# Flex: Deliveries to apartments you can’t enter



## galileo5 (Jan 16, 2016)

What do you guys do with a delivery to an apartment where the front door is security-locked and the customer isn’t home and won’t answer the phone?

Do you leave it outside under the intercom or take it back to the warehouse?


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## UTX1 (Dec 7, 2015)

galileo5 said:


> What do you guys do with a delivery to an apartment where the front door is security-locked and the customer isn't home and won't answer the phone?
> 
> Do you leave it outside under the intercom or take it back to the warehouse?


This is funny .

I know you're asking seriously, but I'm laughing because I know that drivers really do things
like throw the package over the gate, give the package to someone who appears to live there
and ask THEM to try and locate the addressee, since they're going that way, leave a package
at the front door of the leasing office, even if box is clearly marked as consumer goods, such as
pampers/huggies or a kitchen appliance and all sorts of other actions that would be funny to
watch on a television program.

Do you think it's likely it would be safe overnight under the intercom ?
Maybe so, maybe not, but not as safe as returning it to the Delivery Station.
Also, you could try kicking the door until opens. That seems to work for the
drunk residents who live there when they forget their fob (entry key or magnet).

You could follow someone in, as well like the pizza delivery guys,
but don't wait more than a minute or two, it wastes too much time.

I know it's a pain to return to the warehouse, but the main thing is that
you attempted the delivery, you were there and simple fact is there were
access issues that prevented the delivery from getting successfully completed.
I see drivers return a dozen packages out of 30 or 40 in a route because of the same issue.


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## Vmiyoshi (Jul 3, 2016)

It depends on how you feel about the situation. Nice area I may leave it. If the area looks.... let's say "scratchy." Poeple hanging around outside, and such then - no. Also if this appears to be a re-attempt also - no. 
If I decide to take one package back to the warehouse because the customer isn't home, then I'm more likely to do that for other packages at places like apartments when customers are not answering the door for the rest of the block. My thinking is if I'm already going to have to go back to the packup location then I might as well error on the side of caution. 
UPS, Amazon, normally leave my packages at the door, which I appreciate. USPS normally doesn't and I miss a lot of packages from them. I always know when I'm getting a package, and if I'm not home it's only for a few hours at most. 
Honestly I don't know how folks order stuff and forget about it, or at least that's how it seems. It's been times I delivered to houses with multiple packages out front, large packages. Back in my youth, I may have been tempted to take them...


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## UTX1 (Dec 7, 2015)

Vmiyoshi said:


> IBack in my youth, I may have been tempted to take them...


Yoshi, you bad boy.

 <---they don't know what to do about you.

Not to worry, that's only a problem if the themes in the movie Minority Report came true.
So far, the thought police are leaving us alone for now as well. Stay aloof.


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## Vmiyoshi (Jul 3, 2016)

UTX1 said:


> Yoshi, you bad boy.
> 
> <---they don't know what to do about you.


UTX1 - Are you at DDA??


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## UTX1 (Dec 7, 2015)

Vmiyoshi said:


> UTX1 - Are you at DDA??


Usually I am, although I've been taking a little well deserved time for myself this week,
Not planning on devoting my entire schedule of non-uber free time to the Amazon hub.

I gotta cut my grass n' stuff....


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## Vmiyoshi (Jul 3, 2016)

I can 


UTX1 said:


> Usually I am, although I've been taking a little well deserved time for myself this week,
> Not planning on devoting my entire schedule of non-uber free time to the Amazon hub.
> 
> I gotta cut my grass n' stuff....


I can definitely understand that. I have never done anything like this before - so no Uber, or lyft.
This is a decent way to make some extra money, definitely has it's flaws. For the last couple of weeks it's been hard to get blocks, especially on the weekends. I was unable to get a block for later today, even though I selected and confirmed one of 11AM, then one at 5PM. When the dust was cleared, nothing...  
I wonder if they're more warehouse in this area for flex partners, or if they will allow us to do Amazon Prime now. I have never got a Prime now route, I heard those go to Amazon employees first.


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## UTX1 (Dec 7, 2015)

Vmiyoshi said:


> I wonder if they're more warehouse in this area for flex partners, or if they will allow us to do Amazon Prime now.
> I have never got a Prime now route, I heard those go to Amazon employees first.


