Debris Removal Charge?? Permission From Dispatch??
- Thread starter Brisco
- Start date
I have had the entire floor of my truck covered shin deep in waste. No every place will allow you to use their dumpsters. Using a dumpster that is NOT a public dumpster is theft of service. Keep in mind it is very possible to get into hazardous waste too.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
Their job is completely different then what I do, except the driving part...some people chime in and no nothing of what they are talking about..of which I too am guilty of sometimes...
So what is different?
They load the truck, strap it all down and drive - no different.
They don't calculate rates, they don't apply for permits, they don't do a lot of anything except provide more labor for the load - opps, maybe that's a secret?
Brisco, I'm puzzled.
I wonder what is it that makes a lot of people different than the average expediter as defined by many here who seem to think pennies are important?
As you describe the way you made money, it seems a bunch of us do the same thing. We don't wait around for the 'beep' and run to our qualcomm drooling to see what $1.65 a mile rate load is being offered to us with the rush to respond fast so 'dispatch' doesn't get upset with us.
We are striving for something beyond that "Pavlovian" response that conditions us for the sit and wait game, which is what you eluded to - control of our business.
This seems to be my point, you are not in control when you have to call your company (regardless who it is) to make a decision on how to help a customer with a simple request. The point wasn't the removing the pallets but actually doing something beyond being conditioned to ask.
Desperado
Seasoned Expediter
entire floor is yes a differnt story most of the time a few pallets and srink wrap and bands i buy fuel from truck stops that alows me to use thier dumpsters thats part of the deal but if its hazardous waste i don't think any of the expiditing companys have the proper permits to haul hazardous waste thats a totaly differnt job
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I was once asked to do an inside delivery at a private residence. We were NOT contracted for that service. Let's see, customer service, do that job, no permission, the HUGH TV does not work when we get it inside. Who pays? We refused to do that inside delivery. In today's world of lawyers etc, it is just not worth the added risk. It was an almost $20,000 TV. The guy wanted us to set it up as well. I put it in the garage to get it out of the snow, that was it.
Thanks for the comments Phil!! Did I lead more readers to your blog???
Oh Yeah........Again, WHERE'S MY MONTHLY TRIP MAPS???
I don't know about more readers. There are ways to measure my web site traffic but I have not figured out how to use them. It is not important to me how many readers I have. Building an audience is not why I do my blog so I don't keep track of the numbers.
As to the trip maps, I am hearing from several readers who miss them. The simple photo editor program I was using to make those maps got left in the dust by Windows 7 so I am looking at new options. The trip maps will return and be brought up to date. I just need to get to that project.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
There is a difference, you know it.
If the TV doesn't work, you do - read the fine print about cargo claims.
You made the right call for no other reason than our carrier strictly prohibits inside deliveries to residences. We can go as far as the inside of the garage and that's it.
I'm sure the hospitality crowd in this thread will say it is no big deal to carry a piece the last few steps into a home for someone. And from the hospitality and customer service side, they are right.
But from our side as FDCC contractors, it could be the end of our contract if we moved something inside, having the best intentions and good customer service in mind, and then nicked a wall with a cart or broke a chandelier when we wheeled a tall crate through the room, or did other such damage. If a claim was made, and it probably would be, we'd be in hot water for sure.
As expediters we all takes risks every day, but I am not going to put my contract with a good paying carrier at risk for the sake of providing a service the carrier prohibits. In terms of risk and reward, it is all risk for virtually no reward.
This is not hypothetical stuff. Diane and I have done several residential pick ups and deliveries but we do not enter the home, no matter how sweet or demanding the homeowner may be.
It is not always easy. We once delivered a crate to a home on Long Island. Knowing our carrier's policy, the people who booked the shipment hired an art handling company to meet us at the address and take the freight inside. When we got there we found "Mongo," a muscle-bound guy in a pickup with no tools or equipment. Even for Mongo, the freight was too heavy to move without equipment.
Under the watchful eye of the observer who was sent to watch the freight and of the homeowner who was there to receive it, I moved the crate into the garage and prepared to leave. Rarely-used decking sheets that we carry with us were used on this delivery to wheel the crate across a gravel driveway (photo below).
The homeowner was astounded that I stopped where I did. She expected me to uncrate the piece and move it into the house. In her mind, it would have been nothing at all for me to continue. Physically, she was correct. I had the necessary equipment. But policy-wise, she was not. When I tried to explain, she lost it and started screaming at everyone around.
(The homeowner was not the customer. She owned the freight but others, providing service to her, booked the load, made arrangements and communicated with those involved -- actually failed to communicate in this case. The first time the homeowner knew FedEx was involved was when we parked our truck in front of her house.)
I kept my cool and watched her vent for a while. When she got tired of screaming and allowed me to could get a word in, I offered to call dispatch to see if it would be OK to continue. I already knew what the answer would be but it was best, I thought, to let dispatch explain it for the second time.
When the I handed the phone to the woman to talk to dispatch, she started screaming again. The three of us (Mongo, the observer, and myself) went outside and chatted about the weather.
We returned when silence again filled the garage. The woman returned my phone and then turned her attention to Mongo the art handler who now stood helpless before the freight. He was a nice guy and I helped him by letting him use our equipment to move the crate inside and tools to uncrate and place the object in whatever room it was to go.
That delayed our departure for a while and we waited in the truck. That was OK with Diane and me. It was not in my heart to leave poor Mongo at the mercy of this irate customer. This local worker did not have clear company policies and good dispatchers to back him up like we do.
