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Had some issues with an amazon delivery and talked to the driver about fixing it for next time. They shrugged and said amazon pays like crap and the driver tur

by sliken 9y ago

Had some issues with an amazon delivery and talked to the driver about fixing it for next time. They shrugged and said amazon pays like crap and the driver turn over is high. So high that I'd likely not get the same driver for my next delivery. Does seem like a bad way to run a business. Seems strange for amazon to propose entering into a house instead of just selling a locked box that you and deliveries could use.

TheAdamAndChe 9y ago
> Does seem like a bad way to run a business. This is how businesses maximize profits nowadays. Nearly all new jobs since the recession have been unstable contract jobs, and nearly 40% of workers nowadays don't have stable jobs[1]. This is why even though unemployment is incredibly low, inflation has been flat: workers lack the leverage required to experience wage gains. [1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/elainepofeldt/2015/05/25/shocker-40-of-workers-now-have-contingent-jobs-says-u-s-government/#6528a52514be https://www.forbes.com/sites/elainepofeldt/2015/05/25/shocke...
user5994461 9y ago
As in all labor intensive industries that require no particular skill. Turnover is not an issue, it's a consequence. You can't significantly improve the job and the work conditions, it is what it is. You can't pay more, that'd impact costs too significantly. The consequence is high turnover and you can't fix the root cause. Lucky you, there is an endless supply of fresh blood that can and are willing to do the job so it's a viable business model.
- noobermin 9y ago
  You seem to forget there were and are companies like fedex and ups that deliver things just fine and don't have these issues. It might have something to do with how they train and pay their employees.
  - user5994461 9y ago
    Let's not idealize the situation at other delivery companies. Delivering is not a dream job. It'd be interesting to see how much business is B2B and repeated addresses for UPS/Fedex vs Amazon. Amazon is likely to be distinct. High amount of one off consumers. Varying routes every day. Customers being away during delivery. Exactly what ruins a delivery company.
    - TheAdamAndChe 9y ago
      > Delivering is not a dream job. Maybe not now, but it used to be. You say that the job and work conditions can't be improved, but the fact that they were better before proves that your statement is false.
      - user5994461 9y ago
        What the hell are you talking about? Did you ever do delivery work? It's simply not great. I'll reckon, any job was better 50 years ago when rent was a fraction of a salary and you could provide for a family on a single income.
        falcolas 9y ago
        On a single blue-collar income, no less. My father, a lineman for Ma Bell, purchased a house and 5 acres of land for $100,000 (in today's funds), and is still receiving retirement funds. He was forced to retire at 50 - a dream many of us today will never realize.
    - abandonliberty 9y ago
      >Let's not idealize the situation at other deliveries company. Delivering is not a dream job. It's not your dream job. My last cab driver immigrated 16 years ago and has been driving 5pm-5am shift for the last 7 years. Full time delivery is a dream in comparison. I don't think he could send his kids to college on Uber. It's healthy compared to desk work, doesn't require any extensive training, and relatively low stress. Be cautious when predicting the behavior of others.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
noobermin 9y ago
This applies to almost all of the gig economy.
- TheAdamAndChe 9y ago
  It's a shame for workers that delivery driving is now a gig. Historically, it was a stable, good paying career, something to work towards within USPS. But hey, at least shareholders are getting a better value. edit: It seems like any comment not intensely pro-capitalistic ends up downvoted. You folks need to realize that while capitalism is a fantastic method of maximizing wealth generation, it's not perfect. Our lower-middle class is shrinking while our lower class is growing because of the loss of jobs like these. The fact that I'm getting downvoted for pointing this out is a bit surprising, given the generally levelheaded comment section this site usually provides.
  - toomuchtodo 9y ago
    Amazon PE ratio is insanely high. Even shareholders aren’t getting better value. Amazon is abusing drivers, fulfillment workers, and AWS engineers (so I’ve heard) because they can get away with it. It’s a shame really.
    - TylerE 9y ago
      I would argue that they are. Amazon has low profits because they blow all of them into capital expansion, not because they aren't making them.
abandonliberty 9y ago
The humans are only there until they figure out robots. Then they can rejoin the poorly paying gig economy and hopefully get paid enough to have things delivered to them by their replacements.
sfgeek 9y ago
And said box would have to be bolted down and made of very strong materials. Very expensive. And letting a delivery person into your house is a very bad idea, even if they don't make it past the threshold. They see that 100" TV and then their buddies break into your house 2 weeks later. Good luck getting Police to look into it. Amazon is trying to cut losses from stolen packages, and get you to pay for it. Via buying one of their cameras. Unless you have Cameras covering every inch of your property. And they don't allow other brands of Cameras.
- moonka 9y ago
  Just having packages hidden in a box that is always out there rather than in the open will have an effect. A lock that slows them down by several minutes would also help. A lot of these type of crimes are largely crimes of opportunity.
synicalx 9y ago
> Seems strange for amazon to propose entering into a house instead of just selling a locked box that you and deliveries could use. I strongly suspect that streamlining deliveries is a pleasant side effect rather than the intended goal of this.

