its funny.
Wouldnt it be great if they had to stay til all came back at night? Like it used to be. The poor OMS gets the crap, and really has no control. All the blame and none of the glory. They treat it like once its out the door, their job is done, having to be there in the eve, I feel it was done better in the morning. The time to worry about it is then not at 3pm. But enter the OMS, and there is the out.
But then as stated here earlier, they just keep expecting us to kick it up a notch, and git er done, and they just turn a blind eye to how all of us seem to feel. Double what a route should have...happens too much, and everywhere, and no one seems to think its a problem in the big house where this decision is made. When I travel I always make it a point to introduce myself, if I see a driver, and just like in this community it is the same everywhere. I used to love the challenge of a heavy day now and then. Now its an everyday occurance. And I have truly noticed that the only ones held accountable are the drivers, the OMS and the PT sups. They want you to get the blame because they think you are not as important as they are. Your livelihood doesnt matter. Your pride in what you do, doesnt mean a thing. If you couldnt get done what was stuffed in your truck, it must be you, it couldnt be the impossibility of it. But thats the world of UPS now. And stressing the workers seems to be the way to go. Sad they ruin good workers this way.

 

[Coldworld]

first off 20 missed packages is a big no no, but since pas went on line its not that uncommon. Why the hell does the district manager need to know about this. And why is the center "business" manager not out visiting customers and trying to win volume for the center. Back in the day, and not that long ago the business manager was able to run his or her center the way they wanted and it was basically run like a little ups, meaning they made money and worked on growing the business.

 

[wily_old_vet]

Bison-Need a little clarification about one thing. You say you have to call in drivers in the afternoon. Are these part time drivers? Are these full time drivers who were told they weren't needed by the A.M. sup? Are drivers in your center who are told they aren't needed in the morning "on call" and then brought in later?

 

[bisongolfer]

They are usually part-time drivers. However we do normally give full-time drivers the option to be on call should they be told that they are not needed, but they usually decline and simply want the entire day off. If we do end up calling in a full-time driver they are only paid for what they work, code 05.

 

[wily_old_vet]

They are usually part-time drivers. However we do normally give full-time drivers the option to be on call should they be told that they are not needed, but they usually decline and simply want the entire day off. If we do end up calling in a full-time driver they are only paid for what they work, code 05.

Bison-One more question for clarification. Are these part time drivers used to pick up or deliver ground pkgs?

To those of you who are still on the job-If Bison answers yes to this last question is this now allowed under the present contract? When I left last August, by contract part timers are only allowed to deliver or pick up air pkgs. If a air driver made a pick up at say a letter center and picked up a ground pkg that was put into it then they were to be paid full time driver wages. This is totally different than calling a part timer in to cover something a full time driver is to be doing.

 

[bisongolfer]

Sometimes no, only air - and sometimes yes. While we try to avoid this at call costs, sometimes we simply don't have anymore options and we pay them appropriately.