I share this story not in response to anyone in this thread but for the expediter wannabees and especially the White Glove wannabees who read EO to get an idea of what they are getting into.
Maybe someday I'll tell you the one about the three engineers, two union guys and a chain saw.
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If the TV did not work, I would end up buying it. Our insurance would not cover us and the home owner would claim it was our fault. Inside delivery was not contracted, any damage becomes my fault.
Again, I will do all I can to help a customer within the bounds of the contract. I have delivered into a home, ONCE, as that was on our load orders. Two small paintings.
jansiemoo
Seasoned Expediter
Thanks for the story, Phil, it was a great example of the need to deal diplomatically with crazy b!tches.
I do have one Q though, wouldn't letting "Mongo" use your equipment to do his job have opened you up to liability if, say, the wheel fell off the dolly and the freight fell over?
I totally agree that you did that right thing in that situation- for service- but maybe a bit more responsibility should have fallen on the people booking the load.
I do have one Q though, wouldn't letting "Mongo" use your equipment to do his job have opened you up to liability if, say, the wheel fell off the dolly and the freight fell over?
I totally agree that you did that right thing in that situation- for service- but maybe a bit more responsibility should have fallen on the people booking the load.
Maybe so. I did not think of that at the time.
Phil, I've asked before that you preface your humorous posts with a "humor warning". I saw the asterisk, thought it was for a quote from the WG manual and got totally sucked in. If I ever see you I will snub you. Uh, I'm not WG. I'm not even FedEx. If we should ever cross paths, you snub me and we'll be even. Thanks for the laugh!
Debris removal is a common occurrence and charge in the household goods industry. I personally have never had a problem with it in expedite. A few times a year I will unload from the ground to a dock off pallets. I will tightly ball-up any shrink wrap or strapping and pass it up to the dock. Likewise with pallets. I have never been questioned. Maybe it's my imposing demeanor, my practiced scowl or the ink pen tattoo on my massive bicep that reads: " MAYB U LIKE 2 B DED". Anyway it has never come up and I would not haul away someone's trash without being compensated.
jansiemoo
Seasoned Expediter
Rotflmao!!!
Btw, Phil had me reading that *post* wide-eyed and slack-jawwed. I was NOT expecting that! Bravo, Phil!
Letzboogie
Not a Member
Getting back to the original post, charging for common courtesy is an abomination no matter what policy is being followed or broken for that matter.
Maybe they just don't trust guys who drive vans without windows.....
Thanks to you and Phil for the laughs.
On subject, I've hauled a truckload of debris to the dumpster across the parking lot, and then helped the 'crew' to dispose of it, and didn't expect to get any extra pay, because it isn't specified with my carrier. Maybe it should be, but every situation is different: some customers you will bend over backwards to help, others, not so much. I just play it by ear, so far, and when in doubt, call dispatch, lol.
There are liability problems. There are often fees involved. Hazmat laws all involved with this. You are not just allowed to just use someone's dumpster without asking. Some types of wood cannot be dumped in landfills.
We often have to leave quickly when completing a load for the next. There would not be time to look for a LEGAL way to get rid of a pallet. I just don't think it is as simple as some would like it to be. Break too many policies and leases could be in trouble.
Too many posts for me to remember and I'm not going back to look for it but was this a female nurse? If so I'd probably have found out where their dumpster was and leaned the pallet against it. We were talking about one pallet were we not? If it was a male nurse I'd have suggested he lean the pallet against it.
Monty
Expert Expediter
Some years ago, while with Roberts White Glove, I delivered to the university in San Jose.
It was a part of a musuem exhibit, a mock up of an office, with all furniture included.
I was asked to arrive on Saturday as pedestrian traffic would be less.
On arrival I was met by super nice lady who looked the product and darn near passed out!
She had NO way to handle it, and no one to call for backup.
I went so far as to rent a forklift, unload and unpack it.
It came back to me ... all costs were covered, and a nice additional "tip" was produced. Along with a super nice "atta boy" letter.
Why did I do this? The freight needed to be unloaded, if that truck is not empty, there is no way to reload it. She was not qualified nor had the resources at hand to cover the rental cost of the forklift.
A step above? Perhaps, but customer service is my main objective. And I provided it.
It was a part of a musuem exhibit, a mock up of an office, with all furniture included.
I was asked to arrive on Saturday as pedestrian traffic would be less.
On arrival I was met by super nice lady who looked the product and darn near passed out!
She had NO way to handle it, and no one to call for backup.
I went so far as to rent a forklift, unload and unpack it.
It came back to me ... all costs were covered, and a nice additional "tip" was produced. Along with a super nice "atta boy" letter.
Why did I do this? The freight needed to be unloaded, if that truck is not empty, there is no way to reload it. She was not qualified nor had the resources at hand to cover the rental cost of the forklift.
A step above? Perhaps, but customer service is my main objective. And I provided it.
Greg I think you just like giving Phil a hard time. But on this one Phil is right, why should Phil take a pallet away where he is going to have to pay to get rid of it. I would have done the same thing. If I wanted to haul trash around I would have got in the trash business and bought a trash truck. Taking things to the dump is not cheap anymore plus you have to get out and unload it.
couple of times on a curb side del have been asked to carrie this to 2nd floor by customer and tell them i can't do this and they ask why if i get hurt my workmen's comp insures won't cover me and if i do get hurt will have to sue you
and that take care of it
and that take care of it