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LEGAL APPROVAL MINUTES PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT BOARD BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA OCTOBER 10, 1995 THERE WAS NO ONE PRESENT WHO WISHED TO SPEAK ON THIS APPLICATION. Motion Vice Chairman Golden moved to recommend approval of the site plan for Carrabba's Italian Gri II to construct a 6,238 square foot, 222 seat, one-story restaurant on a 1.617 acre outparcel at the Target Shopping Center subject to all staff comments. Mr. Beasley seconded the motion which carried 6-0. (Mr. Wische was away from the dais.) Major Site Plan Modification 2. Project Name: Agent: UPS Communication Data Center Collene W. Walter Kilday & Associates, Inc. GR Palm Associates 3800 S. Congress Request to amend the previously-approved site plan to construct 486 new parking spaces and upgrade the existing vehicle use area. Owner: Location: Description: Chairman Dube acknowledged the presence in the audience of City Manager Parker. Dan DeCarlo made the presentation. He advised that the zoning is M-1 (Light Industrial) and the land use designation is Industrial. The site area is 32.89 acres, and the building square footage is 124,281 square foot of which 95,200 square feet will be used by UPS. The surrounding land uses are warehousing and industrial uses to the north; the canal to the south; 1-95 to the east; and vacant land to the west. Minor changes to the exterior of the structure are proposed. The building color will remain as is. Substantial modifications will be required to the interior to achieve the required floor plan for the 750 employees expected for the communication and customer service operations. Additional parking spaces will be constructed on the east side of the building. With regard to concurrency and traffic, the existing project is anticipated to be vested for traffic concurrency. Verification is forthcoming from Palm Beach County Traffic Division. Two entrances to the existing facility now exist off Congress Avenue. Only the one furthest south will be utilized. The north driveway will be blocked off with a chain supported by bollards. UPS needs a minimum of 750 parking spaces solely for their employee use. Therefore, II .. - _.-...~.-.~~'.-~-'" ~_.'_. .- MINUTES PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT BOARD BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA OCTOBER 10, 1995 additional parking needs to be provided on the site. According to City Code, an increase in parking stalls exceeding 25 percent of the existing stalls requires upgrading of the entire parking facility, including new and existing vehicle use areas. It is because of this requirement that the applicant is before the Planning and Development Board and City Commission for a major site plan modification and a request for a parking lot variance. Based on the zoning requirements of one space per every two employees, the project would require 375 parking spaces for the UPS tenant and 61 spaces allocated for the 30,081 square feet of vacant space. With both existing and proposed space, more than sufficient parking will. be included on the site to meet the City's zoning requirements to occupy the building. An appeal to the City's landscape code has been filed concurrently with this major site plan modification application. Appeals are needed for the required hedge along the eastern, northern and southern perimeters of the parking areas. All other landscaping shall meet the Boynton Beach landscape code requirements. The proposed development meets the requirements of the building and site regulations. Two canopies are proposed at both entrances to the building. Both will match the color of the building. Signage was not submitted with the application. It is recommended that future signage be addressed administratively at the time of permit review. Mr. Rosenstock referred to staff's recommendation wherein the following statement exists, "However, staff recommends that the required landscape material be installed along the north and south sides of the vehicle use area." Mr. Rosenstock requested that Mr. DeCarlo point to these locations on the map. Mr. DeCarlo advised that the applicant is requesting an appeal on the north, east, and south portions. Mr. Rosenstock said he is very familiar with this particular site. When visiting the property, looking to the east reveals only a vacant lot. Looking north reveals warehouses. However, when driving in either direction on Congress Avenue, the addition to the parking lot will be obvious. The developer's request for rei ief from the landscaping to the north and east presents no problem and Mr. Rosenstock will support that request. Mr. Rosenstock is surprised