Opening a delivery business from scratch. Profitable business: how to open a courier delivery service

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Many people have a dream to exchange their stable job "for an uncle" and finally start working for themselves. It’s just that competition in most areas today has reached a critical mass, and therefore it’s quite risky to immediately switch to a business with serious investments, so it’s best to start with those ideas that do not require investment of solid funds . One of the best options would be. With the development of information technology, in particular, with the ubiquity of the Internet, an increasing number of people prefer not to waste their time shopping, ordering everything they need through the World Wide Web. In this article, you will learn how to open, which type of such activity is most in demand among our population.

Idea number 1: food delivery

If your start-up capital is not as large as you would like, then it is quite possible to start by supplying food from supermarkets. This will require:

Own website, which will provide information about food products (product name, direct manufacturer, shelf life, composition, fat content and other necessary data). If an order for the production of your own website at the current time is not affordable for you, then it is quite possible to limit yourself to creating a group in one of the social networks. Clients can enter the resource and leave requests directly on it, which, accordingly, must be processed immediately and executed as soon as possible.
It is highly desirable to have at least one consultant who will be permanently in touch and accept applications for further transfer of detailed information about him to the delivery employee.
Courier. At first, you can hire one employee (the best option is a driver with his own vehicle, who takes on the functions of a courier), then the staff can really be expanded as the number of regular customers increases.

Important Points

Immediately decide how the settlement system with the client will take place. The easiest way is to pay the client with the courier after delivery, but it is much better to add a cashless payment system.
Since the sale of alcohol at night is prohibited, you can make good money on its supply (alcohol) after 22:00.
For such a startup, you need to formalize your activities by registering as an individual entrepreneur, it is also worth knowing that the driver should always have consignment notes and waybills with him.
Advertising in this service sector plays a decisive role, so do not skimp on promotion, investing in it to the maximum. You can advertise on the Internet, organize the distribution of flyers with information about your service near shopping centers and in crowded places.

How much money will it take to start a business?

Since there is no need to rent premises for this type of activity, investments at the initial stage will range from 3,000 to 5,000 US dollars. The payback of a startup is about 6 months, income varies greatly depending on the city and the advertising support of your store.

In the event that you have a slightly larger amount of funds to start a business, you can start delivering ready-made meals or sushi.

This service is in high demand among numerous office workers and other busy people. For an idea to generate income, you must:

The presence of a room with equipment for cooking that meets all sanitary and other hygienic standards.
In addition to a courier and a consultant, you will need a good chef, because at least half of the success depends on the quality of his work.
Registration of activities (which in the case of cooking will require more documents and cash).
Advertising. The second half of success depends on this factor.

The payback period for such a project is from a year to a year and a half, it will require more investments than with a business for the delivery of food and alcohol at night and will cost from $ 10,000 and more.

Idea number 2: water delivery

The quality of the water that runs through the pipelines of modern megacities leaves much to be desired, so a huge number of people use purified (or extracted from wells) water for drinking and cooking. In this regard, the business associated with the supply of water is actually a win-win option. This idea is great for those who do not have enough experience in the field of entrepreneurship, and do not have a solid amount of funds to invest at the initial stage. So, if you decide to try yourself in this industry, you will need:

High-quality equipment for disinfection and purification of water from pollution, harmful particles and components. Additional equipment costs can be avoided by taking water from a source or well, having previously taken it to the laboratory and making sure that it is fully usable and does not contain potentially hazardous elements.
A business related to the supply of water requires a warehouse of at least 20-30 square meters and containers for bottling water.
Transport, which will deliver water to the client. It can be either a purchased car (a minibus, the most economical option is a GAZelle), or a rented one, based on your financial capabilities. Some businessmen hire a driver with their own car, who can take on the duties of a courier.
Permits obtained from the Ministry of Health and SES.
Cash machine.
Dispatcher-consultant taking orders by phone.
Advertising support.

Important Points

If you are afraid of difficulties at the stage of obtaining documents allowing you to conduct such activities, you can buy a franchise from a water delivery company.

