How Do You Handle Stupid Non-Customers?

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

The Staples here actually has 2 P/U accounts, one that is for pkgs for the store itself and is P/U when the ground delivery is made (in the rear of the store) and the other for customer drop offs which I make (in the front of the store) at 1800.

 

[cachsux]

My package route was all retail and office so it was in my best interest to get to know people especially the ones who would let me deliver the way that was best for me.

 

[dilligaf]

The Staples here actually has 2 P/U accounts, one that is for pkgs for the store itself and is P/U when the ground delivery is made (in the rear of the store) and the other for customer drop offs which I make (in the front of the store) at 1800.

Same here except both p/u's are at the front door.

 

[whiskey]

I experienced a situation today that involved a OCA pick-up from a non-customer that I think everyone here can relate to. I think I was very calm on the outside even though my patience was really wearing thin on the inside. I want to know how anyone else would handle this.

I get an OCA message for a business stop that I will be delivering to an hour later. This business uses Fed-Ex for its daily pick-up (yes, i tried the sales lead). The info on the OCA said 1 package and 0 for weight. It also said "customer needs GSD". Oh great, we all love seeing that, lol!

So I arrive there with 2 envelopes to deliver at about 1155. This company makes me park on the side of the building and walk about 50 yards to the front because the package car is an eyesore I guess.

So as I'm making the delivery at reception, a man rolls out this 89lb computer server with RMA numbers written all over it and says, "hold on, I'll be back with an address" and "you have a label for me, right?" Right then I knew it was trouble.

While he was doing that I moved the package car to the front of the building and grabbed an NDA ASD. I wanted to put pressure on this guy to hurry up because he knows my truck shouldn't be in front and if this idiot is going to waste my time, I'm going to push the NDA service on him.

I bring in one NDA ASD knowing from experience that they almost always make a mistake and need two. I didn't care, he's only getting one because I can't wait for him to fill out two. Sure enough, he begins to fill it out and says "Oh crap, do you have another one?" Good heavens. I told him no.


He edited it and slapped the ASD on this 89lb server 5 minutes later with RMA #'s wrtitten all over it but no addresses. Just what he wrote on the ASD. Would you ship a package with RMA #'s 3 inches tall on it and the address letters .5 center manager on it? I think I would do the reverse. This is the level of intelligence we are dealing with!

So, I take my copy of the ASD and it has no account number or billing option checked. I ask him who's account number is he going to use and he looked at me like I was green. He asked the receptionist if they had an account number in which she said "yeah for Fed-Ex".

He then says, hold on, let me call CDW, they are the ones paying for it. WHOA, wait a second! I've already been here 10 minutes to deliver 2 envelopes and pick up 1 OCA, I cannot wait for him to call CDW. I told him to just call back when the package is ready and labeled.

Here is what really hurts and shows how ignorant some people really are. the package was to be pick-up via call-tag through CDW the following day (now I get why he said 'do you have a label for me') and this idiot calls UPS for a pick-up and fills out an ASD for NDA service on an 89 lb. package and didn't know I would show the next day for free with a call-tag.

I was there almost 12 minutes with this knuckle-head. So my questions are: How do you handle these situations? Do you cringe when you see "customer needs ASD" and why does UPS allow this to be an option. Anytime "needs ASD" is in the equation its at least a 10 minute ordeal. Why can't the 1-800-pick-ups person just instruct our customers that they need to print a label online and have the package ready for pick-up.

And it must be taped! How often do you get "I don't have any tape, do you?" Good grief! Sorry for the rant, I was just hoping to hear of a better way to handle these situations.

Thanks in advance,
Brownie

It's a good rant. These moments are rare. Just look at
the wasted time as overtime pay. And you should have GSD's on car. That's your fault. Never give up on hoping that someday they will switch to brown. And most managers are aware of these oddball moments on the road and will take the hit on overtime. Keep up the good work.

 

[cino321]

I don't understand why you guys would cater to this stop so much.

Where I'm from no one would make me walk 50 yards to the entrance of a building to deliver a package. Pulling up to a side door or a dock is one thing, but parking 50 yards away is another.

What if you had a 10 or 20 piece drop of paper? Are you going to make 5-10 hand truck trips while your package car is parked 50 yards away? Would you walk it upstairs and put it away for them too? Where does it stop.

UPS's own methods teach us to park at the safest and most convenient location to the delivery point. 50 yards certainly is not.

And so what if they call up a complaint? Do you realize how ridiculous it would sound? "We want you to put your truck somewhere where the public won't see it because we think it's an eyesore."

 

[rod]

When they washed the vehicals every night they were a good looking fleet but now days most of them could be concidered an eyesore.

 

[browniehound]

I'm confused there a sign to make deliveries to the side of the building or park on the side of the building? If there a sign that say make deliveries to side of the building than that is where you make them not the front door.

If find it hard to believe that some is tellling you where to park better yet your listen unless somedays you have 1 or 2 packages and go in the front door to save time then someone in the front office tells you not to park out front probably becasue they want you to deliver to the side of the building where the sign says to make all deliveries.

UPS doesn't give a crap where you park. The proof is the denver driver who racked up over $5000.00 worth of parking tickets last year.

You also say that the mailman gets to park up front probably becasue all his mail is for the front office. Which just comfirms what I said before they tell you not to park out front becasue they don't want you to deliver you packages to the front door.

Just to be clear, the sign says Deliveries pointing to the side of the building. Once there, you must ring a phone in which the receptionist lets you in. Next, you must navigate a hallway with two heavy glass doors. Then you have to wait for the elevator to take you to reception.

