Meet Wolt’s food courier who is breaking the gender barriers #S03
Sometimes society looks at delivery work as a men’s job. Navneet Kaur is here to prove us wrong. Women can do things that men can do.
Wolt, a Helsinki-based technology company known for its food delivery platform has expanded in 23 countries, one of which is Cyprus. Wolt Cyprus provides Wolt couriers with the training and thereafter with all the necessary transportation means/gear and equipment to deliver food to Wolt’s customers.
What prompted this story, was a day when during Covid-19 quarantine, following ordering food from Wolt, a woman courier appeared on my doorstep. This caught me by surprise as i) I never saw, up to that moment, a woman food courier, ii) it made me smile and iii) throughout my life, I only remember hearing the term delivery-boy when it came to food delivery. In any event, behind every lovely meal is a beautiful person with a story you should know about.
I contacted Wolt in Nicosia, to ask if any of their female couriers would be interested in sharing their story, and here we are!
Navneet Kaur is a young woman from Punjab, India, who came to Cyprus 4 years ago, to study and work. She is in her 4th year of studies in Hotel Management in American College and has been working as a Wolt courier the past 2 and a half months.
What made you take up a job as a Courier at Wolt?
I was working at a restaurant 6 months ago and I saw that there were many boys delivering food and I was thinking too many times why should girls not do delivery? I asked my friends to help me take a learning license for a motorbike and after I get my license and I learnt how to ride a motorbike I saw too many people delivering by Wolt. Then I asked them how to start working for Wolt and after I followed training (classes/questions) given by Wolt, here I am.
What is the best part about being a courier?
Flexibility. I can choose if I want to take the order, how many hours to work, there are no difficulties, they help a lot. I can earn more by choosing to work more.
I like driving because of Wolt. It’s a feel free work. But of course, you must be very cautious when you drive.
Do you know how many women couriers are now with Wolt at Nicosia?
I know that there are 2.
Have you ever had any uncomfortable experience while delivering food to a customer?
No, the only time was when during a very busy period (end of December) when I arrived at the delivery address only 2 minutes late, having many things in my hands I handed the food and said it’s €35,00, the guy said I won’t pay I asked why, he said delivery was late and that he sent messages to support and they told him to wait. After I told him if they told you to wait you have to wait and they will call me or they will call you. I also sent messages to Wolt Partner app in support (this app I can send messages whenever there is any problem, and they help me right away which is very good). I told them he is not paying because I am late two minutes and this never had happened to me before, and after support also spoke with him but he didn’t want to pay (I was waiting outside the door around 20 minutes) the support called me and told me it’s not my fault and I didn’t have to pay from my pocket. This thing is the best from Wolt I appreciate them.
When it’s very windy/ rainy, how difficult is it for you to deliver?
It is very difficult when it is very windy because of the motorbike. So I choose not to when I don’t feel safe. Even if I take the order, and I don’t pick up the food I can remove my order and someone else will pick up the food and deliver. From Wolt we also get paid extra when it’s raining. Thank you Wolt.
Did you ever receive a positive comment since the day you started working as a food courier?
A few days ago, when I delivered the food to a woman, she was positively surprised she asked me ‘oh My God you are a girl? How are you, how is it delivering food’ she was a nice woman.
With International Women’s Day coming up, do you have anything to share with us being a courier at Wolt?
I respect all women; I want to tell them something. Don’t feel ashamed, don’t listen to people what they are saying about you. You have the right to do everything in your life. Do as much as you can. Women can deliver food as men can. I tell all women do as you want to do, do which work you want to do, don’t care about the people completing your desire. Even if you struggle at first, it will be okay after some time you will achieve a success in your life. Girls are also same as boys. God gave us two eyes, two legs, two hands, good health then why girls can’t do the same work as the boys are doing? Don’t feel ashamed do as much as you can and God will also help you.
P.S. We couldn’t find a GIF portraying a female food courier on a motorbike!
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