DOORDASH: IS IT THE 21ST CENTURY FINESSE?
Technology has significantly advanced within the past couple of decades, and many have capitalized on the growth of the internet. Utilizing just a car, cell phone, and car insurance could make you money. Many people may not see this as a job, but how would they know? Today, I will be discrediting the accusations of those looking in from the outside. With my app of choice (DoorDash), I worked on one of the longest days of the year (June 21st, 2021) to see how much money I would make.
On youtube, there have been challenges for dashing in a 24 hour period. (I would like to do this sometime in the future, but I did a full day’s work for now.) This inspired me to DoorDash over a full day only one day after the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. I kept notes of what I did throughout the day, so I now know exactly what a day looks like for a person who delivers food. Along with this, I also have tips for other Dashers. This information will surprise you, so stay until the end to see my results from a day’s work of DoorDash.
*RESULTS MAY VARY*
To begin, I would like to say that my car does not take much in terms of gas, but I began my day by going to the gas station. I paid $20 to fill my car from the halfway mark, went to Wendy’s, and then drove to the parking lot I would return to following my deliveries. This spot was my starting spot. Having a starting spot is beneficial to any beginner because it prevents one from driving around aimlessly.
I began my dash at 10 A.M. At noon, I drove home to charge my phone and rest, and I stayed in the house from 1 P.M. to around 3 P.M. After my rest, I ate lunch and dashed from 4 P.M. to about 10 P.M. Excluding issues I was having within the app between 6 P.M. and 7 P.M., the dasher app said that I was actively dashing for eight hours, and I was out of my house for nine to 10 hours.
I would like to mention a couple of necessities for a dasher. I would invest in a portable battery or a car charger. This has been a lifesaver for me, as my phone was on the verge of dying on multiple occasions. I would also recommend extra quantities of utility items like cupholders and napkins, as restaurants may not have cup holders or bottled drinks.
TIPS AND TRICKS
- DO NOT accept irrational orders for irrational miles. I would do anything around a dollar per mile, more or less, because not all customers will tip or pay for how many miles are given. Your acceptance rate will go down, so I would begin by accepting most or all incoming orders, then begin declining unreasonable orders once you have a certain number of completed deliveries. You should then be considered a reliable dasher, and this is important because you can be fired if your acceptance rate is under a certain number. But, if you start you career by accepting all the orders you receive, your accept-to-decline ratio should remain acceptable even if you decline unreasonable orders at a later point in time. At this moment, my acceptance rate is 56%. This is what DoorDash has to say about acceptance rates.
- This job is primarily about work ethic. As a dasher, one needs a great work ethic because delivering food does become exhausting. Driving is exhausting by itself, so I recommend finding a good rhythm to avoid burning out too quickly. If you are not adjusted to driving at great lengths, start slow. You will adjust eventually.
- Beware that you are an independent contractor. This is something many people gloss over, but it is the most important tip to remember in my opinion. As an independent contractor, if eligible, the dasher is responsible for their own taxes, accidents, and other complications that come with the job.
- Check the Dasher app before leaving your house. The app is split into different areas, and it is not possible to schedule a dash until specific times in some areas. I think this is based on rush hours in each area. If you do not check the Dasher app before leaving, you may have to go back home until the app is busier in the specific area. If this does happen, I would exit the app and reopen it to refresh it. If that does not work, however, you may have to wait or go to a busier area.
- Have an area or destination in mind every time you begin a dash. After an order, this area would be a spot that you could use to wait for your next order. Like I mentioned earlier, this prevents the dasher from aimlessly driving around, wasting time and gas. The area that the Dasher should choose should be well lit and within an area that has many restaurants. This gives many opportunities to potentially be the first to receive an order.
- Be alert when dashing at night. I would begin by dashing during the day to learn the area you are dashing in. Being safe is a number one priority, and if that involves bringing pepper spray, a flashlight, light-colored clothing, or some other tool, so be it. That being said, staying in well-lit areas is the easiest way to stay safe. If you have the luxury, bring another person with you. Do as much as you can to stay safe.
- To the best of your ability, try not to have to utilize the dasher support. Remember youtuber Sollumainati trying to get in contact with customer service? This is how I feel about DoorDash support. On June 21st, I was experiencing difficulty with the app. The issue had to do with clarification within an order. There are many people utilizing dasher support simultaneously, so it will take a while before one is connected with assistance. I clarified that I received everything, but received an error on clarification. This meant that I could not accept the order, even though I had the food. I called customer support for a hour but got no answer. I restarted my phone to which the addresses to the order appeared. I then proceeded to apologize to the customer for the inconvenience and delivered the food. This leads me to my next tip.
- THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT. Never argue with a customer. If something is wrong, you may have to utilize dasher support. Things happen. Many people may not know that while the customer can rate the dasher, the same thing applies for the dasher. If you drop food, talk to customer support, and let the customer know that they will store credit on the food. If the customer gets angry and cancels for whatever reason, the Dasher may be able to keep the food. This has happened to me on before, but it is rare.
From June 21st, I Dashed for a total of 8 hours, but I was out of the house for nine to 10 hours. I ran into some problems, but with the tips mentioned above, I was able to make $120, about 15 dollars an hour, while traveling about 109 miles altogether. If you would like to give DoorDash a try, it would be worth it to follow these tips and tricks. I believe it is possible to utilize DoorDash as an occupation and live comfortably. All of these things vary. To conclude, DoorDash, if done correctly, is a finesse.
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