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Delivery into communal flats

Started by dfl, 21-05-20, 04:38PM

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B.O.B

Not a flat with a communal entrance, but I had a similar one the other day - the delivery was to a business, and there was no external doorbell - just one at the opposite end of a room to the (open) entrance door.  With Covid in mind and coupled to the current procedures around delivering to businesses, I deduced the safest thing all round was to leave the tray liners at the point of entry to the building and give them a call to say it was there - a procedure I’ve used at multiple addresses and which multiple customers have been extremely grateful for. 

Unfortunately, the receptionist at this particular business has always had her own way of wanting to do things... in the past she’s wanted us to take the trays down some corridors and into one of the other rooms, and stand there while she unpacks everything one tray at at time and ticks everything off on her list as she goes.  We’ve frequently been there in excess of 10 minutes whilst she does this - on multiple occasions a driver has offered to help unpack, but she’s insisted that she has to unpack herself as she needs to tick everything off.  She’s also been told about the timescales we have to work to, but is still insistent that she has to do it her way.

On this occasion, I called and explained that due to the current situation regarding Covid, I was unable to enter the building, but the shopping was at the entrance for them.  Her response was a curt “Oh.  Well the last driver brought it in.”  I politely explained that he really shouldn’t have due to the situation, and her next response was a very sharp and rude “Well you’ll have to come back for your trays then.”  I replied that it was in bags, not trays - and she hung up.  I of course reported this back to store immediately.

Aren’t some people charming?!

helpme

Thats the standard response by awkward customers, 'the last driver did it'.

gomezz

How about replying to that with "The last driver didn't last!"   :D
"The progress of the kart is more important than its direction"

ikilleduku64

#28
I'm being forced to go up stairs by a manager who is upset after getting too many complaints, and decided to go to an investigation.

He said he wants to transfer me out on a flexibility clause, but wouldn't this be abusing the clause as it has to be for a sound business reason to make a change.  Along with having dyslexia and maths dyslexia and anxiety.

? who knows what I can do? help  :(

Katarn2000

You need a good Union rep.

ikilleduku64

If it's optional depending on health and safety and you occasionally bring some.back to the store as customer refuse to take it upstairs can you get fired for it

gomezz

If your dynamic risk assessment says not safe then you are covered.
"The progress of the kart is more important than its direction"

Grommit

Quote from: Katarn2000 on 01-12-20, 02:20PM
You need a good Union rep.

Hahaha. We need a good union first.

helpme

Firstly, it's in the T&C which all customers agree to that drivers only have to go to the front door or main entrance of flats and no further. Past that is down to the discretion of the driver. Secondly, with nearly everywhere in tier four there is basic H&S to be considered and no driver should be going any further. You have to protect yourself and your own family and that should come first.

gomezz

Thankfully only had one flat this evening and that was a ground floor through the french windows so no hard decision to make.
"The progress of the kart is more important than its direction"

Commonsense

#35
Well, just remember there are runs that are nothing but flats, and usually 5 or so ambient full - and in some deliveries, 50 bottles of cola or more or water... perhaps the cat lady too.  Come freezer, oh... full.  Yes, this is usually every bloody shift.  Edit:  You can have between 11 to 16 drops, all flats, rarely just one trip up and lucky if you can get parked outside.

gomezz

I accept I am lucky to work a semi-rural area with few flats.  But then again I would not want to do the job in a big city and a time of life when I can afford not to have to.
"The progress of the kart is more important than its direction"

BMW-E90

#37
Since before I started way back in 2015, The management have as always left the flats/apartments blocks issue deliberately vague! H&S waffle which means nothing and hangs the driver out to dry! Reality is they don't care as long as you knock out your deliveries.

Terms like "at drivers discretion" should not even be in the terms and conditions. It's either we do deliver to 2nd, 3rd flat, enter the town house and deliver to flat C, D which is effectively a 4th floor delivery or we do not. And they make it specifically clear to the customers.

We should not be having verbal's with the customer. They have been relying on the good grace of the drivers for far too long. Throw in the pandemic and some customers are still expecting you to come into their town house entrance and getting the hump when you say you cant!

Thank god I'm not a full timer now!

Customer x

Quote from: dfl on 21-05-20, 08:44PM
Biggest issue I see is there still seems to be some customers(not many) I've had want to start a confrontation about why you won't bring it up, citing "some of the other drivers do", "why not" amongst other confrontational comments. Could only mean to me Tesco are not making it clear enough to customers that this is our right if we wish to exercise it. Whilst I feel truly sorry for people who are shielding I have older relatives and myself to think about and that comes before ANYONE else's shopping
what if the customer has covid. Would you rather they come into the communal area?

