goingincircles
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WE LOST PREFFERED STATUS NOW ONLY GETTING THE COSTLY DELIVERIES
XPO | 18 largest accounts being lost due to damage
- Thread starter goingincircles
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WE LOST PREFFERED STATUS NOW ONLY GETTING THE COSTLY DELIVERIES
goingincircles
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And Harte Hanks
Mozartsghost
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I know I will probably get attacked from all sides for this post but, oh well, it's true...
First, "we lost our 18 biggest accounts due to damages?" Umm... No... We have lost accounts due to our inability to handle their freight correctly... And yes, more than a couple, but our 18 largest, no...
Now let me pose this question...
Why do we lose accounts due to damages?
The obvious answer is because we damage the freight.. Duh...
Ok then, Why do we damage the freight?
Yes, I know it's all the FOS' fault... Or is it really??
It's True one of the biggest reasons I've heard for damages is "The FOS told me to fit it all in one trailer"- It's a fully true point, The FOS probably did. Now the damage that occurred, was it from Having to to something risky to get it to fit or was it due to the loader being upset that they had to rework the trailer?? Most Drivers can tell whether or not freight will fit in a trailer if it is reworked... the problem that comes up is when is the Driver being honest and caring about the freight and when is the driver being lazy? -Everyone knows someone who would rather lie about the freight fitting so they don't have to rework it, as opposed to telling the truth...
This becomes a bigger issue as we have many FOS' who have no freight handling experience before they take the job. So some people take bigger advantage of them, which ticks the FOS' off and you end up with the attitude "I don't care, make it fit"...
Maybe we damage freight in order to "get back" at the company? Something happens, you get bumped off your bid, you get an old truck, or whatever... Do you talk to someone about it? Or do you just stay pissed off and end up smashing the freight around to vent your frustration?- Yes, I know that not every SCM or HR person is a willing ear to talk about problems too... If you feel there is no recourse at the local level, go to the regional level and head up from there... Eventually you will get Someone who can resolve the issue or at least someone who can explain why whatever it was occurred...
Another thought, what do you think the customer thinks when we deliver a skid crushed and collapsing? Of course they are upset. But if we made the effort to recoup the freight before we delivered it, like re-stacking, re-banding, re-skidding, re-shrinkwrapping etc. perhaps the customer would see that, yes, we messed up their freight, but we care enough to to try to correct what we can... -It's what Most other LTL companies do before they deliver damaged freight-
When we deliver skids stacked, even with "do not stack" stickers all over them or we deliver a skid of bags with several torn ones on the bottom, take your pick, it makes the customer feel unwanted, and there's nothing that will lose a customer faster than their feeling that we don't care.
Now I'm not saying that it's all drivers or FOS' fault that we lose customer's due to damages, CSRs and anyone who treats the customer as if their problems don't matter is just as as fault as the person who punched the fork blade through the freight.
My Thoughts,
MG
First, "we lost our 18 biggest accounts due to damages?" Umm... No... We have lost accounts due to our inability to handle their freight correctly... And yes, more than a couple, but our 18 largest, no...
Now let me pose this question...
Why do we lose accounts due to damages?
The obvious answer is because we damage the freight.. Duh...
Ok then, Why do we damage the freight?
Yes, I know it's all the FOS' fault... Or is it really??
It's True one of the biggest reasons I've heard for damages is "The FOS told me to fit it all in one trailer"- It's a fully true point, The FOS probably did. Now the damage that occurred, was it from Having to to something risky to get it to fit or was it due to the loader being upset that they had to rework the trailer?? Most Drivers can tell whether or not freight will fit in a trailer if it is reworked... the problem that comes up is when is the Driver being honest and caring about the freight and when is the driver being lazy? -Everyone knows someone who would rather lie about the freight fitting so they don't have to rework it, as opposed to telling the truth...
This becomes a bigger issue as we have many FOS' who have no freight handling experience before they take the job. So some people take bigger advantage of them, which ticks the FOS' off and you end up with the attitude "I don't care, make it fit"...
