Fig. 19. Label with Colored Border to Indicate Routing
The first step, then, is for the sales person to write the label or tag that is to be attached to the package. It should not be left for another to write the final delivery ticket; this should invariably be done by the sales person, who then becomes responsible for the address. In some small stores, the duplicate sales ticket is made to do service as a delivery ticket, but it is much the safer plan to use a separate tag or label for this purpose. The address on the duplicate sales ticket is quite likely to be illegible, and to provide for all details needed for delivery necessitates a larger ticket than otherwise would be used.
One of the most practical schemes ever devised is to indicate the section of the city by the color, size, or shape of the delivery ticket. The city is first divided into sections, the commonly known sectional divisions being used—as North side, South side, etc. When the sale is made, the customer is asked in what section of the city he resides, and then an appropriate label is selected. All labels are the same in form, but printed a special color for each section. The label shown in Fig. 19 is distinguished by a solid border and bar of color, printed on white paper, all type being printed in black.
Every necessary detail should be provided for on the label. The one illustrated shows the date, the name and address, near what street, the flat number, the name of the salesman, initials of the inspector, and amount (if any) of the C. O. D. The caption, near what street, is of special importance in a large city for it assists greatly in routing deliveries. An address may be given as 437 E. 72nd St., but if it is known that this is near Baker Ave., it is much more quickly located by the driver.
This label is written by the sales person and sent with the goods to the packers. Here, it is pasted on the package—unless it is a C. O. D. package, in which case it is first initialed by an inspector. The same is true of charge sales.
Routing Deliveries. The delivery system proper begins with the routing of the deliveries, which is the first thing done after the goods reach the shipping room. Bins should be provided for the different sections of the city and if the business warrants, these sectional bins should be subdivided, the subdivisions representing routes. Separate bins should be provided for C. O. D. deliveries, and it is well to have a bin for special deliveries, such as those to suburban points, which usually are forwarded by express.
When the packages reach the shipping room, they are sorted into these bins. As an aid to sorting, the colored labels described prove their value. Since the color represents the section, packages can be sorted as rapidly as they can be handled. After they are sorted according to sections, the packages are again sorted into routes.
In certain lines, such as groceries, the average delivery is made up of several packages, all of which are put into a basket. Here, the bins must be differently arranged, being but divisions of the floor space. But the scheme of using colored labels or shipping tags could be used to advantage, especially in a downtown store delivering to all parts of the city. For a grocery with a trade confined to its immediate neighborhood, the sectional divisions are not needed, but the goods should be sorted by routes.