The amount of start-up capital required varies depending on whether you will be buying or renting a car and many other factors. In the first case, you need to have at the ready an amount of 100,000 rubles, in the second - up to 500,000 rubles.

Idea number 3: flower delivery

Services for the delivery of flowering plants are in great demand in large cities and metropolitan areas. This idea has a huge number of advantages: firstly, in our country there are incredibly many holidays for which it is customary to give luxurious bouquets of flowers (September 1, March 8, May 9, February 14, weddings, birthdays, and others). And secondly, this business does not require the purchase of expensive equipment, SES permits and other nuances, the costs of which are often quite serious.

What is needed for a startup?

Creativity. Without it, the delivery of plants is unlikely to be successful, so when starting such a business, you need to immediately decide whether the soul lies in this field of activity. If floristry is your hobby, then you can easily turn it into a fairly profitable activity even with minimal financial investment.
To begin with, it is realistic to agree with a flower shop on cooperation if they do not have their own delivery service.
Then you will need to make your site offering courier services related to plants by placing high-quality photos of all the items offered by the store on it. The cost of creating a decent website starts at $200. Create appropriate groups in various social networks, where it is best to attract potential customers with discounts, promotions and sweepstakes (for example, every fifth bouquet of flowers is free).
Find on the Internet all the wedding agencies that work in your city and offer them cooperation on mutually beneficial terms.
To deliver flowers, of course, you need to hire a driver (the best option is with your own car). At first, even your home can be used as an office, taking orders and allocating a little space for storing flowers. An indisputable plus is that the only equipment you need is a computer and a mobile phone.
Before you start selling flowers directly, you must register yourself as an individual entrepreneur and obtain documents that give you the right to conduct commercial activities.

Important Points

Flower delivery is a seasonal business, that is, the largest sales will be on holidays, so you can diversify the assortment of your own store with seeds, bulbs, and home flowers. You can offer your customers beautiful wicker baskets with compositions of flowers and fruits, which have recently become very popular.

Idea number four: alcohol delivery at night

This area of business arose quite recently, after the ban on the sale of alcohol at night throughout the country. At the moment, only nightclubs, cafes, restaurants and some other establishments have the right to sell alcohol after 23:00. Therefore, the easiest way to start making money on the delivery of alcohol at night is to become an intermediary between the bar and the client.

Many online stores use this trick: for example, in the midst of the fun, alcohol runs out, then you buy a souvenir or a lighter from them at one in the morning and get a bottle of strong drink as a gift. There is actually no need to make any investments in the business of delivering alcohol at night. It is enough to create a group in a social network, there are a lot of customers for such services, so the income depends on the size of the city.

Do you want to open your own business, but the trouble is that the start-up capital is not just small - it is completely absent? Well, then this idea is for you! For its implementation, you will need at first: a clear head, a burning desire, and quick feet. Or, if possible, some kind of transport. Today we will talk about how to open a courier delivery service.

Mobility, speed and reliability are the main trump cards of small companies involved in the delivery of goods, helping to compete very successfully with such large giants as Russian Post, SPSR, or Zest-Express. It is good to resort to the help of such "monsters" when it is necessary to deliver bulky cargo, associated with the provision of additional services for security, cargo insurance, forwarding, etc. As a rule, delivery in such companies takes from a day to several days, depending on the distance.

The term for the execution of an order by a small company takes from several minutes to several hours. Opening a courier delivery service is not easy, but very simple. But first, let's decide what order format will be "your bread":

Documents, business letters, receipts, etc.. No need to think that with the development of the Internet and the advent of e-mail, faxes, etc. there was no need for circulation and transfer of paper and other information carriers. After all, an electronic copy is one thing, and the original document is completely different.
Parcels and parcels. Your advantages, and therefore the benefit of customers in the delivery of this category of goods in comparison, say, with the same Russian Post: speed (remember the slowness of the postal giant!), Reliability and delivery guarantee (how many goods were lost due to the fault of the monopolist for postal services !), attentive and careful attitude to the transported object.
Flowers. Arrange with flower shops, kiosks, boutiques, you can just leave a few of your business cards with them so that they pass them on to customers.
Food. Establish contact with a cafe, or other fast food company regarding the delivery of dishes from their menu to offices and homes.
Goods. Recently, the possibility of ordering various products in online stores has become widespread. Which, by the way, is much more profitable to contact the courier service than to maintain their own delivery department.

