Delivery Driver: What is the cost of hiring?
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Delivery Driver: What is the cost of hiring?
As of April 2022, the average number of jobseekers per delivery driver jobs in Australia is 18.
a delivery driver: What is the cost of hiring?
As of April 2022, the average number of jobseekers per delivery driver jobs in Australia is 18.
Why hire a delivery driver?
As the link between your business and your customers, delivery drivers play a crucial role in your commercial success. Skilled delivery drivers help keep your customers happy by making shopping easier and ensuring they receive their products in good condition and in good time.
Contributions of a great delivery driver:
- Ensure products are delivered to customers efficiently and safely
- Communicate with customers when there are issues with the delivery and ensure high levels of customer satisfaction
- Install products such as furniture or electronics for customers
Deciding between a full-time vs freelance delivery driver
In Australia, businesses employ delivery drivers on a full-time, part-time or casual basis, depending on their needs. Many delivery drivers operate as independent contractors, meaning that they work for themselves and can be hired for occasional or one-off jobs. It may be beneficial for you to hire a delivery driver operating as an independent contractor if you don’t have a consistently strong demand for deliveries.
One benefit of engaging an independent contractor is that they will have their own vehicle and provide all of the necessary equipment, such as dollies and trolleys, so you can keep your costs down. A disadvantage is that you have less control over independent contractors than you have over employees. An independent contractor performs services based on an agreement that you negotiate with them. The contractor is free to choose how they work (unless specified in the agreement) and is free to accept or refuse any additional work.
What are the different types of delivery driver?
Delivery drivers deliver pretty much any item that can fit in a car, van or truck. The main differences between the different types of delivery drivers are the items they deliver, the vehicles they drive and the level of physical fitness required. Here are some of the most common types of delivery driver:
- Food delivery driver: Delivers all kinds of food to customers, including takeaway food, groceries and meal kits or pre-made meals, which are becoming increasingly popular. For this job, the vehicle doesn’t need to be large, and many food delivery drivers use their own vehicle.
- Package delivery driver: Driving a company-owned truck or van, this type of delivery driver collects packages from a distribution centre and delivers them to customers. As packages can be heavy, package delivery drivers need a decent level of physical fitness.
- Courier: Picks up items from a customer and takes them to a designated address. Couriers deliver a wide range of items, including documents and regular mail, packages and bulky items, such as pallets of stock. They sometimes even package items for customers.
- Furniture delivery driver: Loads, transports and unloads furniture. Physical strength and fitness are essential, as furniture can be heavy.
- Medical courier: Collects and delivers items, including medical supplies, pathology specimens and medications, to hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
Where to find a delivery driver?
To find the right delivery driver for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:
- Advertise on your vehicles: If you have a fleet of company vehicles, you have moving billboards. Consider putting an ad on your vehicles to let people know you’re looking for staff. Make sure the ad isn’t too long, so that people can easily read it as they drive past. It only needs to be a few words and should include a number to call.
- Ask for referrals: Does someone in your team have a friend or perhaps former co-worker who would love to join your business as a delivery driver? Asking your employees for referrals is a great way to find new staff. If the new
employee
already has a connection with someone in the team, they are also more likely to settle in quickly and get along with their colleagues.
- Hire from within: One of your current employees might want to make a lateral move to working as a delivery driver or, depending on your needs, they could potentially combine the job with their current role.
- Hang a ‘help wanted’ poster in your business’s window: Advertising with a poster in your window helps to spread the word and attract people who might like to join your business. This can be particularly effective if you get heavy foot traffic.
Post your job online: Try posting your delivery driver job on Indeed to find and attract quality delivery driver candidates.
Skills to look for in a great delivery driver
A great delivery driver candidate will have the following skills and attributes as well as work experience that reflects:
- a valid, unrestricted driver’s licence (depending on the vehicle, it might need to be a light rigid, medium rigid or heavy rigid licence)
- a good driving record
- a solid understanding of vehicle safety
- excellent customer service skills
- physical fitness and an ability to lift heavy items
Writing a delivery driver job description
A thoughtful description is important for finding qualified delivery driver candidates. A delivery driver job description includes a compelling summary of the role, a detailed list of duties and responsibilities and the required and preferred skills for the position.
When writing your job description for a delivery driver, consider including some or all of the following keywords to strengthen the visibility of your job posting. These are the most popular search terms leading to clicks on delivery driver jobs, according to Indeed data:
- delivery driver
- driver
- truck driver
- driver delivery
- delivery
- courier driver
- van driver
- driving
- HR driver
Interviewing delivery driver candidates
Strong candidates for delivery driver positions will be confident answering questions regarding:
- driving safety awareness
- customer service
- previous driving record, including any accidents or incidents
- maintaining documentation, such as route and vehicle maintenance logs
- awareness of traffic rules
Need help coming up with interview questions? See our list of delivery driver interview questions for examples (with sample answers).
*Indeed provides this information as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your recruiting or legal advisor, we are not responsible for the content of your job descriptions, and none of the information provided herein guarantees performance.
