Delivery Driver/Courier Recruitment

[Nick Undrul]

Hi,

I remember starting out as a courier without knowing how companies work. Didn't khow much they charge, whether I need my own bike/car/van/insurance etc.

After working as a courier directly for companies and through agencies I believe to have found a gap in the market. I want to make it a wiki with guides/videos/blogs. The go to place for everything courier.

I know a lot of high earners that turn to being a courier during recessions. This has led me to start building Courier Recruitment.

Ideally this will be a free platform with an app that couriers and people/employers can use. There really is a shortage of couriers right now especially in the UK.

Can anyone think of a way to make this similar to Indeed/CX/SDCN and free yet monetising it a way that wouldn't be too annoying? Especially ads.

Thank you for feedback and suggestions in advance!

 

[MBE2017]

Hi,

... I believe to have found a gap in the market. I want to make it a wiki with guides/videos/blogs.

Really? I very much doubt it.

I know a lot of high earners that turn to being a courier during recessions. This has led me to start building Courier Recruitment.

Seriously? High earners turn to becoming couriers during recessions? A zero barrier to entry career unless you need to provide a vehicle, insurances etc. Even those are no real barrier to entry, one reason most couriers work like dogs for a pittance, using plastic bottles to urinate into because their schedule is so busy.

There really is a shortage of couriers right now especially in the UK.

One reason for the shortage is poor salaries and conditions. I’m afraid, like many before you paint a totally different picture to the reality.

Best of luck.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

Basically when Jason in Exeter phones me every Monday morning asking me if I need drivers . I tell him I'm too busy and no thank you
The Courier boom is over it lasted 18 months to two years and its all back to normal now .
There is no real demand for drivers now and there never has been .
I would advise that you continue with your market research then report back ?

 

[Nick Undrul]

I'd like to disagree. I've recently been hired by DPD and many other companies through normal recruitment agencies. I stayed anywhere from 1 day to 2 weeks just to see the demand for it. The really is a need for couriers. DPD alone paying £150 per a 10 hour shift. Agency will give you £120 of that. Amazon are always hiring. Many other large factories such as shed manufacturers are in need too.

During recessions everyone goes back to being a courier. As soon as the recession is over they go back to normal jobs. Can build a platform now to help replace the couriers when everyone is back in offices.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

I'd like to disagree. I've recently been hired by DPD and many other companies through normal recruitment agencies. I stayed anywhere from 1 day to 2 weeks just to see the demand for it. The really is a need for couriers. DPD alone paying £150 per a 10 hour shift. Agency will give you £120 of that. Amazon are always hiring. Many other large factories such as shed manufacturers are in need too.

During recessions everyone goes back to being a courier. As soon as the recession is over they go back to normal jobs. Can build a platform now to help replace the couriers when everyone is back in offices.

As I said Market Research is very important here not what a person has seen
DPD dispatch will not be using an App to cover drivers! Their office system is a recognized worldwide system
This is a business forum and if you think 150 quid a day is something to celebrate then crack on I live in the 6th richest nation on the planet, and it costs that to fill my German barge

 

[IanSuth]

I'd like to disagree. I've recently been hired by DPD and many other companies through normal recruitment agencies. I stayed anywhere from 1 day to 2 weeks just to see the demand for it. The really is a need for couriers. DPD alone paying £150 per a 10 hour shift. Agency will give you £120 of that. Amazon are always hiring. Many other large factories such as shed manufacturers are in need too.

During recessions everyone goes back to being a courier. As soon as the recession is over they go back to normal jobs. Can build a platform now to help replace the couriers when everyone is back in offices.

What do you know about recruitment ?

Do you know the conduct of employment agencies and recruitment business regulations ?

Are you looking to supply couriers to work through you on a contract for services or for the likes of DPD on a contract of service ?