What you need to open a courier service

In order to open a courier delivery service, you really need a little:

Transport. Of course, you can use the public one, but you must admit, it is always more convenient to have your own, at least a scooter or a bicycle, which, by the way, are one of the best means of transportation in today's traffic jams. Alternatively, you can conclude an agreement with a taxi service or involve a temporary courier with a personal car.
Dispatcher who will take orders by phone. By the way, orders can be taken around the clock. This feature will set you apart from your competitors.
Several couriers.

Have you noticed the main feature of this business idea? All of the listed positions at the beginning of the organization of activities can be combined by one person - you! Of course, you will have to work hard. And with the development of the business, it is possible to expand the staff. Only at the same time, do not forget those distinctive points that helped you open a courier delivery service and brought you to the pinnacle of success: mobility, guarantee, attentiveness. I recommend that you read the article on working on personal transport.

Analysis of the feasibility of investing in a food delivery business

Modern society is characterized by a high pace of life, many people have an irregular work schedule that does not allow them to stand at the stove for hours. The average city dweller is forced to reduce the time spent on food, and in most cases, an hour of working time is valued more than ordering ready-made food. This is why the demand for food delivery services is on the rise.

These factors have made the food delivery business the fastest growing segment of the restaurant business. The data of the RBC.Research analytical agency and the statistics of the Delivery Club service allow us to talk about the rapid growth in demand for home delivery services for ready-made lunches and dinners.

Every day in Russia, food delivery services deliver 150,000 orders.

Table: information about the development of the business area in 2017

It is obvious that the demand for delivery services so far far exceeds the supply, which means that the quantity and quality of the service can be improved. This statement is an external prerequisite for starting your own food delivery business.

Internal reasons for investing in this segment include:

ease of creating and running a business;

small initial investment;

low level of commercial risks;

lack of seasonality.

Ideas for Starting a Food Delivery Business

A food delivery business can be opened in 2 formats, involving a radically different approach and an incomparable level of initial investment:

Delivery of food of own production. It requires significant investments, recruitment of a large staff, registration of many permits and documents. Attention should be paid to any one kitchen, since a variety of dishes will require highly qualified chefs, a large amount of equipment and impressive floor space. The most popular dishes ordered with delivery are:

WOK noodles;
pizza;
sushi and rolls.

Delivery of ready meals from various catering establishments. Minimum investment and 5–7 employees are required. In this case, income will depend entirely on the number of contracts concluded with restaurants and cafes.

Photo gallery: the most popular dishes for home delivery

Catering companies that serve banquets and corporate parties have the highest incomes, subject to competent customer attraction. Such an organization requires the high skill of cooks and the availability of expensive equipment.

To reduce costs at the initial stage, you can:

prepare simple meals (then a minimum set of kitchen utensils will be enough);

refuse the services of a cook and purchase semi-finished products for heating and resale (the demand for such dishes is small, but it exists).

Video: how to make money on food delivery

Own production and delivery

Own production requires obtaining a full set of permits from regulatory authorities and resolving issues with the work order:

Products are pre-purchased and stored in refrigerated rooms. The advantage of this approach is that the speed of customer service increases, and the minus is the existence of risks of damage to products and loss of money. This scheme is recommended for those who know the needs of their customers and fulfill a large number of orders daily.

Purchasing products just before cooking with immediate delivery to the customer after confirmation of the order. The option is recommended for starting a business.

Do-it-yourself production requires renting large premises, purchasing expensive equipment and obtaining permits to work with food

The organization of food production is an independent topic that has many nuances, so in this article we will only consider issues related to food delivery itself.

