Amazon is adding a way for customers to show delivery drivers their appreciation during the busy holiday season.
Beginning Dec. 7, customers who have a package delivered from Amazon can say “Alexa, thank my driver” to their Alexa-enabled device or Amazon app and the delivery driver will receive a note of gratitude. The first one million drivers to receive a thank you will also get a $5 tip at no cost to the customer, Amazon announced.
The five drivers who receive the most thanks will also receive a $10,000 bonus, plus $10,000 donated to the charity of their choice. The company says it’s celebrating the hard work drivers do and how they’ve helped the company deliver 15 billion packages since 1994, building community with customers along the way.
It might be cooler to let them have bathroom breaks, but this is a positive step.
Here are some other helpful tips on tipping we put together.
The holidays are the time where many of you try to thank your mail carrier, garbage person and even doorman/person for all that they have done during the year.
There is no standard amount of money or exact way to tip these folks who make our lives easier and less smelly.
Being a writer, I have a certain amount of free time on my hands, so over the last few weeks, I made it a point to talk to a few mail carriers, garbage people and door folks about the kind of gifts they like to receive from their customers.
Right off the bat, everyone I spoke to said they never “expect” anything extra for what they do. However, when you do give them gifts, there are a few things that you should keep in mind.
If you don’t really know the people you are trying to get a gift for, go with what works: Cash, or Gift Cards for cash.
I spoke to a mailman in our neighborhood and he said last year he got over $300 in Starbucks gift cards, which he appreciated. The problem is, he doesn’t drink coffee! While he appreciated the gift cards, they were ultimately re-gifted to his friends and family. A Visa or Amazon gift card in this instance would have been a better option.
Liquor. Doormen/people like liquor. The few people I spoke to said they have a more intimate relationship with the tenants in their buildings, so in general, people know a little more about them, their likes and what to give them.
That being said, one doorman who really likes the Cubs told me one year he received 10 cases of Old Style and eight new Cubs hats. If you want to get your doorman something other than cash, ask a few questions like “what’s on your list Sam” or, “what’s your favorite drink Kelly? “And chances are “Sam” or “Kelly” will tell you.
Garbage pickeruppers in general don’t like liquor as a gift. They are driving around in big stinky trucks, with little storage and bottles have a tendency to bounce around and get broken.
Not sure what to get your garbage person? Movie gift cards are always a good call. They are a little more personal than a Visa gift card and pretty much everyone likes to go to the movies, with the exception of Amsterdam, I mean WT actual F. Anyway, it’s hard to mess a gift like this up.
Baked goods. Mail carriers and door folk both enjoy getting something sweet from the people they work with. A mailman told me “it’s always nice to get these. It shows a genuine effort from the people on my route. I like to bring them home and share them with my family and tell them about who I got them from.”
If you are going to bake something for the garbage man, make sure to wrap it up in cellophane, aluminum foil or Tupperware and label it very clearly so they don’t mistake it for garbage. A garbage man told me “plenty of people leave us gifts sitting on top of their cans, which is great, but they aren’t really protected and sitting on top of a pile of garbage. It’s a great sentiment, but also kind of gross.”
If you’re going to give a gift, remember:
- Cash or Gift Cards are king
- Learn a little about the person you are getting a gift for. If they are a Vegan, a meat of the month club gift card might not be the best route.
- Baked goods are always “sweet” to receive.
- Wrap up your yummies up nice and tight.
- It’s the thought that counts. It doesn’t have to be big or even expensive, but as the holidays approach, remember to leave a little “thank you” for the people who make our lives a little easier.
- Use Alexa to thank your Amazon driver.
