Risk & Business Magazine Spectrum Insurance Spring 2020 | Page 25

DELIVERY SERVICE
Considerations
When Starting A
Delivery Service
F
or restaurants, offering delivery
service provides a convenient food
option for your customers. It can
also lead to increased business
opportunities for your restaurant.
However, delivery services aren’t without
their share of risks, particularly when
it comes to driver safety. When making
deliveries, employees could slip, trip, and
fall going to a customer’s door; become the
victim of a crime (e.g., robberies); or injure
themselves or others in an auto accident. If
your restaurant is starting a delivery service,
it’s critical to keep these risks in mind and
take the proper steps to safeguard your
employees and prevent potential claims.
•
wear their seat belts at all
times;
• never use cellphones when
making a delivery, unless they
pull off the road and park the
vehicle;
• avoid allowing others to ride
in the vehicle with them when
making deliveries;
• sign a safe driving policy.
Review the motor vehicle records
of any employee who operates
a company-owned or personal
vehicle for business purposes.
Delivery drivers must be qualified,
have a valid driver’s license, and
have an acceptable driving record.
• Secure the proper coverage to
protect your business, which
can include commercial auto
insurance or non-owned
automobile liability coverage,
depending on your operations.
Be sure to review your insurance
policies alongside a qualified
insurance professional to ensure
you have no gaps in coverage.
• Spread deliveries out across
multiple drivers. This can
help you avoid overwhelming
your employees, which in turn
discourages them from speeding
or driving recklessly to make up
for lost time. For added safety,
refrain from making guaranteed
delivery times. Rushing deliveries
can increase the likelihood of an
accident.
Offer training to employees to
help them identify hazards and
strategies they can use to stay safe
when making deliveries. This could
include defensive driving courses
and education on how to respond
in robbery situations. Above all, it’s
important to reinforce good driving
behaviors by reminding drivers to:
• obey all traffic laws; and
•
KEEPING YOUR DRIVERS SAFE
While delivery services tend to differ slightly
from business to business, there are a
number of general considerations to keep in
mind when it comes to protecting workers:
•
•
Screen deliveries using caller ID.
Not only does this help you trace
the location of the customer,
but it can also help you maintain
delivery records. At a minimum,
you should retain a list of all
customers, their telephone
numbers, and orders.
• Take payments through an online
ordering system or over the phone.
• Post signage on the vehicle to
deter criminals. For example,
signage could read, “Drivers carry
limited amounts of cash.” It may
also be a good idea to reduce
cash exchanges by encouraging
customers to use debit or credit
cards.
• Leverage technology—like in-car
surveillance cameras and GPS
systems—to monitor drivers and
locate them quickly in the event
of an incident. Drivers should also
have cellphones they can use to
contact your restaurant or alert
the authorities in emergency
situations.
• Refrain from making late-night
deliveries, as your employees may
be especially vulnerable to crime
during this time.
CONTINUED SAFETY
When it comes to delivery services, safety
takes the combined effort of employers and
drivers alike. It’s important to work with
your employees to craft and communicate
policies around making deliveries,
supplementing workplace procedures with
the proper training to ensure drivers stay
on the road.
However, even if you take every reasonable
precaution, accidents will still happen.
In those instances, it’s critical that
your business is armed with the proper
insurance. To learn more, contact
Spectrum Insurance Group today. +
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