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[gman]

Does anyone have any facts concerning UPS covering the medical portion of our retirement in Central States? We are covered under Aetna through UPS, not Teamster coverage. I am not aware how common that is nationwide. Central States will not supply coverage if you are under 57 but apparently UPS will. At a MUCH lower rate from what I've been ble to find out.

 

[gman]

There are no easy jobs when working at or with UPS. They make the hard money. I have to wonder how well some of these MBEUPS store guys would do on a package care 10/11 hours a day.

 

[over9five]

I have a UPS Store on my rte, and it is doing an incredible amount of packages since the switch. The owner owns 2 stores and seems very happy.
In fact, I towed out a TP60 every day for peak because he couldnt fit all the packages in the store (something we never had to do while he was MBE).

(Message edited by Over9five on January 08, 2004)

 

[upsdawg]

NewUPSS Owner: Amen Brother!!

I think that some people forget about the financial problems the previous owner( US Paper ?) of MBE had and was about to file Chapter 11---What would have happened to those MBE Stores than??

Better to look to the future and have a partnership with a company that is financially sound----a perfect company--no--a good company --yes. I would gather that the recent purchase of Kinko's would be a good indication to the value of the UPSS Franchise-----here is a question for any of the MBE/UPSS Franchise Owneers---has the value of each center increased n the past year--or from when UPS purchased MBE? If it has and it appears that most USPS locations are increasing their foot traffic-----a lot of businesses wish they had this type of problem!!

 

[dannyboy]

9.5

Me too, I hauled a tp60 and they still had to take the van and make several trips a day to the center with packages. And this was his first year open in this location. He has 6 in total. It is what you make of it.

d

 

[local804]

Dannyboy,
I see you drive one of those rear trailers from your last post. There is a guy who pulls one in our building and he has no camera on it. Dont you think UPS should hook up a camera for him. They have been telling him for a while they will do it, but still have not. Do you have a camera(backup) on yours?

 

[loyalmbe]

NewUPSSOwner,

You 60 day wonder, you have been in business all of 2 months and you already know it all and are lecturing those of us who do know which side is up in the MPC business.


Of course, you are an unregistered guest with the audacity to tell registered members who happen to be MBE's that they should find another board.

I doubt you have even paid all your christmas bills yet. Think twice before you buy the second store, you might lose money twice as fast after the holidays. Peak only comes once a year, your bills come every week and your rent is due every month plus the royalties, etc. etc.

Good Luck to you, but put the soap box away until you have been around a while.

 

[upsdreamin]

I am a UPS Store Multiple Franchisee in AZ. Since the rebranding customer counts have dropped in our area on average 20%. Same Store Sales if you taken in consideration the exclusion we use to get on shipping through USPS Priority mail, is down 10%. This does not include the fact that are margins have also dropped 10%, since the rebranding profits at just one of my locations will be down 24K.
The biggest flaw in this re-branding is the customer perseption that the only thing we do is ship packages, thats it. The drop in revenues is coming from packaging, copies, fax, mail box revenues, and especially First Class, and Priority Mail and Stamps.
The older customers, which AZ has a lot of will live and die USPS and wait in the line expecting to save money. What UPSS Marketing needs to do is re-educate the consumer. This will take years probably 3 to 5 years, before the consumer understands. If by April 04' this does not turn around I will put the biggest "I do First Class, Priority Mail, and sell stamps" Banner you have ever see up. At least if I send priority mail I can set my own rates and exclude the cost of shipping on my royalties.

Let me explain were the lost revenues comes from:

Avg. UPS Package Ship from UPSS
Zone 5, 9 lbs.

Retail Cost: $10.25
Published Cost $ 9.35
Incentive $ 1.40

Profit $ 2.30
Less Royalties (8.5%) $ .87
Less iship fee's $ .10

Actual Profit $ 1.33

This number should explain why there are and will be more pissed off UPSS Franchisee's. Remember this does not take into account the employee's time of processing this package which averages about 5 minuets. Which at $8 an hour cost an additional $.70 which leaves me with $.53 to all operation expenses.

 

[tieguy]

Says loyalmbe as he desperately fights for a modicum of credibility by trying to discredit a legitmate business person running a legitimate UPS store. What a rare treat it is to have a legitimate UPS store owner take a few minutes to address the issue.

