The midnight courier and the best after dark techniques.
It’s another late night delivery. The offer from the queue is better than usual. After accepting the pickup request, the courier is en-route. It is after dark, and the late night delivery scene is just beginning. The fact that it is just after dark means it is the late night delivery. The late night delivery has a pace all its own. Furthermore, it is a limited membership club. Not every merchant dabbles in the midnight delivery game.
With this in mind, those that do send out late night delivery requests, do very well. In fact, that kind of steady late night business, is usually fueled by word of mouth advertising. And couriers pay close attention to which merchants welcome, and encourage, late night delivery. This might seem like an unnecessary step by the courier. However, the best way to end a late night rush early, is to become stranded by one stalled merchant. The best way to avoid this, is not accepting the request to begin with.
This is one of the advantages of using a delivery app. The option of declining a delivery request. Although it isn’t easy to turn down offers, sometimes it is necessary. Especially if the courier sees a snafu from the start. Better to avoid the delay. Getting stuck on location, can stall an entire late night rush. For example, a fifteen minute delay at the pickup location, becomes a twenty minute overall loss on the delivery. Three of those, will end a night at a loss.
The Midnight Courier
The midnight courier has an agenda. There is only so much time, and opportunity, to get those late night drop-offs. After nine in the evening the general dinner rush begins to draw down. Many merchants are closing the doors at ten. Therefore, the crowds thin after that main dinner rush. Most merchants expect this. Especially those with the earlier closing time. However, the at home customer isn’t interested in that early closing time. The determined at home customer is going to find that late night delivery. One way or another.
The determined merchant knows the determined customer is on the hunt. Furthermore, it’s a good bet the late night business will be good. Everyone wants that last minute delivery. Additionally, that becomes more common the further we get into the Spring season. The late night delivery gains traction. It increases in popularity. Furthermore, there is more and more variety, as more and more merchants stay open later.
Think pizza merchants, and off brand, independent merchants. There are also convenience stores that build a fairly large late night following. For example, energy drinks and candy of every imaginable variety. Similarly the convenience store merchants are usually twenty four hour shops. Therefore it is common to get late night offers for these merchants.
After Dark Techniques
Hover the hot spots. This is a go to technique if the queue has cooled down. This will sometimes happen just after the main dinner rush finishes. There will be a lull in the activity. In fact, this is one of the best moments to reset. Many couriers that pull a successful dinner rush will be returning from a completion. And most likely it was a stacked drop-off. Couriers with better than average ratings in a delivery app, will most often see more stacks during a dinner rush.
During the lull, just after the main dinner rush ends, is the best time to reset. This gives the courier time to get into the more active part of the zone for the late night rush. From there it will happen pretty quick. There are maybe two prime hours for the late rush. Hovering in the most densely packed zone is where the late night rush usually begins. Being selective is important, but overdoing it, can impact earnings. In other words, the courier shouldn’t turn down too many offers, before accepting one.
The reason is the timing. There are only two hours to work with, in the late rush. And in terms of the availability of the merchants, that is actually one half hour less. Many merchants end delivery requests, thirty minutes before closing. This allows the merchant to complete the requests already in the queue. Additionally the merchant’s staff has a long list of closing duties. This is in addition to the delivery requests.
Midnight Techniques
Another important part of the midnight delivery routine, is the professionalism of the courier. Restaurant staff have an enormous amount of pressure to contend with at closing time. Not only is there the responsibility of the store, but also there are late night customers to contend with. Add to that an increase in delivery demand, and the pressure in that restaurant job can be extreme. When the courier walks in knowing the score, it goes a long way in the merchant/courier relationship.
Furthermore, that is a relationship the courier wants to develop. With every single merchant, if possible. When a courier is known, and anticipated, before they even arrive at the merchant, professionalism is at play. Likewise, the consistent reliability of the courier becomes a part of the closing process for the merchant staff. For example, if the courier is running behind from a previous delivery. The helpful merchant holds the delivery until the courier arrives.
Thanks to the professionalism of the courier, the merchant’s staff knows the courier is going to arrive. Even after midnight. In fact, this is one of the unofficial ways the courier becomes part of a team. This reliability is a technique that takes time to cultivate. However, it can easily become a reliable part of the courier’s late night routine. Stay safe out there.
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