Mediation between catering establishments and customers

Many restaurant and cafe owners are forced to abandon the organization of the delivery of their dishes at home due to the high costs of this method of increasing sales. Delivery requires hiring additional staff who need to be paid money regardless of the number of orders per day, in addition, you will have to advertise the service and allocate funds for one-time packaging and vehicle repairs.

Most restaurants are not ready to organize their own delivery service, which means that you can conclude an agreement with them for the provision of intermediary services

If a consumer likes the menu of an establishment that refused to provide delivery services, he can only come and place an order in person or use delivery elsewhere. But not everyone has time to go to a restaurant, and therefore customers, including potential ones, are lost. The problem is solved after the conclusion of an agreement with the delivery service - this is beneficial to both parties.

Table: benefits of cooperation between catering establishments and food delivery service

The advantages of this food delivery business model are:

ease of organization of business processes;

quick service due to the absence of the need for cooking;

uniqueness - single services are currently open exclusively in large cities;

low competition;

no expenses for kitchen equipment;

low cost of renting premises (if only delivery without production is assumed).

How to open a food delivery business: step by step instructions

To start your home and office food delivery business, follow the steps below:

Make a business plan, develop a menu, inquire about catering establishments that do not have their own delivery service. Familiarize yourself with health regulations.

Post recruitment ads and start looking for workers. Arrange for the registration of medical books.

Order the development of a website and a mobile application.

Hire an agent or personally visit every restaurant in the city to offer your services.

Conclude an agreement with a printing house for the production of printed advertising.

Rent a suitable room (corresponding to SES standards - for food production, any office - for organizing a dispatch service).

Purchase the necessary equipment.

Train staff and give clear job descriptions.

Conclude an agreement with a company providing accounting services (this will help save on a full-time accountant).

Test the work of the team at all stages, instruct your friends to make trial orders.

Run an initial advertising campaign and launch a business.

Business registration

First of all, you need to register a business, otherwise the activity will be illegal, fines for tax evasion will follow, and it will be impossible to conclude an agreement with catering establishments.

To open a food delivery service, it is better to register a legal entity

Russian laws prohibit the sale of ready-made takeaway food, with the exception of pizza, pies and some bakery products. And if such a violation is often forgiven for large companies, then individual entrepreneurs will not be able to register such activities.

A serious approach to organizing a business involves registering a legal entity - doing business becomes more difficult in terms of taxation, bookkeeping, reporting and large fines for violations, but an LLC still has its advantages over an individual entrepreneur:

companies are more willing to conclude cooperation agreements with legal entities;

the activities of an LLC inspire more confidence among customers than individual entrepreneurs;

several founders can register a legal entity at the same time by pooling capital;

it is easier for companies to get a bank loan for development;

simplifies participation in tenders and professional competitions.

Also pay attention to the choice of taxation system - if you do not indicate during registration that you would like to switch to a simplified system (STS) or a single tax on imputed income (UTII), the general system (OSNO) will be automatically applied to you, involving the payment of a large number taxes and preparation of many reports, which will greatly complicate the conduct of business for a beginner.

Preparation of documents and obtaining permits

In order to start a legal business activity, you need to have the following papers on hand:

Registration documents of an individual entrepreneur or LLC, a certificate of tax registration.

A document certifying the opening of a bank account (if non-cash payments are planned).

Documents for the online cash register (registration papers, service agreement, agreement with the fiscal data operator).

Permission to conduct activities from the sanitary and epidemiological service for a rented premises and the provision of services to the population. All permits must be signed by Rospotrebnadzor and the Consumer Market Committee.

Agreement for the lease of premises.

Personal medical books of employees.

Permission from the fire service for the operation of the premises and the implementation of activities related to food by employees.

Contracts with restaurants and cafes.

The complete list of documents depends on the current requirements of the regulatory authorities. Do not forget to save all accounting reports and primary documentation (checks, invoices, etc.), otherwise fines from the tax office will follow.

All documents relating to the financial aspects of a businessman's activities must be kept in perfect order.