Maybe we damage freight in order to "get back" at the company? Something happens, you get bumped off your bid, you get an old truck, or whatever... Do you talk to someone about it? Or do you just stay pissed off and end up smashing the freight around to vent your frustration?- Yes, I know that not every SCM or HR person is a willing ear to talk about problems too... If you feel there is no recourse at the local level, go to the regional level and head up from there... Eventually you will get Someone who can resolve the issue or at least someone who can explain why whatever it was occurred...
Another thought, what do you think the customer thinks when we deliver a skid crushed and collapsing? Of course they are upset. But if we made the effort to recoup the freight before we delivered it, like re-stacking, re-banding, re-skidding, re-shrinkwrapping etc. perhaps the customer would see that, yes, we messed up their freight, but we care enough to to try to correct what we can... -It's what Most other LTL companies do before they deliver damaged freight-
When we deliver skids stacked, even with "do not stack" stickers all over them or we deliver a skid of bags with several torn ones on the bottom, take your pick, it makes the customer feel unwanted, and there's nothing that will lose a customer faster than their feeling that we don't care.
Now I'm not saying that it's all drivers or FOS' fault that we lose customer's due to damages, CSRs and anyone who treats the customer as if their problems don't matter is just as as fault as the person who punched the fork blade through the freight.
My Thoughts,
MG
goingincircles
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all so true
great job MG this is exactly what I said over the last few weeks and some are listening do you know how easy it is for another company to come in and get the freight we were handling? it is real easy if we continually show them we dont care! all companies are damaging freight it is the ones who recoup and try to help the customer who get the freight. it is never really about price!!msbroosternuts
great job MG this is exactly what I said over the last few weeks and some are listening do you know how easy it is for another company to come in and get the freight we were handling? it is real easy if we continually show them we dont care! all companies are damaging freight it is the ones who recoup and try to help the customer who get the freight. it is never really about price!!msbroosternuts
ClearBlack
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I agree with most of this. Dont think you wont get flamed for it though, but I think your points and observations are very valid.
Good Job-
Good Job-
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I agree-good job MG.
I do want to add besides damages being at the top of the list.
It's also the pricing that plays another part in losing an account.
I've heard this from customers time after time and also from A/E's who tell me they just can't compete because their hands are tied.
I do want to add besides damages being at the top of the list.
It's also the pricing that plays another part in losing an account.
I've heard this from customers time after time and also from A/E's who tell me they just can't compete because their hands are tied.
goingincircles
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pricing is bs
pricing talk really means you didnt secure your relationship with the people before hand. Knowing the difference between the services you have and what the customer needs is what will keep price to the end of negotiations. if it really is price all they need to do is take it up the line but I hardly doubt it is price it is poor negotiating on the reps part and he probably has not seen that customer for a while and the customer has built another relationship with another rep that he trusts will take care of his company better and the only reason pricing was higher or lower discount is the other rep didnt get in and find out what the company really needs.
See if you dig in and get all of the situations out in the open and find out where they are having problems keep hammering on those problems and let the customer pick his own medicene from you little chest of goodies and services and then tie them up with edi and web based solutions services and by the time you are in the first six months of doing business it will cost them to change to a lower cost carrier. that was my
rooster nuts
pricing talk really means you didnt secure your relationship with the people before hand. Knowing the difference between the services you have and what the customer needs is what will keep price to the end of negotiations. if it really is price all they need to do is take it up the line but I hardly doubt it is price it is poor negotiating on the reps part and he probably has not seen that customer for a while and the customer has built another relationship with another rep that he trusts will take care of his company better and the only reason pricing was higher or lower discount is the other rep didnt get in and find out what the company really needs.
See if you dig in and get all of the situations out in the open and find out where they are having problems keep hammering on those problems and let the customer pick his own medicene from you little chest of goodies and services and then tie them up with edi and web based solutions services and by the time you are in the first six months of doing business it will cost them to change to a lower cost carrier. that was my
rooster nuts