Ninja Van turns to contactless deliveries

Ninja Van has been busier than ever delivering to people cooped up at home during the circuit breaker period in Singapore, which makes its safety measures even more vital for both staff and customers, said the express logistics firm.

The company has around 1,000 employees, with those in the corporate office working from home but the operations team continuing to make deliveries.

"Employee well-being and safety is a key focus for us at this stage," said Mr Ray Chou, its country head for Singapore. "The main challenge is being a responsible employer and ensuring we do as much as we can to keep our staff safe, while keeping an eye on the impact these measures might have on the long-term financial health and sustainability of the business."

Chief among the firm's measures is offering contactless delivery via a notifications platform that alerts customers when a parcel is at their front door, for instance.

"Since the roll-out, we've received good feedback from both our staff and people who use our service, with both parties saying the contactless delivery service has given them better peace of mind in the midst of the (coronavirus) circumstances," Mr Chou said.

The company gets the fleet team to work in staggered shifts to limit the number of drivers at the warehouse at any one time.

It is mandatory for staff and visitors to wear masks. The warehouse has visual cues such as floor markings to remind staff to keep a safe distance from one another.

There are also strict checks in place to ensure that drivers are in good health before they start their shift, as well as regular reminders of government restrictions and updated protocol.

These measures have driven up costs, Mr Chou said, while the company grapples with increased demand as people shop online.

"Fortunately, our technology helps us to scale up and respond to this increase in volume quickly without over-investing in infrastructure or manpower," he said.

"This is an issue we're taking very seriously and we are working to make sure our team is kept up to date and understands the regulations that are in place.

"We provide the communities we serve with an essential service and are committed to doing our part to ensuring their safety and well-being."