The online shopping revolution is here to stay – and you can see this by the rise in the number of courier businesses cropping up. In Australia alone, figures show that there are just under 30,000 such companies in operation at the moment.
Consumers want speedy deliveries and businesses have got to provide. How can you scale a courier business and what methods can be used to expand an existing franchise to make it as successful as possible? First of all, it pays to adopt a two-fold strategy, looking at both internal and external factors for improving your growth plans. Here are some ideas if you’re aiming to expand your courier business.
Smooth communication
Make sure all your technology is bang up to date to keep communication methods smooth. If you’re working in the courier space lots of stuff happens all at once such as coordinating between warehouses and moving shipments around, as well as the all-important deliveries. Keeping in contact with everyone is key, keeping that communication clear is essential.
Have a smooth software communication system in place so it’s easy to keep track of things, avoid delays, and help with time management. Such systems can also help with inventory queries, and reduce mistakes. With the advent of AI and machine learning, some tasks can be automated too, leaving more time to talk to workers and make sure they’re keeping on top of everything they need to.
What are the best ways to deliver?
Finding ways to improve how you deliver can really help you…deliver! Look at your vehicle fleet or delivery services and see who can handle what, in what time frame, and what it costs you.
If you think you might need to change your vehicles – for instance opting for motorbikes rather than cars, or vans rather than trucks then run a trial to see how quickly things get done with different forms of transport. For example, one Australian-based logistics company has recently added over 300 electric trucks and charging stations to its fleet to maximise efficiency and help cut emissions. Whilst you may not quite be operating on that scale (yet) it’s easy to see what these changes could do for your small business.
Consider how you balance speed, with successful deliveries and overall cost and see where you can make savings.
Are there untapped markets to explore?
If you want to expand, seek out new markets in your field to tap into. Look at your current delivery areas and pinpoint unique offerings you can provide to them that perhaps your competitors don’t.
Research and understand the specific delivery needs of potential clients. If you already specialise in food, for instance, why not branch out into grocery deliveries – or delivering beverages? Or, if you already work with one product and are happy with it, why not enter the bulk delivery market – providing businesses with raw materials or products that they need to buy in vast quantities that you’re in a good place to supply?
Put the right protections in place for staff
Expansion of a courier service needs appropriate transport, more staff, and with it the right protections and covers so that everyone is operating safely. Whether you’ve got a fleet or just one or two vehicles or bikes it’s important to get motorcycle insurance for your staff (or the appropriate cover for your vehicle) so that everyone is safe and can operate within the law.
Optimise Route Planning
Efficiency is more critical than ever when you’re trying to expand a franchise. A key area of this is finding ways to optimise delivery routes, so you can cut time and costs while providing an efficient service. Use route planning tools to streamline operations – they can accurately predict delivery routes based on a whole host of factors such as customer priorities and of course the all-important external factors like traffic conditions!
Continued innovation is key to running a courier business and scaling it up to meet the needs of your customers and deliver superb service.