This guide describes the type of gear Riders use in the hubs, how to take care of it, and how to manage it. The gear is managed by the Rider Equipment and Fleet Management Team, which makes makes sure our Riders and hub staff have all the gadgets and clothing they need to perform their jobs well and safely.
In this guide, OA+, Shift Leads and Hub Managers will find information about the type of rider gear, the processes of ordering and returning the gear, the rider deposit, rider equipment (such as thermoboxes, bikes and saddlebags), and the Persil laundry service.
Types of rider gear
General gear
Riders joining in the summer (May-September) receive a gear box that includes 1 rain jacket and 3 t-shirts.
Riders joining in the winter (October-April) receive a gear box that includes 1 winter jacket, 1 pair of gloves, and 1 scarf.
Important:
The jackets are owned by Flink. When an employee leaves the company, they must return their jackets to receive back their deposit. Read more about this in the section Odering and returning gear, rider deposit.
Shared gear
Riders share helmets and rain pants.
Ordering and returning gear, rider deposit
Ordering rider gear
If Riders are eligible to order gear, they order it in the Workforce app. In the event of a seasonal change, new and existing Riders can also order seasonal gear via the Workforce app.
The gear is sent to the Rider's assigned hub in packages with their names on them.
Hand over the gear to the Rider or place it in a shelf dedicated to this.
The Ops+, Shift Lead or Hub Manager selects the Rider in the Hub Dashboard > Equipment > Ordered and marks the gear as Assigned.
This step is necessary, because it confirms that the Rider has received their gear. Read more about it here under the dropdown Equipment funnel.
Once step 4 is completed, the Rider can confirm their gear claim in the Workforce app.
Important:
Please make sure that the Riders in the tab Assigned in Hub Portal claim their gear as soon as possible.
Keep in mind that it can take up to 7 working days for the packages with the gear to arrive.
Note:
The eligibility statuses of Riders and their orders can be tracked in the tab Equipment in the Hub Portal.
Returning the rider jackets
The Rider returns their jacket either on their last day, or within 30 days after their last day.
Go to the Hub Portal > Equipment > Claimed.
Search for their name and select them.
Click Mark as returned.
Place the jackets in the provided laundry bins.
Used jackets will be washed and returned to the Hub to keep as spares.
The Riders will receive back their deposit with their next salary. Read more about the deposit in the next dropdown.
Rider gear deposit
When a Rider orders and claims gear, we automatically deduct a deposit of 50€ from their next salary.
The deposit will only be deducted once. For example, if a Rider started in the summer, received summer gear and paid the deposit, we will not deduct the deposit again for the winter gear.
The deposit will be refunded under the following conditions:
The Rider returned their jacket within 30 days after their last shift.
The SL or HM searched for the Rider and clicked Mark as returned in the tab Equipment in the Hub Portal.
Containers/thermobags and stacking equipment
Containers/thermobags and QR codes
The goals of our backpacks and containers/thermobags are to smoothen the picking-to-Rider handover process and to improve the cooling chain during delivery. Additionally, they aid the stacking capabilities of our stacking equipment, which is comprised of the thermoboxes and saddlebags.
There are two sizes of container/thermobag:
Small (S): contains 1 paper bag.
Medium (M): contains 2 paper bags.
Backpack: only used for bulky items that don't fit into the S/M containers/thermobags.
Important:
The S containers/thermobags take preference in order to enable better stacking.
Each container/thermobag is equipped with a unique 5 character QR code with 2 colors that represent each size:
Green: S thermobag
Purple: M thermobag
How to use the QR codes
See how to use them here.
Bike thermoboxes and saddlebags: set-up instructions
All bikes are equipped with stacking equipment, namely thermoboxes and saddlebags, which make it possible to stack multiple orders on the same bike.
For instructions on how to set up thermoboxes and saddlebags onto the bike, scan the QR code inside the thermoboxes and saddlebags. You will be directed to a series of video tutorials.
You can also access them directly here. To see the videos:
Depending on the type of container you want to set up, select either Saddlebag or Thermobox.
Look for the bike's brand and play the video.
Follow the instructions on the video.
Important:
Mount the saddlebags first, and then the thermoboxes. The thermoboxes will block the access to the back rack, making it difficult to mount the saddlebags afterwards. The saddlebags can only be mounted using the specialised high-strength cable ties that are provided. For safety reasons, do not use any other cable tie. If you need to order more, create a purchase order (PO) via Coupa.
Cleaning procedures
Cleaning boxes, thermobags and saddlebags
Maintenance overview
Frequency: 6 times per week if necessary
Assigned staff: Riders
Equipment needed:
Blue sponge
Disposable wipes
Disinfectant cleaner
How to clean bags and boxes
Visually inspect all bike boxes, saddlebags and thermobags for debris and dirt.
Dispose of any trash and shake out the boxes, saddlebags and thermobags to remove loose dirt.
Use a dedicated sponge, disposable wipes, and disinfectant cleaner to clean any soiled areas.
If needed, hand over bags to Persil Service for professional cleaning. Read more about it below.
Persil laundry service
You are able to use the Persil laundy service for washing, sterilizing, and cleaning all the shared rider gear and delivery equipment. See how to use the service in the dropdowns below.
