Since 2020, contactless delivery has risen for a multitude of reasons. Contactless delivery is simply what the name states, where the delivery driver pursues either a food delivery or any delivery service through a zero contact delivery to minimise contact between the customer and the business.

Contactless delivery doesn’t only protect delivery drivers but can also make customers feel much safer. In this article, we will take you through why this form of delivery has grown in popularity and whether it will continue to do so throughout the future of delivery services.

Life Before Contactless Delivery

If you went back to 2010 and told someone that food delivery would arrive at your house through a contactless service, they may not have believed you! In the past decade, a whole host of new apps, restaurants and businesses have been introduced to the public.

Food services have become increasingly versatile, with customers no longer limited to the same ten pizza shops that they may have only had access to in the past. Instead, customers can now choose from a range of cuisines or even decide to do an entire grocery shop from a nearby supermarket. This meant at the start of the pandemic; food deliveries were becoming more accessible, with options for everyone’s interests.

 

The Start of Zero Contact Delivery

When the Coronavirus pandemic occurred, businesses were faced with new challenges that they had to adapt to. This partially affected small businesses because they couldn’t afford to shut their doors, but keeping everyone safe was also paramount. Ordering food dramatically rose during this time, as more public members were forced to isolate themselves under guidelines set out by the health authorities. This meant contactless delivery became the new normal, meaning all delivery services had to at least offer contactless delivery.

Contactless delivery means the customer can receive their order without breaking their isolation rules, with drivers implementing means such as social distancing and wearing gloves. In addition, many delivery services, such as UberEats offer the option to add delivery notes, encouraging customers to let the driver know of any specific rules they have for their delivery.

These notes can include the customer letting the driver know if they have tested positive for Covid 19 and therefore need this delivery to just be left on their doorstep. Or, if they live in an apartment block, there may be different rules which require the delivery driver to leave their order at reception.

Whilst businesses had to consider their customers’ needs; they also needed to consider the needs of their staff and think about how to keep them safe throughout these trialling times. This meant that delivery drivers could do what made them feel most comfortable and implement measures such as keeping a safe distance during every delivery visit they endured.

Contactless Delivery Post Pandemic

Whilst rules regarding public safety and isolation have become less severe, and contactless delivery work is still a fundamental part of delivery orders. For example, during the pandemic, many delivery partners and businesses found that minimising close contact during deliveries made customers feel safer while preventing staff from catching the virus.

Therefore, it seemed silly to stop this safer alternative to receiving deliveries, as it greatly impacted staff members and the public’s peace of mind.

Many companies offer contactless delivery as a delivery option, where the customer can request this during the checking out process. In addition, staff members and delivery drivers can also choose to be contactless delivery drivers, which can be especially helpful if they are more at risk due to health concerns.

Of course, not everyone wants contactless delivery, so there is always the option not to choose this. However, many members of the public like to see their drivers and thank them for their service and even missed this humane element of life during the pandemic.

How Does Contactless Delivery Work?

We have covered the journey of contactless delivery and why it is now such a massive part of modern-day life. But how does it work? There is much more to zero contact delivery than when the delivery driver arrives at the customer’s door. To get to this stage, companies utilise technology and specific practices.

As we said, customers can request contactless delivery through apps such as Uber Eats. So, you can tell that a massive part of this is using mobiles, websites and computers. But, starting the contactless delivery process begins when the order has been made, with contactless preparation being necessary.

The idea of contactless preparation is that fewer people are involved in this procedure. Handovers are applied to ensure only one staff member is involved in each step of the process. This is easier to do in warehouse or supermarket environments, as if drivers pick up orders from restaurants, more people will likely be involved in that procedure.

When the order is in the delivery process, it is fundamental that the customer is kept in the loop through automated updates from the delivery driver. These details include when the order is being prepared and the delivery journey itself. This will help the customer prepare for their delivery and better understand when they can expect it.

Then, when the delivery is put on the doorstep for the customer to collect, the driver should send this notification instead of ringing the doorbell to ensure no contact is involved. To guarantee the order has been collected from the customer, the driver can wait in their car to oversee this to prevent any losses or miscommunications.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we can see that contactless delivery is a significant way for customers and businesses to receive and pursue deliveries. While some customers may prefer contact deliveries or even pickup their orders, having the contactless delivery option ensures everyone at least has a choice in this service.

The only potential issue with contactless delivery is the chance that the customer doesn’t realise their order is on their doorstep. But, measures such as automated messages and updates from the driver will be essential to overcoming this issue.

Although food companies are the primary contactless delivery provider, we feel that other companies may eventually get on to this trend to ensure their company is covered in the chance another public health emergency arrives.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a contact free delivery?

Contact free delivery refers to the chance for customers to request that their order is left at their door, lobby or any other preferred spot. For example, during the pandemic, all food deliveries were transitioned to being contact free to ensure the company was safe from infections.

What does contact delivery mean?

Contactless delivery means that the delivery driver leaves the customer’s order at the door instead of knocking on the door and waiting to see and speak to the customer. Their order can be left at the customer’s preferred spot, whether that be a doorstep or lobby.

Does Deliveroo do no contact delivery?

Deliveroo is one delivery service that allows customers to choose contact free delivery during the checkout process when they place an order. Contact-free delivery is the default process in some locations due to health guidelines.