When starting up a small business in the city, you usually have plenty of foot traffic to work with even if your store is in a fairly hidden location. Local search engine optimization and traditional marketing can get you far in this regard. But if there’s one thing that the global health crisis has taught us, it’s that people love the convenience and they would prefer if they could get everything delivered to their doorstep.
This is why many small businesses, even inside cities, have started to offer their own delivery services. But why is this better than using established services such as DoorDash and Uber, and should it be something that you consider?
Why use your own delivery services over an established service?
There are a number of good reasons why you should offer your own delivery service.
- You get to control all of the costs and there is no middleman to pay.
- You get to choose who the drivers are which helps maintain a consistent service.
- You can add extra services that those delivery services can’t offer.
- You can set this up for a very low cost because the technology is affordable.
- You can direct people on the internet to your website for online deliveries and services.
- You can improve your reputation and brand awareness.
While there are certainly benefits to using an established service, there’s no denying that there are some extremely important advantages to offering your own delivery service. Relying on another service is perfectly fine for the most part, but you’ll notice problems with it in the future that can hinder your growth. If you become a little too reliant on these services, then it can negatively affect your user experience and your opportunities in the future.
How to find and manage your own delivery drivers
Recruiting drivers can seem fairly tricky, especially if most people are content with the service they get from companies such as DoorDash. However, you’ll find that many people are willing to work with local businesses as long as they’re not locked into a contract. If they have the freedom to continue their job with their delivery service while also being employed by you on the side, then it’s essentially just more income for them.
You will need to look out for their interests though. For example, you should get in touch with a car accident lawyer and provide them with some support if they get into an accident instead of just leaving them to their own devices. Additionally, you’ll want to draft up some kind of contract so that they know exactly what they’re getting into. This can include conditions about minimum hours, their pay, and so on.
As long as you keep the entire thing professional and transparent, you’ll find that there will be many drivers approaching you for a more consistent job opportunity. Even if you go through periods of little to no work, they can still fall back on their existing delivery service job and help you when things pick up again.
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