Menu planning

In the case of the delivery of ready-made meals from restaurants and cafes in your city, you create a menu based on the offer of establishments with which you managed to conclude an agreement, replenishing the assortment as new agreements are signed.

If you organize your own production, everything will depend on the financial capabilities of the business owner and on the catering establishments available in the city. See which cuisines are the most in demand, conduct a survey on the website or in social networks. If, for example, Chinese cuisine is chosen, and there are no lovers in the city, you will have to completely re-equip the kitchen and start all over again.

A varied menu will attract a large number of customers

It is best to offer customers variety, but remember that this will require a large financial investment, recruiting many employees and having a warehouse. Therefore, to begin with, it is worth focusing on one thing, and it is desirable that there are few similar offers in the city.

Room selection

In fact, any office space of a small area will do - 10–15 m 2 is enough. It makes no sense to rent a place in the entrance part of the city - there is no point in attracting the attention of passers-by, only call-center dispatchers will work in the office itself. Therefore, choose a room that does not require large expenses and is equally removed from the outskirts of the city - this will allow you to adjust the delivery cost for customers who live far from the center.

For the office of the call-center of the food delivery service, it will be enough to rent a room with an area of 10–15 sq. m

Own production will require large areas (50–100 m 2) and location near busy streets - this will allow you to sell takeaway food in addition to delivery.

Purchase of equipment

If you intend to work as an intermediary between catering establishments and customers, then you only need to buy thermal bags and, possibly, a computer for receiving orders by the dispatcher. If a cashless payment is planned, then you will have to purchase terminals in the amount of 2 pieces.

For a food delivery service without own production, it is enough to purchase 4 thermal bags

But the full production cycle will be expensive and multiply the initial investment. The list of equipment in this case depends on the menu - the more diverse it is, the more customers you will be able to attract, and the more expensive equipment you will have to purchase. For example, let's take a standard set of equipment for preparing and delivering pizza.

Table: equipment for the production and delivery of pizza

Recruitment

When the delivery service is just opening, a large staff is not required - it takes time to form a client base and conclude contracts with as many catering establishments as possible.

First, you should hire two call center operators and four couriers with a personal car - they will work in shifts, changing every 2 days. Then one dispatcher and two couriers will work simultaneously.

Even if potential employees convince you that they are ready to work every day without days off, do not take only one operator and two couriers - employees can get sick, the car sometimes breaks down, there are unforeseen situations, and overtime hours are paid in one and a half and double size according to labor law.

Finally, it is better to hire a full-time programmer. Of course, if the site fails, it will be possible to contact a third-party IT company, but this will take a lot of time, and a non-working site for you means direct losses and loss of customers. To save on the salary of a specialist, you can hire an employee to work remotely and part-time on the condition that he will be in touch at the right time.

It is better to hire a full-time site administrator than to contact third-party companies every time

It is worth noting that dispatchers are also initially hired on a remote work basis - this way you can reduce salaries and not buy your own laptop or computer.

Home delivery business plan

Registering your business and investing money should always be preceded by a detailed business plan. Remember that your goal is to rationally and impartially evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the food delivery business, and not to try to convince yourself of the justification for opening such a service. So you can save yourself from unnecessary costs and ruin even at the planning stage.

Description of the market

When studying the sales market, you need to focus not only on statistical data, but also on the conditions for doing business in a particular city. Before you fill an empty niche or compete with existing delivery services, pay attention to the following factors:

city population, age of residents;

income level of able-bodied citizens;

the number of business centers, office buildings, large companies;

availability of universities, hostels, schools;

the number of catering establishments and the popularity of restaurants in general;

the density of the location of public catering establishments (residents of many areas have the opportunity to get to the nearest fast food or supermarket, where there is a department of finished products, in 5–10 minutes);

operating delivery services and the speed of their development.

The target audience

Since, regardless of the economic situation and food prices, the demand for food does not decrease and has no seasonality, and a wide range of ready-made meals can satisfy any taste, the target audience for this market segment is quite diverse.

