Deliveryman recognized as model worker for dedication to customers

Wan Haibo, who works at a ZTO Express station in Tianjin, was honored as a national model worker this year for his accurate delivery work and active involvement in voluntary services and grassroots governance.

Wan, 43, was among the 1,670 national model workers and 756 exemplary individuals honored on April 28 by President Xi Jinping at a gathering to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions in Beijing. In response to receiving the accolade, Wan said, "I feel very excited and proud."

Last year, he was granted the May 1 Labor Medal by the All-China Federation of Trade Unions recognizing his good work performance.

Born in the countryside in Handan, Hebei province, Wan decided to make a living outside his hometown and became a deliveryman in Tianjin in 2018.

"There is no shortcut for success. Every parcel means responsibility and trust, so it's necessary to send it accurately to the customer in time," he told news outlet Beijing Daily. "The job is laborious and toilsome, experiencing sunburn and wind. I thought about stopping, but finally got through the difficulties."

The gated residential community Wan is currently responsible for has 23 buildings with about 4,000 residents and some 30 stores, posing a heavy daily workload.

He said he usually delivers 500 parcels per day, but the workload increases to 700 or even 1,000 parcels daily during some online shopping holidays or sales seasons such as China's biggest shopping festival Double 11, which falls on Nov 11 every year. He usually starts work around 6 am by unloading and sorting the parcels, and then from 8 am he starts his deliveries. He finishes work around 8 pm, though that can stretch to midnight during sales seasons.

When facing extreme weather and possible delivery delays, he will call the customer to explain the reason and appease their feelings.

"In the past seven years, I've delivered over 720,000 parcels without any mistake. I never put fresh products or heavy parcels in parcel lockers, though it can save time," he said, adding that the customer is always the priority, as is their satisfaction.

Wan is a warmhearted person who pays particular attention to residents with disabilities and those who are older, and helps them purchase medicines and take away their trash when delivering parcels.

Wan has also been actively involved in voluntary services and grassroots governance at the city's Santiaoshi subdistrict since April 2022. As a volunteer, he is responsible for checking the area's sanitation conditions and safety risks, and reports potential risks to the subdistrict office, such as fallen bricks that may cause danger to residents.

"I've been working as a deliveryman for seven years and have witnessed the fast development of Tianjin and the express delivery industry. I'm very pleased that we deliverymen have gained higher social recognition and more respect in recent years," he said.

"I think I will continue to serve the industry in the future and encourage more people surrounding me to get involved in voluntary services."