Maintain uninterrupted delivery operations.

With e-commerce operating 24/7, delivery services must maintain a continuous service pace, even on weekends, to ensure customer commitments, maintain the flow of goods, and preserve the competitiveness of businesses. Weekend delivery has become a common trend across the delivery industry, similar to many other continuous service sectors such as airlines, hospitals, supermarkets, and passenger transport.

Postman Nguyen Tri Ly - Ha Tinh Post Office 1 - regularly delivers packages to customers regardless of Saturdays and Sundays.

Customers will not wait.

Early Saturday morning at the Thanh Xuan Post Office ( Hanoi ), hundreds of mail items were sorted for delivery by staff. The atmosphere here during the weekend was almost no different from a weekday.

Among those shipments, the majority are e-commerce orders from Shopee, TikTok Shop, and many COD orders that need to be delivered on time. Many weekend delivery routes even have a volume equivalent to peak weekdays.

This clearly reflects a reality in the modern delivery industry: weekend deliveries have become a normal part of the service's operation.

While previously most orders were delivered during business hours and on weekdays, online shopping behavior has now completely changed.

Customers place orders at any time, including evenings and weekends. E-commerce platforms also operate continuously 24/7. Consequently, the market demands increasingly faster delivery speeds and continuous service from shipping companies.

According to Mr. Nguyen Hong Long, Director of the Network Operations Center of Vietnam Post Corporation, competition in the postal industry today no longer lies primarily in pricing but in delivery speed, service quality, and customer experience.

"The reality is that many customers now only have time to receive their orders on Saturdays or Sundays. Even a slight delay in delivery can cause online shops to switch to another shipping company," Mr. Long stated.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Binh, who lives in the Ha Dong area (Hanoi), said that he is usually only home on weekends. If the delivery service doesn't deliver on weekends, he has to reschedule multiple times.

In this context, maintaining weekend deliveries has become a common trend across the entire delivery industry, similar to many other continuous service sectors such as airlines, hospitals, supermarkets, and passenger transport.

Behind every delivery is the silent effort of the postal worker.

At 10 am in the Trung Van area (Hanoi), Nguyen Duy Duc, a delivery employee of the Thanh Xuan Post Office, had almost finished delivering all the heavy parcels for his morning shift.

Weekend deliveries have become a familiar part of the job for Postman Nguyen Duy Duc - Thanh Xuan Delivery Post Office.

His delivery route involves many narrow alleys, morning markets, and is especially crowded with students and workers, so he usually makes sure to leave early to avoid traffic jams and deliver orders on time.

"On weekends, more customers are home, so going out early makes delivery easier. Customers are happy because they receive their orders on time, and I can process more orders," Duc shared.

According to him, working on Saturdays and Sundays has now become a familiar work routine for the delivery team. "Our job is to serve. As long as there are goods and customers waiting, we will continue delivering," he said.

Mr. Hoang Quyen, Deputy Director of Cao Bang Provincial Post Office, said that during the past weekend, out of 142 delivery routes in the province, 135 routes had postal workers delivering packages on Saturday and Sunday, accounting for over 95%. The remaining seven routes had no deliveries. "The unit has deployed sufficient personnel and resources to ensure both delivery productivity and optimal labor utilization," Mr. Quyen said.

In Dong Nai, many post offices have also implemented a system for registering weekend work schedules for postal workers and delivery collaborators. According to the head of the Dong Nai Provincial Post Office, the percentage of postal workers working on Saturdays in their unit is approximately 98%.

Maintaining operations while ensuring the rights of employees.

Observations show that weekend delivery services are currently implemented using a flexible work plan, with employees taking turns on leave as per regulations instead of having fixed days off on Saturdays and Sundays. Units organize staggered shifts based on output and the specifics of each delivery route to ensure both continuous operation and the health and rights of employees.

"Working on weekends doesn't mean employees have to work seven days a week. The corporation has requested that units arrange reasonable rotating leave to ensure operations while still protecting the rights of employees," said Mr. Nguyen Hong Long.

In addition, many units are now developing mechanisms to support and encourage delivery personnel to work on weekends. Mr. Pham Giang Son, Deputy Director of Can Tho City Post Office, said that the unit has added a mechanism to support Sunday deliveries for postal workers participating in deliveries on their day off.

In addition, operating post offices are required to hold daily morning briefings to disseminate information and engage in direct discussions to help employees understand the significance and necessity of maintaining weekend deliveries.

Postman Nguyen Van Cuong – Hoan Kiem Post Office – has been dedicated to the postal service for 30 years.

Weekend delivery quality is no longer just about meeting service targets; it's directly related to the output, revenue, and income of the delivery workforce. When the successful delivery rate is high, customers are satisfied and continue sending packages through the Post Office, leading to stable growth in output. This means postal workers get more deliveries, revenue increases, and income gradually improves. Conversely, if deliveries are delayed, goods remain unsold for extended periods, or the return rate is high, the delivery workforce will be directly affected.

In the increasingly competitive delivery market, ensuring each parcel is delivered on time by the weekend is not just about fulfilling an order. It's also about maintaining customer trust, ensuring a smooth flow of goods, and enhancing Vietnam Post's competitiveness in the market.

Source: https://vietnampost.vn/vi/hoat-dong-nganh/giu-vung-nhip-van-hanh-chuyen-phat-khong-gian-doan