UPS and Shpping Snakes (a chance at legitimacy)

Mickey,

Please understand that what you were able to accomplish while commendable is merely some flexibility at your local level. Those communications I would guess are indirectly between your sales rep and her district manager. Brad Cook is most certainly a field guy (probably a DM) as he refers to "talking to corporate".

Corporate policy is a different game altogether. There is no doubt that they will do a cost benefit anaylsis as this is standard with any business decision. Unless that anaylsis shows a substantial potential game, they will shoot it down.

In many corporate structures like UPSs', the local people always fight tooth and nail to keep every single customer and gain as many new ones as they can. They make their bonuses by meeting their sales goals and they really don't care where the dollars come from. At the corporate level, they are always asking "is it worth it?" ... "Is it worth it to allow the shipping of snakes and all of the potential liabilities that may go with it for a few extra million in revenue?" ... "Is it worth it to loose all of the reptile shipments we do each year for a few additional million in revenue?" ... These are the only two of the hunderds of questions the corporate guys will ask. In my experience, a signifigant increase to gross revenue usually makes anything "worth it".

-Adam

Darin,

Have you had a chance to draft a letter yet? I was hoping that this thread would not die. It seems as though as soon as we (herpers) start discussing this topic and start making some headway........it all falls by the wayside.

I know the feeling. However some of the statements about the amount of business we need to throw there way in order to be taken seriously likely has spooked a few of us.

If its true we need to show a 1% increase to be taken seriously, then I dont see it happening. However I am down to sign on to any draft letter we can come up with. I would send Brad a letter myself, but mine has allready been forwarded to him anyways. If nothing else maybe everyone else should email him on their own and let him know your feelings on the issue. He obviously claims to be open to the idea, and maybe if enough people email him, he may keep the idea floating on coperates end, cant hurt.

Mickey Hinkle
The Lizard King Reptiles

I think before we all start to e-mail this guy we should wait to see what kind of letter Darin drafts, if he is still open to that idea.

After it has been posted, anyone that may have a good suggestion to add or delete something can reply and we can take it from there. I still like the idea of doing this together rather than a bunch of us e-mailing this guy letters.

I agree.

Im just saying, two months from now, if nothings still done, everyone feel free to bombard the guy themselves...LMAO.

Mickey Hinkle
The Lizard King Reptiles

Maybe we should wait until after the holiday. Right now all of the shipping companies have more business than they know what to do with, but come Jan/Feb.........they might be looking to fatten up those lean months a bit.

Just a thought.

Sorry for not keeping you all updated! I have been working on the first draft, and I contacted some of the larger producers among us to get their input. For the most part, it has been very helpful, I think.

I'll do my best to get the first draft before you all sometime this weekend. Then, we can disect it and manipulate it at will!

Thanks for your patience, everyone!

Sounds good. If you dont mind me asking who all did you contact. You can email me privately if you like. I figure if you need me to I would contact a few other people I work with closely.

Mickey Hinkle
The Lizard King Reptiles
402-934-9906

Mickey,

Some of the people with whom I spoke would not like me to release their names to anyone for any reason. Sorry, but I really cannot go into more deeply than that.

However, feel free to contact whomever you want about this. The more input we have, the better our presentation will be, and that is what we all want.

I agree with Cheryl, let's wait until after the Holidays. That way there is no rush on the first draft of the letter. Also, I don't know about you guys, but I'm kind of in slow motion until after New Years and I believe a lot of other people and major corporations are as well.