Opening a courier service. How to start your own courier service from scratch

Opening a courier delivery service attracts entrepreneurs because it does not require large investments and experience in this field. However, this type of business, like any other, has its pitfalls and nuances. In the business plan, we will highlight the main aspects of this type of activity.

Objective of the project: making a profit by providing courier services to businesses and the public.

The attractiveness of a courier services business is determined by the following factors:

1. Low barriers to market entry.
2. Increasing demand for this type of service.
3. No eligibility requirements.
4. Wide opportunities for business development and scaling.

The amount of initial investment is 149,000 rubles.

The break-even point is reached on the 4th month of operation.

The payback period is 7 months.

The average monthly profit of the 1st year of the project implementation is 43,726 rubles.

2. Description of the business, product or service

3. Description of the market

Every day, many organizations and people resort to the services of courier services. Before opening a delivery service, it is necessary to determine which market segment will have to be served. Potential customers of the courier service are:

• online stores with delivery of goods;
• flower shops;
• cafes and restaurants;
• publishing houses;
• bookstores.

In the age of technology, online shopping is becoming more and more popular. However, not every organization offering a delivery service has its own staff of couriers. Most online stores resort to outsourcing, and they conclude contracts not with market giants, but with local small firms.

Flower shops are another large segment. Many of them are posted on social networks and offer delivery services. Not having their own courier on staff, they will gladly become your regular customers.

To date, there is not a single more or less large city that does not have a large number of pizzerias, cafes, restaurants, pancakes and other various catering establishments. Most likely, the owners of such establishments will not refuse to have additional profit from the delivery of their dishes to customers at home. Therefore, the courier service can provide their delivery services.

Almost all large organizations need couriers to deliver various packages of documents to some government services. An example would be the tax office. The courier from the delivery service will be able not only to take the necessary documents, but also to stand in line with everyone else. Thanks to such services, customers will be able to save their time, and you, as a business owner, will get additional profit.

4. Sales and Marketing

5. Production plan

The main goal of the project is to open a courier service and maximize its profits.

Overview of the real estate market for the selection of the optimal premises.

Requirements for the premises of the beauty elephant:

• Location: can be either the city center or a residential area;
• Room area 10-15 m2;
• Parking is desirable.

• Registration of a legal entity.

Activities can be carried out by both an individual - an individual entrepreneur, and a legal entity - an LLC.

• Opening a current account.

6. Organizational structure

Staffing schedule:

• manager - 1,
• couriers - 2-4,

The total number of employees is 3-5 people.

As a rule, the owner of the business acts as the manager in such a small company. The salary is set at 30,000 rubles. The salary of couriers is piecework and amounts to 30% of completed orders. In the first 2 months, it will be enough to hire 2 couriers, however, with an increase in customers, the staff will need to be expanded.

Responsible staffing needs to be taken into account. After all, only serious and executive employees will help to get good reviews about the company as a whole. If you do not have experience in the provision of courier services, then it is all the more desirable to hire professionals in this field who will help you establish the whole process and organize the correct work with clients.

Before official employment, arrange a trial period of at least a week. This will help to understand how the future employee treats the client, whether he is able to provide the level of service you set.

Basic recruitment requirements:

• Having your own car;
• Competent Russian written and oral speech;
• Responsibility;
• sociability;
• Activity;
• Reliability.

fixed costs	Salary	The number of employees	Sum	Average salary per month per employee
Supervisor	20 000	1	20 000	32 822
Courier	9 500	4	38 000	25 528
Insurance premiums			17 400
Total payroll			75 400

7. Financial plan

8. Risk factors

Before you enter this business, you should know what dangers may lie in wait on the path to success. When opening a courier service, it is important to remember the following difficulties.

Courier service is a good business idea for entrepreneurs who have good management skills, are able to organize work competently and reduce unnecessary expenses. The attractiveness of this idea lies in the fact that at the initial stage the costs are low and courier services pay for themselves.

Services

Before drawing up a business plan for a courier service, you need to decide on the format of the services that will be provided:

1. Business letters and documentation. With the development of Internet technologies, the need to transfer data on paper has not lost its relevance. Therefore, the delivery of papers to the addressee is still in demand.
2. Parcels and parcels. Such items can be sent by mail, but it will take too long. It is much more convenient to use the services of a courier who will quickly and timely deliver the shipment.
3. Flowers, food, food. To provide such a service, you need to conclude an agreement with flower shops, cafes, fast food organizations.
4. Goods. Online shopping is very popular. It is often more profitable for online stores to work with a courier service than to have full-time couriers.

