CouriersPlease has unveiled a video game that puts players in the driving seat of their local courier. The game has been launched to coincide with the network’s Franchisee Appreciation Day in an effort to help Australians understand just how much work goes into delivering packages.
Phil Reid, chief operations officer at CP, said “Our franchisees are the face of the business, showcasing their personalities and demonstrating our values to the community. For them it’s not just about delivering a parcel, they are key to our ongoing success which cannot be underestimated.
“This year, we thought we would put Aussies in the shoes of our franchisees, to raise awareness of the many challenges they face daily, particularly during the parcel volume spikes in lockdowns.”
In the browser-based game players must work against the clock to deliver hundreds of parcels, overcoming incidents such as dog attacks, traffic, road accidents and road closures. They also have to navigate the barriers preventing the delivery of a parcel, such as a closed business or a resident unable to sign for an order.
Leaving parcels outside a recipient’s door makes the courier’s job easier. But a survey revealed just 5 per cent of packages were marked ‘authority to leave’, although 61 per cent of respondents estimated the figure would be more than 50 per cent of parcels.
Research by the company also revealed 83 per cent of Aussies underestimate the sheer volume of deliveries their local courier makes each day – in the order of 120 deliveries, and 30 to 50 pickups – more than half of Australians (57 per cent) think a courier makes up to 60 deliveries a day.
Reid said “We are launching our Super Delivery Heroes video game not only as a fun, nostalgic computer game for Aussies to enjoy, reminiscent of retro games, but to also raise awareness of the hard work within our courier industry.
“Couriers across the country continue to face unprecedented delivery volumes as a result of the ongoing eCommerce boom and continued lockdowns.”
Reid used the launch of the game to call for tolerance as couriers continue to deliver through the pandemic and in anticipation of the busy Christmas period.
“On Franchise Appreciation Day, we are celebrating the hard work of our franchisees. We encourage Aussies to continue to support their local couriers by approaching every interaction with understanding and patience,” he said.
Want to try out the game for yourself? You can find it here.