2 major dept. stores start `safe home delivery service`

Two major department stores have launched a so-called safe home delivery service ahead of the Chuseok holidays, or Korea`s equivalent to Thanksgiving, in the wake of a string of violent crimes against women who live alone.

Industry sources on Monday said Hyundai Department Store and Shinsegae Department Store are recruiting female delivery workers ahead of Chuseok to ease customer fears over crimes against housewives or children by people disguising themselves as deliverymen.

One source said, "We had been reluctant to hire women because delivery can be physically challenging, but demand for delivery service by women is rising."

Hyundai wrote a delivery service manual to relieve such fears by customers. The guidelines include notification of the customer ahead of delivery via text message and via phone upon arrival, ringing the doorbell and identifying oneself as a delivery employee of Hyundai and informing the customer of accurate delivery information, and stepping back at least a meter from the door. The rule on keeping a certain distance from the door service is intended to make customers feel safe. Hyundai has told its delivery workers to keep such a distance until customers say otherwise.

Hyundai also added an evening delivery service to ensure its customers get gifts when they are with family. The customer`s phone number embedded on the product is also a virtual number to prevent customer data from being leaked.

A Hyundai source said, "Our primary goal for delivery service over the Chuseok holidays is to ease customer fears rather than fast and accurate delivery."

teller@donga.com