Laundry budget
Each hub receives a 160€ monthly laundry budget. That translates to approximately 25 pieces of textile that can be sent in each month.
Approved items for this service
Shared rider rain and winter jackets.
Shared rider rain trousers.
S and M thermobags.
How to set up an account in the Persil service portal
Go to Persil Service's portal.
Enter the hub’s email (for example, [email protected]).
To set up a password, click Forgotten password?.
It can take up to 30 minutes to receive an email to set up the password. Check your spam folder.
How to use the Persil service portal
In the Persil service portal, you can:
See the order history and invoices.
Download free shipping labels.
Schedule laundry-pick ups at 1,99€ per pick-up. Alternatively, hand the package to the DHL representative for free.
See where to perform these actions in the following picture:
How to send laundry to Persil
Each month, the hub's email address, with the Hub Manager in CC, receives an email containing instructions for sending laundry to Persil, along with a link to the Persil portal. Depending on the hub's size, 3-5 shipping labels will be available for download.
Laundry guidelines:
Only thermobags and shared clothing (jackets and rain pants) are permitted to be sent.
Do not send in broken or damaged equipment.
Budget limitation: A maximum of 25 items can be sent per month.
Process:
Download and print the shipping label:
Click the button in the email.
Log in to the Persil service portal and download a shipping label.
If you still have a shipping label from a previous Persil two-way-box, you may reuse it.
Prepare and pack the dirty items:
Use any appropriate box in the hub. If you've previously sent items to Persil, they returned your laundry in a two-way-box. You can reuse this box for your next shipment.
Optimise the space in the box by filling it as much as possible. Avoid sending half empty boxes to make the most of the service.
Ensure the thermobags and jacket pockets are completely empty.
Inspect the items before sending them. Only send items that are in good condition. If an item is damaged, do not send it for washing. Instead, discard it and, if necessary, order new equipment via Coupa.
Ship the box:
Close the box and securely attach the shipping label.
Hand the box to the DHL representative during their next delivery round.
Persil will return your cleaned items within 5-6 days in a two-way-box, which will include the next shipping label. You can reuse this box for future shipments.
FAQ
Shared items
Why are certain items shared?
Each employee has a personal gear budget that includes only core uniform items, such as jackets and t-shirts. Rain pants are not part of the core uniform, because they are only supposed to be worn in rainy weather. Thus, they are shared by all the Riders.
The same goes with helmets. The same Rider can wear the same helmet for the entirety of their shift, but must place it on the dedicated storage shelf afterwards, so another Rider can wear it.
How do we keep shared items hygienic?
As stated above on this article, we have a partnership with Persil laundry service. You can use this service for the sanitisation of shared items, such as rain pants, and winter/rain jackets returned by Riders.
In addition, we recommend you to encourage Riders to use a hair net when wearing helmets.
Rider gear
When a Rider joins Flink, how and when do they receive their gear?
A Rider may become eligible to order their personal gear boxes via the Workforce app after completing 3 shifts within 30 days of the beginning of their employment.
An employee is leaving Flink. What should they do with their gear?
The employee is welcome to keep their t-shirts/gloves/scarves/sweaters but must return their rain and/or winter jacket. See the dropdown Rider gear deposit.
Remember to confirm that the Rider has returned their winter and/or rain jacket via Hub Portal.
An employee has an issue with their gear. Who do they report it to?
The employee must talk to the Shift Lead or Hub Manager, so they can order new gear for them via Coupa.
Persil laundry service
How often can I send in equipment for washing?
Each hub receives a 160€ monthly laundry budget. You may wash the eligible equipment as often as needed within the budget. We recommend 1 or 2 laundry send outs per month.
For more information, see the section Persil laundry service.
Where do I get shipping labels?
You can log into your hub Persil service account in the Persil service portal to print off the shipping labels as needed. Make sure to create a Coupa PO beforehand and wait for its approval.
See more on the dropdown How to send laundry to Persil.
What are the delivery options?
You can use one of the following DHL delivery options:
Free and recommended option: hand over the box(es) to a DHL representative on their next delivery round.
Urgent cases: schedule a DHL pick-up (1.99€).
How do I create a Coupa PO?
For the general process on how to create a PO, click here and see the dropdown How to make a request.
To access the Coupa page with the Persil services, click here.
Important points to keep in mind when creating the PO:
When selecting the quantities of the items, the quantities must match the content of the parcel(s).
Once you create the Coupa PO, wait until it's completely approved before scheduling the DHL pick up.
How long does the laundry service take?
The washed goods are returned to the hub within 5-6 working days.
Support
Questions/issues to the Equipment and Fleet Management Team
If you have any questions and/or issues, raise them via Zendesk under Fleet Issue/Missing Bike.
If there's no ticket for your issue, reach out to your Cluster Lead/City Manager, or to @Mathis Sindern, a member of the Fleet Management Team.
Do you have any gear requests or ideas to make our gear better?
Voice your needs and insights to your Cluster Lead or City Manager, who will relay your thoughts to the relevant teams.
References
Read more about Coupa here
Read more about the Equipment tab in Hub Portal, as well as the actions to perform there here
Read more about managing equipment in the Workforce app here
Read more about cleaning procedures here
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