The business idea is to make a profit by providing courier services to citizens and organizations. At the initial stage, you can start working only within one city, gradually expanding the geographical coverage.

The most demanded work is the delivery of orders from online stores, they can be the main focus, at least at the start. Clothes, flowers, food, dishes, gifts can be delivered. Orders in the courier service can be:

• Urgent. The courier leaves immediately after the receipt of the application, but the payment is at a higher rate.
• Standard. The order is agreed in advance and appointed for a certain time.
• Night. Delivery is made at night at an increased rate.
• Newsletter. Order from one person to several recipients.

Each type has its own tariff. An increased fee is taken for night and urgent orders, favorable conditions are created for customers through mailing lists.

Clients

The services of courier services are used by both individuals and organizations. At the start, it is advisable not to strive to reach as large an audience as possible, but to concentrate on the main areas:

• online stores that do not have a courier service;
• companies with several branches in one city;
• restaurants, cafes, bistros;
• flower shops;
• publishing houses;
• bookstores;
• grocery stores;
• private persons.

In the process of work, other more profitable directions may appear, and some, on the contrary, will have to be abandoned.

original formats

In any business, it is important to successfully stand out from the competition. And since courier services are a common thing in any city, this moment is very relevant. Customers can be offered original forms of delivery.

Delivery of documentation and small items by bicycle can be very profitable. The advantage of this approach lies in the mobility and speed of delivery, especially during traffic jams.

In the summer, you can hire students who are interested in part-time work. No need to spend money on fuel for the car or travel documents for the courier. The downside is the seasonal nature of the work: it is not very convenient to transport orders during heavy snowfall in winter and during rain in autumn.

Congratulatory delivery service

Courier delivery of gifts, flowers, balloons, sweets and other festive attributes. Delivery of congratulations and gifts for birthdays, weddings, celebrations. With a competent advertising campaign, such a service can be in great demand.

24/7 delivery

Not every service can boast of working 24 hours a day. Working in this format can be a good start for a novice businessman. Moreover, delivery at night is much more expensive than during the day.

Delivery of oversized cargo

Not all courier services transport building materials, spare parts of non-standard size. If there are plans to organize the transportation of such items, then additional freight transport and loaders will be required.

What is needed to implement a business plan?

It is advisable to organize such a business in large cities, in small towns, the demand for such services is low, and it will not be possible to get a significant income. In addition, in small towns everything is within walking distance, and it is more convenient for people to pick up an order on their own or send an employee to collect documents.

At the initial stage, you need to decide on the type of goods transported and the target audience. Transportation of documentation or medical equipment will require completely different conditions for transportation. If you plan to deliver dangerous goods, then you need to get a certificate before work.

To attract potential customers, you will need to advertise and use other ways to promote your services. For the normal operation of the service, at the initial stage, at least a minimum number of employees will have to be hired: a courier, a driver, a dispatcher, an accountant. For transporting heavy items, movers are also needed.

Beginning of work

There are two ways to legalize a business: register an individual entrepreneur or open an LLC. To do this, you need to prepare a package of documentation and contact the IFTS. After 5 days, you can pick up the finished documents. Next, you will need to obtain a license for the provision of courier services.

In the beginning, the office can be organized in your own apartment, using a personal cell phone for communication. In the future, it is rational to hire an employee to receive applications and rent a suitable office space. A small office of 12 sq.m. will do. In such a room, several workers, the necessary furniture and office equipment can easily be accommodated. There is no particular difference where to rent an office (in the center or in a residential area), here you need to focus on your own capabilities and preferences.

There are a few more issues to be resolved. Is delivery planned only within the city or will the geographical coverage be much wider and transportation of goods is possible throughout the region? Delivery will be carried out by a private car or by a courier who has his own vehicle? If you plan to deliver goods by bus or metro, then it is advisable to buy tickets to minimize costs.

Furniture and office equipment

When the initial issues are resolved, a suitable room is selected, it's time to start purchasing equipment for work. Estimated costs will be as follows:

• tables - 10 thousand rubles;
• chairs - 5 thousand rubles;
• computer - 20 thousand rubles;
• printer - 10 thousand rubles;
• cabinet for papers - 10 thousand rubles;
• office supplies - 3 thousand rubles.