If I could deliver to reception directly it would be a 1 second drive, a quick back and a 30 foot walk to the reception area. Instead I'm forced to use the difficult route...

 

[UPSGUY72]

Just to be clear, the sign says Deliveries pointing to the side of the building. Once there, you must ring a phone in which the receptionist lets you in. Next, you must navigate a hallway with two heavy glass doors. Then you have to wait for the elevator to take you to reception.

If I could deliver to reception directly it would be a 1 second drive, a quick back and a 30 foot walk to the reception area. Instead I'm forced to use the difficult route...

So where do you put the box next to the receptionist? What if you have a couple of trips with you hand cart. Once she let me in the Secure door I'd stack them next to the wall and walk down the hall and get a signature.

Do you put the packages away for her also. Give me a break I understand you want to keep customers happy but it seems that you let them walk all over you.

 

[browniehound]

Brownie, I hear ya. We do have to take care of the customers. In your situation I probably wouldn't do anything differently. If you do what needs to be done with a smile customers tend to not get as pissy when we have to break a routine. This week, I had a regular customer that wants their deliveries at the back door. Fine with me, it is actually easier in the long run but when I have one box I go through the front door to the back fo the store. They don't complain because it doesn't happen very often. It works.

I hear ya Dilli, I have another customer that doesn't want the package car parked in front of the dealership or on the property (Yes, I have a crapload of suck-a-- customers). They want the stuff delivered in the back where the auto parts guys go. Problem is, the driveway is at a 45 degree incline. I would bottom out at the very beggining of the hill.

The jerk Expects me to 2-wheel, tires, transmissions, exhausts, etc. up this hill? I can't do that. So what i do is park in front of the building next to the dealership and 2-wheel through the front door and bring it to the back. It really sucks because they get tires everyday.

I have another very bad parking requirement if you want to hear it, my route is full of them...

 

[browniehound]

So where do you put the box next to the receptionist? Once she let me in the Secure door I'd stack them next to the wall and walk down the hall and get a signature. Do you put the packages away for her also.

UPSguy,
I wish I had your balls. I can't do that. Every time I try to be firm and do that I get a comnplaint or resistance from the customer. What would I do if she wouldn't sign for them unless I brought them up?

 

[UPSGUY72]

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.

 

[cino321]

UPSguy,
I wish I had your balls. I can't do that. Every time I try to be firm and do that I get a comnplaint or resistance from the customer. What would I do if she wouldn't sign for them unless I brought them up?

It has nothing to do with balls. As long as the packages are in a secured location inside and out of the way of any walkways then you're good. If they don't like it, then I would sheet everything refused/didn't want and take it all back. I can almost guarantee you that they'd budge.

Personally, I put stuff 3 feet in the door... anything else is a courtesy from me and not because I have to.

This is just a stop on your route, these people aren't your friends or relatives, no need to be doing favors for them.

Brownie, there are a million reasons why you shouldn't be going through this. It is a huge safety issue. You can get hurt maneuvering in their office, you can hurt someone inside the premises, you can damage something, it's a pretty big risk you're taking, I certainly wouldn't do it. I also think if you explained this situation to your on car or manager they'd back you up, I know mine would.

 

[cachsux]

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.

And you have to park the horse on the side of the building and walk around to deliver.

 

[cachsux]

It has nothing to do with balls. As long as the packages are in a secured location inside and out of the way of any walkways then you're good. If they don't like it, then I would sheet everything refused/didn't want and take it all back. I can almost guarantee you that they'd budge.

Personally, I put stuff 3 feet in the door... anything else is a courtesy from me and not because I have to.

This is just a stop on your route, these people aren't your friends or relatives, no need to be doing favors for them.

Brownie, there are a million reasons why you shouldn't be going through this. It is a huge safety issue. You can get hurt maneuvering in their office, you can hurt someone inside the premises, you can damage something, it's a pretty big risk you're taking, I certainly wouldn't do it. I also think if you explained this situation to your on car or manager they'd back you up, I know mine would.

This "I don`t have to" attitude is part of the problem with the company or at least some of it`s drivers. You are in THEIR place of business not yours if they say put it here,get signature there,it IS your job to do so. If something is unsafe,take the time to point it out,respectfully, and maybe they`ll change their minds. If not bring it up to your mgmt team and let them deal with the customer. But until then you can put the packages where they tell you or the FedEx guy will. Yes it sucks sometimes to have a demanding customer,get to know them and maybe you can change them,but until then it is what your job is about,SERVICE. Don`t like it ? Go back to part time and load trailers.

 

[cino321]

This "I don`t have to" attitude is part of the problem with the company or at least some of it`s drivers. You are in THEIR place of business not yours if they say put it here,get signature there,it IS your job to do so. If something is unsafe,take the time to point it out,respectfully, and maybe they`ll change their minds. If not bring it up to your mgmt team and let them deal with the customer. But until then you can put the packages where they tell you or the FedEx guy will. Yes it sucks sometimes to have a demanding customer,get to know them and maybe you can change them,but until then it is what your job is about,SERVICE. Don`t like it ? Go back to part time and load trailers.

Okay, wait for brownie to get hurt inside their office, and when he does, I guarantee you the only thing his manager is going to want to know is what the hell is he doing inside.

 

[BLACKBOX]

I think when the customer sees UPS or FDX ground pull up they think of bulk or multiple shipments which is why the "don't bring it through the front door" complaint.

As for FDX Express, with as many letters they deliver almost never go to the receiving area, its always at the front desk. While we can't "park in front" or "park 50 yards away" from the front entrance, none of these rules apply to the Express driver.....which sucks!.