shift leader

truck driver

hvac technician

ice cream maker

route driver

United-Dairy-Farmers

I worked at UDF for two years, the majority of my time being a shift leader on second shift. I'd also transferred from one store to another and the foot traffic was entirely different and lead to a new experience between employee and customer. (Which is typical for any customer service job.)

The typical day involved coming in during rush, first shift not having finished putting away the deliveries because of getting slammed with morning traffic. My manager(s) were almost always high strung and tired by the time I came in.

You do not get breaks. There are no employee discounts on ice cream or gas (much to the shock of all the little kids coming in asking if we got free ice cream). The cameras are not (wholly) meant to watch for thieving customers, but for the employees and to ensure they do their jobs. If inventory comes back short, fine, but if it comes back //really short// the entire staff is punished by making everyone work six days a week. (If your location(s) were short-staffed like mine were, then you'll probably be high strung and irritable. It was mutual between everyone, I assure you. We were amicable but we tried to save our energy for customers.)

My least favorite part about the job was the fact that my last location was short-staffed all the time with a high turn over rate so while I was able to climb up the company ladder entirely due to the fact shift leads and managers would quit (I'd been offered an assistant position but turned it down) I saw our regulars more than I saw my own family. It was very demanding of my time, and since so many people would call off all the time there were some months I'd work two-three weeks straight without a day off.

Let's talk about management. Immediate management? Depends really! We're all human and if we're friendly and professional with each other then it's okay honestly, just do your job then you're okay. It's really hit or miss with supervisors as well. We had a really great supervisor who left the company because while they loved the workers at their stores, it was the zone manager who had been a little too demanding. But a lot of supervisors I saw really only came around in the mornings/early second shift before going back to their zone management office to complete paperwork or run errands for their boss. They have a very demanding job and very little time to handle small issues and have little care to talk to anyone less than a shift leader unless they're helping them through the hiring process (ie. delivering work shirts, handing out orientation paperwork, etc.)

I guess what I enjoyed the most was probably making the cones and fudge. It was a mess but it was the only time I was really able to kind of step away from things because people understood that fudge/chocolate/sprinkles/caramel/peanut butter = messy hands = sticky fingers and they'd leave me to my devices. Restocking the cooler was much more preferred over restocking the hardening room. A little tip I picked up for those interested in applying to UDF: take a pair of the nitrile gloves and put those on before putting on the gloves of your choice before entering the hardening room for restocking. It helps insulate the heat and keeps your hands from numbing up as quickly.

United Dairy Farmers is a small business operation that has a lot stores, most of which are open 24/7 and open during all holidays.

A typical day revolves around the register; there are is a lot of traffic that comes through. There is generally a line for both ice cream and register. Shifts are generally eight hours and other than providing customer service there is a customer first program that employees are to follow. We get inspection once every fiscal quarter and we get graded on how clean, organized and safe everything is. We also have vendors that come in to deliver their things. We also get a general grocery truck once a week. Multiple deliveries can happen one the same day, and customers have to go first regardless. Around half way through the shift someone, generally in management will work on organizing the milk, ice cream and beer coolers. The store shelves have to be faced and coffee must be made fresh every 30 minutes. At the end of eight hours as long as the next shift show up on time, people go home.

There are a lot of locations the main two are suburban stores, and urban stores the way the job are handled will depend on where the store is. Other than the standards listed above, co-workers I have to be closer-knit at suburban stores than urban. At some stores the co-worker are a cohesive unit, friendly, nice, open whereas at other stores they can be a bit cliquey and not so open to new people.

Enjoyable parts of the job are; the regular customers are great, police officers end up becoming your friends, they are really nice and give perspective. If you are lucky enough to work with nice co-worker they end up becoming really good friends, they stick together and are supportive of one and other; the ice cream is great here, and if you have an artsy side making sundaes can be classified as its own art form and it’s amazing seeing the look on a customer's face when you hand them their own delectable masterpiece of a sundae.

Hardest parts of the job would have to be; dealing with drunken, homeless, and or mentally impaired customers. Not being able to have a break, because no will stop you from eating but, the store gets really busy and sometimes you don't get the chance; not knowing when you will get off, more often than not you'll get off work as scheduled however, it is a small company and so the staff is low in number so when people are late, call in, or don't show up, you can get stuck working in their place you can easily be on your feet for sixteen hours straight.