Total: 58 thousand rubles

The total amount for initial expenses will be about 53,000 rubles. If you accept couriers with a personal car, then the cost item for the purchase of transport can be excluded for the time being.

Staff

For the normal operation of the courier service, several employees should be hired. First, the dispatcher to receive applications. Secondly, couriers for the delivery of papers and cargo. Thirdly, an advertising manager responsible for promoting services and finding customers.

• courier (2 employees) - 30 thousand rubles
• dispatcher - 15 thousand rubles
• manager - 15 thousand rubles

Total salary costs will amount to 60 thousand rubles

Thus, the cost of paying wages to employees per month will amount to 60,000 rubles. An accountant will be required for reporting, document management, accrual and payment of salaries. This work can be entrusted to an outsourcing organization, then the costs will be minimal - about 2000-3000 rubles.

Service advertising and marketing

• development and sending of commercial offers for Internet sites;
• creation of a business card site or a landing page for the presentation of services on the Internet;
• implementation of contextual advertising on the Internet;
• placement of ads in print media and on advertising sites.

An important point is the automation of work and workflow.

The costs for these purposes can be significant and reach 1 million rubles. when developing a special service and mobile application.

Start-up capital

Income in the future is directly related to the amount of start-up capital. Most of the funds will have to be invested in advertising and marketing. At the initial stage, this amount can be up to 500,000 rubles.

In general terms, the costs of starting a business are presented in the table:

• office rent - 15 thousand rubles;
• business registration - 5 thousand rubles;
• purchase of equipment - 53 thousand rubles;
• advertising of the company - 500 thousand rubles.

Total - 573 thousand rubles

To open his own business for the provision of courier services, a businessman must have 73,000 rubles. Costs can be significantly reduced by reducing advertising and marketing costs, but it is worth considering the realities of the region where the services will be provided.

Perhaps, a high level of competition will not allow you to receive significant income without competent promotion of your services. With a low level of service and automation, it will not be possible to interest serious customers.

Monthly costs

For the normal functioning of the business, you will have to make certain injections of funds every month. Costs can be presented in the form of a table:

• rent for the premises - 15 thousand rubles;
• salary - 60 thousand rubles;
• utilities - 10 thousand rubles.

Estimated monthly expenses will be 85,000 rubles.

Yield

In any business, the main thing is profit. Let's see how profitable this business is. On average, one order costs 300 rubles. When servicing 20 clients per day, you can get 180,000 rubles per month. From the proceeds, you will have to deduct operating expenses and taxes.

Suppose that a simplified taxation system of 6% of income is chosen, that is, tax costs will amount to approximately 10,800 rubles. Thus, the net profit for the month can reach: 180000-85000-10800=84200 rubles.

The profitability of the business is about 100%. But here much depends on the number of orders. For the business to truly become profitable, you will need at least 5 couriers and 100 orders per day.

Summing up

Courier service in a large city is a sought-after and profitable organization. Even a novice in business can do such a business. The costs for opening a business are low, and with a competent advertising company, the first dividends will come in a few months.

Video. Courier Service Business Plan

Quality service, including the delivery of goods, is the first rule of a successful business. Company owners are interested in ensuring that buyers are guaranteed to receive their orders quickly, safe and sound. But not everyone maintains their own courier service, more often they attract companies from outside.

Courier service as a business is one of the options for starting your own business with minimal initial investment. This type of business does not require deep special knowledge, large capacities or complex legal procedures. However, there are nuances, knowing which, it will be much easier to start and succeed in this business.

Logistics Trends: Business Relevance

To understand whether the business of delivering goods is profitable, consider the main latest trends in the field of logistics - the process of moving goods, documents, valuables from the seller (manufacturer, supplier) to the buyer (customer, consumer).

1. According to the Data Insight research agency, online trading is growing at least 25% per year even in times of crisis, while most online stores outsource courier services to save money. The result is an increase in the number of parcels that require courier services.
2. In 2016, the demand for the delivery of goods to self-delivery points and parcel lockers increased significantly.

   For example, customers prefer to pick up almost 90% of orders in the Svyaznoy online store from order pickup points (PIU). Buyers book goods on the site with the opportunity to pick them up within 48 hours from the store most conveniently located. For the delivery of such orders, third-party courier services are involved.

