Not as bad as some of the other reviews may have you believe.
Pros
The hourly rate isn't amazing but pretty much in line with similar delivery jobs. It is definitely more than Asda (I was a Section Leader there and it still didn't pay as much) but I can't comment on other supermarkets. On a week of earlies, I get between £290 and £300 a week and on lates it's £310 to £320. You get paid for 40 hours a week, even if you luckily finish a route early so you roughly know what your going to be paid every week. You also get a small contribution to clean your uniform and there's also the meal allowance. I like that drivers get paid weekly so I always know I have money in my account. Your hourly rate increases every year for the first 4 years continuous service. There are also quarterly bonuses, each a maximum of £360 each. It's pretty easy to attain, don't be late, try not to be ill, show good customer service and don't damage the vans. I quite like the working environment. I clock in, print my route notes and receipts off and get myself prepared to leave. Some days I may not have a route, in which case there may be redeliveries to do, or you sit around as a spare driver for any emergencies that may arise. More often than not the managers will let you leave early. I get along with the management team. Some other reviewers don't. I find that if you come in, do your job to a good standard and keep your nose clean then they generally leave you to it. Most of them are approachable if you need help. Uniform is ok. I get through a lot of trousers. I tend to split them from bending and crouching. Safety boots are comfy and durable if you treat them well. They issue you a bag, torch (I got my own as the one they supply is massive) clipboard etc. Out on route you're your own boss essentially. You do have your drops to deliver within their slots and usually this is the case. Sometimes there are issues that are out of your control, such as the warehouse being behind on picking or heavy traffic, but if you keep the customer informed they tend not to be too arsey at the door. Our depot covers the Midlands, so I have been to some really nice places and seen some massive houses. I've also been to some less desirable places. You have to take the rough with the smooth!
Cons
The rota: they don't like people doing just earlies or just lates. It's a mix bag. One week you could be starting at six, the next finishing at midnight. The saving grace for Resource Planning is that they are pretty good if you need holiday at short notice. It may be a case of if you're flexible with them then they're flexible with you. I quite like the text message system they use, offering short term holiday, different start times or the chance to work at a different depot for a little bit of overtime. Sometimes the routes can be very challenging and physical. Flats without lifts with cat litter and water is never fun. Development: not as easy as they may make out. As a CSTM (driver) it's difficult to make an impression to the higher management as most of your work is out on the road. I also feel a "if your face fits" attitude is prevalent. I have previous experience in a home shopping environment prior to Ocado but I was turned down for a development role because they wanted me to have more experience. So don't assume because you have done the job elsewhere then you will climb the ladder quicker. You won't, unfortunately.
