Courier tips – at least wear a towel

Couriers are knocking on hundreds of doors a day as parcel deliveries ramp up for the festive season – prompting one driver to offer a few tips to ensure you get your packages hassle-free.

Top of the list is that people ‘‘should be dressed when we deliver to them’’, NZ Post courier Sandra Gevers says.

That’s not to say being fully clothed is a must.

Gevers recalled one incident when she left a card-to-call and continued on her run when no-one answered her knocks at a particular house.

A few streets away, she noticed the customer had followed her. The customer told her they couldn’t come to the door initially because they weren’t dressed.

‘‘I said: ‘Just put a towel around you, I’m happy with that.’’’

The exception was when she delivered to a nudist camp, which she said was ‘‘very interesting’’.

Gevers has been doing the Rolleston, Christchurch, delivery route for 15 years after moving to New Zealand from South Africa.

She delivered between 280 and 450 parcels a day, and said there were several things customers could do to help increase delivery efficacy:

Ensure your parcel is addressed correctly and clearly.

If there are animals on your property, shut them away to allow the courier safe access.

If you know you won’t be home for a delivery, enable an ‘‘authority to leave’’ and specify where.

Clear obstacles out of the pathway. Ensure your house number is clearly visible from the street.

She urged people to come to the door in case their parcel required a signature – which was usually the case.