How to Start a Courier Service in the UK
With more than 17,000 courier businesses operating in the UK alone, one might assume that the space is already crowded. However, when you consider the fact that there are about two million limited companies operating in the same area and accommodating a national population of more than 66 million people as well as global markets, it becomes clear that there’s actually a shortage of British courier services. If you’d like to capitalise on the rising demand for courier services in the UK, you can get started by following these steps.
1. Incorporate and Obtain the Necessary Insurance
First, you’ll need to incorporate your limited company and obtain fleet insurance to cover any vehicles that will be used for your courier service. You can compare fleet insurance policies and quotes from numerous providers using a comparison platform. For instance there’s Quotezone.co.uk, a price comparison site that can help you to compare fleet insurance from many of the UK’s leading insurance providers.
2. Choose a Courier Service Type for Your Company
There are many ways to bring a package from point A to point B. Your job is to find a fast, reliable approach to servicing a district or region. Some examples include bicycle, motorcycle, and van courier services. Each of these vehicle types has their own advantages, with bicycles offering superior urban access, motorcycles offering speed, and vans offering more storage space. You could also start a specialist courier service that transports healthcare products, hazardous materials, fragile items, or temperature-sensitive goods.
Before you actually follow through with your plan of launching a courier service, it’s important to thoroughly assess all of the expenses that will be necessary to begin operating. This initial budgeting phase is the first preliminary step towards formulating a well-informed business plan, which brings us to the next part of the process.
4. Come Up with a Courier Business Plan or Buy an Existing Courier Service
Before you can start doing business as a courier, it’s best to create a formal business plan. This document will not only provide personal guidance by keeping you on a predetermined path, but it will also give potential investors the confidence to invest in your courier service. If you’d rather skip the hassle of devising and carrying out a business plan, you could buy one of the many courier services that are for sale in the UK. To give you an idea of how much of an investment this would be, you can usually find pre-made courier businesses for sale in the price range of £30,000 to £350,000 or more.
5. Choose the Right Vehicles and Hire Drivers
Every courier service should try to use the most energy-efficient and spacious cargo vehicles available. Some of the most popular small cargo vans used by UK courier services include the Volkswagen Caddy, Mercedes Sprinter, and Citroen Berlingo. After you’ve purchased the right vehicles, it’s time to carry out a thorough driver screening and hiring process to ensure your fleet is in good hands while on the road.
6. Start Marketing to Find Customers
Now that your company is incorporated and insured with a full fleet of efficient vehicles and qualified drivers, you can begin the process of finding your first clients and contracts. You may want to invest in lead generation services to streamline your marketing efforts and achieve desirable results quickly.
Hire a Good Manager and Enjoy the Continuous Profits
Finally, once your courier service is up and running successfully, you can focus on outsourcing the administrative duties to an experienced CEO, supervisor, or manager. From there, your company will serve as a cash cow, generating profits with very little effort on your behalf.