that staff's recommendation is for the placement of landscape material on the north and south sides. The applicant has agreed to put additional landscaping on Congress Avenue. Mr. Rosenstock could not understand why the recommendation of staff insists that UPS be required to do so much work to the north and east portions of the site. He feels it would be better for the viewing public to see that the front is landscaped. In addition, he suggested placing landscape materials in the area to block the view of the new parking lot to the north. Ms. Heyden explained that the requirement is not just to screen from the travelling public. It is to screen from the adjacent property owner. In addition, there are exotics on the property 12 ~ ~. ,,_._,~. .,,-- . ~ ~.v,.~~,",. MINUTES PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT BOARD BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA OCTOBER 10, 1995 which must be removed. The City Forester is checking to see if the landscape appeal for the north is necessary. There is a hedge on the adjacent property line which may satisfy the requirement. Kieran Kilday, agent for the applicant, displayed an aerial to depict the area being considered. The area being leased by the applicant has a small frontage on Congress Avenue and travels to the east, wraps around the back side of the existing lake, and then travels east again to the railroad tracks. At the time the application was submitted, there was no change proposed for the color of the building. Since that time, and following site visits, a decision was made to repaint the building. The replacement colors will be "putty" for the building, and dark brown for the trim. The applicant plans a significant landscape hedge along the perimeter of the building on the front end. The area involving the variance is reconstructed parking area, the new parking area and the Process 1 area. When reviewing the Code, it talks about screening the property from adjacent areas. As indicated, there is nothing to screen from on the east, south or north. The appl icant has requested the variance as it affects the parking lot only. The parking lot appeal deals with the south parking area. The UPS facility is renting the north two-thirds (2f3) of the building. The remainder will be vacant. The applicant agrees with staff's recommendation that the upgrade to the south area would occur in conjunction with the use being proposed for the balance of the building. Mr. Rosenstock pointed out that the City is very anxious to assist UPS. However, he felt it was incumbent upon this board to protect and defend all citizens of the City. He questioned whether UPS would agree to install a greater effect (including some trees) up and down Congress Avenue. He feels this would be a tremendous service to the community. He reported that Phase I has been completed on the landscaping of medians on Congress Avenue. Phase II will begin when the road is expanded to six lanes. Those medians will be developed with floral plantings. Mr. Kilday agreed to the request to plant some additional trees between the two roads. Commissioner Rosen inquired as to the hours of operation of this facility. Mr. Kilday advised that the first employees will arrive at 7:00 a.m., and the last shift will finish at 8:00 p.m. Motion Mr. Rosenstock moved UPS Communication Data Center, represented by Kilday & Associates, that the request to amend the previously-approved site plan to construct 486 new parking 13 MINUTES PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT BOARD BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA OCTOBER 10, 1995 spaces and upgrade the existing vehicle use area be approved subject to the comments made by staff, and comments made by the board this evening. Mr. Wische seconded the motion. Vice Chairman Golden confirmed with Mr. Rosenstock that this motion includes the installation of the additional trees on Congress Avenue. The motion carried unanimously. 3. Project Name: Agent: Owner: Location: Description: UPS Communication Data Center Collene W. Walter Kilday & Associates, Inc. GR Palm Associates 3800 S. Congress Request for a landscape code appeal to omit the 2Y'2' wide landscape strips between the vehicle use area and the abutting property line at the southeast corner of the property, the east property line and the north property line. Mr. Rosenstock pointed out that there will be approximately 750 employees at this facility and questioned how the applicant plans to put this number of cars onto a main thoroughfare during a working day. Mr. Kilday explained that there will be staggered shifts of 150 to 200 employees during any .one individual shift. Mr. Rosenstock wondered whether or not the applicant contemplated