服务合同约束软化:一个快递配送模式经验观察--以安湘市速安快递公司桥东点部为例

Softened Service Contract Restraints: An Empirical Observation of Express Delivery Mode in the Case of Qiaodong Site of Su’an Express Company of Anxiang City

科学优化快递最后一公里配送模式是当前快递行业面临的重要议题。物流管理科学从降低配送成本和提高配送效率的角度来探讨快递配送模式,改进物流技术是关键;新制度主义经济学从优化合同和降低交易成本的角度来寻找快递配送模式,寻求制度创新是核心。然而,技术改进和制度创新并没有触及快递配送的实际过程,文章通过实地调研发现,快递配送模式包括两个环节:一是快递员和公司管理的制度关系,管理者通过督促正常快件配送和处理问题快件来加强快递配送的时效管理,快递员则借助协同配送与客户协商来化解这种监管;二是快递员和客户的人际关系,快递员在配送的路上发展出常规路径、例外路径和循环路径三种模式,在配送方式上与不同类型客户形成了正式合同、逆向合同、虚化合同、代管合同和托管合同五种模式。快递员与客户建立的熟人关系有效化解了不同合同带来的交易风险,在降低配送成本的同时提高了配送效率,服务合同约束软化的情形开始发生。

The scientific optimization of the last kilometer of express delivery mode is a prominent issue of the express industry. The logistics management science explores the delivery mode from the perspective of reducing distribution costs and improving distribution efficiency, to which the improvement of logistics technology is the key. By comparison, the new institutional economics explores the mode by optimizing contract and reducing transaction cost, whose core is to seek institutional innovation. However, technological improvement and institutional innovation don’t touch upon the actual process of express delivery. Through onthe-spot investigation, this paper finds that the mode includes two parts. One is the institutional relationship between couriers and managers, where managers strengthen time management by hastening normal express and coping with problematic express;meanwhile, couriers negotiate with customers to deal with this supervision through collaborative distribution. The other is the interpersonal relationship between couriers and customers. Couriers have developed three routes of delivery: routine, exceptional and circular, and established five types of contracts with various customers, including formal, reverse, dummy, escrow and trust contracts.The acquaintance established between couriers and customers has effectively lowered the transaction risks brought by different contracts and improved the delivery efficiency while reducing the delivery costs. Thereupon, service contract restraints begin to be softened.