3. 2016 was a year of growing demand for the delivery of specialized goods: oversized cargo, food products (including ready meals from restaurants, cafes, specialized bars).
4. Many large companies announce tenders for courier services.
5. The authorities are discussing the topic of legalizing the online trade in medicines, alcohol, and jewelry. If this happens, then a surge in demand for services for the delivery of these goods is inevitable. Some of them require compliance with special conditions, for example, the temperature regime for medicines.

Business registration

You can work both in the status of an individual entrepreneur and an LLC. Taxation - STS - 6% of income or 15% income minus expenses. OKVED codes according to the current classifier: 53.20.3 Courier activities; 53.20.31 Courier delivery by various modes of transport; 53.20.32 Home delivery of food (if it is planned to deliver food); 53.20.39 Other courier activities. No license is required for this type of activity.

At first, you can use your own home as an office, and a personal mobile phone as a communication device. In the future, it is advisable to hire a dispatcher (manager) who will take orders and rent an office space.

It makes sense to open a courier business in large cities, since in small towns, where everything is within walking distance and there are no constant traffic jams, it is easier for people to pick up the goods themselves or send an employee.

It is necessary to decide on the format: whether it will be delivery around the city or long-distance courier services. Use personal transport in work or hire couriers with their own vehicles: trucks (when transporting bulky goods), cars, scooters, bicycles (when organizing the delivery of documents, mail, printed materials and small goods).

If you plan to deliver by public transport, you need to purchase travel tickets for couriers, this will reduce transport costs.

Unusual formats - detuning from competitors

Courier services in large cities are not a novelty, therefore, there is competition, and in order to successfully enter a niche, you need your own “chips” that allow you to find, and possibly lure customers from competitors. How to achieve this? For example, a unique unusual offer could be:

Bicycle mail. Fast delivery of documents by bicycle (or by scooters and mopeds). Students can be hired to work during the summer. The disadvantage is seasonality, since it is not very convenient to ride a bicycle through slush in the rain in winter in snowfall and in autumn in the rain. But you can make this idea an additional service for the warm season. Pros: low costs (no need to spend money on gasoline, travel documents), students are always interested in additional income, and there are many cyclists among them.

For example, the US Express Mail UPS delivers parcels not on the usual trucks, but on bicycles with a trailer.

Congratulatory courier service for the delivery of flowers, gifts, sweets, balloons and other holiday attributes. People do not always have time to congratulate their loved ones in person, and with proper advertising, such a service can be in good demand.

Round the clock delivery. Not every courier service can boast of 24 working days. This can play into the hands of a novice entrepreneur: orders at night are valued higher, and delivered faster due to the absence of traffic jams. But here it will be necessary to hire additional employees to work in shifts.

Delivery of women's trifles or children's goods. Girls are scattered and they have situations when there is no way to go to the store, for example, tights are torn at work, hairspray has run out, diapers for a baby and many other options. You can position your service as a delivery service for the necessary little things or make it an additional service.

Delivery of auto parts , building materials or oversized cargo assistance with relocations. In this case, additional loaders and freight transport will be needed.

Delivery of products grown in summer cottages(can be organized in the summer-autumn season) or in greenhouses: potatoes, beets, cucumbers, tomatoes and other crops.

And as old as the world, and, nevertheless, working ways of detuning from competitors - offering a more loyal pricing policy, speeding up delivery times compared to competitors.

Participants of thematic forums, sharing their own experience in opening a courier delivery service, advise a novice entrepreneur to “get to know this kitchen from the inside.” That is, for a short period of time, get a job in a successfully operating courier delivery service and learn all the nuances of the business.

Where to look for clients

A natural question arises, is it difficult to find customers for a delivery service? We answer: if you know how and where to look for them, then it is not difficult. Of course, advertising costs should be included in the business plan of the courier service, but if you are smart, they will be small.

So, the list of working, and most importantly, not requiring large investments, options for finding clients:

Such customer search channels will definitely help you find customers for the first time, you should not stop advertising in the future. It is better to immediately lay in the monthly costs of the article: advertising. When the profit begins to grow, it will be possible to think about expanding, creating a website, placing contextual advertising.

Franchises of courier services

Another option to simplify the start is to open a franchise business. Below is a brief overview of two franchise offers from Russian companies.

1) CDEC

The Novosibirsk company CDEK Logistics Solutions offers a franchise on the following terms:

• Lump sum- 150 thousand rubles.
• Royalty: paid from the 7th month of work - 10%.
• The amount of investment to start: from 200 thousand rubles.
• Return on investment: from 3 months.

