How To Suceed At Courier Work”
What is a courier job and what does this entail? Well this is a great job if you want low start-up costs and flexibility with your working hours. This kind of business would require you to deliver packages etc to businesses for a courier company. You would be using your own vehicle or van and would work on a freelance basis. This means you would not have to carry on working for that particular company if you did not want to and would be able to arrange working hours to suit your lifestyle.
Ok well how do I get started your probably thinking? The first thing you need to do is build a business plan. This needs to include what type of courier driver do you want to be ie do you want specialist driving jobs or would you rather deliver a wide range of goods. Next you need to do your homework on the following; competition for work available, costs involved in running this type of business, break even point and of course profit margins.
To be successful doing courier work you are going to need a reliable van not some “cheap” dodgy one from your mate down the road that will break down every time you look at it. Unless you have savings set aside or some other method of purchasing your van you will probably have to borrow the money. There are various options open to you and you should carry out your research before you commit to anything. Always take into consideration that your van will depreciate over time and this needs to be added to any calculations/forecasts you may have.
Do you buy a new or second hand van? Well that depends on the finance available to you and how much you can realistically afford (this is why a business plan is so important). You must leave the family car running cost mindset behind. Running a courier business will mean a high annual mileage rate which in turn means more wear and tear. You will have to replace parts and have services more regularly than you would on your family vehicle. So the benefits of buying a new van are it should be covered by a warranty which should keep these expenses down during the first 12 months. Used vans can be purchased from van dealers who will offer warranties. You really do need to do your homework and shop around.
Another large costing and important factor that needs to be researched thoroughly and added to your business plan is insurance and breakdown cover. If you use a vehicle in your business your insurance is going to be higher than a normal policy (where you just use your vehicle to travel between your home and place of work). It is very important that you shop around for your insurance and breakdown policy and read the small print. You don’t want to be paying your loan on your van with no van on the road and no work!
So I have covered some of the basics. The most important thing to take from this article is do your research carefully and thoroughly and write your business plan. What might have seemed feasible to start with may not when you have looked at every aspect thoroughly.