Opinion ID: 1911276
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: carrier hand book

Text: The Carrier Hand Book is a multipage pamphlet which is given to and reviewed in detail with each new carrier by a Tribune district manager prior to the carrier's first delivery. Although the handbook states that the carrier is not an employee of the Tribune but an Independent Contract Merchant, it lists the following job guidelines: The Tribune guarantees its customers home delivery of their paper before 5 p.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. on Saturdays and holidays. If a customer is missed and notifies the Tribune, a call will be made to the carrier to deliver the paper. The newspapers are to be banded and placed on each customer's porch. If a customer has a special place for the paper, the carrier is to deliver the paper to that place every day. The carrier is to deliver the route alone and use plastic bags when it rains. On Tuesdays, the carriers are required to deliver shoppers (advertisements) to nonsubscribers on their routes. The carriers are paid on a piecemeal basis for these deliveries. Occasionally, the carriers are required to place inserts into their papers. Each carrier is instructed regarding what to do when a person subscribes to the Tribune and when a customer stops the subscription. Upon receiving a stop notice, the carrier is to find out why the customer has stopped the subscription. The carrier is instructed to stop delivering the papers if the carrier notices papers piling up for more than 3 days. If a carrier is going on vacation, the carrier is instructed to find a friend to take care of the route and to call the office with the substitute's name, address, and phone number so that the Tribune will know who is in charge while the carrier is gone. The carriers are instructed on how to collect. They are told to always look their best, be neat and clean, and greet customers with a smile. When approaching a customer, the carriers are to introduce themselves and explain that they are from the Tribune. Suggestions are given for collecting as follows: Never collect without your book or bag, have a regular collection schedule, never take friends, call customers by name, have pocket money to make change, thank customers when they pay, go straight home when finished collecting, never carry large amounts of money, and never collect while delivering. The carriers may start collecting at the beginning of each pay period and are given a collection calendar which shows when to collect and when to pay their bills. The carriers are instructed to always collect at the proper time, arrange their collection cards in the order of delivery, and have one collection card for every household to which they deliver. Items purchased by a carrier through the office are charged to the carrier's next pay period bill. The carrier may order supplies by phone, and the Tribune places the needed supplies on the bundle the next day. Supplies available include rubberbands, plastic bags, carrier bags, collection cards, introduction pads, and collection pads. The carrier is offered an accident insurance policy, which if purchased is billed on the next statement. Every carrier is required to maintain a savings account balance to cover bills owed to the Tribune. The total balance of the savings account is returned to the carrier with interest when the carrier gives up the route and all bills are paid in full. Bonuses are offered for each new customer, and the carriers are encouraged to deliver free newspapers to potential customers on the route and to show promotional fliers to prospects. Carriers are instructed on sales tips, are encouraged to obtain new customers for the Tribune, and are awarded cash and prizes for doing so.