 

[newupssowner]

LOYALMBE,
Just so you know where I'm coming from...
We opened our store just before Thanksgiving without ANY advertising. The first three days were slow ($148.00 the first day, $301.00 the 2nd, and $588.00 the third). Then we took off.
With absolutely NO ADVERTISING in the month of December we were able to reach $83,000.00 STR. I was planning on taking 5 to 7 years to pay off the $50,000 loan I took out to open. I'm now thinking I can have it paid off in 2 years!
I'm under no illusions that I will retire in 5 years, I'm not wearing rose colored glasses and I'm not into blind faith. I'm not happy with absolutely everything (the reimbursement for drop off packages) but this kind of profit is hard to deny. OK it's impossible to deny.
I just don't understand what you and your buddies are complaining about. You had the chance to stay with the MBE concept and you still have the chance to be whatever kind of store you want. Instead of getting out and working on your business you choose to spend your time sitting at your computer spewing what I can only describe as hatred, frustration and I think a bit of envy.
I have no more time for you or your drivel. I have work to do. I am spending the day prospecting for business to improve our standing in the neighborhood with our document services and mailboxes. I know that the time I spend today will be productive. The relationships I may enter into today will pay off for me and my store far into the future.
Might I suggest you do the same.

 

[rushfan]

Here we go again-
In our area all the upss business was up quite considerably compared to years past while operating under mbe.
Sure there may be little problems here and there. One owner told me it was the best thing that happened.
One mbe store here is hell bent on damaging ups's reputation. Every customer that comes into his store who wants to ship ups, he immediately tells them that ups rates will be about $10 more than the competition. I've heard him. In turn, I contacted management and they have dealt with him. Possibly cancelling his account with us.

I've found that these owners who still operate under mbe name are all sour apples-they were before their name changed also.

I'm still waiting for those stats.

 

[brown39]

loyal and all the rest of fools who stayed with mbe will soon be lost and forgotten.

 

[dannyboy]

I have one on my p1000 but there are none on the trailer. By the national aggrement to settle a lawsuit, all of our package cars MUST have the camera.

IF you put one on the trailer it would cause all sorts of problems.

But the one on the P1000 sure helps when hooking up!

Guys, MBE is one of those people that hate what they do. And they WILL complain about it no matter what. Im sure you all know people in our opperations that are that way. Just show some pity and ignore the behavior and it will soon go away, or they at the least will quit boring you with how bad things are.

New UPSS

Attaboy! THat is close to what the one I have on my route showed could be done, and with two other counter stores within a few blocks. He has 5 other stores, and while they didnt take off quite this fast, they did super. All I can say are two things. Location, location, location. The other is attitude. If it sucks, so will your service. And if customers want sucky service, they can get that at the post office.

d

(Message edited by dannyboy on January 09, 2004)

 

[loyalmbe]

UPSS newbie, No one opens a new store 3 days before thanksgiving and then does $85K in December - no body.

Show me proof that you did and I will never post here again.

Until I see proof, your unsubstantiated claim is pure bunk, plain and simple.

As I have mentioned on another board, if you had done what you claim, MBE/UPS would have broadcast it to the world. Didn't happen!!!!

 

[loyalmbe]

UPS newbie

You may or may not be award that someone has posted your statements here on another board.

The following questions were asked and I wanted yuo to have a chance to answer them since you do not seem to frequent the yahoo finance UPS board.

>>Questions for the UPSStore how claimed to do 83k his first full month.

1. What was you customer count for the month of December.

2. How many employees did you have working.

3. How did you handle your customers when ISHIP went down.

4. What percentage of packages were ground and what percentage was air.

5. How did you buy a new UPS Store for 50K. New stores cost in excess of 150K.

6. What are your stores demographics. <<

again, these are not my questions, but those of another MBE veteran, I am however interested in your reaponses.

 

[tieguy]

Nothing needs to be proven to disloyal. Just keep the knives up out of his reach and watch your back.

 

[onemulligan]

What is this about a meeting in Dallas on the 29th. Will UPS Corporate be there. Or is the meeting for MBE's that have not changed over. What is on the agenda. Is it open for the public because I am looking into purchasing a UPSS.

 

[brown39]

loyal just cannot take the fact that he is being killed with the implementation of the UPS Store concept. He spews hate and lies, along with the mbe mantra of gouging the public with no oversight from anyone and brags about being able to do his own pricing that now is being taken away as volume goes to UPSS. Talk about an egomaniac...that is loyal and all the mbe fools.

 

[rushfan]

upsdreamin:
I see your point with the old geezers. For example, my parents will drive 15 miles out of their way to save 5 cents a gallon at walmart.

 

[dannyboy]

O God my sides hurt.

I think I've seen it all. MBE calling someone elses post pure bunk. I guess any view besides the one it holds.............

MBE, why dont you post your financials here. lets see your numbers.

MBE that I had the opertunity to do business with gouged the customer with all sorts of surcharges, some as much as $15 or more per package over the cost. And then had the audacity to tell customers that it was the true UPS charges, that they were not adding any other charges to it.

I guess if you are whining about that theft coming to a grinding halt, I can see your point. But that is not UPS's fault, its your greed. Instead of growing the business, you gouge the current customers. And now that there are new guys in town that dont, and wont let you, you cry.

Get over it, deal with it, and go on.

d