United Partel Services Case
Introduction
United Parcel Services Inc. (UPS) is the leading company offering a wide range of solutions such as freight and package transportation. The company has its headquarters in Atlanta. In 2013, United Parcel Services Inc. failed to deliver a larger percentage of its packages to the intended destination within the anticipated time. The primary cause of the problem experienced during the 2013 Christmas period was an increase in the level of demand for the package deliveries that the company had to deliver over that period of time. According to the Engineering Vice President, the increase in demand came about as a result of the online promotions carried out by the company on a delayed basis. As a result, the express delivery companies
were plagued with an increased workload that exceeded its substantial limit when it comes to deliveries. Incidentally, the online promotions resulted in approximately 2 million packages that delivery companies, including UPS, could not deliver to their intended destinations on the eve of Christmas in 2013. Considering the effect on other delivery companies such as FedEX, it is evident that UPS was more affected. Objectives
The principal purpose of the communication audit is to analyze the main communication factors that lead to the deliveries failure during the 2013 Christmas holiday. The audit also intends to look into the main implications arising from the company's inability to meet the presented demand at the time. In addition, the review seeks to critique the performance of the company up to date to provide a clearer picture of the company's strategic direction. Moreover, the research aims at evaluating UPS's strategy and messaging to present its weaknesses that contribute towards the communication breakdown and failure to meet demand during peak season. Furthermore, the audit seeks to present a set of recommendations that the company should implement to prevent its hot season backlog and promote its brand image.
United Parcel Services Inc. (UPS) is the leading company offering a wide range of solutions such as freight and package transportation. The company has its headquarters in Atlanta. In 2013, United Parcel Services Inc. failed to deliver a larger percentage of its packages to the intended destination within the anticipated time. The primary cause of the problem experienced during the 2013 Christmas period was an increase in the level of demand for the package deliveries that the company had to deliver over that period of time. According to the Engineering Vice President, the increase in demand came about as a result of the online promotions carried out by the company on a delayed basis. As a result, the express delivery companies
were plagued with an increased workload that exceeded its substantial limit when it comes to deliveries. Incidentally, the online promotions resulted in approximately 2 million packages that delivery companies, including UPS, could not deliver to their intended destinations on the eve of Christmas in 2013. Considering the effect on other delivery companies such as FedEX, it is evident that UPS was more affected. Objectives
The principal purpose of the communication audit is to analyze the main communication factors that lead to the deliveries failure during the 2013 Christmas holiday. The audit also intends to look into the main implications arising from the company's inability to meet the presented demand at the time. In addition, the review seeks to critique the performance of the company up to date to provide a clearer picture of the company's strategic direction. Moreover, the research aims at evaluating UPS's strategy and messaging to present its weaknesses that contribute towards the communication breakdown and failure to meet demand during peak season. Furthermore, the audit seeks to present a set of recommendations that the company should implement to prevent its hot season backlog and promote its brand image.