any traffic problems due to the traffic light within 500'. Mr. Kilday's response was negative and stated that the traffic light is of assistance to UPS. The applicant is in the process of seeking modification to the median in this area. There was a median cut in this area, but it was eliminated during the reconstruction. The applicant has submitted an application to DOT which is not yet approved. Mr. DeCarlo restated the appeal as a request to eliminate the required hedge on the north, southeast and eastern side of the proposed existing parking areas. All other areas around the perimeter of the parcel will meet or exceed landscape code requirements. The impact or omission of the perimeter hedge which would normally be required on the eastern side of the proposed and existing parking areas at this location is minimal based on the 500' distance from the vehicle use area to 1-95. The Planning and Zoning Department recommends approval of this request for omission of the hedge along the east side of the vehicle area; however, recommends that the required landscape material be installed along the north and south sides of the vehicle use area. Chairman Dube pointed out that it was now his understanding that the north is no longer in question. Therefore, staff's recommendation is for installation of the landscape material along 14 MINUTES REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA The motion carried 4-0. E. PROJECT NAME: AGENT: OWNER: LOCATION: DESCRIPTION: G. PROJECT NAME: AGENT: OWNER: LOCATION: DESCRIPTION: H. PROJECT NAME: AGENT: OWNER: LOCATION: DESCRIPTION: OCTOBER 17, 1995 UPS Communication Data Center Collene W. Walter, Kilday & Associates, Inc. GR Palm Associates 3800 South Congress Avenue LANDSCAPE APPEAL- Request for a landscape code appeal to omit the 2 1/2 foot wide landscape strips between the vehicle use area and the abutting property line at the southeast corner of the property, the east property line and the north property line. and UPS Communication Data Center Collene W. Walter - Kilday & Associates, Inc. GR Palm Associates 3800 South Congress Avenue MAJOR SITE PLAN MODIFICA liON - Request to amend the previously approved site plan to construct 486 new parking spaces and upgrade the existing vehicle use area. and UPS Communication Data Center Co Ilene W. Walter - Kilday & Associates, Inc. GR Palm Associates 3800 South Congress Avenue PARKING LOI VARIANCE - Request for relief from Chapter 23 - Parking Lots, Article I, Section 2.F of the Land Development Regulations to allow an increase in parking spaces which exceeds 25% of the existing stalls without upgrading the portion of the existing vehicle use area located between the south property line and the existing building. Kieran Kilda)'1-agent1oUn~appLicant, explained that this is a rehabilitation of an existing building across from Hunters Run. There will be a phone operation to monitor packages. The area to the north and to the west is being reconstructed for parking for this facility. This facility will have 750 shift workers. A variance request for the parking lot deals with the south area. This area is an existing parking lot which will not be used by the facility. UPS is renting approximately % of the building, and there is an additional 1/3 to be rented to the south. When that south end is leased, the applicant agrees to upgrade that south parking lot. Another issue was the landscaping; however, it was resolved by the granting of a variance regarding landscaping along the east portion of the site. The variance was not granted for the area on the north, but it was indicated that a variance would probably not be necessary. On the south side, the variance 23 ~ ..."" MINUTES REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA OCTOBER 17, 1995 was not granted, but a suggestion was made that the applicant take the cost of landscaping on the south edge of the parking area, and apply it in the area between the existing north parking lot and Congress Avenue. That landscaping has been calculated along with some additional landscaping. (A copy of a memorandum from Quin Travers to the City Commissioners dated October 17, 1995, is attached to the original set of minutes on file in the City Clerk's Office.) The applicant is agreeable to this suggestion as noted in the memorandum. The only item requiring clarification for the applicant is with regard to the north area. The Forester visited the site and made a recommendation that the applicant remove the exotics. Once those exotics are removed, if infill is required, the applicant will provide that infill for the balance. The applicant has accepted that recommendation. Mr. Kilday said two memos are involved, and each one provides that recommendation