What makes a good courier – an individuals perspective

Being a courier or delivery driver is a very front facing/customer service type role. You may be wondering how this can be so as many courier and delivery drivers appear to be just driving around all day and having limited interaction with anyone else. The point about this, is when those interactions do occur, these are the most important parts of the chain. It is how courier and delivery drivers interact with customers when they hand over their parcels, or sort any problems out, which can make or break a delivery companies’ reputation. In our latest blog post, we take a closer look at some of the skills that make couriers champions for their companies.

1) Customer service skills.

No surprise is it from our introduction? Any courier needs to be people orientated and enjoy interacting with all different types of people. Interacting with someone is one thing, but knowing how to be respectful, professional and make someone feel valued is quite another. Employers always look out for these types of qualities in people when hiring potential couriers and delivery drivers.

2) Good knowledge of the local area.

Whilst you don’t need a degree in Geography to be a courier, having sound knowledge of where you live (or more specifically, where you will be delivering) stands you in a very good position. Whilst we know nearly everyone has a Sat Nav these days, so there is really no excuse to get lost, this is often no substitute from knowing fully where you are from learnt experience. Sat Navs can sometimes drop out or not be aware of short cuts and temporary local roadworks for example. This is where personal knowledge can be very useful.

3) Likes driving.

If your idea of using a vehicle for work is to get from your house to a job, then a courier or delivery driver role will not be for you. Driving is not surprisingly a big part of a courier’s role. Employees need to be confident on the road, driving at all times of day and in all weather conditions. Driving is something which demands a lot of energy and concentration so if you are the type of person that switches off easily or gets bored very quickly, then it is unlikely that this role will be for you.

4) Flexibility.

Being a courier can often mean that things change or get amended, and someone needs to be flexible enough to be able to adapt and adjust to this. As a courier, some times of the year can be fairly quiet while others can be very busy. Flexibility to be able to cope with all manner of pressures is what is required also.

5) Reliable and punctual.

Courier companies and delivery business are often on tight time schedules. If the courier offers same day delivery (such as us here at Rock Solid Deliveries,) the importance of being on time is of the most importance. When selecting employees, those who have a good track record of being reliable and punctual is essential for obvious reasons.

6) Organisation skills.

Another important quality of a courier is driver is being organised. Think about this, when you are out on a delivery round, you will have many parcels which need to be delivered to different places. You will need to plan the best route and the most logical way of doing this. There is why exceptional organisation skills play a big part.

Want to know more about our company values and what makes us great couriers? Click our link to find out more.