Standing in line again? Stuck at the back? Ouch, that is not the best part of the line. Too bad lines don’t start in the middle. So, it looks like it’s going to be a minute, or ten. Uh oh, looks like there’s something wrong with the register up ahead, time to call a manager, better add another five minutes. If you are a courier, and standing in that line, it’s time to move to the front for cargo!
That’s not to say, just get in front of the line. Such things are still frowned upon. Long lines are frustrating, and we all get caught in one, at one time or another. For awhile, during the pandemic, there weren’t as many lines to wait around in. Now that things are resuming a more normal flavor, those lines have formed again. But some of them are not for couriers.
This is a new thing, that wasn’t a thing, until the pandemic made it a thing. Before the demic, many places didn’t do delivery, the apps were still trying to gain ground. Delivery orders that came from these places, in those days, often meant a long wait in line to retrieve the order. Sometimes it meant placing the order then waiting, not cost effective or profitable, for couriers.
Flashback
As the pandemic unfolded and merchants adapted, several things changed. Deliveries became a priority, dining rooms were closed. During some months even carry outs were restricted, due to shelter in place orders. The roads were very empty during those days, and so were the lines. Whole areas were set up for couriers to retrieve orders, and the faster the better! It was a courier’s best scenario.
The apps gain more ground. As 2021 rolled around and the demic got tackled with vaccines, things started reverting back to open dining rooms, carry outs and, long lines. However, the priority on deliveries remained, to some extent. Many merchants still have areas set up for couriers and or take out patrons. Much of the time the merchant has the order ready and waiting in one of these areas.
Moving ahead for cargo. Sometimes a merchant is slammed with business and may even be short staffed. The result is long lines and lingering couriers. As a courier it’s important to get your cargo. The faster the better, preferably with patience and good will. It’s possible to drop that order, I’ll include the details in this link here. And by dropping the order, the wait is eliminated.
Choosing the wait should also include patience with the merchant’s staff. Searching the areas around the front counters and in some cases, off to one side of the establishment, will determine if the merchant has a delivery area set up. Next, communicating with an employee is important. They need to know the courier has arrived to retrieve the order. Moving to the front gets this accomplished. There are some merchants that instruct couriers, through the app, to avoid lines and move to the front.
Credentials
Flash those credentials. Much of the time, the staff at any given merchant are very busy. If there’s a line there’s probably a rush happening. A rush is different for a merchant than it is for a courier. Orders are in que, particularly delivery orders. In other words, the first order to come in will also be the first order out, and so forth. Most of the time.
Having the order details readily visible on the smart phone is a plus. It helps during those times when crowd noise can make it difficult to be heard. Just flash the order screen to the staff and they can simply read the info. No shouting, no huhs?, no ‘what was that name again?’ Info visible on phone, flash the details upon arrival, after moving to the front.
Always keep in mind the client waiting for cargo. When you wait, they wait. Minimizing wait time should always be in the top pursuits of a successful courier. Can’t emphasize enough, how important the patience and good will aspects are to each delivery. Especially when dealing with merchants!
To all the couriers out there on Christmas eve, and Christmas day, it was great seeing you! Keep up the good work! Time for the New Year madness! Stay safe out there, zoom zoom.