Your £120/150 comment makes me think you don't

If you supplies a courier as a PAYE temp on £10ph you immediately have to add on accrual for holiday pay at 12% (5.5 weeks accrued in 46.4 working) then add employers NI (13.8%) - that gets you to £12.75ph (+27.5% in direct employment costs) - to put it another way if the temp courier is getting £120 then that directly costs the agency £153

Of course making the courier self employed/umbrella gets around those costs but them you have to justify how they are really self employed if you control their shifts which changes your business model etc

I think your gap in the market isnt quite where you think it is

I have nothing to do with couriers at all but i ride bikes and know a couple of ex dispatchers - they have said as soon as the illegal ebike riders have entered the market they have made it impossible for most motorcycle couriers to make any money and be legal - if you have to pay courier insurance and pay for fuel and are competing with a guy on a 30mph bicycle with zero insurance and minimal fuel costs then you lose all the local work and here isnt enough long trip to make up for it

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

Here is the perfect answer
one driver short this morning
Load going to Manchester airport
Had a message from an established owner driver heading north (empty in Plymouth) He does the job and I still make a profit
That is better than going on an app getting someone in to drive one of my vans then putting dents in it, them getting lost, them not knowing how to strap down a load or load a van correctly and many other things that could go wrong
They take 16 hours to do a 12 hour job and I get billed £18 an hour!

 

[MBE2017]

I'd like to disagree. I've recently been hired by DPD and many other companies through normal recruitment agencies. I stayed anywhere from 1 day to 2 weeks just to see the demand for it. The really is a need for couriers. DPD alone paying £150 per a 10 hour shift. Agency will give you £120 of that. Amazon are always hiring.

OK, so not wishing to be picky but in your original post you stated high earners go into courier work during recessions. You consider £120 per day good?

I’m sorry, these are near minimum wage jobs. The very fact Amazon are always recruiting should tell you something, nothing like being a busy fool.

These are not courier jobs btw, these are bog standard van driving jobs.

If you truly want to waste your time and money crack on, you won’t be the first, you certainly won’t be the last.

 

[Nick Undrul]

Here is the perfect answer
one driver short this morning
Load going to Manchester airport
Had a message from an established owner driver heading north (empty in Plymouth) He does the job and I still make a profit
That is better than going on an app getting someone in to drive one of my vans then putting dents in it, them getting lost, them not knowing how to strap down a load or load a van correctly and many other things that could go wrong
They take 16 hours to do a 12 hour job and I get billed £18 an hour!

Where did you find the driver from if you don't mind me asking?

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

Freightabase
We get emails from other members everyday letting us know where their vehicles are empty.

I also run an inhouse load board that was developed for me some time ago. I can add empty vehicles to this and can email our available loads from it
It is very basic I was going to dump it but it was very good at the height of the pandemic

 

[Nick Undrul]

Sounds like you know what you're doing! I am not trying to reinvent the wheel. Just believe that there is a need for couriers even just to cover shifts. As your example, if there is a shift or a need for warehouse/driver/courier then can use the website/app to find someone. Most probably will have marketplace with jobs and a bidding system so people can compete whilst customers can match profiles with pricing.

There has been problems where people didn't receive their parcels on time especially during Christmas because they couldn't find a courier. Any suggestions or previous problems would be great to hear so we can fix it together.

I understand that some business owners might get angry because of competition and lower pricing. Genuinely just trying to solve a problem. Any brain pickings would be much appreciated though!

Thank you for any suggestions in advance!

 

[fisicx]

@Nick Undrul - the problem you will have is the same as all other apps of this type: marketing. Unless all couriers/drivers and employers know about and use the app it will fail. Which means spending all your free time and lots of cash promoting the app.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

@Nick Undrul - the problem you will have is the same as all other apps of this type: marketing. Unless all couriers/drivers and employers know about and use the app it will fail. Which means spending all your free time and lots of cash promoting the app.

In addition to this I have learnt as a long-term member on UKBF that companies that develop apps and software for industry specific purposes have a very limited target audience resulting in the venture having a poor performance even when they have had very good uptake

 

[Nick Undrul]

In addition to this I have learnt as a long-term member on UKBF that companies that develop apps and software for industry specific purposes have a very limited target audience resulting in the venture having a poor performance even when they have had very good uptake

I don't take suggestions and opinions of professionals in the industry I am trying to enter. How do you, as a business owner think Courier Recruitment could help?