No not quite, Prime Now is Flex Partner driven as well.
Right now for DFW, it going to be one or the other, but not both.
You'll be activated and assigned to one location and do that.
Switching sites takes some doing and is sort of a case by case thing.

As far as Amazon BlueBadge hires doing deliveries, they actually do a few deliveries once in a while,
but that is the exception because they are employees (taxes, benefits, etc) and can not also be contractors
for purposes of the Flex program. When they do have to run a delivery or finish a late route or get sent off
with a problem package, it's not fun for them because even though they are supposed to get a gas allowance
or a mileage reimbursement for using their own vehicle (they don't send out a full-size company van
for 2 or 3 packages, unless they're huge or something) plus be "clocked-in" during that time they're working,
Amazon's been off and on about paying this money out and since it's so occasional, you're not a team player
if you bitsch and moan about it so they just drop them off on their way home or something.
While they're on the clock, they operate under company rules so it can get complicated.

Some markets where the labor rules are somewhat different (Washington state, for example)
the warehouse staff may be allowed to do both types of work and there's a lot of bookkeeping/timekeeping involved.
You're on the clock, you're off the clock. You're delivering right now, wait... go back to the warehouse.
Pizza parlors do this to drivers all the time so it's really not as big a deal as they make it out to be.

In truth, they don't want to deliver packages. They want OT and PTO in their paychecks
and would rather watch you and me deliver the packages on a computer screen from a desk.

The station staff associates (not the log specs) wish they could go out and deliver for $18/hr with or without tips.
Many of them don't even own a car right now and share a ride to work or something.
They're not allowed to deliver packages. Station manager might say can you drop this off
on the way home or something, but he's not even really supposed to do that.


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## FlexZone (Aug 25, 2015)

UTX1 said:


> This is funny .
> 
> I know you're asking seriously, but I'm laughing because I know that drivers really do things
> like throw the package over the gate, give the package to someone who appears to live there
> ...


Uptown in Dallas is the worst 95% of the apartments/lofts are locked down like prisons with a good amount of them not having leasing offices. Last week I did a run with 40 or so packages almost half had to be returned to the warehouse. I got all kinds of questions from the shift manager, I'm like why would I call support if I cant access the property or get in touch with the customer?

On a side note it looks like the Dallas location has had an entire Amazon crew changed out over the last couple of weeks. Must been all the crazy pick up mistakes and waits over the last month.


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## J.F.R. (Jun 10, 2016)

Never return to the warehouse, always leave the package.....

If neighbors steal it or someone else then Amazon will cover it, you're not being paid enough to play security here......

As soon as I arrive at a location I scan leave at front door and keep it moving....

Once Amazon sent me an email stating one package got loss, whatever.........


Keep it moving is My Motto. Also I think only once I returned to warehouse because the package simply wouldnt let me scan and it stated to return, if not I would have just left it.


I picked up a block for 10am this morning and finished around 12:30pm......

So yeah my advice is dial every single number you can and someone will let you in. Also the gardeners have a special code they use to enter, learn that code or ask one of them and you can enter anywhere.

Dont stress yourself, Ive left packages at front doors in the WORST neighborhoods.......


Peace


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## SteveGo (Jul 2, 2015)

I could not get into an apartment complex recently, I had two Prime Now deliveries for that complex. Gate code provided did not work. Neither customer would answer the phone. The leasing office was closed. I called support and told them I was marking the them undeliverable, no access. Went to the next location. The local dispatcher called me. I told him what happened. He said he got the second one to answer. He wanted me to go back and try to deliver again, if I could not get in the gate to wait around for somebody to come out, and sneak in. I finished my other deliveries, and went back. I called the customers again several times, they never answered. I snuck in, got them delivered. One of them, of course was an attended delivery. The person who would not answer the phone, came to the door after about two minutes of knocking.

"Wait for somebody to come out, and sneak in..." What would the apartment security do if they saw me sneaking in the "out" door?

These apartments are the worst IMO for locating units in Dallas: The Village, off Southwestern. Self absorbed X-gens and Millenials living very close together. Accumulating maps when I can.


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## flexology (Jan 28, 2016)

UTX1 said:


> Amazon's been off and on about paying this money out and since it's so occasional, you're not a team player
> if you bitsch and moan about it so they just drop them off on their way home or something.
> [...]
> Station manager might say can you drop this off
> on the way home or something, but he's not even really supposed to do that.


