Hey guys!
Yes, it's me again, Steven. No, I have not kidnapped Aunt Gertie, she's not tied up anywhere – and I haven't taken over her blog, either. In fact, while last time it might have been me imposing on her, this time she was the one actually asking me to write a second post! So you see, there's nothing to worry about – all of this is intentional and perfectly coordinated!
And while last week's post was a goofy thing describing a film I'd seen with my daughters, this week we'll actually be discussing something that's seriously relevant to the readers of this blog. See, I know most of you guys are delivery service drivers, just like me, and – unless you're all amazing veterans – I know at least some of you will be struggling with some aspect of your driving or another. You may think you're too slow, or not knowledgeable enough, or your van is a clunker – the point is, I bet very few of you are 100% satisfied with yourselves as drivers. Even I – a bloke with some experience and who by all accounts does a great job – kick myself over some little thing or another all the time!
That's why I've put together a little list of three tips that may help you improve your delivery service. Of course, these are not going to work for everyone (different people respond to different things), but I can tell you they all worked for me when I was first starting out – hopefully, the same will be true for you. So without further ado, here are Stevie's tips for improving your delivery service.
Time Yourself
Time is one of the most valuable commodities for a delivery driver. Whether you are your own boss or you work for a larger outfit, you are more often than not going to be cramming as many jobs as possible into a tight schedule. This may not be a problem for a skilled driver, but when first starting out you're likely to struggle. A great tip to reduce your total time for each delivery is to time yourself, either during practice runs or in the course of your work. If you focus on being a little faster with each delivery, you'll likely find seconds being shaved off the clock without you even noticing.
Find Shortcuts
A good delivery service driver knows there's always more than one way to get somewhere. If you tend to visit certain areas often, it may be a good idea to familiarise yourself with the lay of the land. You'll likely find any number of useful shortcuts you can use at a later point. Over time, taking these will become second nature, and your reaction time is likely to improve considerably as a result.
Eat On the Go
Lastly, I'll be sabotaging my Aunt Gertie's livelihood by telling her readers to not stop for lunch or a snack. It may seem tempting, but remember – every second you spend at that roadside cafe counts towards your average! Once you fine-tune your timings, you'll be able to relax a little, but until then, best to just grab a sandwich and take off again.
These three simple tricks helped me tighten up my performance when first becoming a delivery service driver. They may seem useless or daft, but if you're a rookie struggling with their timings, give them a try - you may be pleasantly surprised!
- Steven