slightly differently. He confirmed with City Manager Parker that the applicant is to follow the Forester's recommendation. Ms. Heyden advised that the applicant has decided to paint the building. Mr. Kilday said the color chips were submitted at the Planning & Development Board meeting. The body of the building will be painted a "putty" color, and the trim will be deep brown. The Planning & Development Board recommended that additional trees be planted along Congress Avenue at the northwest corner of the property. Mr. Kilday referred to the memorandum he submitted wherein the applicant agrees to plant the additional trees and additional hedging and trees replacing the value at the south property. Staff recommends approval of the parking lot variance subject to staff comments which deal with the north access aisle and upgrading the existing parking lot when the vacant portion of the building is occupied. Mayor Taylor inquired as to whether or not the parking lot will be lighted. Mr. Kilday responded affirmatively, but stated that the entrance road will not be lighted. The hours of operation are from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Ms. Heyden advised that the parking lot code requires the access aisles be lighted. City Manager Parker will seek an interpretation from the City Engineer on the driveway. Mr. Kilday reported that the applicant's intent was not to light it because of the hours of operation. If it is a Code requirement, they will review it. The plans are ready for submittal within the next several days. Motion Vice Mayor Bradley moved to approve the major site plan modification at the UPS Communication Data Center amending the previously-approved site plan to construct 486 new parking spaces and upgrade the existing vehicle use area subject to staff comments. Commissioner Jaskiewicz seconded the motion which carried unanimously. 24 DEVELOPMENT DEP ARTIvlENT MEMORANDUM NO. PZ 98-102 FROM: Dale Sugerman Assistant City Manager Tambri J. Heyden, AICP /{Jf-J/cI:- Planning and Zoning Directo? TO: DATE: April 2, 1998 SUBJECT: APAC As requested, attached is general information for the description of AP AC from Planning and Zoning files. TJH:dim ]'\SHRDA T AIPLANNINGISHAREDIWP\CORRESPICITYMGRIDESCRlPTION APAC.DOC MINUTES PLANNING It DEVELOPMENT BOARD BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA ,"'-'-1 .r ! / 'tJ r 1 -j (} - '~~__ ',A.{ . /_, I , ,I NOVEMBER 14, 1995 Carrabba's Italian GrllI- This board recommended approval subJect to staff comments, and the City Commission endorsed that recommendation. , . UPS Master Site Plan ModIflcatlon - This board recommended approval subJect to aU staff comments and plandng of additional trees at the northwest comer of the sidewalk at Congress A venue, and that recommendation was endorsed by the aty Commission. Parking Lot Variance for UPS - This board recommended approval subJect to staff comments, and that recommendation was endorsed by the City Commission. Time Extension for RaceTrac - This board recommended approval subJect to staff comments, and the City Commission endorsed that recommendation. 9. COMMENTS BY MEMBERS Chairman Dube reminded the members to respond to the aty Manager's Office regarding the Board Dinner to be held on December 7, 1995, at Hunters Run. O1alrman Dube and Mr. Rosenstock will not be able to attend the dinner. Chairman Dube apologized for allowing the first application to take up so much time; however, this may assist the aty Commission at their meeting next week. Dr. Elsner and other members of the board noted Mr. Kirschner's Implication of the possibility of a lawsuk depending on the board's decision. 10. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business. to come before the board, the meedng properly adJourned at 8:40 p.m. Y1t . . ~pralnl~~ Recording Secretary (Two Tapes) l new BoYnton Beach-uPS Data Communicationi Center is a recording that conducts an interactive telephone conversation with prospective employees. Applicants use their phone keypads to enter information and I'eSpOIld to questions. If the folks at APAC like what they heai', you'D get a call back ~ from Ii live human being. Most of thoee. hired'Wilt '1fOlk'. CUJtomet servic.e.r.-e&eIltativeB tIackiRg paeHges; ..tIIdDg UldttS, - _ disreBDiAg ~ Iftd hardliul probleme for United PBreeI 8ervlte cUstomers. . Advancements in techilology ~ UPS to start cl~ing its own 65 customer service centers across the' country, including a Broward County . ___.__:_ U^l1.,.n,.~ ThA urnr1l' n-nm 14 traIJIIDg. "U II mteIloelll lOr" wan W bond, and even after-hours, team everything about UPS culture," Lee saicl . Skip Sprigs, the APAC director of a UPS center in Newport News, Va.,' who went through the trmMUl.. called it experiential, intenaiftliii(iYa . - friends-for-tifecleal." l>uRDI.tlIe ~' eight weeks of ~reeluiten1n ~t()D. Beadi'wm ~.about8&.'''' full-tiJDe,aDCIt3,part-time eustomer seryicerepreaeDtatives. . When,.