Fedex wart

[LDB]

OK, all companies have warts. You should know that if you're in the business and you should know it if you're considering the business. I like Fedex. They are definitely a top tier company and for me they're the current best fit. That doesn't mean I'm blind to their warts though. One significant wart is their C-Link macro message system. It is too involved in some areas and not enough in others. Hopefully the folks in a position to do something about it that read everything on EO will accept constructive criticism and fix it.

With Fedex you have way too many check in, check out, shake it all about, do the hokey pokey and finally accomplish the basic task of arriving at shipper etc. Worse than that you must call in at every shipper departure. There's no reason it can't all be automated by a macro and no reason it can't be as bulletproof and simple as Panther has it with 5 basic macros.

1. accept load
2. arrive at shipper
3. loaded and leaving shipper
4. arrive at consignee
5. pod and leaving consignee

The numbers could be whatever macro number but there's no need to have 8 or 10 macros scattered about randomly numbered rather than a simple and neat consecutively numbered system start to finish. There's especially no reason to have to call and waste cell minutes pushing 1's and 0's when you could type it into the C-Link.

 

[ATeam]

Improvements have been made. Departure calls for surface expedite loads are now automated and completed with a few button pushes.

For many of the loads we haul, I'm not so sure I would want a system as simple as you describe. We have had it happen several times where, on an involved departure call, errors have been flushed out that may have prevented a serious or not so serious incident down the road. Most of these related to HAZMAT loads.

Once it was something as simple as being reminded to turn on the reefer after loading; something we always do, but once did not and were darn glad for the reminder that prevented a temperature excursion that would have created all kinds of issues after the delivery.

If you want to take them as such, detailed departure calls can be proof that your carrier does not trust you as a driver. We prefer to view them as dispatch and drivers working together to avoid mistakes and make every run successful.

Now, if you are looking for warts, we can talk about the critical checkout time messages, or worse yet, messages from a live dispatcher telling us to send in an 08 if we are stopped, when we are not stopped. How about the insufficient space provided to give the reply you want to give? Or inquiries from dispatch "Are you moving?" when you just minutes ago sent a message saying you are stopped in traffic.

These are minor irritants, not serious issues. We dismiss them with a shrug. Though, we know of some who have complained bitterly about them to the point of making a contributing reason to leave the carrier.

Warts; real or not? Significant or not? It all depends on how you look at it.

 

[davekc]

If you want to take them as such, detailed departure calls can be proof that your carrier does not trust you as a driver. We prefer to view them as dispatch and drivers working together to avoid mistakes and make every run successful.
===============================================
Would that be the reason they don't give drivers the phone number to the shipper or consignee?

 

[LDB]

Those simple calls that are completed with a few button pushes should be macros. There's no need to waste 2 cell minutes pushing buttons with no human interaction. The computer could just as easily interpret the macro responses as the phone does the button pushes. If something is wrong you get a return msg to call in, otherwise you're good to go. They could always keep the phone in for hazmat and reefer if they felt it prudent but for plain everyday loads it's a wart to have to call in at departure. I agree with the ones you mention as well however those are exceptions. The ones I list are every single load. There's no reason the clink ping can't tell them when I'm within radius of an express center without me sending a macro. There's no reason the system can't automatically put me into en route to shipper status when I accept a load. They've just got a bunch of macros that exist because someone had either too much time available for thinking or not enough. Fedex is a great company but not perfect. I'm pointing out one fairly significant feature pushing them farther away from perfection.

 

[Bruno]

Leo


Why don't you like to doa departure call. It's their to protect you from any fine's. Plus if you don't have the right paperwork you won't get paid for the load until you do. It may also save the owners and drivers on the cost of insurance.

 

[davekc]

You might be right Leo. One of those "too much time on the hands" kind of thing.
Sending a QC message to turn on the reefer is well...."good grief" I can't even comment on that.

 

[ATeam]

You might be right Leo. One of those "too much time on the hands" kind of thing.
Sending a QC message to turn on the reefer is well...."good grief" I can't even comment on that.

You got it wrong, Dave. In the departure call, they ask you what your reefer set point is on the paperwork and on the control unit. Looking at the control unit to confirm the set point is what reminded us to turn it on. Human error. It happens. Service failure prevented. Would not have happened without the detailed departure call.

 

[LDB]

I don't like wasting cell minutes that cost me money to push 1 or 0 when I'm also paying money for a satellite system. There's no reason a macro couldn't be an exact duplicate of that phone call. If there's something special about the load, whether it's hazmat or has special paperwork or whatever, then calling a live person is fine. I just don't like using my cell phone to push buttons so the computer on the other end can fill in the macro that I could be filling in with no cellular expense. If they want to furnish a departure call cell phone to me so none of my minutes are used then I'll call all they want. It will still be silly doing by phone what the satellite not only can do but was meant for but since it doesn't cost me money to do so I'll be silly for them.

Note, I am not bashing Fedex, just pointing out an area that wouldn't suffer from some attention. There's also the macros 15, 83, 137, 217, 363 and 491 dealing with whether you're coming or going from an express center and which way the wind is blowing. Again, although I am being facetious with the numbers, a bunch of macros that should be automatically handled by the computer based on the satellite ping location and truck status of available or under load.

