Choosing A Courier for Your Small Business: What to Consider

Timothy Oladimeji

Many small businesses are increasingly reliant on delivery services. These are some of the most common problems that arise when using a courier – and how to tackle them.

For many entrepreneurs and small businesses, the pressure is on to deliver – literally. Since the global pandemic, delivery is no longer a “nice-to-have”, but a necessity. There was a 25% rise in consumer e-commerce deliveries in 2020, with some of the increased demand expected to last well beyond the pandemic, according to a World Economic Forum report.

Whether you’re a restaurant with a take-out menu, an online retail enterprise, or a business that needs to get a lot of paperwork signed, sealed and delivered, how you get items from point A to point B can affect how your entire business is perceived.

However, with the explosion of courier services, there’s no shortage of choice: the challenge, then, is to find a courier service that can meet your business’s particular needs. Here are several factors that small businesses need to take into account when making this decision:

Price

Small businesses typically operate on tight budgets, and courier costs can quickly add up. It’s important, therefore, to shop around and compare prices. If possible, negotiate your rates: you may be able to secure more favorable pricing, based on your shipping volume or frequency.

Alternatively, try out different approaches to courier services: while some courier services work on a retainer basis, others allow you to order delivery on demand via an app. This may be cheaper – and also more convenient, as you don’t need to waist time to sign a contract and set a predetermined delivery schedule.

If you’re a business that operates locally, it is worth investigating the types of delivery available in your area – i.e. car, motorbike or even by foot. If your timeframe allows, opting for different approaches may prove cheaper.

Reliability

Lost or stolen deliveries are a surefire way to lose customers; they can sink a business’s reputation faster than you can say, “Jack Sparrow”. Look out for couriers that allow you – and your customer – to track the progress of a parcel in real time. Also, be sure to check a courier’s reputation. Look at previous ratings and reviews and choose accordingly (and don’t forget to leave your own ratings and reviews after service, to assist future customers).

Speed

For many businesses, time is of the essence when it comes to delivery. Takeaways, for example, just don’t taste as good when they’re lukewarm. A business deal might require that documents be signed and quickly returned. And, for customers who have to wait at home for a delivery, the less time they have to waste, the better. 

Here again, it’s worth considering what options are available – if you need speedy service but live in a congested area, delivery by motorbike may be faster than by car. With GPS technology, a courier should be able to provide a reasonably accurate ETA, as well as a means to track the progress of a parcel in real time.

Scheduling

Depending on your business, you may have specific time requirements for deliveries. Does your business operate outside standard working hours? Do you need a lot of flexibility? Keep this in mind when you’re considering alternative couriers. Do they operate when you need them to? How flexible is the service they offer? While some courier services work within office hours, others provide on-demand delivery, 24/7, via an app.

These are some of the most important factors to consider in choosing your courier service. It can be a process that requires time initially, but finding the right courier service for your needs can make all the difference to your business’s growth and future success.

inDrive is a global mobility and urban services platform headquartered in Mountain View, California, USA. The inDrive app has been downloaded over 175 million times, and was the second most downloaded mobility app in 2022. In addition to ride-hailing, inDrive provides an expanding list of urban services, including intercity transportation, freight delivery, task assistance, courier delivery and employment search.

inDrive operates in over 40 countries. It supports local communities via its peer-to-peer payment model and community empowerment programs, which help advance education, sports, arts and sciences, gender equality and other vital initiatives.

.Timothy Oladimeji is the Business Development Representative at inDrive, Nigeria