~ magage.flilo return. they'll train those reQ:Uits for tlu.'ee to bu- weeks after the ceaters January opening. The first ,custow.er . calls will ber~e4 an~ein I ---......... ,A.....1 ....-wiIlbe,. .F~~uouJ'.:ruN UIC t'6---'. .",,' reoeated orobablv until June when .~r~~.C::;1 ~ to open in JIIllWY. When. APAC started looking for workers. io. Newport Newa.q.,. ;," . ~ _ tQOk~OOO elJlibeP'e it was wduaed.. four.days,..qid APAC VICe ~tnc.tdB.,' Berryman at the fXlIDP8llY'a Cedar .,,' Rapids, IO'Q, ~ . '. The'empIoyment situatiOltin the Greensbo1'o.N.C.. area DJ.ay nOt . prompt q\titeas. IlUIIlY calla. . Oat Lynch, president of the HiIh ~~ Economic Development Corp.. $aid '.' .in his area they keep "redeftnmgfuR employment.)t During negotiations with UPS and APAC to move the center there, "We hacl to wonder if they couldind SOOpeople" to eme1oy. '-' .." ~ ...........--,..,--....- ...,,~'-"'.-.:;.:;,.~,...~ ~--'.--- -~~->-~-------.. ~- --. """" - - .-. - - ---~-- - " ' ' +,".~>~C\\rHti'~Uv\,BEAtMPOST ,'OcTOB'ER J5, 1995 . ~; . ~/ . .. CORPORATE REPORT ,,l'Ft '- !'~... F':,- 4PAC From previ~s page ! The wages for customer ser- vice representatives in Boynton Beach have not yetbeen released. L.eesaid. But one estimate put t\PAC wages at about~_ #:~,hourd depending on the . city. Miller $aid APAi: '. .loyees ~~~r:n~;~c.:::;~: viceoSep+esentative&$tartedat $8 ..tQ:~,~._,i~~the~Rdtywood ~"""" . :" The HOllywood center already has begun gearing down for the closing. As it loses employees to other UPS jobs or other compa- . mes,. it r~ them with tempo- .IllY w~, Rerently it had 100 UPSemPmeeS an.d70 to 75 tern- rIorarles,according to Frank F1.urle. ups. ..sales manager of the South Florida District. UPS has said it wilI.offer other positions to its current workers. Managers throughout UPS have felt the effects as wen, re- cently in the form of buyout offers including early retirement pro- grams. Management reductions are the result of a move toward the team approach, said Mark Dick- sen, UPS spokesman in. Atlanta. "There's no. bottom up or top down anymore," he said. "It is important for employees to believe they are an integral part Of the service you're offer- Uigo" The team apprOach gives employees flexibility and latitude to make decisions that affect cus- tomer service - and to keep . 1:I1em from "checking their brains at the door," Dicksen said. "A lot of these chIDiges take place when a cmnpany's in trou. ble.UPS1s'netiAttoable,but w~ve.~...tbe..__OD;dte wan." Dicksen said. "In the com- petitive global marketplace we would not be able to grow and prosper utilizing the same .bUsi. ness principals and the same in- frastructure. We're trying to be very pro-active." ~ ~ :<Y _- ~..~ ;,;,~, ... The Wall Street Joumal . E TIQUETTE for e.mail starts to take ~bape for business messagmg.... Don't "shout." Don't ramble. Don't pretend you didn't ~t it. Do punctuate. Do reply quickly. Some lessons are teamed the hard way. In New York, Simon& SChustt(l' Inc.'s Andrew Giang9ht thought 'uehad. found an. e~Cierit way to answer e-ntiil:Simply type into the meSSage using capital let. ters to distinguish the reply. But his corresoondent asked. "Whv :<i i~~ ,~,.; ,r" ; ~'~i:r''''- _nO' . ~. -~<- a-Looic~At ,lIE JOBS i " K. DURING THE. PHASE of hiring, 33 ~ers will be hired, 72 .eust9Dler ~ce tepre~ntati\1es_lletWeen 9 and 11 administrative ad technical wott.. 'The first class of managers. Will behW. ed in tim. e. ~ a. Not~. 6traPling.... ~ssion. I The first ~ of customer semce representatives will be hired in time fQI training in early Jai1uary~ ,," . SOME SPlCIFIC$ about the jobs at APAC: . . PAY: Not available. But oDe estimate puts APAC . customer service representatives wages between $6.50 and $7.50 an hour, depending on the city. . DUTIES: Customer service representatives help . telephone customers with package tracking,deliveiy. , schedules, claims, billing and other pick-up information, according to APAC advertisements. Quatifk:ationsinclude ability to type 20 words pet minute and good. communications skills. . HOURS: The hours haven't been dete:rmmea ~but the center has the.potential to ~ a24-hour ~., . To' APnY: Call1-800-GO-APACl. Using your telephone keypad, you respond to a variety of questions in the interactive interview that could go on for 15 minutes; The line of questioning is the same for both management and-nOJl- ' management positions. Questions range from simple information, requesting phone number and social security number, to situational ones on how you would deal with a demanding customer. The interviewer also asks whether you can start in four weeks if you're hired. And it asks if you're still interested in' the position upon learning that to be hired, you must take a drug test and be subject to a criminal background test; that there's no smoking in the office; and that schedules canindude evenings and weekends. The team structure is evolv- ing at UPS, Dicksen said, but the esseatial,stAlettireis~ed'of agroup"Ofemp~withtew"' $~_U19re~ ~. 