How to Crush Amazon Courier Delivery: Top Driver Hacks
In December 2020, almost half a million drivers were contracted to deliver packages for Amazon. Since Amazon does most of its deliveries through contracted help, these drivers play an important role in getting packages delivered.
If you want to succeed in Amazon courier delivery, there are some tips and hacks you can use to make your job easier.
Use your smartphone
We already use our smartphones so much, so this might be an obvious answer to some of you. But, you can use your smartphone for many of the other hacks later on in this article. If you can think about it, there’s an app for it!
The main benefit of using your phone for Amazon courier delivery is that you can plan and schedule everything you need to do in one place. You can pick delivery jobs, schedule reminders, look up addresses, track metrics, and review gas prices in your area all with your smartphone.
It’s a useful tool to have, so it’s a good thing most of us already have a smartphone. We just have to use it wisely.
Have good insurance
Car insurance is another expense most of us already view as necessary. Since many people use their vehicles to commute to and from work, insurance makes sure that an accident wouldn’t set you back too much.
If you use your vehicle as an Amazon delivery driver, this is more true than normal. Your job will involve driving all the time. Because of that, your chances of getting into an accident, whether you’re a good driver or not, go up.
Insurance is vital to make sure that you can get back to delivering without breaking the bank trying to find a new car to use.
Keep extra boxes available
If you’ve received a package before, it’s frustrating to see it arrive scuffed or smashed. Your imagination brings up fears of someone trying to steal your package. Or, you view the delivery driver as careless since they wouldn’t protect your order. No matter which one comes to mind, it isn’t a nice view of you, the driver.
By keeping some boxes of different sizes on-hand, you can make sure that a package looks good when delivered. Your best practice would be to keep boxes of various sizes around so that you can match the original box as best as you can.
Carry other essentials
There’s even more stuff to have on-hand than just what we talked about above. Here are some other things to keep around, and why:
- Your Drivers License: This is an easy way to ID yourself, especially if you’re in an accident or pulled over.
- Proof of Insurance: You want this around to prove you have insurance in case of a car accident.
- A Car Charger/Power Bank: Since the job gets done through your smartphone, you want to keep it charged as much as possible to mark deliveries as done or receive more routes.
- Snacks/Water: Keeping some water and healthy snacks in the car means you don’t have to waste time stopping to get drinks or snacks somewhere else.
If you can keep these items with you while delivering for Amazon, you’ll be prepared for almost anything the job can throw at you.
Plan out your routes
Driving from house to house on your delivery list is simple, but making it efficient is much harder. Unless you know your area in great detail, you might not be making your routes as fast as they could be.
We have an app that helps plan out your route to make it easier for you to do your deliveries faster. Rather than looking up all the addresses and planning it yourself, Circuit Route Planner works out the best order to do your deliveries based on distance and location.
Are you ready to see how easy it is to create optimized and efficient delivery routes with Circuit Route Planner? Try it free today on iOS and Android.
Record your miles
Since you’re a freelance worker for Amazon as a contracted driver, you have to manage your own expenses. Besides gas costs, miles on your vehicle will also count for your taxes when you have to do those.
Whether you log all your miles manually or with a tracker app, keeping track will help you get the most out of your tax return each year. Also, keeping track of your miles means you can see if you’re working for loss—something we really want to avoid!
Don’t leave packages unattended
The things that people order are important to them. So, that means it’s important to take care of the packages in your care. This includes making sure that packages are placed in an area that they are accessible only to the person getting the package.
Whether this is placing the package somewhere that isn’t out in the open or using a lockbox on the property, make sure you don’t leave packages unattended. With the spike in package theft in the last few years, you have to keep an eye out for ways to keep the package in the hands of who should be receiving it.
Don’t ignore issues; resolve them
If you’re having issues with the Amazon Flex app, with your routes not lining up for your area, or any other issue, don’t just let it sit! Issues can’t get resolved unless you talk to someone. So, make sure you reach out for help when you need it.
Most issues have a solution already listed on the Amazon Flex FAQ. If you have a different problem or don’t see yours listed, the support number for drivers is at the bottom of the webpage. If you call that number and explain your situation, someone will be able to help you out and get you back out on the road!
Amazon courier delivery: Conclusion
Being a delivery driver is a great way to start off with Amazon. In time, you could find a way to work your way up into a higher logistics position or lead you to own a delivery company. If you’re interested in seeing what Amazon logistics has for you, then check out their Logistics webpage and think about us when you get accepted!
