rob22888:
Captain Caveman 76:
Harry Monk:
Captain Caveman 76:
We don’t do much rdc work, just when the factory is quiet they like to keep the drivers busy. Because of that, we can be a bit more heavy handed with these places. Many times I’ve demanded my keys back from the desk because they’ve left me waiting too long. One occasion I refused to vacate a bay without paperwork because last time it took nearly an hour and a half to get it.I like to remind them that THEY need the stuff, not me and if they don’t sort it quickly, then I’ll leave and they can rebook it.
Trouble is though that any type of willy-waving competition between Joe Bloggs Haulage and Tesco is only ever going to have one winner.
And why shouldn’t it be the driver? Our company charges demurage, which encourages them to be a bit quicker any way. Because the supermarkets don’t pay our wages, it gives us power over them. I have no problem at all abusing that power. Highlight of my career was seeing a goods in suit running after my truck shouting “we’ve got a bay for you”. I’ll never get into a willy waving contest (people probably couldn’t tell if I was), but I’ll not be mugged off.
Tesco do have power over their suppliers though, if the haulier that supplier is using is causing them consistent problems receiving the gear because they keep pulling out and/or charging a bomb for demurage they will simply ask them to make alternative arrangements for their haulage or risk not having their products stocked.
For the big suppliers Tesco can’t do without, they keep control by mostly arranging the haulage themselves through their partners ie. Stobart, Maritime, John Raymond etc. who usually don’t care how long the tips take because they are allowed stand trailers on site at the RDCs to drop & swap.
It won’t be Tesco who pay demurage…it’ll be the supplier.