'AP'A.ChU.;a.team weJI..TeiQl~of 20 to 2.' semcerepif;~~t\~. ; coacltes,and 0Ile Superiisot. In hiring for the pQSitions, APAC is looking for people who have customer service back- grounds. "1bis is a lot of inform~ tion to take and assimilate, H Lee said, explaining that the employee has enough to learn about UPS and the package business. BUSINESS TRENDS business users, says Eric Arnum of Electronic Mail & Messaging Systems newsletter, in Washing- ton. E.mail has the immediacy of a phone call and formality of a document, yet often a message is just "a hastily-Written letter," he says. A pet peeve from Hewlett- Packard Co. employee Patrice Palleson: Complaints are broad- cast to all; praise isn't. . . CONSULTANT FEVER: The Institute of Management C9Jl$u1'- tants is Ilettinll morE" than 1 nn eral Reserve System. Among oth- er things, the video notes that mutual funds aren't insured or guaranteed. Th~ video is part of a consumer-education program. . . . THE PEN IS MIGHnEIt: A. T. Cross in Linoo1h, RL, gives 100 . pen and pencil sets to the Leom- inster, Mass., police force: Last month, two Cross pens tucked - into officer Thomas Kent's left breast pocket deflected a bullet away from his heart when he was Q,hnt in th..t..... ^& ~...... r~- Ie I I .. 1.- I a (SOut !LJOOO -~ . At- WI su WI BE ... At- Af. o 01 .0 gH no i OCT -06-' 5S FR I 10:34 ID:KILDAY & RSSOC TEL NO:407-8B9-2592 l:*396 P06 .. 10' ' \. 141 .. ~ ~ . . other l.n~.oaped araaa, 0.2 0.6 i \ of lite f. Bcr.. ~. Other p.~viau8 arBSS, , including golf QOU.S.., naturill areas, yard., and sWill.., but: excluding , water a~eas lI:l. 2 . ,a:'.. 55.3 , of sit:e h. ~otal pervl0'UB areas l.8.e acres !6.S \ cf lIite 1. ':otal area of 81te 32.69 _ act'BB 100 \ of elte 6. ~ a. Res1dential s;. ft. b. commercial/Office sq. ft. a. Indu.trl.1JW.~.hcu.. l25.'Ri sq. ft. d. ReQJ;..tlonal aq.. ft... .. RuelLa/Institutional IEIq. ft. ... f. Othet' (8p.c1~y) sq.. ft. g.. Other (specify) sq. ft. h. Totar-l1oor area 125 ,-~l sq. ft. 1. ~umber of Residential Dwelling units .,. - 1 &. Slncale-f&ml1y c1~tachec1 nJa sq_ ft. b.. Duplex n/a IIq. %:t, a. Multi-Family (3 + attached dwelling units) [ 11 Effiolanov nJa --... dwelling units r :3 ) 1 BedXQom nt:~ dwelling unJ.t~ , J ) 2 Bedroom l"I/~ dwolling unit. I 4 ) 3+ Bedl:'Qgm n/a dwal1111S1 unitli ~. Total mUlti-family n/a C1wel11ng units e. Total number of dWBlllng units I'l/a .... 8. aroas Densit~ n/a cw.l1in; unit. p.~ ac~. ,. l:1U.!mwn--.hs1gbt ot st~!!g~~eB on sit~ 10. ReQuIre~ c~f~str.lt ~ar~1ng a. C.lou1&~lQn o! =.~l=ed b. numb.~ of gff-street parklna spaces 45 teet 1 8tori ot!..traet parkIng spaces provided on site plan (Not includ!ncr ..fl,til\l.~. ~.n.n~ l 1,2 existinl ~pace5 r~..TVCG for future tenant 911 spaces !l'otal - v Rxi.~in9 apac.. ~o r.m.in -.. t.-152 .paees Bxi8~ini .av.m.nt r..trip. 273 BQi!lI;;JIi!lii 750 EmploveeSl ~l ap/2 emplov...),- 3'5 .~ae.. proposed new parking 4e6.l!Ip~eu VUv\~ \<>)~'''f!:. l Pflll'alnH: t "/"'\"'n~Jr': "F'Pll~'1""t-.H:.tT'T' ... "'''''''''l",hl''\~' ., 001 THE PALM BEACH POST DCTOBER 16, 1995 7 uff 1i~.lp- ~ -/r~ CORPORATE REPORT " MILTON ADAMS/Speclal to The Post Customer service workers and supervisors handle calls from UPS customers in the Fort Worth service center operated by APAC Teleservices. A similar center opens next year in Boynton Beach. AT THEIR SERVICE Palm Beach County gets nearly 700 new jobs as UPS contracts out for customer service work. . By MARGUERITE M. PLUNKETT Palm Beach Post Staff Writer The first job interviewer for APAC Teleservices is unemotional, but not cold. You won't insult him if you call him inhuman - in fact, he is. That's because APAC's first step in hiring nearly 700 people for the new Boynton Beach UPS Data Communications Center is a recording that conducts an interactive telephone conversation with prospective employees. Applicants use their phone keypads to enter information and respond to questions. If the folks at APAC like what they hear, you'll get a call back - from a live human being. Most of those hired will work as customer service representatives tracking packages, taking orders, dispensing information and handling problems for United Parcel Service customers. Advancements in technology led UPS to start closing its own 65 customer