While it might look like all you need is an office a telephone and a set of wheels, in reality it is much more complicated than that. Lots of courier businesses are set up each year, but many fail to make this realization and fail because they haven’t done enough groundwork.
Do You Need to Have Experience as a Courier?
The best way to make a success of your business in the courier industry is to know the industry and understand it to the best of your ability. Working as a courier yourself will ensure that you know that this is the right path for you, and will help you to understand the industry.
You could be successful in your courier venture without this experience, but it is a significant advantage, as you will likely be up against people who do have courier experience.
Starting Up
There are lots of things that you need to do before you can start your business.
Research
Even if you have the experience, research into the area that you’re looking to serve with your business is really important. Starting up a cycle courier business in the middle of the countryside won’t be viable, for instance, as your customers will be so far apart that you won’t be able to make any money.
Researching competitors and their prices will help you decide what you can afford to charge, as well as help you identify a gap in the market that you can fill.
Brand
Vans, motorbikes and cyclists are all visible in your area, so it’s important to have a strong brand image so you can effectively use your couriers and their vehicles as free advertising.
Deciding on things like brand values, logo and color palettes will all help you later as you build your courier empire.
Your Employees
Your employees are the most important part of your business as a courier. They are the front line, so you need to make sure that they are up to standard. They are, essentially your customer service assistants, so when you’re hiring, you need to make sure that you assess them for their people skills too.
You also have a duty of care, so make sure that you have courier insurance. check what your cover includes to make sure that it is right for you. Courier insurance from Sky Insurance for example, includes discounted inner city rates and monthly payment options, that could ideal for a start up courier business.