You can fill out an application or send a questionnaire on the official website of the company.

2) Express.ru

The company's franchise offer is valid for the following cities: Krasnodar, Volgograd, Kazan. The conditions are as follows:

• Entrance fee: from 75 to 200 thousand rubles, depending on the city;
• Payback: 14-21 months.
• Royalty: 8% (paid from the 4th month).

The head office of the company is located in St. Petersburg. Partners are provided with comprehensive support, consumables, training, descriptions and instructions for all business processes.

One of the ways to make a profit can be considered a courier service as a business. We will describe in more detail how to open it and whether it is profitable to engage in such a business today. Increasingly, people and various organizations use delivery. After all, spending time on the independent transfer of letters, contracts, invoices, goods is inconvenient.

And although there are real giants in the courier service industry around the world, most companies and stores prefer to cooperate with local services. Therefore, you should focus on affordable prices and search for customers in a given region, offering more favorable conditions in order to win the competition.

Registration questions

In order to provide courier services legally and make a profit from it, you will need to organize everything correctly:

1. Contact the tax office and register an LLC or individual entrepreneur. In the first case, there will be more trust from customers and partners, and if you want to expand the scope of activities, you can use the help of investors, creditors or invite co-founders. The second option is only suitable if you are going to work in a medium-sized format and have a small amount.
2. Get registered with the statistical authorities, and when hiring staff, draw up documents with the Pension Fund.
3. To work, you will definitely need to open a bank account for a legal entity, where payments from customers will be received.
4. When choosing a taxation system, try to focus on a simplified form.

Market analysis

Where to start a business? After a novice entrepreneur has a brilliant idea to start his own profitable project, this issue worries me the most. When drawing up a business plan for a courier service, you will need to pay attention to the following points:

• Decide on the target audience, find potential customers who your activities will focus on.
• Find out all available information about competitors, their prices, services, promotions, bonuses, opportunities, etc.
• See the situation on the delivery market in your city and understand which of the directions is less busy, but at the same time in demand.

You also need to decide on your capabilities and ambitions. So, it is one thing to organize a courier service as a business in a small format and deliver only papers within the business center of the city, and it is quite another to focus on oversized cargo or long-distance routes outside the selected region. In each case, completely different investments will be required.

Services

What will your courier delivery be aimed at? Potential clients today include:

1. Various private organizations, business centers.
2. Internet shops.
3. Flower stalls.
4. Publishers and printing houses.
5. bookstores.
6. Catering establishments (pizzerias, restaurants).

Such firms do not keep permanent couriers on their staff and it is much more profitable for them to conclude a delivery agreement with a specialized local company. And the more such customers you attract, the more successful your business will be.

To stand out from the competition, consider some special services, for example:

• engage in the delivery of documents, contracts;
• the courier can stand in line and submit papers to any organization;
• perform the services of a trustee;
• express delivery, etc.

seasonality

Please note that a business such as a courier service also has a certain seasonality. When working with online stores or flower stalls, a special demand for this type of service arises before big holidays - New Year, February 23, March 8, etc.

Sales are also very popular these days. It is then that the number of purchases increases significantly and people want the goods to be delivered to them on time. The peculiarity of such a business is that delivery must be made before the expected holiday, that is, in a short time. On such days, it makes sense to increase the staff so that they can cope with orders.

Routes

The real experience of entrepreneurs shows that it is necessary to think over the territorial scope of the future business in advance. So, it is much easier and cheaper to organize courier delivery in your city in cooperation with restaurants or flower shops. And a completely different project format, which implies the movement of large cargo around the country or even abroad.

In the first case, you do not need to rent a large room. Couriers can move around using public transport, bicycles, subways, roller skates, or even on foot. In the second case, large investments and compliance with certain requirements will be required, since it will be necessary to provide a warehouse for storing parcels and a fleet of vehicles for suitable vehicles.

In any case, it is important to learn how to competently plan a route around the city or outside it for each employee. It is necessary to take into account the availability of roads, the presence of traffic jams, the proximity of several customers and much more. It is desirable that the courier be able to make as many successful deliveries as possible in one trip.

