As an FSD driver, Markus Cetin supplies up to twelve restaurateurs a day. Food Service Distribution (FSD) is METRO’s delivery service . In addition to driving a 15-tonne truck through the streets of Düsseldorf, he also routinely answers questions. A working day that is a mix of delivery and customer service.
On the outskirts of Dormagen, everything is still quiet and dark. Only the street lamps cast narrow cones of light onto the road. At 5:30 AM, Markus steps out of his house – in high spirits and with a big smile on his face. He doesn’t mind getting up early, he says, because it gives him more time later in the day.
To avoid interrupting the cold chain and to keep everything fresh, the inside of the truck is cooled down to three to four degrees. In a separate part of the truck, frozen goods are transported at about minus 21 degrees. There is a display in the driver’s cab so that the temperature can be checked continuously.
Markus meets his colleagues at the depot. It’s hectic, but there is always time for a warm greeting. In the warehouse, the trolleys with customer orders are already pre-packed and ready to go. All around are high shelves full of pallets and boxes. Markus gets his handheld device from the office, which shows him all the important information about today’s round. He logs in – now he can start his work day.
Completely digital – with the ‘M-Fulfill’ software, the handheld device supports the FSD drivers’ workflows. It displays all the information they need for their round. From the sequence of customer orders to checking whether deliveries are complete – including warning notifications for incomplete orders. Markus checks the orders by scanning the barcodes. When he loads the truck, he enters the merchandise into the system. When he hands the goods to the customers, he logs them out again. This way, every customer receives their complete order.
On his first stop, Markus delivers to METRO itself – because the campus of the company headquarters in Düsseldorf also receives its goods from the depot. Markus drives to four stops on the campus – from canteen to coffee kitchen. It is still quiet on the streets of Düsseldorf as the sun slowly begins to rise. Markus is looking forward to seeing familiar faces, as he knows most of his colleagues really well.
The next destination: the Fortuna Düsseldorf football club . The early morning darkness has given way to a rainy grey. Markus is still in a good mood, looking forward to the next stop. Having arrived at the Fortuna ground, the service driver knows exactly where to go. The chef is already preparing the food. Markus greets him with a handshake.
Last stop: Café Hüftgold in the lively Düsseldorf district of Flingern. On the way, the traffic picks up and the noise level rises. Honking cars and sirens – a typical day in the big city. Markus calmly steers his 15-tonne truck through the streets as if it were a small car. In the café, everything is ready for the delivery. Markus helps the restaurateur unpack and sort the goods.
Markus drives back to the depot in Neuss. Some of his colleagues are also back from their rounds. There is a lot of joking and laughing. Markus joins in enthusiastically. The hectic pace of the morning is over. Over the next two hours, Markus empties and cleans the truck for the next assignment. By lunchtime it’s time to call it a day!
