Being a delivery driver is more than just knowing how to drive. It’s also about being accountable for the packages they’re supposed to deliver and delivering excellent customer service.
A major part of the reputation of your last-mile delivery business lies in the conduct of your drivers. One driver misbehaving can lead to negative reviews, bad word of mouth, loss of business, and your years of hard work being in vain.
That’s not all; you also need to ensure your drivers drive safely, follow the routes as instructed, and deliver undamaged packages. This is why delivery driver training is a must for every final mile delivery business.
This article aims to provide the ultimate guide and a delivery driver training checklist to help you understand the best practices of training delivery drivers. There are essentially four types of training your drivers need. These are discussed below.
#1 Customer-Oriented Service Training
This training is the most important for making a great delivery driver. Delivery driving is a customer-facing role, which means your drivers must be friendly and pleasant and be accommodating of customers’ requests. No one wants to receive a package from a grumpy delivery person.
Did you know that, according to a report, many customers stated that they consider delivery experience when making their next purchasing decision?
In fact, 16% indicated that they will take their business elsewhere after even one bad delivery experience.
So, your delivery driver training program must include modules that emphasize customer-oriented delivery service.
Your drivers should not only be responsible for the goods they deliver but should also be held accountable for how they treat your customers. Train them to resolve conflicts, if such a situation arises, instead of creating them.
Simply put, make sure your delivery driver training program contributes to increasing the good stories about your delivery drivers on the internet. It will only add to the reputation of your last-mile delivery business.
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#2 Software Training
The Google Maps route planner is ideal when you need to travel from Point A to Point B; it’s not efficient when you have to deliver at multiple locations. So, unlike, say, driving an Uber, you cannot make your delivery drivers depend on Google maps to deliver at multiple stops.
Instead, you need an advanced map route planner to plan well-optimized routes with accurate driving directions from one place to another.
Also, the multi-stop route planner should not require a steep learning curve and your drivers should know how to use it properly to leverage the benefits.
For example, they must be able to use the route planner for turn-by-turn direction, get eSignatures from customers as proof of delivery while delivering items, scan barcodes, and add images or notes wherever necessary.
#3 Safety Training
Possibly the most important on this list is safety training. It’s important to hire drivers with a calm and patient temperament to ensure the safety of your customers as well as to protect the reputation of your company.
The things that you should include in your delivery driver training course are:
- Say yes to defensive driving – Aggressive driving might mean delivering more items in less time, but at what cost? The cost might not just be your brand image, but also human lives. And, in case of an accident, you would have to pay up hefty amounts as compensation.
So, make sure you have strict modules that emphasize defensive driving in your delivery driver training program. You can read our defensive driving 101 to get started. Also, use a commercial GPS tracker to monitor your drivers in real-time and ensure the drivers are following what you taught them.
- Say no to distracted driving – You need to ensure that your delivery drivers don’t engage in distracted driving which could prove fatal to them as well as to your business.
Basic guidelines, such as avoiding grooming in the car, multitasking, eating while driving, and using a cell phone, are a good start. Read these seven steps to reduce distractions and include your training module accordingly.
There are other types of basic safety driver training you need to impart, such as driving on icy roads, collision prevention, and harsh cornering. You can read about our winter driving safety tips and train your drivers accordingly.
Delivery driver safety training would obviously differ for long-haul truck drivers and local courier delivery drivers.
Also, you can use an intelligent driver training solution that will monitor your drivers’ driving behavior, then personalize and assign training lessons accordingly, monitor their progress, and confirm that they’re learning what they need to learn.
Having said that, the safety of your delivery drivers is your responsibility too, as much as it is theirs. Driving long distances to deliver items can be tiring. So, ensure that they’re well-rested and get enough time off from their driving jobs. Again, an advanced route planner app can help here.
For example, Route4Me offers a Driver Breaks feature that helps insert adjustable break stops into the already planned routes. The software will automatically choose the most optimal location and stop sequence for the insertion as well as recalculate the route’s time and distance accordingly.
You can insert breaks after a specific time your drivers spend on the road or servicing customers, after a particular number of visited locations, or the defined elapsed time of the route.
The feature also allows you to predefine the duration of each break and choose from multiple insertion options. Read our article to learn how to reduce driver fatigue with Route4Me’s driver breaks feature.
#4 Loading and Unloading Orders
This may seem unimportant and obvious, but you would be surprised how many complaints are filed every day by customers because their items were mishandled during delivery.
Your delivery driver training course should include training on how to load and unload orders into the truck so there are no damages.
You should also train them on how to deliver items safely in case the recipients are not present to accept them. A little extra effort and a little more time spent to ensure the proper delivery of items can go a long way to win over customers’ trust and loyalty.
So, what does your delivery driver training program look like?
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