Delivery driver ratings can make or break your logistics operations.
Habits that seem small—like a missed update or careless handling—can seriously damage your drivers’ reputation and brand image.
This article discusses 12 key behaviors that could hurt your delivery driver ratings and practical steps to address them.
1. Ignoring Safety Protocols Impacts Driver Ratings
Safety comes first, and if customers see your delivery drivers skimping on safety protocols, they will receive bad delivery ratings and feedback.
Here are some of the main culprits that can get your delivery drivers into trouble.
- Not wearing a seatbelt
- Driving recklessly
- Neglect vehicle maintenance
Your driver is likely in a branded vehicle, which means he/she is representing the brand. Not obeying main traffic laws can send a wrong message to customers that the business is operating recklessly.
Delivery management software and fleet management software help drivers keep their vehicles in good condition while also keeping them accountable for obeying basic rules.
Delivery management software helps delivery driver ratings
What is delivery management software? It’s a digital platform used to plan deliveries, schedule orders, and optimize routes for deliveries.
Many businesses use delivery management apps to improve customer satisfaction.
Learn more about delivery management software.
Fleet management software helps delivery driver ratings
Fleet management software, on the other hand, can also help your delivery drivers.
Good fleet management ensures that you follow a regular maintenance schedule and are notified when something goes wrong with your fleet.
Steve Orenstein, CEO and founder of delivery software service Locate2u says fleet management software can address the many concerns fleet managers may have.
Learn more about fleet management software.
2. Never Deliver Damaged Goods
Delivery drivers must never leave packages that are visibly damaged at a customer’s front door without notifying them or the employer.
That’s where Proof of Delivery is vital. It helps the driver to acknowledge in what condition the parcel was dropped off. If there is a dispute with the customer later on, this could save his job.
3. Delivery Drivers Must Not Be Late Without Communication
Customers want to know when a delivery will be late. They plan their day ahead and carefully select a delivery time window that suits them best.
If a delivery driver fails to respect their time, they can easily give your drivers a low rating.
If, for some reason, there is an unavoidable delay, it’s best that drivers notify the employer and the customer to ensure there are no wrong expectations.
How can route optimization help delivery driver ratings?
You don’t want your drivers to be late in the first place. If they are not stuck in traffic or on congested roads, there will be no need to let customers know about the delay.
Route optimization software helps drivers plan the shortest and most effective route.
Learn more about route optimization.
4. Never Disregard Customer Instructions
You’ve heard about ‘the customer is always right,’ but in this industry, it’s better you also learn never to disregard a customer’s instructions.
Delivery instructions are there for a reason. It means a customer wants the delivery to be executed in a specific manner, and failing to do so will cost you dearly.
Make sure you follow instructions carefully, which may include:
- Using a specific drop-off point.
- Handling a parcel in a specific way.
- Placing the parcel in a specific spot
If you are scared that the customer might call your actions into dispute, this is why Proof of Delivery software is ideal. You can take photos and check specific instructions that you’ve followed through with as per instruction.
5. A Rude Delivery Driver Gets Poor Driver Ratings
Never respond to customers in an unprofessional manner, no matter the circumstances. Yes, even if a tip is bad.
A DoorDash driver once made news headlines for cursing a customer after she gave him a $5 tip on a $20 order. The driver commented that she had a nice house for someone who tips that bad.
The driver was subsequently fired.
6. Don’t Leave Packages Unsecured
Leaving packages in an unsafe space will cost you dearly.
More than half (60%) of Americans are concerned about porch piracy. 65% of US citizens are planning to shop exclusively online for the majority of their holiday shopping.
If your delivery drivers don’t know where to leave the parcel, it’s best to communicate directly with the customer or leave a PoD note.
7. Never Falsify Delivery Updates
Drivers update the status of their deliveries on their side, which customers then view. In some instances, delivery drivers log incorrect statuses by accident. They are human, after all.
But this could have serious implications. It could lead to an unhappy customer giving the driver poor ratings.
Geofencing technology can help with this to avoid human error. Locate2u offers geofencing events, which helps businesses set up rules to automate the status updates.
It marks a job completed when the driver exits a geofence. “Maybe if the driver leaves 100 m from that delivery point, it can automatically complete that delivery,” says Mark Power, chief of product at Locate2u.
Learn more about geofencing here.
8. Handle Packages Carelessly Results In Bad Driver Ratings
Every now and again, delivery companies go viral on social media for mishandling customers’ parcels. This is a massive assumption in the industry that all couriers throw parcels around to make up time when under pressure.
But this could impact not only your driver ratings but also the brand.
Australia Post workers became the center of a viral post last year when a video was taken showing how workers threw parcels into a delivery van.
Industry Advice on the Parcel Mishandling Problem
Orenstein says parcels being thrown around is a challenge, not only for Australia Post.
“This is a challenge that happens across every single logistics business globally. Ultimately, you are relying on individuals doing deliveries. And sometimes individuals will do silly things.”
He suggests that regular staff training is needed to ensure drivers are aligned with the company values.
How can a business prevent this kind of backlash and get the driver to earn a higher rating?
- Training and educating drivers
- Ensuring drivers value each parcel
- Motivating and creating a culture of ‘do the right thing’ through rewards and incentives
Parcel delivery: Expectation vs. Reality #Shorts
9. Ignore Customer Privacy = Poor Driver Ratings
Think about it, you have access to vulnerable information from your customers once you have their details to drop off a parcel.
This information is sensitive. The last thing you want is to let your customers doubt whether your delivery drivers are using their information responsibly.
Customers can give poor delivery driver ratings and even take legal action if they are suspected of doing the following:
- Share personal information by discussing customers’ addresses with outside authorized personnel.
- Post photos of the delivery, like package labels and home numbers, on social media.
- Dispose of delivery labels or receipts with customers’ information in public bins.
- Use customer details for personal reasons, such as contacting them outside work by saving their number.
10. Bad Move: Eat, Smoke, or Use a Phone During Delivery
Unprofessional behavior can land your delivery drivers in hot water. Yes, delivery drivers are on the road for long periods of time, mostly under immense time pressure.
However, it gives them no right to misbehave and tarnish your brand’s name.
Here’s what are no-go zones for delivery drivers:
- Eating on the job comes across as unprofessional and messy.
- Smoking on duty or near the delivery vehicle is a bad idea, especially when handling food or medical supplies.
- Using phones while interacting with customers gives the impression that they are not a priority to the driver. Let’s avoid that.
- Handling parcels with unclean hands is also a no-go.
11. Don’t Show Up Unprepared
Your delivery driver arrives at an address but has no idea if it’s the right house. He takes a note out of his pocket with an address scribbled on a dirty piece of paper.
No customer wants to be served by an unprepared delivery driver, it results in bad reviews. It makes you wonder if the delivery parcel handed over is correct.
Showing up prepared builds customer trust and reduces the risk of messing up the delivery.
12. Never Abandon a Delivery Attempt Too Soon
Delivery drivers who are under tight time pressure during peak seasons might not be as patient as those who are willing to wait a few minutes. Never assume too quickly that a customer is not at home when there is no immediate response.
In many instances, the customers might be old and require more time to get to the door.
Insufficient effort to contact the customer can lead to a delivery attempt or failure. However, it can also translate into an average rating and negative feedback.
Never ignore alternative options, like checking with the neighbor or seeing if there is a secure space to leave the parcel.
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About the author
Mia is a multi-award-winning journalist. She has more than 14 years of experience in mainstream media. She's covered many historic moments that happened in Africa and internationally. She has a strong focus on human interest stories, to bring her readers and viewers closer to the topics at hand.
