In a thread started by LDB in the FedEx Custom Critical forum, entitled "Fix the stupid phones," frustrations are voiced. A response follows from a fellow contractor sharing the workaround that contractor developed to ease the burden.
I'm with Leo on this one. That phone system was a pain when Diane and I were there. Now with new no-touch cell phone rules in place, it is even more important to give drivers the ability to work the phone system hands free.
To help Leo make his point, I thought I'd ask, how do other expedite carrier phone systems work? How do they compare to what Leo describes in his post?
At Landstar Express America the phone system is the same as what is used for all other Landstar companies (Ranger, Inway, etc.), which are all run out of the the same headquarters building in Jacksonville, Fla. The LEAM fleet is about 250 trucks in size. The Landstar fleet total tops 8,000 trucks.
When we call to talk to LEAM operations, we dial an 800 number, then press one number, and a human being answers the phone. If you get voice mail (seldom), the call is returned within a reasonable time. When we call to speak to specific departments like logs or settlements or safety or whatever, we dial the main number and say "logs" "settlements" or "safety" or whatever to the computer. The computer then routes us to a human being in the appropriate department. There are no contractor coordinators between us and the people we wish to speak with.
Dispatch is done through a decentralized network of independent agents. Their phone systems differ with the agency but if a human being does not answer the phone directly, you get the rest of the way through, usually to the person who booked and dispatched the load, by pressing one number or dialing an extension.
When the new telephone rules went into effect, people at headquarters started asking us if we were driving when we called. We never have been so do not know what would happen if we said yes, but ask they do.
How do the phone systems at other carriers work?
I'm with Leo on this one. That phone system was a pain when Diane and I were there. Now with new no-touch cell phone rules in place, it is even more important to give drivers the ability to work the phone system hands free.
To help Leo make his point, I thought I'd ask, how do other expedite carrier phone systems work? How do they compare to what Leo describes in his post?
At Landstar Express America the phone system is the same as what is used for all other Landstar companies (Ranger, Inway, etc.), which are all run out of the the same headquarters building in Jacksonville, Fla. The LEAM fleet is about 250 trucks in size. The Landstar fleet total tops 8,000 trucks.
When we call to talk to LEAM operations, we dial an 800 number, then press one number, and a human being answers the phone. If you get voice mail (seldom), the call is returned within a reasonable time. When we call to speak to specific departments like logs or settlements or safety or whatever, we dial the main number and say "logs" "settlements" or "safety" or whatever to the computer. The computer then routes us to a human being in the appropriate department. There are no contractor coordinators between us and the people we wish to speak with.
Dispatch is done through a decentralized network of independent agents. Their phone systems differ with the agency but if a human being does not answer the phone directly, you get the rest of the way through, usually to the person who booked and dispatched the load, by pressing one number or dialing an extension.
When the new telephone rules went into effect, people at headquarters started asking us if we were driving when we called. We never have been so do not know what would happen if we said yes, but ask they do.
How do the phone systems at other carriers work?
