Fastway Couriers is celebrating two major milestones this month, with May marking 30 years since the company was founded in New Zealand and 20 years since the courier franchise began operating in Australia.
Richard Thame, CEO at Fastway Couriers Australia (pictured), says Fastway has more than 700 Courier Franchisees servicing 25 regional franchises across Australia, in addition to National Master franchises operating in New Zealand, Ireland, Northern Ireland and South Africa.
“Although we’ve grown dramatically over the years, our core values of providing a cost effective, reliable, timetabled courier service remain the same as they did in 1983. Of course, there have been substantial changes in the industry in the last thirty years. For businesses operating today, it’s all about how to make the most of new technology and the opportunities resulting from the growth in online retailing,” says Thame.
“Our goal has always been to help our clients make the most of their last mile by ‘delighting the customer at the door.’ As a result, we’ve listened to our customers to understand their needs and have introduced a range of intelligent tools and freight options that promote simplicity and transparency for businesses of any size.”
Thame says the key to Fastway’s success has been its people.
The company’s first Australian Courier Franchisee, Angelo Tseros, is still with the Sydney regional franchise after 20 years. As Depot Freight Operations Manager, Tseros and his team now oversees the distribution of freight for 200 Courier Franchisees and handles more than 40,000 packages every day.
Tseros says his responsibilities have grown alongside the franchise.
“I love a challenge and I can’t think of any other business which would offer the same kind of opportunities. I love the job satisfaction I get after a huge day, filling the truck to capacity and getting it right. Seeing the growth which has taken place over the last ten years in particular has been very exciting to me and I’m looking forward to the future with Fastway,” says Tseros.
Thame says Fastway Couriers is dedicated to attracting the best people in the industry as franchise partners and in the franchise support team.
“This involves plenty of training, support and advice so we can deliver on our promise of being the ‘friendly courier experts.’ Our franchise partners are all business owners, meaning they’re dedicated to providing each and every customer with exceptional service,” says Thame.
“The surge in online retailing in Australia has made the road ahead very smooth for Fastway. I’d like to thank all our staff, customers and franchisees for being a part of our continued success.”
Fastway Couriers became the first ever transport company to enter the franchising arena shortly after it was founded in New Zealand in 1983.
In October 2012, Fastway Couriers won the NAB Franchise Council of Australia’s Excellence in Marketing Award for its brand revitalisation project. The rebrand powered a 10 per cent surge in the number of courier franchises nationwide and double-digit growth figures throughout 2012.