As a gasoline transport driver w/ many years of experience I decided to give this company a try. First, the good, pay is weekly, every Friday & benefits first rate BUT that's the extent of it. My day starts when I wake up expecting my workload text to my phone but that's not always the case, sometimes system doesn't work properly. They give u workload to phone in case in truck computer doesn't work correctly. If you must contact night dispatch for missing work its always your phones problem, not theirs. NOT. I report to work at and try logging into computer system w/ my Id & password. Good luck, its hit or miss on whether is goes through or not. Several tries later & your aboard, sometimes however downloading work loads takes many attempts or long periods of time, this is why work is sent to your phone & u don't have to waste company time waiting. Company has a mandatory 5 loads requirement. If you can't handle workload you'll be terminated in favor of another candidate. Computer system is OLD, outdated, SLOW and doesn't respond as needed. Calls to management & dispatch yield few results. If you run behind due to waiting time they'll try to give your shorter runs to accommodate 5 load requirement or say it has to go regardless. Deliveries are built into a computer which assigns turns times, you can either get them done or not. If you can't handle them you won't b around long. In short, their entire system is designed around an outdated computer system that is failing them and neither management or human resources does anything about it. As a result TURNOVER is HIGH & current younger generation of office employees out of touch w/ field operations & no interest in changing anything. The digital age of remote has replaced the analog version of human interaction and its not good. In other words " AN UNFORTUNATE EXPERIENCE " .

United Dairy Farmers (UDF) offers a unique blend of a fun, engaging work environment and a workplace compensation structure that occasionally leaves some employees pondering the balance between enjoyment and remuneration.

UDF's workplace culture stands out for its vibrant atmosphere, which encourages camaraderie among team members and often makes the job an enjoyable experience. The company's commitment to creating a fun and friendly ambiance is evident in the interactions among staff and their interactions with customers. This is particularly appealing to those who appreciate a positive and lively work setting.

Nonetheless, there are facets of compensation at UDF that have garnered attention from employees. Some individuals have expressed concerns that their compensation packages might not always reflect the level of dedication and effort they invest in their roles. While the intrinsic rewards of working at UDF are undoubtedly fulfilling, addressing compensation discrepancies remains a subject of discussion among the workforce.

In this context, it's essential to consider the broader implications. Ensuring equitable compensation is crucial for maintaining employee morale and motivation. When employees feel that their remuneration aligns with their contributions, it not only promotes job satisfaction but also encourages long-term commitment to the company.

To maximize the potential of its unique workplace culture, UDF could explore strategies to balance its lively environment with compensation practices that consistently reflect employee dedication and performance. Addressing this aspect could not only boost job satisfaction but also contribute to employee retention and the overall success of the organization.

This has been the most unethical, unorganized, prejudice and terribly managed company I have ever worked at. I worked at the one on Mosteller Rd. My experience was that she as a manager and her daughter in law as an Assistant Manager never wanted to work or step outside of their comfort zone in order for the company to evolve. They simply made it easier for themselves to overwork the employees and do the bare minimum to make easy money to their own benefit instead of putting in the work as Managers for the company itself to advance. I have never been treated so poorly in my entire life. My take on it is they never cared about United Dairy Farmers as a whole, they just cared about their monetary gain and they sat on their tales all day while the employees broke their backs and were underpaid in return. The hardest part of the job was working with the two elderly women who have been there for over 25 years. They would nit-pick and talk to you in a hostile manner and they would also need your help with everything. They can't even ring out a whole line of people because they move slow and they hold unnecessary conversations with the customers. They don't give breaks, and they let the elderly women do the bare minimum while the younger people do the dirty work. I'm speaking from experience they forced me to take out the trash every day and while it may be a job it felt like discrimination almost because I was the only black female there and my General Manager, as well as my assistant manager, were white and the two elderly ladies were caucasian also. I questioned why I was the only one to take out the trash and sweep the parking lot every day without any help, but they would put the older women on a pedestal and whenever I worked with them I would pick up the slack because everyone acted as if they were not capable of doing the tasks that came along with working the job.

I worked for UDF for 3 years. In that time I was transferred to five different stores. 
I was originally hired by one supervisor (UDF's equivalent of a traveling district manager) to be the First Assistant Manager for the store I applied to. Turns out that store already _had_ a First Assistant, and she didn't want to transfer -- and everyone above me told everyone below me I was there to take her job. So you can imagine how I was villified. So the store manager was forced to stash me on third shift because the rest of her crew refused to get along with me.
I worked at five different locations. This happened at all five of them. During all of this I was refused the position and pay I was promised. Oh, and the supervisor that originally hired me transferred me to another supervisor's district and then quit with no notice. I saw three supervisors do this in my time. The supers that stuck around were too busy openly having sex with one another to do their jobs. These are the kind of people controlling UDF's corporate future.
When I finally got my promotion, a new store manager was put in my store and it all started over. She and the crew she brought with her (all of them family members that lived _in_ her home) bullied and mistreated me -- wmotional abuse, scheduling me for 15/16 hour shifts, which I was forced to work alone -- something that in a gas station is incredibly dangerous and inethical.

But whatever. Long and short of it is that UDF's corporate culture is a toxic garbage island. You are either an inethical, unprofessional slouch who takes advantage of the hard work of others... or your work is taken advantage of until you spirit is so broken you are left only with the choice to quit.
Don't work for this company. Don't spend your money there.

