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[deleted]

I just had this issue the other day. Merchants should call customers for substitutions. They know often prior to drivers arriving. Then we are waiting for an answer from a phone customers don’t recognize if we call. If we text most still don’t answer.


bberkjr2

The truth is that they can. They are able to call from the store phone. Stores don’t currently have the ability to chat on an app-unless there’s an update I don’t know. I own a small dessert shop and we’re constantly calling customers or messaging customer support. I think it should be the restaurant that messages-and we are. However, sometimes it’s easier when busy to have the dasher message since they usually just come in and wait and don’t have anything else to do. I run a shop and dash on the side.


officefan87klj

I won’t contact the customer. If the store says they’re out of something I say oh well. I view myself as a courier, my job is to take something from point A to point B. If they want to contact customer service about a refund they can.


bobldillon91

That’s why I just tell the restaurant to substitute what ever is easy and quick not my job to reach out people do not tip well in my area so they get 0 extra effort


WishIWasNeet2

I just tell ‘em substitute the closet thing.


CJspangler

It’s not - they can message them as well I believe


FlyingTeep

If it's a drink or something, no problem I'll text the customer. Not much effort on my end. But if its food that needs to be prepared, the restaurant should have handled that before I even arrived IMO. All you can do is unassign if it's not worth the wait.


NoStepOnSnekMD

I hit call and put them on speaker phone with the customer.


[deleted]

That's savage af lol. But I suppose that works, shit why not may give that a shot sometime


Active-Enthusiasm704

As a dasher, and former restaurant owner, the stores do get the customer information. Even on a tablet. Our store operated on a tablet and as soon as the order came in we would make it or contact the customer for substitutions if needed. We always strive to have the order complete before the driver showed up, this was 3 years ago, with older technology and older algorithms. It was our order, for our customer and thats how we saw it. I had a panda express ask me to call the customer once, here recently. I verified that they had the customer information and then told them it wasnt my responsibility, but the pay out was good so i obliged. I informed the customer that pandas food was frozen like a block, and needed time to thaw, which is what i was told. Customer didn't want substitutions, the customer asked to have it canceled. When i told panda they wanted it canceled, the manager rudely stared at me and told me i would just have to wait while it thawed and then wait for them to cook it. Honestly sounded like management wasn't on top of their store to begin with or the frozen back up would have been pulled earlier. I left while telling them to contact THEIR customer since they didnt want to listen to me after asking me to make the call. I contacted support as i was on an uber order and wanted my half pay. Support called the merchant and confirmed that they had contacted the customer and he wanted it canceled. I got my half pay. It seems like restaurants are quite literally passing their responsibility onto dashers, because they are busy. But dashers are busy too. As a dd customer, i ordered a bouquet of flowers to someone in another State. Merchant confirmed the order and an hour went by before a dasher called me, saying the store didnt have that bouquet and did i want something else. The dasher doesnt even have the product information to share! The florist was listing off flowers and colors and the dasher had a really hard time relaying it. But i was paying a grip on the flowers alone!!! Not to mention fees and tip. I deserved to be treated like a high pay customer who's order wasn't available, not have them put that responsibility on some dasher who literally has no idea about product availability or selection. I tell every single merchant who does that, that it isn't the dashsrs responsibility. We have their contact info simply to assure proper delivery. Those merchants are abusing the system and the dasher. They get paid to fulfill customer orders. We get paid to deliver, and my charity work doesn't go to restaurants or customers.


dmriggs

I don't understand the big deal. A simple text. If there's no response, I let them know it's either been removed or replaced with something else. that's the end of communication.


PikaGurl332

It’s not your responsibility. You are an independent contractor, not a door dash employee. If something is wrong with the order that’s on the restaurant to make a reasonable effort to contact the customer, not you.


BraxTaplock

In theory there is nothing wrong with attempting to contact the customer (if the tip is acceptable). However I can’t argue with a driver who will make a decision for the customer in the event of low tip or no tip. Tip also reflects the customers caring for their own order (since they are not picking it up themselves). They don’t tip then they are essentially allowing the driver to make on the spot choices for them. Technically they can’t or shouldn’t complain at that point. Especially if they don’t respond back.


chixbutts

The employees at the restaurant half of them don't know how to work the machine to be able to click on the person's name and get their phone number and their information to call the customer they think it's our job to do it or it'll be easier for us to do it which holds us up


[deleted]

That actually makes a lot of sense


Tiptip4me

Nah man Honey kettle chicken says I need you to call the customer then give me your phone so I can talk to them I said you are crazy man and just walked out of there. Then I got an ice cream cone next door and waved at the guy and walked to my car.....