If you need to choose a place to house a courier service when working over long distances, then you should focus on the following criteria:

1. Convenient location closer to the city center so that those who wish can pick up their parcels on their own. This service is called "self-delivery" and involves some discounts when paying.
2. Parking is needed near the office, where customers can stop on their vehicles and the couriers themselves.
3. Sometimes it is required to have an airport nearby in order to be able to send cargo using aircraft. This will significantly reduce the delivery time and simplify cooperation with many companies.
4. The size of the premises must be sufficient for receiving visitors, waiting for them, a warehouse for parcels, administrative staff, etc.

couriers

Usually, students or people without education who want to earn extra money and do not have a specialty are hired in such services. Therefore, their wages will not be high. It is most profitable to evaluate labor using a percentage system, depending on completed orders, the distance and complexity of the route, etc.

Carefully select personnel, as the courier is the face of the company. And if employees are rude to customers, spoil the goods, turn out to be dishonest, rude, non-punctual, then this will ruin your business. During the probationary period and at the interview, pay attention to such trifles:

• Whether he fills out the questionnaire completely, answers all the points - this shows interest in the work and a serious attitude.
• Ability to communicate, sociability and courtesy.
• How he maintains documents, fills out invoices, submits reports.
• Does it follow the set schedule, delivers the goods on time.
• Feedback from customers will confirm your opinion about whether to hire such a person.

Customer acquisition

It is not enough to open a courier service from scratch, you also need to advertise it so that many customers use the services. The strategy will also differ from your financial capabilities and the chosen business format.

If there are not so many monetary assets, and cooperation involves working with shops and restaurants, then it is better to use the so-called point impact. That is, you personally draw up a competent and interesting offer for specific companies and communicate with their owners personally. Under mutually beneficial conditions, a contract is signed for the provision of delivery services on order.

In the case of solid financial investments and a wide range of activities in the region, country or beyond, you can use more expensive advertising media:

1. Website on the Internet.
2. Ads.
3. Banners.
4. Posters.
5. Business cards.

Price policy

Pricing becomes a separate issue. To do this, you must definitely study all the offers of competitors in your industry, identify their strengths and weaknesses, learn about discounts and promotions, bonuses that they provide to regular customers. To this end, you can simply call all the courier services in your city and clarify this issue.

You can also focus on low cost services to attract customers at the initial stage or offer interesting and unique additions to the service that your competitors do not have. A careful approach is required so as not to work to the detriment of oneself, but also not to overcharge.

Here you can download for free as a sample.

Financial part

When compiling a business plan, most entrepreneurs are interested in the money issue. What investments will be required to organize the project? It is not possible to give precise figures as there is a strong dependence on the expected scale of activity.

For example, if you need to purchase vehicles for oversized cargo and send them to different cities of Russia, then the costs may exceed 1,000,000 rubles. If you are only engaged in the delivery of food, flowers or documents within a small city, then you just need to pay for the registration of the company in the tax service and spend money on advertising.

Profit can also be completely different. Usually simple delivery costs 50-350 rubles. The margin is considered to be no higher than 10-30%. For a month of operation of a small city-format courier service, such a company will bring its owner about 100,000 rubles of profit. From this amount, you need to make contributions to the state treasury in the form of taxes and pay for the work of couriers.

When organizing a large business, the following items of expenses are assumed:

• rental of premises;
• purchase of transport;
• staff salaries;
• branded uniform;
• automation of work processes;
• purchase of cash registers and their maintenance;
• mobile, fixed telephone communication, Internet;
• advertising campaign;
• stationery;
• fuel;
• taxes;
• various banking services;
• utility bills, etc.

But the profit in this case will be much greater, which will also affect the payback rate. If there is not enough experience in organizational matters or you want to immediately work with a recognizable brand, then you can purchase a franchise of a courier company. In this case, it will be possible to quickly gain the trust of customers and achieve high profits.

Risks

In this type of activity, there are certain difficulties that it is desirable to know about in advance:

1. When drawing up a route and schedule, it is difficult to predict traffic jams and other road obstacles.
2. Quite often there are difficulties with the staff - dishonesty, rudeness with customers, lack of punctuality.
3. There is a "turnover" of personnel because this work is not a permanent place of activity for most couriers. They usually come here for temporary work.
4. When leaving for customers, delivery is not always perfect the first time. Therefore, you need to pay only for the last successful attempt.
5. There are risks of losing correspondence, documents, money or parcels.
6. It is important to constantly monitor the pricing policy, as the cost of services often changes.
7. When cooperating with other cities and firms, difficulties and misunderstandings also arise.
8. There are difficulties in drawing up a successful and profitable route when ordering from different parts of the city.
9. To improve control over the work of couriers, it is advisable to install modern software.
10. When problems arise in communicating with customers, the owner receives feedback from them, sometimes too late to correct the situation.

