A courier business can be very rewarding. It can be a part-time venture or a fulltime business. But as is the case with any business, there are certain challenges and rewards. Only when you overcome the challenges would you encounter the rewards. If you wish to start a small courier business that focuses on deliveries in a given area or facilitates the operations or expansion of a larger courier network, then there are very few challenges. But even then, you should equip yourself with all the tips you can get hold of to run a successful enterprise.

Here are some tips for a brand new courier business

• Always develop an expertise. Many couriers start offering multiple services right from day one. That is unwise. Unless you have a lot of experience in the courier industry and have worked in various capacities, you would not know much about how couriers work. It is best to get started with something you can do. You may facilitate the expansion of a courier network by having a franchisee or becoming a zonal office, you may have a delivery network or you may just deliver couriers yourself as a part-time or fulltime profession. Whatever you start doing, focus on only that and perfect it before you offer a new service.
• Do not expand into territories or regions that are not within an easy reach. Do not presume that a city based office or one based in the suburbs will be able to cater to the whole city or all the surrounding areas of the suburb. You should begin with a smaller area that you can manage and then think of expanding. Should you be based anywhere that isn’t very populous, then you can opt for a large area or region. Busy areas or regions can become very taxing and it is best to start small.
• Use technology wherever you can. Whether you are offering courier service to France or you intend to facilitate sending of couriers across the European Union from a county in England, you must use technology. From GPS vehicle tracking systems to digitized records, CRMs to ERPs, you must make your courier business more efficient.
• Always have the necessary resources and able people to get the job done. From the courier network you choose to the office staff, the training or support you get from a courier network to the delivery team, your courier business will only be as efficient as these resources and personnel.