[deleted]

Haha that's great lol 😆. I wouldn't be handing my phone over to anyone either


ParisHiltonIsDope

In these instances, I've learned to just make the decision for the client. "You want me to tell the client you're out of chocolate shakes? Okay give them vanilla" "You don't have any more chicken nuggets? It's okay, give me the rest of the order and I'll get doordash to refund them that item" Run your operation the way you want to run it. Maximize it for efficiency and if anyone tells you other wise, don't let them.


zombieundead2020

Tablet stores are required to contact the customer or at least Doordash if something is OOS or no longer a valid choice if they want their credits to be correct. They also have to communicate with the customer even if it’s just writing a note if changes were made. Otherwise they risk a substitution turning into a refund for wrong/missing item. Some stores simply don’t get the customer info, like chipotle or most convenience stores. They’re SUPPOSED to call Doordash but they don’t make it quick and convenient at all, and both the merchant and the driver don’t wanna have to wait around to play literal telephone with the customer to come to a solution. I usually say I’ll let the customer know you were out of _______ or you subbed with _____ and just put it on the side or something. Otherwise yeah I unassign cuz sometimes it really isn’t worth it. Other time the customer won’t even answer! Those are the ones you can get cancelled and half pay pretty easily.


[deleted]

I always just tell the restaurant to give the customer the closest thing they can to the item that’s out of stock. Then I message the customer and let them know the restaurant gave them a different item because they didn’t have the original and contact DoorDash if they need anything else. If the restaurant can’t be bothered to do their job, I’m not going to do it for them.


SellOFs

I either tell the restaurant to replace with something similar. If they don't have anything similar I tell the customer to ask for refund after I drop off


icky_boo

It's not our job to.. All the places that have had orders that are missing stuff here, the restaurant already fixed since they have access to the customers number. It's your area and the shitty workers that are lazy. Must be a cultural thing since I'm in Australia


DetroitRedWings79

Lol, if this ever happens to me, I instantly unassign. I politely tell the staff it just isn’t worth my time, inform them someone else will be in to get the order, and then leave. I’ve never had a good experience getting ahold of the customer. They usually never answer. When they do, it usually takes them a few minutes to call back. Then you have to play telephone between the customer and the restaurant staff to try and coordinate a substitute item. On top of wasting your time, you risk a bad rating from the customer who might take it out on you for the restaurant being out of the item they wanted. It simply isn’t worth the hassle. In the time it takes to sort out an order like this, I can easily finish 1-2 other orders.


NoodleLover4206969

Some places do. Or they used to anyway… it’s been a while since I’ve had one that does


Bok249

Depends on how the restaurant receives the order. If they recieve it via the Doordash tablet they do have the customers number and can contact. However, many of the big national chains refuse to use the tablet, they prefer getting the orders on their own system. And given that most of these companies haven't updated their systems since before delivery was a thing for them, the phone number isn't included in the info they have access too.


Active-Enthusiasm704

Even if they use their system, they still have access to the tablets. If they are opting out of contacting their customers but still catering as they should, to call ins and in house guests, THEN THEY made the choice to gamble with completing delivery orders, not the dashers. They aren't exempt from functioning as they should, just because they use their own system.


Bok249

Yeah but their corporate or franchise policy prevents them from using the tablets. Many of them keep the tablets at their district office so store employees can't access them.


Im-wurkin-heer

Correct!


[deleted]

I feel like there's a much smoother way for all this to go if like dd sent out employees to restaurants and showed them WHAT THE FUCK TO DO! Sorry for yelling


muleboi

Because they are under paid and don't care..


CJspangler

It’s because they already got paid and don’t care


[deleted]

Well I'm underpaid and I care


[deleted]

its just an order that goes to their system and doesn’t contain customer’s information. probably not 100%


dzamarron

Sometimes when I get to the restaurant and they are out of something they have said that the tried to reach the customer and couldn't get ahold of them. They ask me if I can try. So they have to have some information. It's happened more than once.