Table: food delivery service customers

Competitor analysis

The only competitors of the food delivery service are similar services. The market capacity for this type of service is quite large, so there will always be demand. In addition, competition will not interfere with the development of a new delivery service due to the fact that there are several times more catering establishments, dishes from the menu of which will be offered for home delivery, than delivery services.

The following improvements will help you stand out from your competitors and outperform them:

high level and speed of service;

availability of cashless payment terminals for couriers;

convenient and attractive site with the possibility of registration;

development of a mobile application for Android and iOS;

clear and mutually beneficial schemes of cooperation with catering establishments;

bonus program for regular customers;

polite couriers and call-center employees;

delicious food from quality fresh products (for those who have their own production).

Prospects for the development of the food delivery business

If you have reserve funds or third-party cash injections into business development, you can think about the prospects:

greater market coverage;

attracting corporate clients (food delivery to offices);

expansion to a network of services operating throughout the country;

provision of additional services (delivery of food, flowers, gifts, etc.);

conclusion of contracts with all popular catering establishments in the city.

Sales and marketing

The main thing in the development strategy of a new food delivery service is to assess the shortcomings of such services and offer a convenient customer service scheme. It is necessary to continuously work on the speed and quality of service and control over these indicators. And you should also organize reserve funds from the very beginning of the business, since only the availability of resources for rapid expansion as the sales market grows will allow you to cope with growing demand and remain at the forefront.

Opening advertising campaign

Installation of a large poster in the city center at the intersection of main roads (it is desirable that the service advertisement be on both sides of it - the driver will notice the information on the way to work and see it again on the way home).

Advertising on tickets in public transport (a huge number of people will find out about the opening of the service in a day, and you can also save a ticket with a phone number).

Flyers attached to the check when paying customers in each of the partner establishments (the visitor has already liked the menu, and he will not mind ordering proven dishes at home).

Booklets in institutions that potential customers can use (student canteens, cafeterias and car washes at office buildings, saunas near large business centers, etc.).

Distribution of booklets is an effective method of advertising a food delivery service.

Advertising in local gastronomy magazines or service catalogs.

Stickers on courier cars - every stop at a traffic light or in a traffic jam attracts the attention of passers-by.

It will also be useful to attract customers with the help of discounts provided to the first customers - so the largest number of people will want to try their luck and be among the first to use the service.

Creation of a website and mobile application for a food delivery service

From the first day of the operation of the service, the site must be in working order - this is the face of the delivery service. An assessment of an enterprise whose services the client has not yet used will be given according to the first impression of the design of the Internet resource - it should be as simple as possible, load quickly, contain high-quality, clear and bright photos of dishes that cause appetite.

It is imperative to provide a catalog divided into categories - the customer cannot be forced to view the entire assortment, it should be hinted at with an inscription like "this dish is perfect for ...". The client should be able to register a personal account, which would display the history of orders and the current discount - this will save him from having to fill out a questionnaire and address with each order.

The website of the food delivery service should be as convenient as possible, and the pictures should be appetizing

Many browse business offers on their phones and tablets while on the bus or car on their way home and planning dinner. Sites that are not focused on mobile phones are not fully displayed or seem inconvenient - in this regard, it would be useful to order the development of a mobile application. The money spent will pay off many times over.

Today it is possible to purchase a ready-made site and order a complete development of the resource "from scratch" according to individual design. Of course, the second option is more preferable - the client will immediately note your corporate identity. Although the first saves time and money.

Current Marketing

Advertising is required for business not only at the start, but also on a regular basis in order to maintain the interest of regular customers, disseminate information about current promotions and expand the range, as well as to attract new customers. For a food delivery service, advertising on the Internet and social networks is ideal, where people can leave comments and ratings, helping to dispel the doubts of potential customers.

It is effective to distribute booklets by promoters and attach them to each order by couriers. But the main thing is the uninterrupted operation of the site and its promotion to the forefront of search engines. It is for this purpose that a programmer is hired - he must monitor failures in the system, quickly solve problems, conduct SEO promotion of the resource and buy advertising in Yandex and Google.

