3 Minutes on a Park Bench with Adam Hawkinson from Wyckoff UPS

Adam Hawkinson tells the Patch about he got involved in the shipping/logistics industry and explains how great customer service helps Wyckoff UPS stand out from the competition. 

Patch: Can you tell us a little bit about your background and experience?

Adam: I served in the United States Army as a Military Police Paratrooper stationed out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina and served 3 tours (36 months combined) in Iraq as a Sergeant.  After meeting my wife (Stefanie Luckow) down at the Delaware beach we recently got married in NYC on October 10th, 2015 and are now expecting our first child at the end of September.  If you enter my store you will see a baby onesie with 'Future Owner' across the chest.  

Patch: What is your morning routine? 

Adam: My morning routine is probably like most people which consists laying in bed while drinking my morning coffee wishing for just 5 more minutes of solid sleep.  Nothing glamorous.  

Patch: How are you involved in the community? 

Adam: Currently my wife, Stefanie, and I are both involved in a special group called "Quest" which helps adults with autism acclimate to society as they grow.  Other than that I am looking into the local VFW to help other veterans achieve goals they never thought possible and re-acclimate themselves back to a civilian lifestyle.

Patch: If you had to recommend three books what would they be and why?

Adam: My wife would be a better person to ask.  I am on of those people that would rather read 100 articles online than one actual book.  However, the one book that I have read recently is "Lone Survivor" based on the brave Navy Seals fighting their way back home when a mission quickly turns for the worse.  It was an easier read for myself knowing the terms of daily military actions and acronyms.  

Patch: What is your definition of success? 

Adam: My definition of success in life in general is simple.  Be Happy, be healthy and be helpful.  People are not judged by their words but rather their actions.  I am a big believer in Paying it Forward.  One small act of kindness to a random person can snowball into other acts from them to others around.

Patch: What services does Wyckoff UPS offer?

Adam: Packing, shipping, selling boxes, shredding paper, notary, office supplies, stamps, faxing, laminated, binding, copying/printing and all your business printing needs

Patch: How did you get involved in the shipping/logistics industry?

Adam: It was more of being in the right place at the right time.  After moving up to New Jersey I had my ACL replaced and while recovering the previous owner of the UPS store was looking to sell and I jumped at the opportunity to provide a quality service to the local community.

Patch: How does Wyckoff UPS stand out from the competition?  

Adam: Hands down I would say customer service.  After taking over and remodeling the store, I have heard from countless people that have said they have been amazed at the 180 the store has made over the past year.  We have had several people avoid the store due to previous poor service and attitude and have made sure that is a thing of the past.  I believe in going above and beyond the call of duty from, holding the door open and carrying large/heavy boxes from their cars.  When people mention they have a bunch of shredding at their house or multiple boxes to ship, I personally will drive to their house and load my car to make their lives just a little bit easier.  With all of these actions we have brought in many new customers from the town and even other surrounding towns.  If you have the chance to ask about the change, just ask a few locals including the Facebook group 'Wyckoff Moms' which have been a big part of helping spreading the new change!

Patch: What three questions should readers ask when trying to find a reputable shipping company? 

Adam: When shipping items out we always ask these questions.  What is the object you are mailing?  What are the dimensions of the object?  How much does it weigh?  Is it fragile? Do you need to insure it for over $100 (which comes with all standard packages)?  How soon do you need to get it to its destination?  If a customer has any problems with these questions, we always suggest bringing it in to our store so we can further assist and help with their shipping needs.

Patch: If someone is trying to ship a relative or friend a birthday gift, what three things can they do to make the shipping process as seamless as possible? 

Adam: Besides what I mentioned earlier, things that make the shipping process seamless is knowing the receiver's phone number for us to look up their address (if you shipped to them before from our store) and then verifying the address is correct.  Most parents sometimes forget when their children are in college that they may have changed dorm rooms or even new building.  It helps avoid headaches to have the right info the first time so we do not have to re-direct the package in mid transit.  

Patch: What is your favorite aspect about your job? 

Adam: My favorite aspect of my job honestly are the customers.  We have a great group of loyal customers ranging from all backgrounds, and when things are not so busy, I enjoy talking to them about their daily activities or tomorrow's obstacles they need to overcome.  Some have started to feel as if they are extended family.

Patch: How can readers contact you or learn more about Wyckoff UPS?

Adam: When you come to our store we have business cards out with our info and also our pens which people say they love about 30 times a day.  You can always ask for myself or my manager Pete.  Our contact info is: Wyckoff UPS Store 0699637 Wyckoff Ave. Wyckoff, NJ 07481 201.848.1008 (T) 201.848.0058 (F) Wyckoffups@gmail.com