Online shoppers are urged to not take their aggressions out on couriers during the upcoming peak shopping season.
A spokesperson from CouriersPlease said reports showing 69 per cent of Australians will shop online for Christmas presents this year are an indication that aggression towards couriers is tipped to increase.
“The company’s Franchise Partners are doing their best and working long hours to get the large volumes of parcels delivered as quickly as possible,” The spokesperson said.
“CouriersPlease is expressing concern about abuse, assault, intimidation, threats, targeting of delivery vans and even parcel theft – some of which is already being directed at its couriers.”
CouriersPlease CEO Richard Thame said delivery drivers would be working tirelessly to meet demands and asked parcel percipients to be considerate and courteous.
“We’re asking everyone to please show a little patience and respect,” he said.
“We know the festive season can be incredibly stressful. However, the kindness our couriers and customer service teams receive fuels their work and helps them go the extra mile.”
To facilitate the best chances of a smooth parcel delivery, the CouriersPlease spokesperson shared three tips for online shoppers:
1. Double check the address
2. Be ready for delivery.
3. Consider safe drop spot on your property.
Mr Thame said cases of aggression are few, but every worker had a right to be safe and respected on the job.
“Any incident is one too many, and – as online shopping rates skyrocket ahead of Christmas, thanks to mega sales such as Click Frenzy and Black Friday – we need to prioritise the safety of our couriers,” he said.