It is important to remember that in the courier service, work is constantly happening with people, and not with silent parcels. By establishing communication with staff and customers, you can achieve success, and by ignoring one of the parties, you can fail.

Video: how to open a courier service?

Before starting to create a delivery service, you have to seriously think about everything and decide what kind of delivery you are going to do. You can work with public catering, you can become an intermediary of online stores, you can serve legal entities, you can provide services to individuals. Or combine several directions. Each option has its own nuances that must be taken into account. Think about what territory you can work in, based on your budget. The more extensive the boundaries of delivery, the more expensive it is to create an enterprise.

The courier delivery service is a business that you can start alone and only spend money on travel and IP registration. Such an approach, however, will not promise great profits. Most likely, you will earn only a little more than a hired courier (the average salary is 25,000–35,000 rubles), while you will work many times more. We'll have to look for customers, take calls and orders, spin. In large cities, where the market is close to saturation in terms of the number of offers, it makes sense to make serious investments (from several million rubles to several tens of millions of rubles) and create a quality service. Customers most of all complain about the quality of services. The payback of a good service, provided that you correctly determine the needs of your target audience and accurately calculate everything at the start, can be about three years.

room

The delivery service needs an office space that will house dispatchers and management. Couriers will also arrive there to resolve pressing issues. In the office you have to receive clients, so take care of the presentable appearance of the building or at least the premises in which your company will be located. The legislation does not provide for special requirements for such offices.

Logistics companies that cooperate with online stores usually have their own warehouse. If you are going to create a large-scale service, it is better to rent a larger room. You do not need a class A warehouse - it is quite possible to meet $100-130 per sq. m. m per year. You can offer your customers paid use of your facilities. Storage of inventory during the day usually costs the store on average 50 rubles per cubic meter. You can also take care of packing - picking one order by courier service employees costs 10–50 rubles.

Problems with the service arise, among other things, due to the unwillingness of courier services to work around the clock and on holidays. A flexible schedule and a willingness to quickly provide services will help attract customers who find themselves in a difficult situation.

Documentation

After registering a legal entity, take care of the documents that will protect you and the client in case of a conflict. The courier must provide the client with an invoice in two copies, a cash receipt. If he uses a car, the usual consignment note must be replaced by a consignment note (TTN). It makes sense to accompany a valuable product with an act of no claims to appearance and quality.

Invoice forms can be downloaded on the Internet, in the 1C system, ordered at a printing house. Be careful not to lose them. You will have to report to the tax office, including with their help, so all TTN should be in order. Remember that the waybill must contain your data and customer data, contain information about the cargo (size, weight, etc.) and payment.

If couriers will accept payment, you can not do without a cash register. In case of his absence, the company faces a fine of 30,000–40,000 rubles.

Other expenses

Staff

Couriers are the most important employees of delivery services. They most of all communicate with customers, so you need to approach the selection process very carefully. First, you should choose people based on their preferences and expectations. The most nervous job for a courier is food delivery. The fulfillment of the order must be started immediately after receipt, there is little time for the road - an average of an hour and a half in Moscow. In this case, there is no way to plan a route. The most rewarding work is the delivery of documents. As a rule, all addresses are known the night before, the courier has the opportunity to build the most convenient route between points.

In Russia, the work of a courier is perceived as something second-rate, so the task of the creator of the project is to convey to the employees the idea that their work is important and useful. Often, logistics companies complain about the disappearance of couriers along with goods or money. It doesn’t hurt to insure yourself in such a case - the official registration of couriers in the state works well.

Equipment, transport and software

The simplest cash register equipment costs about 10,000 rubles. If you are going to become a major player, take care of the information infrastructure. Customers usually choose courier services that offer an API (Application Programming Interface). This is an external application embedded on the site that fully automates the process of ordering delivery.

You may need to invest in other infrastructure as well. Couriers can distribute smartphones or tablets with your company's application installed. A special program will also have to be written to monitor how orders are delivered, what reviews the client leaves.

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Illustrations: Natalia Osipova

Thank you for your help in preparing the material: Bringo, Smartomato, Homeassist