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

I don't take suggestions and opinions of professionals in the industry I am trying to enter

This one is going in the book

 

[fisicx]

I don't take suggestions and opinions of professionals in the industry I am trying to enter.

Why not? Surely your target user are the very people you should be taking advice from.

 

[Bob Morgan]

This one is going in the book

Is @estwig using another name?

 

[estwig]

Is @estwig using another name?

It has crossed my mind at times in the past, I know of others here who do, I can't be bothered!

 

[estwig]

I don't take suggestions and opinions of professionals in the industry I am trying to enter.

We're caught in a trap
I can't walk out
Because I love you too much, baby
Why can't you see
What you're doing to me
When you don't believe a word I say?

We can't go on together
With suspicious minds (suspicious minds)
And we can't build our dreams
On suspicious minds

So if an old friend I know
Stops by to say hello
Would I still see suspicion in your eyes?
Here we go again
Asking where I've been
You can't see the tears are real, I'm crying
(Yes I'm crying)

We can't go on together
With suspicious minds (suspicious minds)
And we can't build our dreams
On suspicious minds

Oh, let our love survive
I'll dry the tears from your eyes
Let's don't let a good thing die
When honey, you know I've never lied to you
Mmm, yeah, yeah

We're caught in a trap
I can't walk out
Because I love you too much, baby
Why can't you see
What you're doing to me
When you don't believe a word I say?

Well, don't you know I'm caught in a trap?
I can't walk out
Because I love you too much, baby
Well, don't you know I'm caught in a trap?
I can't walk out
Because I love you too much, baby
Well, don't you know I'm caught in a trap?
I can't walk out
Because I love you too much, baby

Well, don't you know I'm caught in a trap?
I can't walk out
Because I love you too much, baby
Well, don't you know I'm caught in a trap?
I can't walk out
Because I love you too much, baby

Well, don't you know I'm caught in a trap?
I can't walk out
Because I love you too much, baby

Well, don't you know I'm caught in a trap?

 

[MBE2017]

I don't take suggestions and opinions of professionals in the industry I am trying to enter. How do you, as a business owner think Courier Recruitment could help?

I’m really confused. You don’t take suggestions and opinions of professionals in the industry, yet you then immediately ask for suggestions from one.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

DPD alone paying £150 per a 10 hour shift. Agency will give you £120 of that.

Is that driver only or owner/operator?

 

[NickGrogan]

Ideally this will be a free platform with an app that couriers and people/employers can use. There really is a shortage of couriers right now especially in the UK.

Can anyone think of a way to make this similar to Indeed/CX/SDCN and free yet monetising it a way that wouldn't be too annoying? Especially ads.

Ignoring the fact that seem to know nothing about recruitment or the courier market...

Can you explain how a free platform that doesn't charge couriers or employers and definitely doesn't have ads can be monetized?

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

Is that driver only or owner/operator?

O/d and that was what I was billing Business Post in 1992 for each van

 

[Mark T Jones]

During recessions everyone goes back to being a courier. As soon as the recession is over they go back to normal jobs. Can build a platform now to help replace the couriers when everyone is back in offices.

If you pick this blanket statement apart, you might get the basis of some proper research.

And research is definitely what is missing here.

 

[Nick Undrul]

I don't take opinions and suggestions from professionals for granted.* I genuinely appreciate them!

Was typing on my phone and auto correct messed with me. Sorry about that!

I am not trying to monetise the system. Hoping to link all couriers with customers.

 

[Nick Undrul]

Is that driver only or owner/operator?

I was hired as a driver. They provided the van and insurance. However, we already have better jobs in our new Facebook group.

Delivery Driver/Courier Network UK

 

[NickGrogan]

What a shame, did the posts and didn't even get a link to his FB forum.

Better luck next time.

 

[Marbman]

if you feel its a good idea then go for it and if you want it to be more like Indeed then it sounds like CPC (cost per click) would be the way forward with a very basic free option to get people through the door.