Cooperation with catering establishments

The revenue of the ready-made food delivery service consists of direct payments for home delivery services and commissions from orders received by restaurants thanks to its service. It is advisable to consider several options for cooperation, in which the percentage of sales depends on what services the delivery service is ready to offer to the partner. It is assumed that couriers will independently pick up orders from restaurants and cafes. Such cooperation will bring the food delivery service about 22% of sales revenue.

Additional options can be:

active promotion of the menu of a particular institution on the Internet resource delivery services and a favorable presentation of its advantages over competitors (in such a situation, you can demand 25% of sales revenue);

bonuses for customers of dishes from the menu of a particular restaurant, for example, free delivery for an order of 1,000 rubles or more (in an agreement with a partner, you can specify a commission of 35% of sales).

Sales plan

When drawing up a sales plan, you should focus on the number of orders per day. To begin with, while the business has not yet taken a stable position, it is worth limiting yourself to hiring two couriers, each of which is capable of delivering a maximum of 15 orders per day. The average check will be 1 thousand rubles. Calculate how many kilometers the courier will travel, delivering food to different areas of the settlement. You can also develop a simple application, like those installed in taxi companies, that will allow call center operators to instantly calculate the delivery price.

You should not set the cost of delivery more than 500 rubles, otherwise it will be unprofitable to order food at home with an average check of 1000 rubles

The cost of delivery should not exceed 500 rubles. You can increase the price if the courier simultaneously brings an order for all office employees or picks up dishes from several restaurants. On average, the delivery service will cost 250 rubles per customer. Make a sales plan based on these indicators, but do not count on a large number of orders in the first two or three months.

Financial plan

A financial plan is also needed to determine the amount of initial investment, monthly recurring costs, tax expenses, and so on. This will help assess the feasibility of starting a food delivery business with the entrepreneur's resources, payback time, and the size of the reserve in case of unforeseen costs.

Start-up capital

What investments will be needed to start a food delivery business project? It is assumed that the company is created "from scratch", not by franchise - otherwise, you will have to count on additional costs of the order of several hundred thousand rubles. And we also do not take into account optional items of expenditure, for example, the development of a seal, legal advice, intermediary services, etc.

Table: components of the initial investment

Monthly expenses

It would seem that the food delivery service is only a call center and a few couriers. But, if you look, this business, like any other, requires certain regular costs.

Table: Monthly Costs of Running a Food Delivery Business

Profitability calculation

According to the latest results of the work of marketers, 1 million inhabitants of the settlement account for almost 20 million rubles in the annual income of public catering enterprises, and the potential revenue of food delivery services varies from 12 to 20 million rubles a year. The indicators may vary depending on the popularity of cafes and restaurants, the population of the city and the average per capita income of its inhabitants.

With proper business organization, the initial investment can pay off in just 2 months

Table: Profitability Analysis of a Food Delivery Business

Risk factors

The food delivery business is characterized by moderate risks.

Table: Food Delivery Business Risks

Starting a business

At the initial stage, it is necessary to check the coherence of the joint work of the customer service personnel. The business owner must check whether the instructions are followed, whether there are delays in the execution of the order. At first, constant monitoring will be required until employees gain experience, learn the assortment by heart and are able to resolve conflict situations.

At the initial stage of business development, the manager must continuously monitor the work of employees until the performance of official duties reaches automaticity.

It depends on the quality of service whether the customer remains on the list of your regular customers, or chooses another food delivery service. At the initial stage, it is especially important to prove yourself, to show that you are the best. No one can take better care of your business than yourself. If you want to motivate your staff, provide for bonuses and allowances for good monthly results - otherwise, employees will work "paycheck to paycheck", not really caring about revenue.

Service delivery process

The customer service scheme looks like this:

Taking orders by phone, website or mobile app. It is necessary to politely and patiently recommend dishes to the customer, consult him and calculate the cost of delivery and food.

Order Processing. If the order was received through the site or application, the dispatcher must call the client back at the specified number and receive confirmation of the application.

Transferring the order to the catering establishment from the menu of which the dishes were ordered.

