working for DHL?

BigBoy

just seen a job advertised for a self employed courier for DHL- anyone any idea how much they pay? and what is involved?

huddsman

If it is anything like Business post it is real hard work and not very lucrative. I worked for Business Post as self employed for a little over a year. First of all you need your own vehicle (van) which has to be reliable and insured as a commercial vehicle (not cheap), I cannot remember the exact rates of pay but you are paid for what you deliver. It is approx 50p per delivery. This is Ok if you are on an industrial estate where you can be making 2 or 3 deliveries to each unit, you can quickly make £20+ in no time, but the problem is when you are delivering to outlying areas ie private houses and farms you can spend half an hour getting to a farm and find no one at home (for 50p!). If no one is home and you take the parcel back to the depot you do not get paid for that parcel so that is why there is such a vast differance in driver performance, If you work for Business post as an employee and find no one at home then you just leave a card and return the parcel to the depot but if you are self employed you will bust a gut to find a neighbour or local shop or pub or anywhere to take it in. Once you have delivered your load you will start collecting and again you are paid per collection. As you are driving round you will constantly be getting calls saying collect here and there and anywhere. You need an excellent knowledge of the area you are delivering in. I had lived in my area for 40 years and it was not until I worked for Business post that I realised how little I actually knew. On top of this a lot of deliveries are timed ie before 10:30 and am delivery so you find yourself driving round in circles and driving past deliveries because you have no time to stop because you have a timed delivery (which you get a few more pence for). If you are late for a timed delivery then you do not get paid for it.
My day started at about 6:00 when I turned up to a massive pile of parcels which I had to sort out into areas and times and then load onto my van. I then raced around all day like a lunatic delivering and collecting. You will find that everybody wants collection at 10 minutes to 5 in the afternoon but definitely before 5 as that is when they close and your collections can be 5 miles apart with heavy traffic inbetween! I would finally get back to the depot about 6:00pm to unload so I would do a 12.5 hour day Monday to Friday. I would also deliver on Saturday (but not collect) because Mondays were almost impossible to complete. If you want a holiday you are self employed and have to get someone to cover for you but you can imagine how difficult that is! If you are ill you do not get paid.
I used to get a cheque for all work done about 10 days after the end of the month, so all work in December got paid for about the 10th Jan. You need to keep copious notes on every delivery because pay was often wrong (never in your favour). I finished about 4 years ago and think I was averaging about £1,500 per month, but this was HIGHLY variable (maybe £700 in July when everyone is on holiday and £2,500 in December) I had to pay all my van costs from this (diesel, insurance, servicing etc). I used to advertise in the local paper and move settees etc at weekends and evening to help.
It is very very hard work. I have utmost respect for the white van man, so next time you see one pushing into traffic or parked in a bad place just remember they not trying to annoy you they are just trying to earn that extra 50p!
I nearly forgot to mention the few obnoxious customers you meet they can really make your day!
I only ever had one good day where I was delivering to a big house where I delivered regularly. I turned up and there was a Merc in the drive (someone at home) and I took the parcel to the door and there was a sign "Delivery man, please leave parcel in the green bin. Thank You" So I walked around the back of the house spotted the green bin and put the parcel in, as I turned around I glanced through the window (kitchen) and the "Gentleman" was sat at the table but stood next to it was a "Lady" (not his wife) dressed in a maids outfit. The maids outfit was low cut (breasts out) and I swear she had a feather duster in her hand and a small frilly cap on, well I burst out laughing (as you would), she screamed and scarpered and I laughed all the way home.
I did a few more deliveries to this address but nobody ever answered the door and I never saw her again.
That is my ONLY good memory of being a self employed courier. It is a hard job for little reward, but, at the time I was desperate for work and we are getting back to that situation again. It is better that being on the dole, but not a long term prospect for me.