What is it about a self-employed Dasher?
Sat, 5:19 pm. It's over 5 o'clock in the late afternoon. I was Dashing in the cold of Winter about two hours earlier. The sun is shining, I can feel the warmth of its heat on my face, and it just took my feeling to a different level. I feel Dashing!
Then a Dash Thought hit me: Why do I go from a full-time employee to a self-employed one? Why go as a self-employed independent contractor food delivery driver? Why work from a Former Flight Attendant to a Dasher? Surely there are many other full-time jobs and gig jobs out there but Dashing? Surely I can apply for a Front Desk job at a hotel or motel or apply as a Team Member at a premium fast food restaurant, as I had years ago. Or perhaps, go back to a flight attendant job? Is this food delivery driver's job wrong? Is choosing this food delivery driving unwise? Or is deciding on taking this job a smart move? Being a self-employed, independent contractor, means I work for myself. I don't choose full-time work like many of the Dashers do. I chose part-time. Still, I am my boss. I get to set my business strategy. I can set my own time and financial goal. Yay!
If only that simple. :)
There are pros and cons of being self-employed.
Yes, I'm using a well-known giant platform, not my own. This means they get to set Performance Ratings and I have to comply with their rules and regulations and with it comes "rewards and punishments".
Yes, there is a feedback form to convey for improvement but some feedback will take a long process and time to get materialized. On the other hand, I too will and can set my own rules and regulations. My self-performance appraisal. I am a professional. I do keep track of my performance. And I will "fight" for my good name if I see an inconsistency, mishaps, or any situations that doubt my good work and caused a bad name. I don't hesitate to call Dasher Support for this matter. Of course, I use an elegant approach. Yet in many hard situations, especially when I am on the road driving, it's a challenge to stay calm. LOL!
Yes, being a self-employed, independent contractor, using an outside company with its food delivery platform means I don't have to do sales pitches and marketing research. I "only" have to drive, wait for the offers, pick up, and deliver the orders. Be it food order, grocery shopping, liquor, and wine shopping, and more. And gain payout and tips, if any.
No, being a self-employed, independent contractor, means the income is not a steady income but a fluctuating income depending on how I as the Dasher set my business strategy. Will it be "work hard and long hours without busting the Acceptance Rate" or "work smart and efficient hours but with the consequences of busting the Acceptance Rate" or "in-between"? This low Acceptance Rate will cause the Dasher the opportunity to be in the Top Dasher program or to get a better offer. Yet, there is a reason why a Dasher Accept or Decline a Dash Offer. Isn't it?
No, the payout is mostly not sensible. But if a Dasher works smart, they will get the financial goal although with a low Acceptance Rate.
No, the income is not steady. I can choose. To work hard just so I don't bust my Acceptance Rate but that means I will Accept many Dash Offers that do not make sense. Or, I can work smart using my business strategy but I will bust my Acceptance Rate because I will Decline many Dash Offers to reach my finance goal of the day.
No, I will not get paid on top of my payout for using my car and buying the high gas price. To where I am most definitely will put hundreds if not thousands of mileage into my car lifespan.
No, the tips on top of the payout are not minimum tips. It can go as low as a dime ($0.10). And I do get a dime tip and a quarter ($0.25) tip. The highest tip I got over my 8 months of work was $20 which comes from less than 10 customers.
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