How to Make a Delivery Gig More Profitable

Courier businesses are among the most popular ventures these days, especially in the post-covid-19 world. If you run a delivery gig, however, you probably have an idea of how fierce the competition is in this industry. Alongside this challenge coupled with long working hours, many new courier companies struggle to make decent returns. But there is a way around it.

Whether you’re an independent contractor or you run a small delivery business this article is for you. Here are a few tips on how you can make a delivery gig more profitable.

Get Closer to Your Customers

From B2B to B2C and C2C, delivery gigs come in many forms. Knowing your customer base is among the first things you should do when trying to improve your business’s profitability. In line with this, it pays to consider running your operations near where most of your customers are located physically.

If you run an ecommerce or dropshipping business, periodically reviewing the search history and product preferences of your customers can give you clues on how to captivate their attention online, especially on social media. The latter can be a great strategy to establish a strong customer base, which would eventually mean increased profits. If you also run an online store, you can utilize this information to create periodic listings, offer discounts, and post ads based on the customer’s preferences.

Streamline Delivery Efficiency 

In the delivery industry, time is a critical factor. No one wants to order a product only to wait for ages before they receive it. Prioritizing timely delivery is a must if at all you want to improve customer service, trust, and profitability of your delivery gig. To ensure this, there are a few things you can do, including:

i) Consider route optimization:

Whether you work for a courier company, as an independent contractor or you work for yourself, one thing is for sure. You will need to ensure quick and safe deliveries. In a recent comprehensive publication on how to become a courier, GetCircuit’s author recommends utilizing a reliable route planning app. It allows you to optimize your routes so deliveries reach their destinations faster by avoiding long routes, traffic delays, and unnecessary stops.

ii) Hire professional drivers:

Once your delivery gig expands, you may need to employ several courier drivers to meet the increasing delivery orders. Make sure to hire friendly yet professional drivers who will interact well with your customers. You want drivers who create the best impression of your brand. 

iii) Tracking technology: 

Package trackers are also available to help your customers track the progress or location of their deliveries in real-time. In most cases, your fleet will have to be installed with GPS tracking technology, so you can also monitor your delivery vehicles even from the office or on the go.

Fleet Maintenance

Preventative maintenance work on your fleet’s vehicles should be approached with urgency. You will need to establish a comprehensive fleet maintenance system. For instance, identify cars in need of oil and filter changes, and bear the associated costs, so you can deal with the problem before it quickly gets out of hand.

Repairs and upkeep are less expensive than buying a new car, but they can be a financial burden. In the long run, paying a little extra upfront protects your drivers and increases your profit margins. On top of liability insurance, don’t forget to insure your vehicles adequately to protect your investment.

Ace Customer Service

Finally, exceptional customer service should also be a priority when running a courier business. It helps sustain a happy and satisfied client base, meaning repeat business for you. Even as you promote your business online and offline, superior customer service will help you establish strong relationships and increase customer retention. This will add to your profitability over time.

A delivery gig can be fun and profitable if you know how to run it well. This profitability can skyrocket if you ace on several areas, including delivery speed, customer satisfaction, fleet maintenance, and route optimization. The above tips can go a long way in helping you achieve just this.