Well said Phil....for every action there is a reaction....
Pets and Customers
- Thread starter AMonger
- Start date
Brisco
Expert Expediter
Very interesting 6 pay read. One issue comes to mind that no one here has brought up in detail though. An issue that should be brought up with the "Sales Reps" and "Account Managers" at all Expediting Companies when signing on new customers and updating the accounts of existing customers.
The issue......OK, let's say FedExCC, Bolt, PII, TS, or whoever is signing up ABC Widget Inc to use their Contracted Drivers for Expedited deliveries. When that Expedite company's Sales Rep is filling out ABC Widgets profile page to turn into home office to put them in their "system" (Computer for Dispatch use), I'm sure ALL pertinent information will be included. Information such as address, phone numbers, contact names, shipping/receiving hours, etc, and what is clearly shown here, whether dogs are allowed on property or not. I know the "Dog" information is entered because several of you have said you have lost a load or 2 because "shipper" had a no dog rule.
Now, in Expediting, is it also FedExCC-Bolt-TS-etc responsibility to know all that same information on ALL of ABC Widgets customers?? I mean, years ago (2 decades maybe) when I was working as a lonely shipping manager for a small company in West Texas, I changed our freight carrier to save money. I think I changed our exclusive carrier from Central Freight to Yellow Freight, or vice versa. Anyhows, when I filled out that profile page for that Rep, I do remember checking "Yes" in the "Dogs Allowed on Property" box. We didn't care, Dogs are cool. Now, when said carrier would back up to our dock daily with that 53ft trailer, that bobtail, or whatever size needed for that day to load our 3-6-10-18 skid load heading to 8-9-11 different customers all over the country, I never knew what that customers "Property" rules were for when their 1, 2, or 3 skid order from me was being delivered when it comes to "Dogs" being allowed or not. Nor was I ever asked that I can recall.
Back to the original "Now" above. Does, or should, these Expediting companies have all pertinent information for both THEIR customer and, in this example, ABC Widgets customers?? What if ABC Widget has 75 customers they want to use this expedite company to deliver to, wouldn't that be overload for said Expedite company to have all that information available in their system, and would even ABC Widget have all that information available to them on their customers to begin with? Probably not. Small information probably, ie receiving hours, contact names, phone numbers, etc, but if "dogs" are allowed their property or not, I doubt it.
I doubt very seriously if a Sales Rep or an Account Manager from any Expediting company is going to sit down with an ABC Widget rep for 2-3 days, a week, just to find out every little bit of information on all of ABC Widgets customers, know what I mean.
Reason this came to mind was a delivery Phil made a few months back and talked about it in his blog. It was that delivery where they ran for miles down that 2 lane road and delivered their cargo to that "Residence" up on that wooded/treed lot. Then that "consignor" allowed Phil and Diane to stay overnight in their driveway in a relative peaceful setting. I am quite sure FedExCC had all the "Shippers" info in their system due to the fact that Phil got the load, but did FedExCC have all pertinent information on that "consignor" who happen to be at a residence?
So, it seems like you guys with pets are in a Catch 22 situation. Sure, your "Carriers" customer may allow Dogs on their property and dispatch you on a delivery for that customer, but you may not find out whether your carriers customers "customer" (???correct saying???) allows pets or not until you get to that delivery point. And if they do not allow pets, try not to lay blame on your carrier for that mis-step because your carrier may not have known either. Just abide by whatever stipulations are in play at delivery point (leave dog with guard, place in dog carrier at shack, whatever) get the delivery done and make note of such rule just in case a delivery to that end customer comes up again.
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Real quick note on the "Arizona Heat" and pets talked about here a couple of pages back. Homeowners who have pets do have strict regulations in place when it comes to keeping pets out of the heat during the summer. Was watching "Animal Cops-Phoenix" on Animal Planet channel a while back. Pet owners who keep their pets outside all day must provide a "shelter" for their animals. That shelter cannot be made out of metal, I think was light wood only, and cannot be placed on concrete or asphalt. Must be placed on grass or soft dirt, or a surface that does not "hold" heat. They must also have a 2-3 gallon minimum "tip-over" proof waterbowl that cannot be place on concrete or asphalt and must also be covered from direct sunlight also. Animal Control in Phoenix does rescue a lot of outdoor pets during the summer that are close to death because of the heat. They also recover dead animals from backyards that were literally "cooked" to death because said pet owners did not provide proper shelter or water to keep pet from being "cooked". The fines are huge when this happens. I thought it was an interesting episode I saw that day.