The company does pay weekly on Friday and has good benefits. BUT
United Dairy Farmers operates stores and it's tanker division with limited staffing. 
It operates this way to ensure its bottom line remains robust  but unfortunately leads to staffing issues.
Employees / drivers are stressed out w/ high turnover.
Management lies about everything. 
They use a computer system that is outdated, performs poorly and demand employees / drivers serve their needs regardless w/ out support.
Executive management is disconnected from lower management 
Lower management belittles field operations and there's no interest or intent of correcting or improvement in these areas. 
The company promotes an atmosphere of hostility w/ the intent of intimidation.
Employees / drivers regularly are late or no shows leading to frustration  and a tense working environment which promotes dissention. 
All employees are timed, monitored and tracked via computer  to ensure maximum efficiency however the process is flawed at best and employees harassed  to overcome these issues.
Computers  in stores and tankers are old 2g network, outdated & inefficient.
Dispatching based on computer navigation & timed routes can't be adhered to due to conditions.
Tank levels kept low due to limited allocations. Loading at terminals minimal to ensure the bottom line.
Drivers workload excessive trying to accommodate poor system, bad dispatching and incomplete management.
 If you can't get it done, they will replace you. If you can't handle it they will replace you. If you don't work fast enough they will replace you. 
Save yourself the aggravation & find other employment. The stress isn't worth your good health or their disrespect and they don't care about you.


The culture is the same in the 3 stores I've worked in. Nobody is really happy. The company puts an unnecessary amount of stress on the salaried managers (some of which work 60-70 hour weeks.) And they're hailed as "great workers" holding their store together. The problem is majority of the staff is underpaid and thus less likely to care. It is difficult to get a break some days, and they're legally not required to offer a break due to state laws. 

Many coworkers I've had through the years (far too many to count after 7+ years) have gone on to less stressful jobs and some that even pay far greater. 

UDF needs to understand that it isn't poor work ethic, it's poor motivation on their part. Too much stress without fair compensation. 

They also have pay caps on posistions which is incredibly unfair to some people who have endured with the company 10+ years without the desire to become Store managers. ($12-$13.50 is about the max range employees can expect to see, without becoming salaried work horses that provide essentially free labor to the company) And time and time again I hear supervisors, etc state that these people "Don't want to step up." Which is incredibly disturbing, as not everyone can commit their personal lives 24hours to UDF, nor should they have to be on 24/7 call or work insane hours. 

I would only recommend this as a job for people needing something part time or for college students. You will easily be promoted and abused 40 hours a week if you let them though. They are constantly rotating thru posistions, including managers to see what sticks. 

First shift is very tough if you are working at a location with high volume guests. Second shift is just as tough if not tougher if you don't know how to multi-task and be fast paced. Third shift can get frustrating if second shift was busy and/or understaffed. I've learned you have to walk in your store to be prepared for what you have to do and always expect the unexpected to occur. As far as management goes it all rides on you and what you can bring to the table. You have 3 ( 4 if you consider a shift leader one. ) tiers of management. Store manager, First Assistant manager, and 2 assistant managers. Most store managers are backroom managers. First Assistant managers can barely manage their shift due to call offs, poor training, and/or to being understaffed. Assistant managers are placed all over various shifts due to the stores needs. The culture can be very lively, a joy, and great place to be if you are staffed, have good management, and everyone can properly communicate. The hardest part of the job is not being staffed. A store can suffer really quickly due to that alone. If you factor in call offs, poor work ethics from your co-workers, and drama between different shifts. The enjoyable part is going home or being able to depending most of what was said up above and the type of person you are. All in all, put a smile on learn what needs to be done, try to be noticed by your supervisor in the positive lime light. Moving up can be easy if you are ready to take on everything that it requires to be a store manager or just stand at the register slowly ringing out customers.

Typical day at work for me consisted of doing many things
-paperwork
-balance safe
-stock cooler freezer and anything else needed
-direct employees
-help customers and tend to any issues that arise
-spent a lot of time taking care of customers it was almost always busy during daylight hours
- Hardest part of the job is as follows
      Many of the district supervisors and store managers lacked the knowledge or the drive to do their jobs and as a member of management it weighed down on me heavily many times, i was even forced to work 89 hours one week because they had nobody to cover a store....they had supervisors who were supposed to but they often pitched it off to hard working people like me, they really took advantage of good people and ultimately it has caused them a very high turnover rate the higher ups are very lazy and will fire you for speaking out or find a way to get rid of you because you spoke out.
- Most enjoyable part of the job would have to be the satisfaction i received every day when employees and customers alike were happy to see me. I could write endlessly about my experiences but the most important things are the things i learned. This job taught me how to run a store and to manage employees and take care of any possible problems that arise every day and i even learned how to interview employees and I could and did several times ran stores alone I knew how to do the jobs of the district supervisors and even covered their stores at times when they went on vacation.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Shift leader 8 salaries reported	$13.56 per hour
Truck driver 6 salaries reported	$29.58 per hour
Hvac technician 3 salaries reported	$29.00 per hour
Ice cream maker 1 salary reported	$18.00 per hour
Route driver 2 salaries reported	$20.00 per hour

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