Reading that I was thinking about the link posted here a while back -->
https://search.amazondelivers.jobs/...sonal-associate-downtown-seattle/3413/2163735

Because when I read "You can even volunteer to deliver it yourself!" it didn't quite register until now that they meant "volunteer" in the literal, unpaid sense


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## galileo5 (Jan 16, 2016)

J.F.R. said:


> So yeah my advice is dial every single number you can and someone will let you in. Also the gardeners have a special code they use to enter, learn that code or ask one of them and you can enter anywhere.


What do you say when you dial the other numbers?


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## flexology (Jan 28, 2016)

galileo5 said:


> What do you guys do with a delivery to an apartment where the front door is security-locked and the customer isn't home and won't answer the phone?
> 
> Do you leave it outside under the intercom or take it back to the warehouse?


Prime .com or Prime Now?

And from the sounds of it, this is an urban apartment, not the open-air kind into which you drive and then park your car in front of the unit?



SteveGo said:


> "Wait for somebody to come out, and sneak in..." Wish I had the recorder on. What would the apartment security do if they saw me sneaking in the "out" door?


Well, if he got the second one to answer, he should have gotten a gate code from them in that instance...I'm sure they know enough to ask for that info by now, he likely just forgot to tell it to you.


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## Philt (Jun 21, 2016)

I've stuck packages in between the bug screen and the window before, never heard a word about it.


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## UTX1 (Dec 7, 2015)

flexology said:


> Reading that I was thinking about the link posted here a while back -->
> https://search.amazondelivers.jobs/...sonal-associate-downtown-seattle/3413/2163735
> 
> Because when I read "You can even volunteer to deliver it yourself!" it didn't quite register until now that they meant "volunteer" in the literal, unpaid sense


YES ! You caught that. "You can even_ volunteer_ to deliver them yourself".
How 'bout them apples ? Uber should take a lesson from these people.
You haven't been reamed by the professionals until you've been amazoned.


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## cynamin (Jul 8, 2016)

I was able to mark 5 as undeliverable. When I attempted package 5, the app said I had to call customer service. Ugh. The Csr called the customer and got an answer. Csr transferred the customer to me which told me to throw it on the 2nd floor patio. I had started traveling to the next stop and had to back track.


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## UTX1 (Dec 7, 2015)

cynamin said:


> The Csr called the customer and got an answer.
> Csr transferred the customer to me which told me to throw it on the 2nd floor patio.


You'll laugh about this in a few weeks.


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

cynamin said:


> I was able to mark 5 as undeliverable. When I attempted package 5, the app said I had to call customer service. Ugh. The Csr called the customer and got an answer. Csr transferred the customer to me which told me to throw it on the 2nd floor patio. I had started traveling to the next stop and had to back track.


I would have "missed"


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## UTX1 (Dec 7, 2015)

Fuzzyelvis said:


> I would have "missed"


It seems this guy winds up with all the "missing" packages:


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## cynamin (Jul 8, 2016)

I just received an email from Amazon that I am expected to deliver all the packages I pick up. 

Maybe I should just leave them. 

I wasted more time waiting for customers to answer call boxes and csr putting me on hold.


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## UTX1 (Dec 7, 2015)

cynamin said:


> I just received an email from Amazon that I am expected to deliver all the packages I pick up.
> 
> Maybe I should just leave them.
> 
> I wasted more time waiting for customers to answer call boxes and csr putting me on hold.


Don't sweat it. It's a computer. I found arguing with it is a lot like yelling at the television.
Even if your argument is well grounded in fact, it's still a computer and is programmed
to yield empirical data, statistics, lies, damn lies and even more statistics.

You'll get an email if you're 5 minutes late for a shift.
You'll get an email if some cheap greedy ba5tard wants another magic decoder ring
and says you never delivered the package, he never received it, even though he did.
You'll get an email when the apartment manager can't find the resident's package
and tells them it's not there, even though it's sitting right there in that messy closet.
Other things too. It's ones and zeros. the program sends emails. Don't be afraid of it.
Instead, take steps (use the weakness of the app, not it's strength) to prevent the triggers.
Ponder that for a bit. The app has flaws. Use them. Well, first learn them, then use them.

btw edit: Don't take me too seriously, please. I like to kid around because else wise,
I'd be livid about the things we often have to deal with out there. Levity helps
The information I try to share is meant to be helpful, but I tend to do things a little different.
(the app is vulnerable however, not joking there.)


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