service centers across the country, including a Broward County center in Hollywood. The work from those centers is being shifted to AP AC and other outside contractors, and will be moved to eight to 12 new sites throughout the nation - including the Boynton Beach center. APAC's first priority in hiring is to fill 33 manageinent jobs in time for Congress Ave. has been gutted and those new employees to begin awaits renovation while the site plans training Nov. 6 at UPS headquarters go before the city commission for a in Atlanta. While all the workers vote on final approval Tuesday. The actually will be employed by planning office has recommended contractor APAC, they will be approval. steeped in the wisdom UPS has The state-of-the-art equipment in acquired about customer service and the new centers includes ergonomic package handling over many years. work stations, chairs, computer "They didn't want to hand over keyboards and screens, Lee said. their customers to anyone without "It's really space age," said Paul training them on UPS customer F. Miller, the director of planning and service," said Janice Lee, APAC . development for the City of Newport regional director of operations in News, Va., where APAC and UPS Boynton Beach. The new managers will hold dedication ceremonies of are assigned UPS mentors to guide their first center today. them through the eight-weeks of Another center - in Fort Worth, training. "It's intended for them to Texas - opened a week ago Friday bond, and even after-hours, learn and a third in Greensboro, N.C., is everything about UPS culture," Lee expected to open in January. said. When APAC started looking for Skip Sprigs, the APAC director of workers in Newport News, its a UPS center in Newport News, Va., telephone line took 9,000 calls before who went through the training, called it was unplugged after four days, said it experiential, intensive and "a APAC Vice President Donald B. friends-tor-life deal." Berryman at the company's Cedar During the managers' eight Rapids, Iowa, headquarters. weeks of training, recruiters in The employment situation in the Boynton Beach will hire about 80 Greensboro, N.C., area may not full-time and 18 part-time customer prompt quite as many calls. Dan service representatives. Lynch, president of the High Point When the managers return, Economic Development Carp., said they'll train those recruits for three in his area they keep "redefining full to four weeks after the center's employment." During negotiations January opening. The first customer with UPS and APAC to move the calls will be received sometime in center there, "We had to wonder if February. And the process will be they could find 800 people" to repeated probably until June when employ. the center will be fully staffed, said Lynch said his agency Lee. recommended APAC offer a higher While AP AC is lining up workers, wage because of the short supply of other aspects of the center are labor in the area. moving along as well. The nearly 125,OOO-square-foot bUildiI1i.a't'3S00:;;::;:,~:";'''':;~'. .' ea$e:.$ee;Ahe~~. ~~~t~~':';~'.'j~,l~'L~, ~~;':::;C':;;;::~~~~~~~..:~.~~~ ~~';~!.~' ,1.. ....;;~.'(".'1't....".",.,4..k-";..' <',.-""-",j,"".-JIO '1;-'" ... ...-~ ~, "",'" ~.."....,,' 8 THE: PALM BEACH POST OCTOBER 16. 1995 ..." CORPORATE REPORT APAC From previous page The wages for customer ser- vice representatives in Boynton Beach have not yet been released, Lee said. But one estimate put APAC wages at about $6.50 to $7.50 an hour, depending on the city. Miller said APAC employees in Newport News started at be- tween $6 and $7. Customer ser- vice representatives started at $8 to $9 an hour at the Hollywood facility. The Hollywood center already has begun gearing down for the closing. As it loses employees to other UPS jobs or other compa- nies, it replaces them with tempo- rary workers. Recently it had 100 UPS employees and 70 to 75 tem- poraries, according to Frank Furie, UPS sales manager of the South Florida District. UPS has said it will offer other positions to its current workers. Managers throughout UPS have felt the effects as well, re- cently in the form of buyout offers including early retirement pro- grams. Management reductions are the result of a move toward the team approach, said Mark Dick- sen, UPS spokesman in Atlanta. "There's no bottom up or top down anymore," he said. "It is important for employees to believe they are an integral part of the service you're offer- ing." The team approach gives employees flexibility and latitude to make decisions that affect cus- tomer service - and to keep them from "checking their brains at the door," Dicksen said. "A lot of these changes take place when a company's in trou- ble. UPS is not in trouble, but