The demand for delivery services is booming. It is no surprise more people want in on the action. Read on for tips on how to start successfully.
How to Start Successfully a Delivery Service
There is a high demand for delivery services. Taxi apps like Uber and Lyft, food delivery services like Just Eat and Deliveroo, and courier services like UPS and Amazon have found their workload continually increase in recent years as more and more customers opt for convenient, instant, and cashless systems. Not only is there a demand for these services, but there’s the expectation that they are perfect. Parcel deliveries should be delivered next day, and there shouldn’t be any difficulty in meeting the allotted delivery time. It is difficult but while the demand is there to be met, businesses are flooding to the market. Here’s a few tips for how to start a successful delivery service.
Vehicle and Equipment
Each delivery business has different demands for its vehicles and equipment. Some companies deliver customized meal prep, which requires a large van to fit in the boxes of ingredients necessary for a round. A similar sized van would be required for certain courier services, but there are those that can use an estate or saloon car – for instance, a Volkswagen Passat with its excellent storage space. Fast food or takeaway delivery services can get-by with a scooter or a bicycle.
Smartphones have satellite navigation capabilities so investment in those for drivers will likely be unnecessary – though, of course, it might be easier than funding their carrier’s data package costs. Others might require a dolly or hand truck. Deliverers need to be able to safely and reliably manage their deliveries and loads with the help of the correct equipment.
All vehicles must be insured. This is mandatory. If businesses shop around, they can find great deals. For instance, commercial vehicle insurance from NextInsurance.com can be personalised, meaning that the price will account for certain variables – such as, location, number of employees, and type of delivery service – and will result in businesses not having to pay for coverage which is unnecessary.
Marketing
Ensuring you have a strong online presence is essential. Some delivery businesses will likely have a physical store or office to centralise staff who help coordinate deliveries, but, as with any business, marketing via social media is the way people will see and recognise your business, especially as the majority of the business will originate via the internet.
Social media is a great tool for marketing, not only because setting it up is free. The various platforms with their range of demographics, allow for different approaches to producing and posting content. Taking advantage of each platform’s potential is essential to building an online presence. Regular posting schedule with engaging content is the way forward.
Employee
What separates delivery businesses currently on the market is the crowdsourcing of employees – see Uber, Amazon, and Deliveroo as prime examples of this – and the permanent hiring of employees done by more traditional businesses. There are merits to both. Just Eat relied on gig workers but have decided to pivot away from this model, and opt for permanent employees. For start-ups, however, permanent employees are a steadier place to begin. You need people you can trust. Therefore, screening potential employees – drivers and back-office staff – should be a rigorous process, so you know as much about who will represent your business as possible.
