Health, safety measures to consider when receiving a parcel

"We have seen our e-commerce revenue more than double. But that comes with responsibility - not just to ensure the parcel arrives safely, and on time ­- but ensuring that there are added safeguards to protect the lives of both our drivers and our customers," explains Hilton Eachus, chief customer officer at DPD Laser t/a Dawn Wing.

Image source: Gallo/Getty

He adds: "Those that get up every day to provide frontline services to the public are heroes, and each party in any transactional environment needs to respect the space and distance of the other, whether that be at the supermarket till, or at one’s front gate receiving a parcel.

"While we need to respect social distancing, we also need to consider 'transactional distancing' with regard to the personal space of those we are serving, whether that be a delivery driver, a petrol pump attendant or a cashier. Many people squirm when they have to touch a credit card machine, knowing that many people have touched it before them. With technology that doesn't have to be the case," adds Eachus.

He outlines a list of measures that South Africans should know when receiving a parcel, not only from a Covid-19 standpoint, but also from a security perspective. Any quality parcel express company should send you a photo of the driver and the registration plates of the vehicle. "This is how Uber has always operated, and Dawn Wing employs this type of technology, critical to personal, business and home safety, in this strange new normal we find ourselves in," adds Eachus.

Dawn Wing proposes seven health and safety measures:

• Delivery drivers must wear a mask and sanitise their hands on arrival
• The driver should place the parcel on the recipient’s doorstep and stand two metres back
• The driver will ask for the recipient’s name and record it on a handheld device, and with permission, will take a photo of the premises
• The driver will then ask for permission to email a link to the recipient to sign for the parcel, and will confirm their cellphone number
• The recipient clicks on the link, which opens a screen that displays three options:
• Sign on the customer's own screen
• Then 'quick tap' to confirm receipt of the parcel
• Or there’s an option to query the delivery, which will trigger a call from a call centre to resolve the matter
• The recipient clicks ‘submit’ on their screen
• The driver receives a confirmation and departs

"We are taking time to share this information because it can be overlooked. Many forget that when e-commerce booms, so does the express parcel industry – we are the ones fulfilling the logistics. Buying online still means receiving the parcel. This brings into the spotlight the education of consumers, in terms of quality assurance, and the highest levels of attention to hygiene and safety. Right now, people just want to know their parcel will arrive safely, on time, through a trusted supplier."

"Consistency and reliability are the foundations of good express parcels business - it comes down to the intelligence and commitment of your team to do the basics right and deliver on every promise," concludes Eachus.