Virtual Dispatch

A Special Request from the Drop Off

Seasonal driving is exciting driving, and this season has been no exception. Weather driving, is par for the course, when delivering cargo to various locations. Safety gear and maintenance for safety, is an important and practical routine to adhere to, in weather seasons.

Speaking of weather seasons and the joy of driving, many areas tend to have an increase in business when weather events happen. Much of the time a rush will occur during these times. This is also an excellent time, for running the rush.

Once in the rush, offers are easily obtained and the criteria the courier uses to choose the best offer, depends on the goals. For example, the courier only has a couple of hours to spare. Offers that are short and sweet are high on the list.

In these particular short distance hops, time is a big factor. Keeping each part of the delivery on schedule is ideal. Arrival at the merchant is a big part of the delivery, and works best when that cargo is ready to go.

That’s when the special request from the drop off location also arrives. It can have the ability to put the brakes on everything. Including the merchant’s system of doing things.

The Slow Down

This is a sticky place to be, for a courier. In most cases the cargo has been paid for, and the items contained in the cargo are set, and if ready, are also packaged. Couriers do not open packages, under any circumstances.

Merchants that are experiencing a rush, or temporary increase in business, that have previously prepared and packaged the cargo, will also be resistant to reopening the cargo. A special request that includes adding additional items from the merchant, that are menu items, creates another difficulty. These requests may not be possible, without the drop off location creating an additional order.

These particular requests can change the pace of one offer/run. If the courier is in the middle of a multiple order run, the times on each run will be pushed back. But not in the app. This is some of that sticky, and some of the quicker ways to navigate this scenario, follow.

Expedite the Request

Alerting the merchant staff of the new request, and the details, is a good first step. If the request is an item the merchant will have to prepare, it may take much longer to get the cargo on the road.

Alerting the drop off of this delay is the next step, and if the delay is acceptable, onward. If the item must be prepared and costs an additional sum, same process, however, it will require the creation of a new order in most cases, and a significant delay can be anticipated.

At this point it is still possible for the courier to drop the offer, and let it return to the queue. When the order’s modifications are complete, the next courier will cover it. It is also possible to wait, it is the courier’s choice, as always.