The issue......OK, let's say FedExCC, Bolt, PII, TS, or whoever is signing up ABC Widget Inc to use their Contracted Drivers for Expedited deliveries. When that Expedite company's Sales Rep is filling out ABC Widgets profile page to turn into home office to put them in their "system" (Computer for Dispatch use), I'm sure ALL pertinent information will be included. Information such as address, phone numbers, contact names, shipping/receiving hours, etc, and what is clearly shown here, whether dogs are allowed on property or not. I know the "Dog" information is entered because several of you have said you have lost a load or 2 because "shipper" had a no dog rule.
Now, in Expediting, is it also FedExCC-Bolt-TS-etc responsibility to know all that same information on ALL of ABC Widgets customers?? I mean, years ago (2 decades maybe) when I was working as a lonely shipping manager for a small company in West Texas, I changed our freight carrier to save money. I think I changed our exclusive carrier from Central Freight to Yellow Freight, or vice versa. Anyhows, when I filled out that profile page for that Rep, I do remember checking "Yes" in the "Dogs Allowed on Property" box. We didn't care, Dogs are cool. Now, when said carrier would back up to our dock daily with that 53ft trailer, that bobtail, or whatever size needed for that day to load our 3-6-10-18 skid load heading to 8-9-11 different customers all over the country, I never knew what that customers "Property" rules were for when their 1, 2, or 3 skid order from me was being delivered when it comes to "Dogs" being allowed or not. Nor was I ever asked that I can recall.
Back to the original "Now" above. Does, or should, these Expediting companies have all pertinent information for both THEIR customer and, in this example, ABC Widgets customers?? What if ABC Widget has 75 customers they want to use this expedite company to deliver to, wouldn't that be overload for said Expedite company to have all that information available in their system, and would even ABC Widget have all that information available to them on their customers to begin with? Probably not. Small information probably, ie receiving hours, contact names, phone numbers, etc, but if "dogs" are allowed their property or not, I doubt it.
I doubt very seriously if a Sales Rep or an Account Manager from any Expediting company is going to sit down with an ABC Widget rep for 2-3 days, a week, just to find out every little bit of information on all of ABC Widgets customers, know what I mean.
Reason this came to mind was a delivery Phil made a few months back and talked about it in his blog. It was that delivery where they ran for miles down that 2 lane road and delivered their cargo to that "Residence" up on that wooded/treed lot. Then that "consignor" allowed Phil and Diane to stay overnight in their driveway in a relative peaceful setting. I am quite sure FedExCC had all the "Shippers" info in their system due to the fact that Phil got the load, but did FedExCC have all pertinent information on that "consignor" who happen to be at a residence?
So, it seems like you guys with pets are in a Catch 22 situation. Sure, your "Carriers" customer may allow Dogs on their property and dispatch you on a delivery for that customer, but you may not find out whether your carriers customers "customer" (???correct saying???) allows pets or not until you get to that delivery point. And if they do not allow pets, try not to lay blame on your carrier for that mis-step because your carrier may not have known either. Just abide by whatever stipulations are in play at delivery point (leave dog with guard, place in dog carrier at shack, whatever) get the delivery done and make note of such rule just in case a delivery to that end customer comes up again.
_______________________________
Real quick note on the "Arizona Heat" and pets talked about here a couple of pages back. Homeowners who have pets do have strict regulations in place when it comes to keeping pets out of the heat during the summer. Was watching "Animal Cops-Phoenix" on Animal Planet channel a while back. Pet owners who keep their pets outside all day must provide a "shelter" for their animals. That shelter cannot be made out of metal, I think was light wood only, and cannot be placed on concrete or asphalt. Must be placed on grass or soft dirt, or a surface that does not "hold" heat. They must also have a 2-3 gallon minimum "tip-over" proof waterbowl that cannot be place on concrete or asphalt and must also be covered from direct sunlight also. Animal Control in Phoenix does rescue a lot of outdoor pets during the summer that are close to death because of the heat. They also recover dead animals from backyards that were literally "cooked" to death because said pet owners did not provide proper shelter or water to keep pet from being "cooked". The fines are huge when this happens. I thought it was an interesting episode I saw that day.
"Real quick note on the "Arizona Heat" and pets talked about here a couple of pages back. Homeowners who have pets do have strict regulations in place when it comes to keeping pets out of the heat during the summer. Was watching "Animal Cops-Phoenix" on Animal Planet channel a while back. Pet owners who keep their pets outside all day must provide a "shelter" for their animals. That shelter cannot be made out of metal, I think was light wood only, and cannot be placed on concrete or asphalt. Must be placed on grass or soft dirt, or a surface that does not "hold" heat. They must also have a 2-3 gallon minimum "tip-over" proof waterbowl that cannot be place on concrete or asphalt and must also be covered from direct sunlight also. Animal Control in Phoenix does rescue a lot of outdoor pets during the summer that are close to death because of the heat. They also recover dead animals from backyards that were literally "cooked" to death because said pet owners did not provide proper shelter or water to keep pet from being "cooked". The fines are huge when this happens. I thought it was an interesting episode I saw that day."