Customer x

Quote from: uklions on 22-05-20, 01:11AM
Absolutely agree my elderly parents both in 80s more important then someones shopping! main entrance only and sorry but you have to come down and collect it

would you rather the customer with covid come into the communal are

heavychox

If the customer has covid, why have they not put measures in place to accept their shopping ( neighbours/relatives picking up etc )ensuring the safety of everyone? Why is it assumed the driver is immune from any disease and no customer forethought regarding this?
We are on the frontline and at risk too, but this part seems not to be taken into any consideration, sadly.

BMW-E90

I still don't understand why we are bringing shopping into townhouses. Flat 1,2,3 or A, B, C, etc. These are not communal apartment blocks where it's a long walk from the entrance to the flat. Where there's appropriate room to maintain social distances. Customers in townhouses should be told they have to come to the front door with bags and collect their shopping!

ikilleduku64

So is it the drivers job to go upstairs in a block of flats or not? Managers are forcing staff upstairs

MrAmbient

#43
Quote from: ikilleduku64 on 08-03-21, 11:35PM
So is it the drivers job to go upstairs in a block of flats or not? Managers are forcing staff upstairs

From the Week 50 (week beginning 08/02/21) Dotcom weekly newsletter:
QuoteDelivering to flats
Customers and colleagues have told us that there is some confusion concerning information on delivering to residential flats and business addresses. The procedure that colleagues should follow didn't quite match the information on the website.
We have reworded the FAQ to avoid any further confusion. The following is now live on the website.
Please continue to follow all current social distancing guidelines to keep yourself and your customers safe.

From the website FAQ:
Quote​How Do You Deliver?
To help keep you and our delivery drivers safe, they are following social distancing guidelines. This means they will keep a 2-metre distance from you and won't come into the property, unless it is one of the exceptions below.

If you are a vulnerable, disabled or elderly customer, you can ask our delivery drivers to take your shopping inside your home. They will do so, providing they believe it is safe and practical. Unfortunately, they won't be able to enter your home if you are self-isolating.​

For deliveries to a residential apartment block, we will generally deliver to the front door of your apartment. However, we reserve the right to deliver only to the main entrance of the property if the driver believes it is unsafe or not practical to deliver to your apartment front door.

For deliveries to a business address, delivery will only be made to the ground floor communal area/entrance.

I left a few weeks ago, but my general view was that I didn't mind doing proper blocks of flats (i.e. with lift/communal area that was -you would hope- cleaned by staff/contractors), but I wouldn't do the townhouse style flats, unless the manifest had the 'vulnerable' note on it for that customer, or they opened the door and would obviously have difficulty. I generally found that most of the townhouse style would open the main door armed with bags anyway. For the proper blocks of flats, I generally phoned the customer from outside to go through subs and stuff to limit face-to-face conversation in an enclosed area, and if they had tray liners, I asked them to leave their own door closed until I gave them a knock (by which point I'd set the tray liners down by the door and was able to be a sensible distance down the corridor by the time they opened it.

helpme

The T&C's which customers agree to say only to the main entrance of flats, past that is down to the discretion of the driver.

breadbaconandbeans

What do you do as a driver when delivering to flats and van is way out of sight? Do you take you personal phone and wallet and bag with you in your pocket or leave in van.
I delivered the other night and only place to park was next to a gang of teenagers so took my phone and wallet with me. Has anyone ever had anything stolen from the van with a window being smashed?

gomezz

Why would you leave your phone and wallet (and house / car keys) in the van at any time?  What is in the bag while annoying to lose would not be so much of a inconvenience.  Once had to lock the bag in the chiller when the cab locks were not working.
"The progress of the kart is more important than its direction"

breadbaconandbeans

Lack of space in the summer of pockets to carry everything in when no fleece as too hot

gomezz

Ah!  I have wallet in one trouser pocket, keys in the other trouser pocket and my phone in a belt holster to one side well away from being bashed by trays as I carry them.
"The progress of the kart is more important than its direction"

horatiocain

I've never left anything valuable in the van, as they're easy to break into, you should keep everything you don't want to risk in your pockets.

Always remember your saftey is critical and if it's not safe to deliver don't.

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