The least we could do is to say “THANK YOU”

In this digital world, technology has made things easier, and mankind complicated. From ordering food to buying machinery, everything is available at our doorstep in just one click. 

But we forget that delivery of a product is still a manual job. 

Story of Mukund who is an employee at XYZ courier company. 

I work for a delivery company that have tie-ups with hundreds of companies for their logistic approach. Every online business needs a logistic partner to get their products to reach customers. The process goes like this, customers order on the brand’s online portal, then the brand gets the product ready and packed. They book a courier company to deliver the parcel. The courier company receives the pickup request and sends the nearby courier boy to pick parcels from the warehouse. 

They scan each parcel so that it can be tracked on their online portal. The tracking number is called the Airway bill number which is further shared with customers to track their parcels. Once the parcels from the brand’s warehouse are sent to the delivery company’s warehouse from where the parcels are further sent to their required cities. After reaching the required location, the delivery boys pick up the parcels from the courier company’s warehouse and then deliver them to the customer. 

Ordering a product online is a five to ten minutes job because everything is technology-based so it is faster and easier. Whereas, delivering the product to its customers is still a manual task. 

I go to various companies’ warehouses to pick up their products. Every day, it’s a 12 hours duty. I pick up parcels from approximately 25-30 companies. I commute by bike with a big bag to put courier bags in it. We have to get immune to all seasons and diseases because, once the parcel reached its required city, it has to be delivered as soon as possible. I sometimes have to skip lunch in order to make an urgent delivery in order. 

One gloomy day, it was about to rain and I got a call “ Please get my parcel delivered, I have to go out for lunch” I told her” as soon as it will stop raining, I will come.” She requested me again

“Bhaiya baarish main ajao Mera parcel bahot urgent hai” meaning even if it is raining, please come and deliver my parcel. I told her “madam mil jayega apko parcel”. 

I delivered the parcel on time, I didn’t carry my raincoat and I was fully drenched but I fulfilled my duty and made her happy. The next day, I took medicines as I got a little fever and kept on working. 

To deliver a parcel, we make 3 attempts if in case the customer is not available to receive the parcel. The other day, I was supposed to deliver a parcel around 9 am in morning. I called the customer and told her I was on my way to deliver her package. 

She did not answer my call. I called her multiple times because I had other parcels to be delivered in that same area. I called her again and she yelled at me saying “bhaiya main so rahi hu, baad main aana” meaning “I am sleeping right now, please come later”.

I delivered all parcels in that area except her’s. Later in the evening, she called and asked me to deliver the parcel. I had to go at a far distance this time to deliver her parcel as I was on duty at some other location. But I was happy I could deliver and make her happy. Everyone loves when their parcel arrives. 

In the scorching heat of north India, we carry big bags on our shoulders and deliver parcels from home to home. Of course, this is what we get paid for. 

But we do not get paid for insults, abuses, and lack of respect in customers’ eyes. Sometimes, we are not able to understand their home, office, or other addresses. We are humans and not robots who would know all places of the world. When we ask for customers’ addresses in detail, they say “are bhaiya samjh nahi ata kya aapko” “apki rating Kam Kar denge” “yeh Kaisa delivery person hai”.

These are our daily day greetings from customers who are excitingly waiting for their packages to arrive. But I am again happy because they get happy when they receive their parcel. 

But on the contrary, there are many kind people who offer us water in the scorching heat. They ask us to wait till the rain stops. They patiently give us instructions to their home no matter how long we take to understand it. 

In these modern times, where people don’t wait much for anything, it is important to realize that delivering a package is a manual job that requires our patience. 

How can we curb this problem:

• We as a consumer need to be aware of our online orders. There are cases where people tell the delivery person to take back the package as they don’t remember ordering it. 

First of all, if you are a customer who is ordering something online, order it only when you need it and if you have got the product from some other source don’t forget to cancel it when the product is in transit, shipped or you can also cancel the order before it is out for delivery. This way you can save everyone’s time and effort.

 

• We need to be attentive about the time of delivery. All delivery persons call before they reach your home, we can spare a little time to receive the package in one round rather than asking him to deliver at another time. 

If you are a working professional you can ask your neighbors or someone who is at home to take your package, if you are not at home or out for some work. Or you can always call customer support to reschedule the order delivery as per your availability before it is out for delivery. 

• Be patient if they are confused about the location, we are only humans. 

We are all humans and it’s absolutely fine to be clueless at times. Even google maps don’t work properly at times. When you have ordered something and the delivery person is unable to find your location. You should always try to help them with patience as there might be a few areas that might be in the interior and a lot of people are unable to find such locations, including us. And it’s absolutely fine if the delivery person is unable to reach your location. You can always help them out by making them understand your location or giving them some landmarks ideas and being patient with them instead of being rude. 

• Before asking them to deliver the package in bad weather, make sure if the delivery was urgent or it can wait till the weather gets suitable for everyone to tolerate. 

Well, we all are humans and we are all prone to infections, weather changes and other harmful components. So, how our delivery persons different from us. Instead of expecting us to have our products delivered at our home at the earliest. We should definitely try to understand the situation of the delivery person and be patient with them. That’s the least we can do to thank our delivery partners by being more grateful towards them. 

• Last, all we can do is to humbly say THANK YOU for a hassle-free delivery. It can make their day and give them motivation for the rest of the day.