The whole truth - how couriers work at InPost

Interview with Simon, a courier and carrier at InPost.

See current job vacancies for courier positions:

- Courier Szczecin

- Courier Warsaw

- Courier Warsaw

- Courier Ełk

How did you end up at InPost?

I entered the industry completely by accident. I was working at a pallet depot and in addition the company was providing haulage services for DHL. One day a colleague who was driving a van fell ill. I replaced him
and I already knew that this is what I wanted to do. It's been 12 years now and I haven't changed my mind. I was drawn to InPost by a colleague. He simply called and suggested it. I, in turn, also pulled my brother into the industry.

What do you like about the job?

There is no question of boredom. The day flies by so quickly and every day is different. I started out as a courier without a car, then I invested in my car: Ford Transit. After three years I have 9 of them and I employ couriers myself, I am a carrier. Of course, I still drive to customers. I drive because I like it. Let me put it this way: if you like being active, meeting people and, above all, driving. This is the job for you.

What do you need to have to become a courier at InPost?

Willingness and a category B driving licence. We employ people, with or without their own cars. However, personal predisposition counts. While the topography of the districts is easy to learn during training, personal culture is not so easy. We are looking for people who fit in with the company's image and can make a good impression. It's a question of vocabulary and familiarity, but also dress code.

Farewell to the tracksuit?

At work, yes. We wear courier attire, which means dark trousers and preferably combat boots for comfort reasons. We get a company fleece and a T-shirt. Full boots, also dark. And a tracksuit? Why not, but at the gym. After all, many couriers benefit from the employee Multisport package.

What does a courier's working day look like?

At 6 we meet at the warehouse. Ours is in Kraków. There, a quick meeting of the whole team, sorting parcels and arranging them in transport cages. We leave for the regions around 8
and we set ourselves a route for the day in the GPS. By 12 o'clock we are usually delivering parcels and then the send-offs start. We work until 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon. There are also those who work faster. It's all a question of good organisation.

Are there delays?

Bright. We usually assume a student quarter of an hour per customer. That's how long we can wait for a collection or for a package to be unpacked. Of course, only if it is necessary. In cities, there are days when 10 stops can be made in an hour, and also days when only two stops will be made. Traffic jams, accidents, writing up a report - it happens.

Does the customer really need to check the package with the courier?

No, he has 14 days to do so. Each of us has a business terminal and a phone in one. We leave customers our number where they can report a consignment defect. We then write up a protocol.

Do you often have to cool your customers' nerves?

As in life: there are people and people. Recently, a customer who was not at home when I delivered a package called in the evening and wished me to deliver it to him immediately, even though it was long after my working hours. Usually, however, customers understand the nature and difficulty of our profession. I remember very well an elderly lady near Krakow who ordered products from Gdansk. I guess she did it quite infrequently, because when I handed her the parcel, lunch and warm coffee were waiting for me. The lady thought I was coming straight to her from Gdansk. I had to rush on, which caused her even more surprise.

Is the courier always in a hurry?

Usually yes. There are days, like Monday or Friday when there is less work. Each of us, depending on the area, has a minimum of 50 parcels to deliver in a day. The busiest time is on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the so-called post-weekend peak, when customers mostly buy online. There are usually more parcels then.

What do you deliver to customers?

I don't know, we don't look into them. They are in cardboard boxes, and often foiled. Of course, by the sender we are able to guess what is inside, but we do not collect such data. Our aim is to get the parcel from point A, to point B and to clear it if it is COD. We deliver parcels weighing up to 33 kg to the customer.

That's a lot.

A parcel like this is no problem for someone who knows how to lift it. You need to take care of yourself to avoid so-called occupational diseases: hernias or back pain. It's good to remember this, although it varies in a hurry.

Do you need to have cash?

Now we have terminals that make settlement much easier. I make no secret of the fact that it was troublesome waiting for customers to withdraw money at a nearby ATM. This delayed subsequent deliveries. However, there are still customers who prefer to pay in cash. Of course, they still can.

While we're on the subject of money. How much does a courier earn?

Usually on an employment contract, his salary varies between 2,500 and 3,500 PLN net. If the candidate does not have a car, he or she can apply directly to InPost, which will refer him or her to a carrier from the appropriate area. The carrier will provide the courier with a company car. A courier with his own car is employed as an InPost carrier, in which case he is paid on a bi-weekly basis depending on the number of deliveries and pickups made. If you want to drive for InPost, you can also respond directly to a carrier advertisement found on the web.

Is it a fixed salary depending on experience?

Experience probably helps, because an experienced courier knows how to plan a route to deliver more parcels. In this industry, however, it all depends on the number of parcels. The more we deliver, the more we earn. In the run-up to Christmas we have up to 60% more parcels. It's a hectic time for us, because many buy presents at the last minute, and someone has to do Santa's job after all.

Does the courier work alone?

Each of us gets our area. Sometimes when we need to help someone, we swap packs. We have a nice team. It's very fun during the morning meetings. Outside we have to be professional and focused, it's only in the so-called 'off' that we swap our better stories.

Will you share any?

And there you go, from the last few days. I was delivering a parcel from one of the well-known clothing chains. As it was a cash-on-delivery parcel, the customer should have paid beforehand. She didn't want to do this until she had tried on all the products. There was a lot of it!

Any message at the end?

If you like active work and are not keen on sitting still all the time, plus you are open-minded and comfortable behind the wheel. You are welcome. The world belongs to the brave!

Thank you for the interview