Walmart asking employees to deliver packages on way home from work

[vienna]

Saw this and thought I'd share:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2017/06/01/walmart-is-asking-employees-to-deliver-packages-on-their-way-home-from-work/

I'm not sure if this is a trend that should catch on and spread to other occupations:

Center for Disease Control -- "Say, Bob, on your way home, could you drop off these Ebola samples to the downtown branch office?"...

Nuclear Regulatory Commission -- "Shirley, be a dear and deliver this armed suitcase nuke to our field agent on your way home."...

Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) -- "Say, we're really backlogged today; do us a favor and drop off this unstable nitroglycerin to the field lab."...




<O>

[Catfish]

... and please let your mobile on, in case we have a pot-noodle emergency for Steed at 3 a.m.

[Jimbuna]

If financial renumeration hadn't of been involved I would have said this could be the thin end of a very thick wedge.

[Mike Abberton]

Wait until the first employee gets in an accident on the way to deliver a package (or God forbid attacked by the recipient) and files a workers compensation claim. They might rethink using unscreened, untrained employees to perform deliveries.

Mike

[Gargamel]

There's nothing new or controversial about this idea.

First off, a lot of the major carriers (Fedex, UPS, etc) sub contract in some areas to private citizens using personal vehicles. As long as walmart is entering into the correct legal agreements with the employees, and they are not being forced to do this, then this is no different than that.

This is not the first major supplier to do this either. I used to order from McMaster Carr a lot, a major industrial supplier. Their catalog is many many times larger than walmarts. I happen to live about 20 minutes from one of their four national distribution centers, so this is unique to my area, but I could order something as late as 2pm and have it hand delivered to my work or house by 4-5pm. Apparently they have employees that volunteer (for extra pay) to deliver stuff on their way home.

It's a great boost to customer satisfaction, knowing there is a good chance to get something within a few hours, or the next day. And in my case, the guy delivering it might actually get to know what I/we are doing, and might be able to help customize our next order for our project.

[em2nought]

And in my case, the guy delivering it might actually get to know what I/we are doing, and might be able to help customize our next order for our project.

...or he might case your joint. :03:

I don't see anything wrong with it, employees should be thankful for a paycheck. As an owner I have to do little things on my way to and from work for my business every week. Businesses get a bad rap from one side of our government all the time. Who did more "good" for this country, Henry Ford or Obama?

...and they get paid overtime for it? Sign me up, I might make more than I do here. lol

[STEED]

... and please let your mobile on, in case we have a pot-noodle emergency for Steed at 3 a.m.

Sounds good for next Thu/Fri I'm working into the early hours. Pot Noodle 3am in the morning sounds good to me. :) :03:

[Red October1984]

Well I've just been hired to work at Walmart so we'll find out if this is a thing. :haha:

[HW3]

Congratulations on the job Red!!!

[Red October1984]

Congratulations on the job Red!!!

Thanks! I've been on the job hunt for 3 weeks now and I'm glad to finally have a purpose again. :haha:

[Mike Abberton]

There's nothing new or controversial about this idea.

This is not the first major supplier to do this either. I used to order from McMaster Carr a lot, a major industrial supplier. Their catalog is many many times larger than walmarts. I happen to live about 20 minutes from one of their four national distribution centers, so this is unique to my area, but I could order something as late as 2pm and have it hand delivered to my work or house by 4-5pm. Apparently they have employees that volunteer (for extra pay) to deliver stuff on their way home.

It's a great boost to customer satisfaction, knowing there is a good chance to get something within a few hours, or the next day. And in my case, the guy delivering it might actually get to know what I/we are doing, and might be able to help customize our next order for our project.

I order from McMaster Carr as well. Local warehouse is in New Jersey, and just about anything I order before 4-5 pm is at my office the next day. Amazingly good service from MMC.

Mike