The hand-over is the moment the whole day is for. Done well, the customer is happy and the record protects you. Done badly, you end up arguing about a parcel that "never came". This lesson covers the record you leave behind and how you talk to the customer around it.
What proof of delivery is
Proof of delivery, often called POD, is a record that shows a parcel was handed over. It might be a signature, a photo, a code the customer reads out, or a note in an app. Your company decides the method. Your job is to make the record complete and true.
It matters because someone will eventually ask: the sender, the customer or the office. A good record answers in seconds.
Strong and weak records
| Weak record | Stronger record |
|---|---|
| A scribble with no name | A signature and the printed name of the person |
| "Left at reception" | "Left at reception with the security guard, name noted, time noted" |
| Marked delivered while still driving to the stop | Marked delivered only after the hand-over |
Rules that keep you safe
- Never sign for a customer, and never record a delivery that has not happened.
- If your company allows you to leave a parcel with someone else or in a safe place, write down who or where, and take a photo if your system lets you.
- Check the parcel with the customer before they sign. A problem noticed together is easy to record.
- If nobody is there, follow your company's rule for a failed attempt. Lesson 4 covers this.
Customer details are private
Your list and your records carry names, phone numbers and addresses. Treat them with care. Use them only to complete deliveries, do not share them with people who have no need to know them, and do not post photos of parcels or documents that show them on social media or in open chat groups. Your company will have its own rules for personal information, so follow them.
Talking to the customer
For many customers, the driver is the company. Three moments matter.
Before you arrive
If your company allows it, contact the customer when you are close, but only from a safe stopped place, never while driving. Give your name, your company and roughly when you will arrive. A customer who is expecting you is easier to find.
At the door
- Say: who you are, which company you are from, and who the parcel is for.
- Check: that the person in front of you is the one named, and let them look over the parcel before anything is signed.
- Record: take the signature or code, then finish with a plain thank you.
When it goes wrong
A parcel is late, damaged, or not what the customer expected. The customer may be upset. You cannot fix everything at the door, but you can do three things.
- Listen to the whole complaint before you answer.
- Say what happened and what you will do next, in plain words. For example: "I am sorry about this. I will record the damage and tell my office today."
- Only commit to what you control. A refund or a new delivery time is for the office to agree, so say that you will pass it on.
Do not blame the sender or a colleague. The customer wants a next step, not a story.
- A proof of delivery shows who, when, where and the condition.
- Check the parcel with the customer before they sign.
- Never sign for someone, and never record a delivery that did not happen.
- Keep customers' details private and follow your company's rules.
- When things go wrong: listen, say the next step, do not over-promise.