The work of messengers and couriers is to allocate documents, information, and small packages for institutions, businesses, and government agencies. Messengers and couriers pick up and deliver important business packages, documents, and letters that require be sending and receiving quickly within a local region.
Job Prospect
Messengers and couriers have to use vans and trucks for bigger deliveries such as conference materials and legal caseloads. These workers ensure that the transmitted items to reach its exact destination on the prescribed date, time, and even hour. Couriers and messengers deliver important items when a sender does not trust other ways of delivery. These important documents may include airline tickets, passports, important legal documents, medical samples, and financial documents.
Messengers and couriers receive their instructions by telephone or in person by reporting their office. They may receive instructions via wireless data service or radio. Consequently, they pick up the items and move it to the destination. After every delivery and pick up, they ensure with their dispatcher to receive instructions. At times, a dispatcher may contact them while they are between reroute and stops them to pick up a new delivery.
Most messengers and couriers spend ample amount of time outdoors. Generally, they keep track of deliveries and attain signatures from individuals receiving the items. Some messengers and couriers deliver items within a specified area such as a metropolitan or city area. Overnight or mail delivery service is the most preferred delivery method for items, which require going longer distances.
Sometimes, messengers and couriers carry out items for their employers, often in bank, law, financial institution, and medical laboratories. Some of these workers may act as one of the parts of the internal mail system of an organization. Usually, they carry out items within the firm's buildings or only in one building.
Many messengers and couriers work for courier or messenger services. They get paid for their work that may include picking up items from customers and deliver them to the specific destination within the local region. Some of the workers are paid on a commission basis.
Messengers and couriers reach their specified destination by a variety method. Many workers drive motorcycles, cars, and vans to deliver the items. Some of them travel by foot, especially, in urban areas or making a delivery in nearby places. Messengers use bicycles when they make deliveries in overcrowded urban areas. Generally, courier or messenger services hire bicycle messengers.
Work Environment
Messengers and couriers spend utmost amount of their time alone making deliveries. Courier and Messengers who deliver items by bicycle ought to be physically fit. They also must deal with all kind of weather conditions as well as hazards of heavy traffic. Truck, van, car couriers should, sometimes, carry out heavy loads with a hand truck.
These workers have to cope with many difficulties while delivering such as traffic jams, parking situations, road construction, etc. Usually, they work Monday through Friday, nonetheless, weekends and evenings hours are common. Couriers and messengers have to cope with following responsibilities.
Responsibilities
Educational Qualification
Usually, candidates who wish to get into this field need to have completed a high school diploma. Most of the employers offer on-the-job training to their employees. Candidates must have good communication skills, driving record, and sense of direction. These workers need to be aware of local areas.
Most employers prefer to employ candidates who have good knowledge of computers, business equipments, and other electronic office. Additionally, good written and oral communication skills are necessary because interacting with dispatchers and customers in an essential part of some messenger and courier jobs.
People who wish to work as independent contractors for a delivery or messenger service may need to have an inspected and registered vehicle, driver's license, insurance coverage, and a good driving record. Some messengers and couriers who are employees need to provide and maintain their vehicles. However, some organizations have spare mopeds or bicycles that their riders rent for short period.
Messengers and couriers have limited advancement opportunities. Nevertheless, one opportunity for advancement is to learn dispatching service requests by phone.