Source: Unsplash | Maarten van den Heuvel
If you want to be your own boss and enjoy the rewards that come with running your own business, then courier service is the right choice for you. What does it take to start this business? The answer is simple: a dependable vehicle and a cell phone. The startup cost apart from the vehicle and cell phone? Not more than $500.
Yes, you heard it right. You only need a couple of bucks to get started in this part-time or full-time job. Here, you are required to pick up and deliver packages to your clients at a given timeframe. These packages can be anything from documents to large furniture, even pets. Your clients are individuals and businesses who want their items to be delivered but can’t fulfil the delivery through regular mails at post offices or other mail services.
Assuming you know your locality very well, courier business is one of the easiest ways to earn money and make a profit at the same time. There is always demands for courier services like these when people are busy and don’t have time to run errands. People who are disabled or those recovering from illnesses and accidents often need help delivering groceries or other items to their places. What courier service do is fulfil their requests on time.
Obviously, you want your business to be a success. Since courier business requires minimal startup cost, therefore low overhead, this may be the right choice for your lifestyle. Most people tend to start this business from home, where they don’t have to pay additional rent or utilities. Some people believe that service in a corporate setting will increase their earning potential and access to a large number of potential clients. However, you can set up your business anywhere you like depending on your requirements and budget.
Regardless of how and where you start your courier business, if you lack the needed skills, it is hard to succeed. The skills needed here are attention to details, reaching the source and destination within the specified time, good communication skills, having access to a reliable vehicle and ability to organise things efficiently. On the one hand, you will be the person delivering this service to your customers. On the other hand, you will also be responsible for any mistakes or complaints related to the delivery. You need to be have protection in place in order to succeed.
As for the earning part, the national average rate for courier service delivered through cars, pickup trucks or other light vehicles can range anywhere between $25 to $40 per hour. This means a person working for 8 hours a day can earn in the range of $52,000 to $85,000. Be particularly careful not to overlook mileage and service charges when calculating your earning potential. It is a great way to make money on your own terms, and you can build up a good reputation by completing good work for a set of customers regularly. They will recommend you in the long-term to friends and family, allowing you to grow your reputation.