Delivery quality and when things go wrong

Customers do not see your route or your list. They see one thing: did the parcel arrive, and was it right? This lesson sets out what "good" means for a delivery, and what to do on the days when it does not go to plan.

Four marks of a good delivery

• On time. You arrived when you said you would. Where a time was promised, that promise comes first.
• Undamaged. The parcel is in the condition you received it. You handled it with care and kept it dry and upright.
• Correct. The right parcel went to the right person at the right address. A hand-over to the wrong person is one of the hardest mistakes to undo.
• Recorded. The record from Lesson 3 is complete, so the job can be closed with no questions.

Measuring a day

You can keep score. One simple measure is how many stops were completed at the first attempt.

First-attempt rate = stops delivered first time ÷ total stops × 100

When you cannot deliver

Sometimes the customer is not there, the gate is locked, or the address does not exist. Do not simply drop the parcel. Follow your company's rule for failed deliveries. In general, the steps look like this.

1. Phone the customer, from a safe stopped place.
2. Find out whether you are allowed to leave the parcel safely: allowed by your company and, where it applies, by the customer.
3. If you are allowed, leave it and record where.
4. If you are not allowed, keep it safe and tell the office why.

"Allowed" means allowed by your company and, where it applies, by the customer. If you are not sure, the answer is no: keep the parcel, record it and ask. A parcel kept safely can be delivered tomorrow.

Other things that go wrong

• Running late. Tell the customer and the office early, from a safe stopped place, not after the time has passed.
• Damage you find. Point it out, photograph it if your system allows and report it.
• Wrong parcel or wrong address. Do not hand it over. Check the label against the list and call the office.

What the full course covers

This short course covered the basics of preparing a delivery day, planning a route, proof of delivery and customer communication, and delivery quality. Courier Driver Training: Core Fundamentals, the full MK Global course for courier drivers, covers more of the job and puts a lot of weight on safety. It includes:

• Road safety and a driver's main duties, with the vehicle walkaround you do before each shift.
• Defensive driving, road hazards and managing fatigue.
• Safe lifting and handling, and how to load and secure a vehicle.
• Looking after customers at the door, and planning your route with a worksheet.
• What to do in an emergency or accident, followed by a final assessment.

See Courier Driver Training: Core Fundamentals on our products page.