Time saving shortcuts for risky road situations on delivery.
Some deliveries are more challenging than others. There can be many reasons why. Or, there might only be one reason why a delivery has more challenge to it than a more normal, sane delivery. Most deliveries are straightforward. Deliveries through a delivery app, have a step by step process. This makes it easy for the new courier to follow along, and make money, from day one. Then the process repeats, and before long, the new courier is a salty, experienced, road working extraordinaire.
However, not all the experience comes from an app. The new courier learns the basics of delivery completions, from a delivery app. The rest comes from the road. Likewise, the crew courier gets guidelines from the merchant, or the brand. In this regard, the crew courier has one advantage the delivery app courier, doesn’t. The crew. Having other couriers working the same zone, is an advantage. Not only is there first hand information on favored shortcuts, but also there are real time traffic updates.
First hand accounts of road conditions are valuable. Especially when it comes to saving time. If one courier returns to the store, and reports a traffic jam on a major route, the entire crew benefits. Furthermore, the delivery customer’s general wait time, stays reasonable. Customers don’t have to wait as long if the courier is not sitting in a traffic jam. Additionally, there is less chance that several couriers will be in that same jam. That would effectively stall a merchant’s busy dinner rush.
Time Saving Shortcuts
With this in mind, the solo courier is not in danger of stalling a busy dinner rush. The solo courier using a delivery app, relies on technology, for those in the loop updates. Furthermore, general experience, is another result of completing deliveries with a delivery app. Sometimes it takes trial and error, for an improvement in delivery times, or accuracy. In other words, it just takes experience.
One of the surest ways to find that absolute correct address, is to deliver to the wrong address. The mistake is the teacher. For example, that elusive delivery pin. When it’s on point, things are smooth, and happen on time. If it is not in the correct location, and the courier relies heavily on the pin, there’s going to be a delay in that drop-off. And yes, the pin can be in the wrong place on the GPS map. In fact, it has little to do with shortcuts, and more to do with coordinates.
Risky Road Situations
The coordinates of the drop-off location might be spot on, as far as the GPS map is concerned. However, subdivision boundaries and private land, have little regard for numerical coordinates. Therefore a pin will be in the right place technically, but in physical reality it’s not correct. For example, back to back subdivisions, that are geographically separate, via the road. The GPS navigation wants the courier to have the shortest route to the pin.
It just so happens that it’s the route to the wrong subdivision. This usually becomes apparent the closer the courier gets to the pin. The street names will be off. Furthermore, the numbers of the address will be wrong. These small details are easy to miss when driving for the pin. The pin location is important. However, strict reliance on the pin can be a costly technique. The pin should be considered a reference point. If it’s accurate, wonderful. If it’s not, it can’t lead anyone on a wild goose chase when it’s not the main focus in the delivery.
More Time Saving Shortcuts
The GPS pin in a navigation map is a big topic. There are many couriers who use it as one of their main delivery tools. Old school couriers who remember delivering without a GPS map, see the delivery pin as an asset. However, strict reliance on it is not practical. It comes down to knowing the exact location. Street signs and landmarks are highly reliable. They might get knocked down, but they don’t do coordinates. Coordinates should be the confirmation of accuracy. Not the guide.
Some couriers might think that is not so accurate, because the coordinates are the confirmation. So says the GPS map. However, Mr. Stevens, who has lived on that spot of land for forty five years, begs to differ. He does not care about coordinates in a GPS map. He just wants the stranger with the pizza bag, off his front porch. House numbers, and mailbox numbers, are real time indicators of location. They are the real confirmation, and are real world markers. Couriers can rely on mailbox or curb numbers. Furthermore, they count in a predictable way.
Delivery Situations
Either descending or ascending. Then there are even numbers, and odd numbers. Furthermore, they are on one side, or the other. These are reliable facts and do not rely on GPS map pins. When counting down the numbers by mailboxes side streets cause a change in the number system. It is usually by the hundreds. For example, the numbers on the left side of the street are odd numbers, descending. The courier sees the numbers seven hundred and thirty seven, then seven hundred thirty five. Next, there is a side street on the left. Then, the street numbers pick back up again at the six hundreds.
Sometimes that jump in numbers from the side street, is more. The point is awareness that the numbers change in that manner. When the courier knows the system, the clues become ever more obvious. Furthermore, after a while, the courier will be using real world markers to confirm the accuracy of the GPS navigation pin. That’s how it should be. Couriers should be checking the accuracy of the tools they use to do the work.
Street techniques and address insights are only part of the equation. There is an entire book on the ins and outs of apartment complexes. Additionally, that may be slightly less than true, but there could be. Apartment complexes are just like their names. Complex. Furthermore, each one is unique. Because they try to be apparently. Therefore the numbering systems of each complex are unique. Going to be there on more than one occasion? Best memorize as much as possible on each visit.
Classic Shortcuts
When a courier frequents a particular location, the shortcut paradox kicks in. This is something couriers do to save future time. It is sometimes called a learning curve. After several trips to a particular location, the goal becomes improving times in each subsequent drop-off. This is how classic shortcuts are made. Similarly some of those shortcuts are kept secret. It’s like a trade secret. The delivery field is nothing if not competitive.
It’s a friendly competition, that leads to better delivery times. After all, the goal is not to be faster than all the other couriers. The goal is to maximize earnings, while minimizing cost. Without a single compromise on the quality of service. That’s the essence of the professional courier. This is just the tip of the iceberg on time saving shortcuts for delivery. The next series of articles will deal with risky road situations and ways to avoid road problems before they begin. Stay safe out there.
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