Building delivery experience for the new courier
It’s an age old cycle. The job is available, but only to the experienced courier. And the inexperienced driver needs experience with delivery completions. However, only experienced drivers are in the mix for the opportunity.
With this in mind, building delivery experience takes time. And sometimes it feels like a catch twenty two. In the beginning. However, building delivery experience, is possible. Especially the kind of experience that benefits the courier long term. This article contains a few practical steps for building delivery experience.
From side hustle, to restaurant brand, delivery experience is cumulative. There are more than a few articles on this site, about the process of at home delivery. And yet, the process is the same for every delivery. ~ Pick something up at point A and take it to point B. ~Then leave it with customer C. However, no two deliveries are ever the same.
- Building Delivery Experience.
- Start Small.
- Put in the Time.
- Expand Experience.
- Continue Learning.
- Safety First.
Building delivery experience
The same holds true for gaining delivery experience. Starting somewhere, is starting. Furthermore, some places require more experience than other places. For example, a delivery app. The delivery service that runs an app (think Door dash Ubereats, Amazon, et all.) requires a minimum of two years with a driver’s license.
There’s a reason they want experienced drivers. Anyone using a delivery app to complete deliveries, wants to make money at it. And building experience is how to start. This isn’t to say the driver needs courier experience from the start. Indeed, courier experience, and road experience, are not mutually exclusive. They’re just different. But they are earned. Over the course of time.
For this reason, potential couriers need at least two years of general road experience. Additionally, previous delivery experience is favored. Therefore, getting the experience is important. There’s that catch twenty two again.
Start Small
Road experience can lead to courier experience. Therefore, the two things compliment one another. In other words they lead to getting paid. Therefore, if the prospective courier is looking for experience, a merchant with a delivery crew is a good place to start. Not only will the courier learn the basics, but also there is help with the learning curve.
There are still merchants that have in-house delivery crews. Be persistent, and apply to as many as possible. Talk to managers whenever possible, and express interest.
And the number one thing to remember is… open availability. And yes that absolutely means weekends. In fact, working the weekends is bread and butter for the courier.
Put in the Time for Delivery Experience
It may take consistent effort to land a delivery job. However, once the new courier is hired, persistent effort will be the key. Working extra hours is a great way to gain experience. And get paid. Similarly it allows the courier to become very familiar with an area. Or zone.
Familiarity with a zone, becomes one of the courier’s greatest assets. Having a reliable timing system, not tech related, is an underrated benefit. This means making the effort to memorize a zone. Once again, consistency is the key.
Putting in the time needed, is a valuable way to learn. Once the courier becomes more familiar with the job and the process, the earning potential grows.
Expand the Experience
Now it’s time to grow. Once the new courier has some experience under their belt it’s possible to expand. Perhaps the courier is looking to drive for another brand. Or maybe it is a matter of adding additional income, by using a delivery app. Or maybe a larger delivery goal. For example, FedEx or UPS. Even trucking for the career motivated courier.
Once the new courier has some real world experience, it is easier to grow that experience.
This is about jobs offered by employers. But also work that is available using a delivery app. In fact, delivery apps appreciate a courier that has real world experience.
This is the type of training an app can use. Additionally there are many different types of delivery merchants. Expanding work experience to include other brands, and other types of delivery, benefits the new courier.
Continue Learning
Expanding experience drives the need to continue learning. A courier that continues to learn, also improves. When a courier improves, so do the stats. Particularly completion times.
And every courier knows the faster a delivery is completed, the faster the courier is onto the next. Continue to memorize the road. The rules, the landmarks, and the signals.
This is why learning delivery techniques is so important. The courier stays up to date on safety issues and current trends. Whatever it is the courier needs to learn, the benefit will be in learning it proactively. When possible.
Safety First
Safety first, is the first thing a new courier learns when starting out. Especially with a merchant. Many merchants with in-house delivery crews also have specific training for their couriers.
Similarly, most delivery apps have dedicated safety features for couriers. This is a benefit for the courier. Safety is always a top priority. This is a general rule 101 and it’s non-negotiable. On the road. And off the road.
With this in mind, a safety first approach to delivery completions, is important for the courier. Both new and old. Stay safe out there.
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