Franchisee Council Pleads, "Treat Us Like Partners"

UPS eBay Program Undermines Franchisee Efforts

SAN DIEGO (Blue MauMau) - At last week's UPS Store convention in Las Vegas, one of the hottest topics of discussion was the new eBay shipper discount program in which franchisees are expected to participate. Franchisees questioned why The UPS Store management team did not disclose the program in a more timely manner, prior to initiating it. They also asked why the Franchisee Advisory Council didn't share with its members the letter it had sent to President Stuart Mathis outlining its concerns. At the conference, Sherrie Wehner, Vice President of Business Analysis and Product Development, then instructed Willa Levin, the FAC Chairperson, to send all franchisees in the network a copy of the letter. It is as follows:  

Dear Stuart,

On behalf of the network we are writing this letter to formally express our concerns about the eBay shipper discount program recently announced by UPS. We have received, and are continuing to receive, numerous emails and telephone calls about this issue and have compiled the following message from those communications.

We understand that UPS must compete in a fiercely competitive business environment and needs to constantly design and implement innovative customer programs and solutions in order to stay competitive. What we do not understand is UPS's approach of excluding TUPSS network in the design of this eBay, and other similar programs. Many franchisees in the network have already converted USPS eBay customers to our stores and have found these customers to be a great new source of revenue. With this program, UPS has just undermined the efforts of the very franchisees that have been doing exactly what is required of a successful store owner ...local store marketing, in store marketing and prospecting... How are we expected to find solid ground in this business if our parent company keeps implementing programs that compete for the same customers that are already doing business in our stores? We need to be treated as partners so that TOGETHER we are increasing package counts obtained from our mutual competition.

Stuart, as the effects of this program are becoming more evident to the network and the number of drop off packages continues to increase, we are hearing ever increasing voices of frustration, dissatisfaction and anger from our constituents. We are asking that you, if you have not already done so, communicate these network concerns to UPS, and ask them to consider the impact to our business of programs they bring to market. We also ask that you work with us to pursue a vigorous response to this program so that we prevent any erosion of our customer base. We simply cannot afford to lose these customers.

Thank you for all of your efforts in this matter.

Regards,

Willa Levin
Chairperson, FAC for:

Faith McCutcheon
Kent Hart
David Grossman
Randy Jessup
Barry Barnes
Steve Wood
Paul Hulett
Gary Law