Too bad that they do not care that much about truck drivers. We are forced to sleep in a hot/cold sleeper if we cannot afford an apu, or, not drive a truck. Great choices. Animals get more "love" than people do.
Too bad that they do not care that much about truck drivers. We are forced to sleep in a hot/cold sleeper if we cannot afford an apu, or, not drive a truck. Great choices. Animals get more "love" than people do.
AMonger
Veteran Expediter
Nope. Had no beefs with any customer or dispatcher.
AMonger
Veteran Expediter
This is the most sensible reply yet, except for the advice about leaving the dog at the gate and such. But the part about how such misunderstandings happen makes sense. Guess I'm going to have to try to train her to be silent in a carrier when needed, which may be tough, considering she's an obstinate dachshund. If you've had one, you know how they are.
Jack_Berry
Moderator Emeritus
When I did LTL P&D I had an oil refinery on my route. The guard would deny entry to me because I had a beard. Not a ZZ Top or taliban beard. Just a trimmed full beard. There was a poster hanging in the guard shack straight out of the military handbook. It showed sideburns trimmed to the middle of the ear and mustaches ending at the center edges of the mouth. No beards allowed.
The reason was that in the event of an emergency a respirator would not fit tightly around my face. After a few re-delivery charges they would send a truck out to the street to get their freight. Arf!
The reason was that in the event of an emergency a respirator would not fit tightly around my face. After a few re-delivery charges they would send a truck out to the street to get their freight. Arf!
There to me is a HUGE difference here. Our pet did not ask to be in a truck we put her in the truck. Our pet cannot open the door and get out nor roll a window down for air.
gotta go
Veteran Expediter
Not only that, Linder, but you can change clothes to match the season. You don't have to wear a fur coat all the time.
I think it is specific to this refinery. Management and the union got into a peeing contest. Management implemented the facial hair rule and used the "safety issue" thing to back it up. The union said if it is about safety, then it should apply to all persons on the property.
The refinery is located in St. Paul Park and the name begins with the letter "A". The first 3 letters of the name describe the residue left on the ground after one of their storage tanks blows up and burns, which happens every 4 or 5 years.
My route also included a larger refinery a few miles across the river as the crow flies, in Inver Grove Heights. Never had a problem there.
ebsprintin
Veteran Expediter
In my tanker days, the company policy was no beards and no more than a days growth of beard. So it was pretty much a no pets policy. Make too many complicated demands and the easiest solution is a blanket restriction. It works both ways.
Moot, I was running pretty much full time refinery duty. The general rule was that if a plant required respirators as part of emergency evacuation then the no beards policy. A couple places issued emergency escape packs with mouth pieces instead of masks, so they didn't need beard policies.
The poor helpless animals. I read a story about a man who couldn't figure out why his heating bill was skyrocketing. Turns out his dumb, rat of a dog, yorkie had figured out how to reset the thermostat to a more comfortable setting.
eb
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that is why wives are more convenient..they paper train easier and ya don't need to maintain a fur coat...
ebsprintin
Veteran Expediter
that is why wives are more convenient..they paper train easier and ya don't need to maintain a fur coat...
And no one would have a problem if the wife started the truck and turned on the ac when you locked them inside. Am I digging a hole with this analogy.
eb
I agree with you. Trucking is a lonely career and I can't be the greedy drivers when it's all about money. When you're out on the road for weeks at a time you have to enjoy life. My dog could care less about riding in the truck as long as he's with me. I don't like how trucker's are just supposed to be mules and the ones that make all these rules goes HOME everyday to family. So how could you want a person to live only to work. I refuse to leave my son/dog at home.My fury co-driver loves it out here...he is all of 7 pds...he has his own bed for him...only lost one load because i had him...OWW WELL...theres more loads out there...makes all these miles and time alot more enjoyable....couldnt imagine being out here w/ out him.. cant belive some people could be so cold hearted about animals....he dosent care where or what were doing as long as he is w/ me......
Sometimes the type of customers a company has will dictate a no dog policy. Also fleet owners will have a no dog/smoking policy and I can see that as a fleet owner. As the owner of the truck though when we searched for a company when we started in truck load our first question was do you have a no dog policy if they did we moved on. When we started in Expedite we asked about the dog policy and we decided we made the decision we could make enough money to live on and keep our pet until she passed away. We are getting closer once again to making the decision to add a pet back to our truck once our lives slow down a little. A truck without a pet is a very lonely thing.
bubblehead
Veteran Expediter
Thought you already have one...named BOB!
bubblehead
Veteran Expediter
BTW this is a 5 year old Thread...but the topic is timeless.