by sliken 9y ago

TheAdamAndChe 9y ago

> Does seem like a bad way to run a business. This is how businesses maximize profits nowadays. Nearly all new jobs since the recession have been unstable contract jobs, and nearly 40% of workers nowadays don't have stable jobs[1]. This is why even though unemployment is incredibly low, inflation has been flat: workers lack the leverage required to experience wage gains. [1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/elainepofeldt/2015/05/25/shocker-40-of-workers-now-have-contingent-jobs-says-u-s-government/#6528a52514be https://www.forbes.com/sites/elainepofeldt/2015/05/25/shocke...

user5994461 9y ago

As in all labor intensive industries that require no particular skill. Turnover is not an issue, it's a consequence. You can't significantly improve the job and the work conditions, it is what it is. You can't pay more, that'd impact costs too significantly. The consequence is high turnover and you can't fix the root cause. Lucky you, there is an endless supply of fresh blood that can and are willing to do the job so it's a viable business model.

noobermin 9y ago
You seem to forget there were and are companies like fedex and ups that deliver things just fine and don't have these issues. It might have something to do with how they train and pay their employees.
- user5994461 9y ago
  Let's not idealize the situation at other delivery companies. Delivering is not a dream job. It'd be interesting to see how much business is B2B and repeated addresses for UPS/Fedex vs Amazon. Amazon is likely to be distinct. High amount of one off consumers. Varying routes every day. Customers being away during delivery. Exactly what ruins a delivery company.
  - TheAdamAndChe 9y ago
    > Delivering is not a dream job. Maybe not now, but it used to be. You say that the job and work conditions can't be improved, but the fact that they were better before proves that your statement is false.
    - user5994461 9y ago
      What the hell are you talking about? Did you ever do delivery work? It's simply not great. I'll reckon, any job was better 50 years ago when rent was a fraction of a salary and you could provide for a family on a single income.
      - falcolas 9y ago
        On a single blue-collar income, no less. My father, a lineman for Ma Bell, purchased a house and 5 acres of land for $100,000 (in today's funds), and is still receiving retirement funds. He was forced to retire at 50 - a dream many of us today will never realize.
  - abandonliberty 9y ago
    >Let's not idealize the situation at other deliveries company. Delivering is not a dream job. It's not your dream job. My last cab driver immigrated 16 years ago and has been driving 5pm-5am shift for the last 7 years. Full time delivery is a dream in comparison. I don't think he could send his kids to college on Uber. It's healthy compared to desk work, doesn't require any extensive training, and relatively low stress. Be cautious when predicting the behavior of others.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]

noobermin 9y ago

This applies to almost all of the gig economy.

TheAdamAndChe 9y ago
It's a shame for workers that delivery driving is now a gig. Historically, it was a stable, good paying career, something to work towards within USPS. But hey, at least shareholders are getting a better value. edit: It seems like any comment not intensely pro-capitalistic ends up downvoted. You folks need to realize that while capitalism is a fantastic method of maximizing wealth generation, it's not perfect. Our lower-middle class is shrinking while our lower class is growing because of the loss of jobs like these. The fact that I'm getting downvoted for pointing this out is a bit surprising, given the generally levelheaded comment section this site usually provides.
- toomuchtodo 9y ago
  Amazon PE ratio is insanely high. Even shareholders aren’t getting better value. Amazon is abusing drivers, fulfillment workers, and AWS engineers (so I’ve heard) because they can get away with it. It’s a shame really.
  - TylerE 9y ago
    I would argue that they are. Amazon has low profits because they blow all of them into capital expansion, not because they aren't making them.

abandonliberty 9y ago

The humans are only there until they figure out robots. Then they can rejoin the poorly paying gig economy and hopefully get paid enough to have things delivered to them by their replacements.

sfgeek 9y ago

And said box would have to be bolted down and made of very strong materials. Very expensive. And letting a delivery person into your house is a very bad idea, even if they don't make it past the threshold. They see that 100" TV and then their buddies break into your house 2 weeks later. Good luck getting Police to look into it. Amazon is trying to cut losses from stolen packages, and get you to pay for it. Via buying one of their cameras. Unless you have Cameras covering every inch of your property. And they don't allow other brands of Cameras.

moonka 9y ago
Just having packages hidden in a box that is always out there rather than in the open will have an effect. A lock that slows them down by several minutes would also help. A lot of these type of crimes are largely crimes of opportunity.

synicalx 9y ago

> Seems strange for amazon to propose entering into a house instead of just selling a locked box that you and deliveries could use. I strongly suspect that streamlining deliveries is a pleasant side effect rather than the intended goal of this.