There is an increasing number of people that shop online as such, the need for delivery services has increased so setting up a courier business has become lucrative. Whether it’s a bicycle courier company, drone business or a standard business there are certain things that must be included in your business plan. Like any kind of business, a courier business comes with its set of challenges but planning can help you reduce all kinds of business risk and increase your chances of success. Apart from the standard vison, mission and objectives the key things to consider when developing your courier business plan include; how you plan on generating revenue, your marketing strategy as well as the type of courier service you plan on offering among other factors.
Type of Courier Service
There are different types of courier services that you can consider adopting when setting up your business. It’s important that you decide on the type of service you will offer on the onset. Each type of courier service comes with its advantages and disadvantages so you must conduct your research before settling for one. When deciding on the type of delivery service you can provide you should also consider the profitability potential as well as scalability. A bike service can be quick and efficient when it comes to delivering parcels but it is limited when it comes to the number of packages you can offer per delivery. As a result this makes scaling difficult. Larger vehicles such as truck deliveries can be economic since you can deliver a large amount of goods and the size of your deliveries will not be limited to small parcels. However, setting up a truck courier business will not be cheap. It is important that you look at the pros and cons of each business model and determine the one that suits you based on your budget and long-term objectives.
Another key factor to consider when writing up your courier services business plan is the type of goods you plan on delivering. Will you be delivering general parcels or special types of goods such as medical supplies, and or hazardous materials? Consider the profitability potential of different types of goods and also think about whether or not there is a need for delivering certain products in your community. There are some communities where it is difficult to obtain medical supplies, where providing such a service would be essential and other communities where it makes no sense because pharmacies are easily accessible. Therefore, consider your environment and market when deciding on the type of product your courier business will deliver.
Business Model
Your courier business model is another key factor that you must consider in your courier business plan. Think about who you are going to be offering your services to. Will you be doing peer to peer deliveries? business to business or both. Just like any other element in your business plan, consider if offering either or both will be feasible. You can also consider assisting businesses to deliver their goods to customers especially when it comes to food or groceries. Determining your business model and specialising will increase your chances of success. That way you can avoid the costs of changing business models if you do not do enough research. It can be tempting to offer all kinds of deliveries when you start out but it is not advisable. Providing a specific service will be cost effective especially at the beginning of your business journey. Specialising will also increase your chances of success since you can profitably focus on a niche market.
You must think about how you will make your money as a courier business based on your business model. For example, you can offer subscription based services where you can provide a certain number of deliveries per amount paid. Such a model can be ideal for businesses that have a lot of deliveries. You can also simply charge your customers on each delivery. Like every other aspect of your business your business model must be thoroughly researched. Study other courier businesses and find ways to fill the gap that most of them may have missed.
Operational Strategy
You operational strategy is another key factor to consider when developing your courier business plan. This is critical despite the model you choose for your business. You must determine the areas you plan to offer your services. You should think about whether you will be delivering locally, regionally or tap into the international market. Consider segmenting the areas you offer services and assigning drivers to each. Consider using a route planner in order to optimise your deliveries and pick-ups, that way you can save on costs and increase efficiency. It is also important to think about whether you will be making use of outsourced drivers or hiring permanent employees, taking into account what the cost implications will be. Take advantage of technology by creating a website for your business, being present on social media and even developing your own application for smooth operations. People are most likely going to book your services online either through a website or social media plus, it’s an effective way to market your business. In addition, being present online will help you generate a captive audience that can easily turn into leads. Social media presence is generally essential for branding.
Your operational strategy should be well thought out and this will be based on the type of courier business you set up whether you deliver documents, food or large parcels. When setting up any kind of business it is important to think about your competitive advantage. How will your operations set you apart from every other courier company in your area? After conducting your research you can easily find a gap that you can fill based on what other courier companies are missing.
Writing a business plan for a courier company may seem intimidating at first, but as soon as you start doing your research, developing the plan will be a smooth process. Simply come up with your structure, determine your goals and objectives and create operational, marketing and financial plans that will aid you to achieve them.