Courier notification. The dispatcher calls the courier and tells him where to go for the customer's order and where to deliver the food.

Transfer of ready meals to the courier. The delivery service employee fully pays for the food in the restaurant, takes the check, packs the dishes in a thermal bag and immediately takes the client.

Transfer of the order to the client. The courier delivers food, presents the check to the client, accepts payment for dishes and delivery, thanks for the order and gives the advertising booklet.

Resolution of conflict situations. If any dissatisfaction arises, you need to remain calm, communicate with the client as long as he wants to continue the conversation, find a way out of the situation in which the customer would be satisfied.

Every year, food delivery services to homes, offices and holidays are gaining popularity. Students, singles, busy employees, fast food lovers, and anyone who just doesn't like standing at the stove often buy ready-made meals and ask for an order. Thanks to this, the ready-made food delivery business does not lose its relevance and will always find its client, despite the rather high level of competition in the market.

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Before you start a courier service business, you first need to familiarize yourself with the key rules in this area. Such rules will help the entrepreneur in the future business. In fact, start a courier service not as difficult as it might seem. This area does not require special skills and higher education. And most importantly, to open a courier service, you do not need a large start-up capital.

Courier Service Business: What You Need

The best option for opening such a business is to open a courier service in big cities. This is obvious, since in small settlements there will simply be no demand for this business.

For complete courier service automation You will need, at a minimum, a dispatcher, a courier / driver, an accountant. In some cases, you may need a loader if your business will deliver large loads.

Before, how to start a courier delivery service, decide what kind of transportation your company will be engaged in. Delivering documents or medical equipment requires completely different transportation conditions. It should be noted that for the transportation of certain goods, special certificates and permits may be required.

Investing in a courier business

We have already said above that opening a courier service does not require a huge initial capital. However, you will still have to spend some certain amount. If you have opened a company in a big city, then in any case you will need a car. There is an optimal option: hire a person with a car to work as a courier. In this case, you will have to pay him gasoline.

Don't forget to invest in advertising. In this case, the price will depend directly on you. Advertising can be placed in city newspapers, on television. Also, it would be great to place an advertisement on the city portal. Use social media to promote.

Clientele

Who uses the courier service? We will try to consider this issue in detail from all sides.

Every city has cafes, restaurants and other catering establishments. So, many catering establishments are starting to deliver their food to the house. You can become an intermediary in this case. In this case, all parties will benefit.
Online shopping is the next option. There are a huge number of them now. Such stores are hesitant to open a courier service, because it is not profitable for them, because they sell their goods throughout the country. You can offer online stores a low price and fast delivery around the city.
A huge number of large companies are always in need of a courier service business. Large companies always need to send documentation to various points and government agencies.

Profitability

Initially, you need to determine how profitable this business is. According to statistics, many courier services pay off pretty quickly. Most often, the profit reaches 90 percent. In big cities, the price for the delivery of one unit of goods is 5-50 dollars. The price directly depends on the weight of the cargo and how important it is. You can develop a special system of discounts for regular customers.

Possible problems

In any business, sooner or later, problems can arise. Of course, it is best to prevent problems, but sometimes they are inevitable. Then you need to learn how to deal with them.

Often problems arise with the human factor. There may be traffic jams or the driver will simply be late to the appointed place. Suppose the dispatcher of your courier service is rude to the client and it is you who will have to deal with all the conflict that has arisen. That is, you need to carefully select employees in your company. It would also not hurt to learn the basics of logistics in order to deliver the necessary parcels on time.
Competition is unavoidable in this business. Each such company has its own unusual approach to each client. In this case, you do not need to take existing ideas. They will be useless. You must come up with something new that may be of interest to a potential client. In this business, it is very important to find the ideal approach to each client.

Opening a courier service is only half the battle. It is very important to reach the automation of the courier service. This will help you stay afloat for a long time. A lot of work needs to be done at the initial stage (when choosing staff, searching for regular customers). When all the work comes to automation, you can start coming up with new "chips" for all clients.