 

[nightcreacher]

my favorite is when you arrive at the destination,and the qualcom says your not there.I agree,as long as the call at the shipper is automated meaning can push buttons on phone,there is no reason this cant be done with macros on the qualcom,Con-Way Now did it, and Panther does it.The only real reason you would need t o call in,is if there were a problem with the load your hauling or haz mat,or something in special handling. Maybe someday

 

[davekc]

Don't know that it would really be needed, but a past service failure or two likely provided that change.

 

[ATeam]

If you want to take them as such, detailed departure calls can be proof that your carrier does not trust you as a driver. We prefer to view them as dispatch and drivers working together to avoid mistakes and make every run successful.
===============================================
Would that be the reason they don't give drivers the phone number to the shipper or consignee?

1. They often do give the phone number.

2. They always give it when we have asked.

3. I don't want the number if I can help it. We are more than happy to let dispatch talk to shippers and consignees. For things like local directions needed as you approach the delivery and find your directions to be incomplete or unclear, a dispatch-created conference call is a good solution. It lets dispatch know what is going on and gets you the directions with one call. For times when shippers ask to be notified when the truck is 30 minutes out, it is a lot easier to send a Qualcomm message to ask dispatch to make the call than it is to make the call yourself.

 

[davekc]

Never once since I have been doing expediting have I ever been called to ask whether I was 30 minutes out. Might have called the carrier, but I was unaware of it.
I would rather have the customers phone number without interference from a dispatcher.
Even more so in your case. That would eliminate the need for that business of whether a load is "confirmed" or not.
I don't have the patience for that kind of foolishness. If anything is in question, I want to hear it straight from the customer rather than whether a dispatcher thinks I need to know.

 

[Dreamer]

Dave,
What he was referring to, is we have some customers who want to be called when we're 30 minutes out.. (yep, even on my van loads).

Since much of the stuff we deliver is not to standard docks (at least with van loads)...and a lot of night time stuff, sometimes someone is going to meet us there, and needs a heads up.

Dale

 

[davekc]

Thats quite possible. But why would they bother to call the driver? If they are looking at a QC they would knw that already.
Maybe I am misunderstanding why they would call the driver?

 

[Bruno]

Dave,
What he was referring to, is we have some customers who want to be called when we're 30 minutes out.. (yep, even on my van loads).

Since much of the stuff we deliver is not to standard docks (at least with van loads)...and a lot of night time stuff, sometimes someone is going to meet us there, and needs a heads up.

Dale

Dale I was thinking the same thing but you beat me to it. I like calling in at the pickup myself because they ask you if you have locals for the delivery. If not they get them and send them over the C-link as it's called at FedEx.

 

[Dreamer]

Dave,
No re-read Phil's post.. the customer asks to be called... usually in that case I've been given a direct number to the person in charge, or who would meet me, etc... what Phil is saying is he prefers just to hit a quick QC message to tell the dispatcher to call the company. We have that option too, just personal preference.

Qualcomm usually shows a bit behind as you know, and some of our customers want to know to the minute!

For example, one load the other night was going to a small business. No dock, unloaded in their garage basically.. guy was home sleeping.. I called and woke him up so he could drive over to meet me. No biggie, took 2 minutes, and he could go home and sleep instead of hanging out at the shop waiting for an approximate time.

he was happy


Dale

 

[davekc]

Ok...that I could see.

 

[Tennesseahawk]

1. accept load
2. arrive at shipper
3. loaded and leaving shipper
4. arrive at consignee
5. pod and leaving consignee

I like my way better:

1. "Yeah, send it across. Thanx."
2. "This is Larry. We're onsite."
3. "Call ya in 4."
4. "This is Larry. We're onsite."
5. "Got a POD for ya. Where are your trucks sitting?"

 

[Bruno]

I like my way better:

1. "Yeah, send it across. Thanx."
2. "This is Larry. We're onsite."
3. "Call ya in 4."
4. "This is Larry. We're onsite."
5. "Got a POD for ya. Where are your trucks sitting?"

These are some of the ones from FedEx. I can't remember a few.

1. load accept
2. at the P/U
3. running late responce
4.
5. cash advance
6. at the Del
7. POD
8. Express Center Check in
9. status check
10.
11. at home
12 load Refusal
13.
14
15. Express center Check out.

It's been a few months since I have seen them

 

[TeamCaffee]

Some of the messages need to be streamlined and yes a few drive us nuts!
I would like to see a departure macro on some shipments. If you call in and get the automated system why not let the driver send these messages on QUALCOMM? When you are entered you messages and you have a problem you hit a 0 to get a dispatcher. Well if you know you have a problem call in instead of using QUALCOMM would be my ideal situation.
When we have a HazMat load we WANT to talk to a dispatcher to go over our paperwork as the dispatcher had saved our behinds more than once when they have picked up on an error in the paperwork.
There are a few automated messages that drive you nuts but it is easier to no t dwell on them. The dispatcher is not driving you nuts the computer is! Isn’t that what computers are for?
There is always change in the works at FedEx as they are always looking to improve the system and I am sure this area is being looked at. We have worked with the IT department and they are amazing in what they are doing and what they are working on.