How to Shorten Your Delivery Times
As a delivery driver, it’s critical to be able to get the packages to your customers as quickly as possible. If you take too long, people will start to get upset and you will risk losing business. The good news is that there are a few simple tricks you can use to cut down your delivery time.
Double-Check Everything at The Start
Before you leave the depot, you should take a few minutes to check that all the items you need to deliver are in the truck. There is no worse feeling than realizing mid-way through a run that you have forgotten something and having to go back to the depot. Not only is this embarrassing, but it will also chew up a lot of time.
Have A Systematic Way of Storing Packages?
When you are packing the truck, you need to think about the order that you will be visiting each customer. This ensures that the packages will always be close to your grasp. The last thing you want is to waste valuable minutes digging around the back of your truck to find where everything is.
Plan Your Route Carefully
One of the most important tools delivery drivers have in their toolbox is delivery routing software. This will make delivery route planning easy. You will be able to plot the ideal order to visit each of your customers. This software will take factors like distance and traffic conditions into account. Even better, it will provide clear directions, so there is no chance that you will get lost.
Check The Address
When you arrive at the location, it’s a good idea to double-check what address you are meant to be delivering to. Sometimes, you might end up accidentally knocking on the customer’s neighbour’s door. While these misconceptions might get cleared up quickly, they will still be sucking up time.
It’s also a good idea to double-check the number of packages you are meant to be delivering. Nothing is worse than getting back to the depot, only to realize that a customer had multiple packages. Sometimes, your delivery route planner software can help you keep track of this aspect.
Don’t Hang Around
Sometimes, you will knock on the door only to find out that a customer isn’t available. You can try giving them a call and seeing how far away they are. If they don’t respond, you should just put the delivery back on the truck. You can try again tomorrow. This might be frustrating, but it’s better than facing a lengthy delay.
Keep Improving
Delivery drivers should always be looking for new ways to improve their skills. There are lots of ways that you can do this. For example, you might want to try to load the truck faster or reduce the wait time for each load. Keep your eyes open for these potential opportunities.
Conclusion
The goal of any delivery driver is to reduce the amount of time it takes to get the goods to the customer. There are plenty of easy ways that you can do this. As long as you take some of these tips on board it shouldn’t be long before you start to see an improvement.
