A parcel left in the wrong place is usually regarded as a customer service failure. But what if the real problem started much earlier in the delivery chain?
A recent Logistics & Transport Network discussion about courier earnings quickly developed into a wider debate about working hours, delivery targets and whether the economics of modern parcel delivery are contributing to the service problems customers complain about.
Several responses illustrated the tension.
One customer described a parcel being left on a doorstep at around 1.10am, on a main road with regular pedestrian traffic. Yet rather than simply criticising the driver, the contributor said they also felt sympathy for couriers working at such hours.
Another contributor complained about parcels being delivered to the wrong address, while others reported delayed or missing deliveries.
These are serious issues for carriers and the retailers whose brands ultimately depend upon the delivery experience.
But drivers responding to the debate described a working environment in which high parcel volumes can meet long days and tight economics.
One example suggested a driver delivering around 120 parcels could be working from early morning depot preparation until approximately 5pm once the return journey and unloading were included.
Another former courier said fuel costs made the work uneconomic for him almost immediately.
That raises an operational question that should interest retailers, carriers and logistics managers as much as employment campaigners.
At what point does pressure on cost begin to damage delivery performance?
If a courier has too many stops, insufficient time per delivery or an economic incentive to complete as many parcels as possible in the shortest period, behaviours that appear inexplicable to the customer may become easier to understand.
- Safe locations become less carefully assessed.
- Doorstep waiting time becomes costly.
- Unsuccessful deliveries become disruptive.
- And every minute spent resolving one difficult stop places greater pressure on every remaining delivery.
None of this excuses poor service.
The customer has paid the retailer for an item and has every right to expect it to arrive at the correct address, in good condition and within the promised service window.
But blaming the final-mile driver alone risks overlooking the way the delivery system has been designed. Retailers increasingly judge carriers on price, tracking capability, delivery speed and service levels.
Perhaps another question belongs in that procurement process:
Is the delivery model financially sustainable for the person carrying out the work?
Because if the answer is no, poor driver retention, rushed deliveries and inconsistent customer service should not come as a surprise.
Cheap delivery may save money at the checkout. The eventual cost could appear somewhere else.