Behind the scenes of the long wait time
The long wait. It begins when the courier arrives at the pickup location. Maybe it’s in the middle of the dinner rush. Or maybe the merchant is low on staff. Whatever the cause, the delivery order isn’t ready. Therefore, the courier begins waiting. There is every hope it will not be a long wait. However, anything longer than thirty seconds, is a year or more in courier years.
With this in mind, it’s a given that most couriers don’t like a long wait time. In fact, one excessively long wait time, can decrease the potential earnings for an entire delivery shift. Especially if it happens during the rush window. Furthermore, the long wait time isn’t always in an ideal situation. There might be a large crowd. Or the merchant is low on staff. This means the courier will have to be proactive in the long wait time.
Time for the behind the scenes busy work. Which might sound strenuous but it’s really about catching up. For example, researching the directions to the drop-off location. Or reviewing the pickup order to ensure the accuracy of the delivery. Sometimes there is also time for answering a text message, or reading an email, or two.
Behind the Scenes
The time spent waiting. It was more extreme back in the day. As far back as the pandemic, the time spent waiting was enough to make an impact on a schedule. Of course, in those days, the system was still new. There were a lot of glitches that still needed repair. Furthermore, much of the waiting took place in the ride. Therefore a courier had to be creative.
This was not a real problem during football season. (Still isn’t) I mean, who doesn’t enjoy a good college football game on the radio? Or a live game on the phone, and the scores of all the other games? Similarly there are a lot of little things to do while waiting. For example, researching the route to the drop off location. If the app design allows for it.
This isn’t possible with every delivery app. And that is because some apps keep the drop off location hidden until the courier completes the appropriate steps. Therefore, researching the route in advance, will rely on the delivery app in use. And if additional extra credit work feels too much like work, there is always that text message that needs sending.
The Long Wait Time
It may seem strange to think about ways to fill time, while in a busy rush. It’s almost a contradiction in terms. However, there are times when the wait time for a pickup is excessive. Additionally, the courier has no way of knowing what is happening behind the scenes. Then, before long, time is adding up.
Time is adding up in the long wait. Likewise, there is no way to know what is happening behind the scenes. Therefore, the courier must begin to think about making a decision. Stay and continue waiting, or let the delivery go. This is not an easy choice. Particularly if it is a high paying delivery offer. The time already invested is an important consideration. Too much time waiting and the courier loses even more time for the next delivery offer. If there is one.
On the other hand, what if the courier drops the delivery and five seconds later it’s ready? It’s too late once the courier resigns from the delivery. Furthermore, there is no picking it back up again. Once dropped, it’s a done deal. And then, it happens. At long last, the delivery is ready to be picked-up. Good thing there’s a courier standing right there, ready to oblige. Stay safe out there.
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