We don't speak the same language. You use words and phrases out of context to their accepted meanings in business.
Customer service is not the same as the service/product we offer.. It is how we handle the selling. Removing a pallet falls under what we get paid for or the product/service we offer while pleasantly describing the services we offer and explaining their value is what "customer service" is.
See, here's the thing. We don't do favors. A favor that "gives away billable services free of charge" leads to going out of business. This is when your competition gets ahead.
This is what gets me.........
The majority of Expeditors out there was probably an hourly delivery driver at one time or another before they made the next step into the business owner realm to make more money as an independant contractor. Not all, but probably the majority. (Phil for example never worked at an $8 hour job learning the ins and outs of "common" delivery driver practices for a company)
I am quite sure those same drivers have hauled off many a pallet for customers without having the knowledge that "Hey, some day I may actually make a iittle extra money doing this in the future."
Now let's get back to that "Nurse" I mentioned in the OP. Sure, she turned out not to be a nurse, but the head of the research department that was accepting Phils delivery. Let's also say that this same woman happens to get 7 deliveries a week for her department. 6 of those deliveries for that week are made by regular hourly delivery drivers that provide common courteous customer service by attending to all that customers service needs, IE - hauling away the pallets and anything else they are asked to haul away, and without any hesitation from said delivery driver.
Now comes along a uniformed delivery driver wearing a uniform that she recognizes. She doesn't know that that uniformed driver from a company she's probably accepted dozens of deliveries from is a "business owner" within the company and works under a different set of rules, regulations, income opportunities, etc, than that other uniformed driver she just had deliver an overnight envelope that contained research papers she was waiting on. Or that other uniformed driver that drives for FedEx "Freight" that delivered 2 pallets of research supplies 2 days ago who hauled away the leftover debris (pallets-shrinkwrap-whatever) after load was checked in there in the same room.
Now the other "delivery drivers" from other companies she had the rest of the week met and satisfied all her requests also. Out of all those "delivery drivers" for that week, which one do you think she is going to remember the most if she actually sat down and took the time to think about all 7 deliveries that week? My bet it will be Phil. Why, because Phil was the only driver that said "Sure, I'll haul that pallet away for you, but first I have to get approval so that we can charge extra money to do it."
Now, in my mind, if I were in her shoes, and had probably never heard of such a thing before, I might think "what kind of customer service is that??? Wanting to charge a fee to take that pallet with him??" Remember, she probably didn't know Phil was a "Business Owner" trying to squeeze every dime he could from every delivery he can, but just looked at him for what he actually was standing there in her research room, and that was a "delivery driver."
From what I gather here, and from some of the responses given, Yes, FDCC WG has indoctrined their drivers with so many little extra fees that they can earn to boost their income opportunities that some drivers have thrown common courtesy, as well as common sense, out the door when it comes to basic customer service for the sake of the all-mighty dollar.
There are way too many drivers and too few contractors in this industry! YOU MUST BE JUST A DRIVER.
Stay with me now. This may be a bit over your collective heads and I usually collect a consultant fee for what I am about to disclose unless I place this in the "rhetorical" category.
SOMEONE HAS TO GET APPROVAL FROM THE DECISION MAKER AT THE CUSTOMER SIDE!!!! THE NURSE SURE ISN'T GOING TO AUTHORIZE IT. IF YOU THINK SHE CAN, THAN YOU ARE REALLY OUT OF TOUCH.
ANY OF US CAN DECIDE TO GIVE AWAY OUR SWEAT FREE TO ANYONE ANYWHERE ANYTIME. THE QUESTION IS WHY WOULD YOU FREAKING DO THAT???
I DON'T CARE IF YOUR MISTER fREAKING fED-ups OR NOT!!
MAYBE THIS ILLUSTRATION WOULD HELP.
You are at the dock of a hospital and the nurse asked you to take away and toss out the pallet, "so she won't have to".
(This is where we have our break in logic)
You think that this is a fair and reasonable request from the nurse. You think that it is fair and reasonable because you are a professional and this is exactly the type of thing you do professionally. What's it going to hurt to go ahead and take away the pallet, so she won't have too?
(ok, now it gets fun)
She too, (the nurse) is a professional. We are are both professionals standing there at the dock.
What if you said to her, "I'd be happy to take away that pallet, so you won't have too", "and oh by the way", "as a driver I soil my pants quite often while on the road" Would you mind cleaning up my rear-end for me, so I won't have too?"
In your world, this would be a perfectly reasonable request (and perhaps a necessary one) applying your logic to this new situation.
After all, she is a professional and you haven't asked her to do anything she wouldn't normally do in the course of her job as a nurse. She should be eager to clean up your rear end just for the practice alone! And besides, the hospital would not mind since most hospitals don't charge to wipe your arse anyway.
This is just good customer service on her part. And think of the equity the hospital will gain in the community! Why, when I get sick, I'll go there instead of the other hospital. Maybe she'll even give me a calender! And she is clearly a great nurse too!
Has this illustration helped you any?
I hope so.
It doesn't matter what any of you give away free. It is your choice. You don't have to justify it to anyone but yourself.
Just don't be whining about how professionals do the job.
If you give it away, you, by definition, ARE NOT A PROFESSIONAL.
You can keep pretending you are, but the we all know the truth (some here just are too polite to say the truth).
This has got to be one of the most
IGNORANT posts made on this board for quite some time now.
Not even worth replying to and hope others don't even bother commenting on it either.