we've seen the writing on the wall," Dicksen said. "In the com- petitive global marketplace we would not be able to grow and prosper utilizing the same busi- ness principals and the same in- frastructure. We're trying to be very pro-active." A LOOK AT THE JOBS APAC TELESERVICES expects to hire 662 full and part- time employees for the Boynton Beach facility, but could expand because the operation has the potential to go 24 hours. Forty-four of the total are management positions and the balance are customer service representatives, administration and technical jobs. The vast majority of the positions are customer service representatives. DURING THE FIRST PHASE of hiring, 33 managers will be hired, 72 customer service representatives and between 9 and 11 administrative and technical workers. The first class of managers will be hired in time for a Nov. 6 training session. The first class of customer service representatives will be hired in time for training in early January. SOME SPECIFICS about the jobs at APAC: . PAY: Not available. But one estimate puts APAC customer service representatives wages between $6.50 and $7.50 an hour, depending on the city. . DUTIES: Customer service representatives help telephone customers with package tracking, delivery schedules, claims, billing and other pick -up information, according to APAC advertisements. Qualifications include ability to type 20 words per minute and good communications skills. . HOURS: The hours haven't been determined yet, but the center has the potential to become a 24-hour operation. . TO APPLY: Call1-800-GO-APACl. Using your telephone keypad, you respond to a variety of questions in the interactive interview that could go on for 15 minutes. The line of questioning is the same for both management and non- management positions. Questions range from simple information, requesting phone number and social security number, to situational ones on how you would deal with a demanding customer. The interviewer also asks whether you can start in four weeks if you're hired. And it asks if you're still interested in the position upon learning that to be hired, you must take a drug test and be subject to a criminal background test; that there's no smoking in the office; and that schedules can include evenings and weekends. The team structure is evolv- ing at UPS, Dicksen said, but the essential structure is composed of a group of employees with fewer supervisors and more self-direc- tion. APAC has a team structure as well. Teams of 20 to 25 customer service representatives include coaches and one supervisor. In hiring for the positions, AP AC is looking for people who have customer service back- grounds. "This is a lot of informa- tion to take and assimilate," Lee said, explaining that the employee has enough to learn about UPS and the package business. BUSINESS TRENDS The Wall Street Journal business users, says Eric Arnum eral Reserve System. Among oth- ETIQUETTE for e-mail starts of Electronic Mail & Messaging er things, the video notes that to take shape for business Systems newsletter, in Washing- mutual funds aren't insured or messaging. ton. E-mail has the immediacy of guaranteed. The video is part of a Don't "shout." Don't ramble. a phone call and formality of a consumer-education program. Don't pretend you didn't get it. document, yet often a message is . Do punctuate. Do reply quickly. just "a hastily-written letter," he THE PEN IS MIGHTIER: A.T. Some lessons are learned the says. A pet peeve from Hewlett- Cross in Lincoln, R.I., gives 100 hard way. In New York, Simon & Packard Co. employee Patrice pen and pencil sets to the Leom- Schuster Inc.'s Andrew Giangola Palleson: Complaints are broad- inster, Mass., police force. Last thought he had found an efficient cast to all; praise isn't. month, two Cross pens tucked way to answer e-mail: Simply type . into officer Thomas Kent's left into the message using capital let- CONSULTANT FEVER: The breast pocket deflected a bullet ters to distinguish the reply. But Institute of Management Consul- away from his heart when he was his correspondent asked, "Why tants is getting more than 100 shot in the line of duty. are you screaming at me?" The inquiries per week for member- . company has a task force working ship, up from 60 a year ago. BRIEFLY: In a survey to pro- on e-mail protocol, such as when . mote its new game Atmosfear, to phone and when to tr3!lsmit.. THE FED ON FUNDS: Mutual MatteI Inc. finds the greatest fear ~oor (or no) punctuation! rms- Funds: Understand the Risks is an of people aged 12 to 24 is death. ~~~J ,,"ap~~~~ ~!f<1~~!,;E.k,,~.,.,?",; ~~t-~~~i!Js.o fr~ *f~.Q......tP..~~~~~~.._...,~,_..,,,~~ r--- I 01. 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