Missed Collections
Our system automatically detects when a Food Waste Hero fails to list food in the app after a collection and does not provide a reason. This streamlined approach enables us to monitor thousands of collections each week, ensuring that tons of food are rescued and don't end up in the bin.
1) What do I have to do?
If you havenât listed any items against your collection slot 1.5 hours after the collection start time, you will receive the following message from Olioâs Little Helper in the Squad chat:
Within this message there are 3 buttons for you to let us know what happened:
- Yes, there was food
- No food on arrival
- I didnât go to the collection
Based on which button you press, a message will be automatically sent to Olio HQ and shared with the rest of your Squad. Please note, you will not receive this message if the business told us before the collection start time that there was no food to collect.
It is important that you let us know what happened by clicking on the correct option. If you havenât been to the collection yet when you receive the message (but you are planning to go), then respond to this message once you have been and are able to confirm if there was food / wasnât any food.
You have 15 hours to respond to this message or start listing items against the collection slot to avoid the collection being flagged as a missed collection.
If you click âNo food on arrivalâ or âI didnât goâ youâll receive another message with additional buttons to provide more information about what happened at the collection.
In many cases, providing information via these messages will replace filling in the issue report form. In some instances (e.g. if the staff gave you out of date food) we still require photo evidence. After you select an option you'll receive another Olio Little Helper message that tells you if we require evidence via the issue report form.
2) What happens if I donât respond?
If you donât respond to the message but you list items against the collection slot within 15 hours of the collection time, then our system will recognise this and it wonât be considered as a missed collection.
We know from issue report forms that we face a challenge of FWHs frequently missing collections and not letting their squad know what happened, and that this can continue for subsequent collections. FWHs who do not list and who do not use the buttons to let us know what happened will be removed from all of their collection slots immediately. This will free up slots for other FWHs to claim.
3) In what other scenarios will FWHs be removed from their collections?
FWHs who click âI didnât goâ more than twice in a 6 month period will be removed from their slots, if the collections were confirmed by the business*.
*If a collection has been confirmed by the business you will have received a message to tell you there was food to collect.
4) What should I do if I havenât been to the collection when I receive the message?
We know that in some instances the collection start time is the start of a time frame for the collection. For example, Tesco slots at 7am can be attended between 7am - 10am. However, the collection start time in our system is 7am, so the message will be triggered at 8:30am. This means you might receive the message before you have been to your collection. If this applies to your collection, please respond to the message as soon as you have attended the collection.
Similarly, you may have a collection that requires you to call ahead before going to the collection. If you have called ahead and the staff said there was no need to attend the collection because there was no food to collect, then please select the âI didnât goâ option when you receive the message.
5) What should I do if I miss the message?
The message will stay in your inbox, and you will be able to select the correct response up until 15 hours after the collection start time. If you havenât replied after 15 hours and havenât listed items against the slot, then Olio will remove future collection slots.
6) Can I type a message response?
We will not receive responses to this Olio Little Helper message.
7) Are the other FWH in the Squad going to be able to see the responses?
When you click âYes, there was foodâ, âNo, there was no foodâ or âI didnât goâ, a message will be triggered to your Squad automatically to let them know what happened.
8) In which scenario will FWHs be suspended from the volunteer role?
FWHs who were removed from the slots twice or more in a 6 month period will be suspended from the Food Waste Hero role.
9) I havenât received a confirmation message that there is food to collect. How does this work?
We will not send the message if the business has not confirmed whether or not there is anything to collect.
If a business confirms a collection late, the post collection OLH message may still come through, make sure to always check the Squad Chat within 15hrs to make sure you do not miss replying to it. If you do not reply you will be removed from your active slots.
10) What happens if I received a message saying there was food to collect, but when I got to the store there was no food for me to collect?
We appreciate the confirmation messages from businesses arenât perfect. If you received a message confirming there was food, but when you got to the store there wasnât any food for you to collect then let us know by clicking the âNo, there wasnât any foodâ button in the message.
Examples of this include the store staff refusing to scan the food out or having PDA issues, another FWH having already taken the food, or the food was given to a charity.
We will monitor this response and provide feedback to the business. In time, we will build out the buttons in the app so that you can provide us with more information.
11) I have an agreement with the store to go at a different time than the time stated in the Volunteer Hub. What should I do when I receive the message?
Un-official collection time agreements are not permitted by Olio. If a store asks you to come at a different time than the one advertised in the Hub then please report this via the issue report form by selecting âI have an issue with a business I collect fromâ and âThe store has requested to make changes to the collection (e.g. date/time)â
If the collection slot is showing in the list when you go to collect, then please ensure you select it. If itâs not, then please select the correct option (âYes there was food / No there wasnât food / I didnât goâ) for the collection you attended.
12) I called ahead and the staff informed me that there was no food to collect. Which button should I click?
Some collections require the FWH to call ahead of the collection time to check if there is food to collect (e.g. catering collections, Pret collections).
If you have called ahead and the staff have told you that there is no need to attend the collection because there is no food to collect, then please click the âI didnât goâ when you receive this message.
13) What should I do if someone in my squad isnât responding to the message?
There is no need to report other Squad members for missing collections. Our system will now flag to us when a FWH doesnât respond to the Olio Little Helper message, and they will be removed from their collection slots.