I think we can all agree that at some point in our lives, we’ve patiently waited at home for a parcel to arrive. Maybe the parcel arrived on time; maybe they tried to deliver though you never heard the door; or maybe they never turned up in that window so you missed it. But have you ever taken a second to wonder what it’s like to be your local DHL courier?
Your frontline workers are brand ambassadors
Tasha, Suman, Asia and I recently had the opportunity to go out and ride along with a courier for the day. We experienced everything from packing the van, to driving around their delivery area. Our aim was simple, to step into the couriers’ shoes and see how they were living the DHL Promise, ‘Excellence. Simply delivered’, how they behaved as the frontline brand ambassadors, and what they thought about the training programmes they’d been on.
Our biggest takeaways
The DHL couriers we were with exemplified customer focus and professionalism at every step of the way. Here are our biggest takeaways from the day:
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They don’t use Google Maps! All of the couriers we were out with knew their delivery areas inside and out. Tiny side streets and country lanes included! It was impressive to see them navigate the roads in those big vans with finesse. By knowing the roads so thoroughly, they can plan their routes down to the second (avoiding road works and typical traffic hotspots) to get your parcel to you on time.
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They know their customers – on every route, they had regulars who they deliver to most days or everyday. Watching the customers light up when they saw their courier, and then having a good old chinwag with them was so lovely. The couriers we met are incredible brand ambassadors, and genuinely love interacting with their customers. The simple human touch of asking how their holiday was or how their family are was thoughtful, and it had a tangible impact on the customer’s day.
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It’s a very tiring day! They arrive at 7am to load their vans (even knowing whether a parcel is theirs or not simply by the address, no technology required!), then begin deliveries sometimes in and out of the van within minutes of each other. They are met again at midday by another driver with MORE parcels, before heading back to the service centre to unload any undeliverable ones and debrief for the day. Phew!
A laser focus on the customer makes all the difference
The four of us had such a great time! The highlight for all of us was definitely having the opportunity to spend time with the couriers and chat. We spoke about everything from politics, to their DJ
careers, to travel, and music (for me, a personal highlight was the hour listening to Kisstory and debating old school garage). To see them interacting with the customers, and taking a genuine interest in their lives and wellbeing showed the great customer focus we expected from DHL.
A new appreciation for couriers
I’d never taken the time to think about what it’s like to be a courier. There are a lot of mental and physical demands of the job – from driving that much every day to always being the smiling face of DHL. They all did this with exemplary skill and expertise! Next time my courier comes, having navigated the busy streets of London, I’ll take the time to talk with them and hope to make their day, like they do for so many others.
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