Hello, darlings!
Well – the first week of our little experiment didn't go badly at all, did it? You lot seem to have enjoyed the post about receipts, and I got quite a bit of feedback along the lines of 'you're right, young 'uns do need to know this'. There were even some real-life examples thrown in from some of you! I'm happy that my little post has been so well-received, and I hope this one goes over as well as the previous one, even though it's about a very different subject.
And what subject is that, I hear you ask? Well, this time around I thought I'd talk about the way same-day delivery has changed the way courier work is carried out, and the expectations of customers when ordering packages from a retailer. Are you ready? I hope so, because here we go.
Great Expectations
From what I've read, consumer expectations are actually the main reason the possibility of same-day delivery has affected courier work in general. Since companies like Amazon and eBay are able to offer it, consumers expect every retailer to be able to, when sometimes that's just not possible. I'm guilty of this myself, I have to admit.
The fact is, drivers are only human, and they can only drive so fast according to British law – which means, sometimes, a same-day delivery just won't be possible. So when you're told an item can't be delivered on the same day, don't just assume the company is giving you the run-around - use your common sense.
Don't get me wrong, though, darlings: while consumers should be a little more lenient with courier drivers who can't make the delivery on the same day, companies should try to ensure their promises are met. What I mean is, if you offer a same-day delivery service, you should strive to make sure your drivers are up for the task – don't just hide behind the excuse that they can't drive any faster as a way to get out of providing good customer service! That does and should open you up to customer complaints, and nobody wants those!
What Changed?
Customer demands aren't the only aspect of courier work same-day deliveries have affected, though. Far from it. The possibility of having items delivered on the same day they're ordered has caused many companies the need to adjust their operations in order to make them quicker. It's no longer possible to have an order signed off and ready to go days in advance; nowadays, this needs to be done 'on the fly'. Fortunately, this has not been a huge issue so far, as most courier companies have been able to adapt. Even so, these companies need to make sure they can keep up the pace in the long run, so they don't fall behind.
So there you have it: two ways in which same-day delivery has affected courier work. Are there any others I forgot? Or did I pretty much cover it? Write in and let me know!
Until then, ta-ra!
Gertie
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