Life of a Delivery Driver
dispatchNINJA took to the road to get hands on experience about what delivery drivers go through day to day. We also spent time with a dispatcher and how they have to multitask and think on their feet. Being a delivery driver is not as simple as it seems – you need to be customer-service oriented and problem solve, all while operating a vehicle safely.
Delivery drivers are responsible for making sure a package or product gets to the customer as efficiently as possible without any delays or damage. Their duties include car maintenance, driving within a certain area in varying road conditions, troubleshooting customer issues, processing payments, handling the product safely and tracking deliveries/admin work.
Many delivery driver work part time while having a full time job. Some drivers work full time and even on holidays where there may be a surge of orders. They may also be subject to dangerous weather conditions – for example, customers don’t want to drive outside when it’s snowing so they order a meal to eat at home.
They need a variety of skills to be able to succeed in the business:
Customer Service: The delivery driver is responsible for making sure the customer gets what they expect. Have you ever received the wrong order from a restaurant or cold food? Even if the driver themselves cannot resolve it, they work with the customer to escalate the problem to the right people.
Problem Solving/Time Management: These two go hand in hand. As drivers know, a certain issue may come up that can throw off their entire schedule. It is important for them to figure out a solution to get back on track when these things do arise. For example, there may be a parade in town that closes off many of the main streets while causing traffic around the area. It’s up to the driver to figure out a different route to the customer. Being a delivery driver also means there is a downtime when they don’t have any deliveries to make. It’s up to them to use their time wisely but be ready when they are needed.
Driving Skills: Last but not least, delivery drivers should have a clean license! It’s crucial for them to know how to operate a vehicle safely while under time constraints. They must also operate a clean vehicle that can handle certain distances.