First things first with improved pickups and drop-offs.
The first thing a courier thinks about after a pickup, is the drop-off. It’s only a matter of time. In fact, that’s the general context of the courier’s thoughts. The time it will take. This, while loading the vehicle, or researching the route. The focus is on saving some time, whenever possible. Even after accepting an offer from the queue, the courier begins to strategically portion the time. New couriers, just getting started, may not budget time so sparingly, at first. However, the delivery experience is about more than just the need for speed.
With this in mind, time management becomes a courier specialty, once the learning curve is over. It’s a matter of doing the work and coming away with more money than was spent, while doing the work. Couriers using a delivery app are in need of a return on their investment. Furthermore, there needs to be a return on the investment, with an additional sum for regular pay. The investment of the courier is extensive. There is the vehicle, the fuel and the maintenance costs. Add to that the cost of equipment and the courier needs every tip possible.
This is why all the hustle. It’s a game of numbers. The only way a courier can get a return on the investment, is through deliveries. Lots of them. It might be different if every delivery were a high paying offer, however, it is seldom that way. Couriers often need to run multiple orders at one time, to create a workable income. Not every delivery has a great tip. In fact, not every delivery has a tip.
First Things First
Not every delivery has a tip. However, every delivery should have a standard. This standard should come from the courier. First things first with a delivery. It should not lag because of tip status. Every delivery has the same importance. It’s about the professionalism of the courier. If a courier accepts a low paying offer from the queue, the courier owes the same determined dedication, as any high paying offer. That’s a non-negotiable professional attitude. That’s the essence of a courier.
One of the advantages of the delivery app courier is the ability to decline a delivery offer. This is an advantage, in comparison to the crew courier, who runs under the first come first served dispatch rules. However it is not without penalty. Declining an offer in a delivery app queue will impact the courier’s ratings. It’s called the acceptance rating, and it is one of the critical ratings in a delivery app. It’s so important it can influence future delivery offer quality.
When it comes to first things first, this is at the top of the list. Depending on the courier’s current rating, every delivery offer must be gauged by the impact on the acceptance rating. If the courier has a very high acceptance rating, it’s possible to be more discerning when accepting an offer. But it’s important to keep an eye on the rating. It falls faster than it rises. Additionally, if it falls too low, the courier can be banned from the app.
Improved Pickups and Drop-offs
Another thing about the acceptance rating, is its impact on every other aspect of the courier’s work in the app. The acceptance rating in some apps determines whether or not the courier is eligible for perks, and better earning levels, in the app. Therefore if the rating dips too low the courier can drop to lower levels. For example, if the courier is on the Gold level and the acceptance rating of the courier falls below a certain number, the courier is demoted to the silver level.
This demotion is similar to reduced access to the more lucrative delivery offers from the queue. The courier will notice the pay goes down and the miles go up in each subsequent offer. This means accepting low paying offers, or risking the acceptance rating falling even further. It’s very similar to a catch twenty two. That’s why when it comes to first things first, careful consideration of the acceptance rating is important on every offer.
This is also a first step in accepting better offers from the queue. The courier benefits from being slightly selective. A common strategy among delivery app couriers is making an effort to increase the acceptance rating throughout the week. Then on the weekend rush the courier can be slightly more selective. This is how to land those back to back high tip offers. Having the room to decline the less than ideal offers gives the courier a chance to snag the heavy hitters when they come along.
First Things First With Drop-offs
The drop-off is the end game on the delivery. It’s the end game, the finish line, the last page, and so forth. Many couriers see it as the thing standing in the way of the next delivery. With this in mind, the details of a drop-off can fly out the window faster than a straw wrapper. In fact, it’s possible to get moving so fast that the courier is ringing the doorbell before seeing the message from the customer. The one that reads, “Don’t ring the doorbell, or knock. Kids asleep”.
There are also messages like, “Leave it at the garage door”. Then there are times when the customer knows there will be an issue. For example, their house sits directly behind another house. Therefore, it isn’t visible from the road. However, on a GPS map it may have the pin right there in the map. But invisible to the courier out here. Additionally, there are times when an address has a physical location very close to another subdivision or neighborhood. However, the GPS pin appears in an adjacent neighborhood. These are just a few examples a customer will call out, in the special instructions .
This is why a first things first approach in the drop-off, is about the complete research of the drop-off location, before leaving the pickup location. It takes less than a minute, but can save ten minutes or more, at the drop off location. Or it can help preserve the peace and quiet of some tired parents looking for some late night, hassle free nutrition. Stay safe out there.
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