Do you dream of being your boss? Would you like to work for yourself and be financially independent? These are some helpful tips for starting your own courier business.

It can be not easy to start your own business. We hope we can help you make smart decisions and avoid common mistakes. These seven steps will help you start your successful courier business quickly.

1. Select the Right Vehicle

You will need reliable transportation to transport your courier services. Cargo vans are a popular choice for full-time couriers as they offer the most cargo space and can transport all the items you need for your customers.

You can find reviews of the 2020 models here if you are not familiar with buying a cargo van. You can either lease a van or look for a used cargo vehicle to reduce your monthly payments. A pickup truck can be an alternative.

2. Get the Right Equipment

The right equipment can make your courier business more efficient and reduce the burden of carrying boxes. The types of items you pick up and deliver to your customers will determine the type of equipment you need.

A simple dolly, or hand truck, is necessary if you’re primarily delivering boxes or parcels. A standard dolly can be purchased at major retailers Home Depot and Lowes. Or you can order moving equipment online and have it delivered by Amazon. You may also need moving blankets and cargo straps.

3. Name your business

It would be best to choose a name that reflects your business’s values and mission. Make sure to check with the secretary-of-state in the area where you plan to do business before you choose a name. Check sites such as GoDaddy to ensure you get the domain name you desire.

Once you have named your business, you need to create a legal entity. A Sole Proprietorship is best if you are the sole proprietor of the business. An LLC (limited liability corporation), best for business partners, may work better. LegalZoom can help you determine if your business name has been taken and register your entity with the state.

4. Protect Your Business

Your courier company will require business insurance for your vehicle, cargo and liability. A customer’s trust is built by having an insurance policy. Many businesses and individuals will avoid a courier service that isn’t properly insured.

To find out the insurance cost for your business, contact a local broker. The insurance cost can vary depending on where you live, the type of deliveries made, and your perceived risk.

5. Marketing Your Courier Services

Once you have your vehicle and equipment, you can start marketing. To start, you can communicate with your family and friends using social media like Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin. Each of these social media platforms should have a business page.

Many courier companies will need to market to other businesses seeking a courier. You can do this by creating a list with businesses that might need courier services and then cold calling, emailing prospects or dropping off business cards.

Online advertising and marketing can be effective and cost-effective to reach business owners. Both Facebook and Google Adwords have simple to use self-service platforms. You can target customers based on keywords they search for or their interests/demographics/location.

6. Get involved in the team

You can only do so much when you are operating on your own. Building trust, accepting payments and finding new customers are some of the common problems you’ll face. It connects drivers and trucks with people and businesses looking for an on-demand courier service.

It is a trusted partner that handles payments and provides supplemental cargo insurance. They also have a team of experienced marketers who generate new customers’ demands. 

7. Keep Your Receipts

It is important to keep track of your expenses as a small business owner. You may be able to write off some expenses associated with your courier business. Keep track of how many miles you drive to write off tax. Check out our recommended mileage tracking and expense tracking apps.

This is the only place you’ll need if you want to send a parcel. We will walk you through each step, so you know what to do to send a parcel to the USA or Australia. First, make sure you have the item in hand before sending it. Make sure to check their prohibited item list for your item.

What packaging materials do I need?

You must ensure that you have everything you need before booking a delivery or package of any item. You will need different materials if you are sending posters or paintings. Please refer to our blog posts for more information.

Make sure your item is ready to go. If it came in an original box, make sure you place it inside and secure it.

You will need scissors, tape, and a pen. We recommend a black Sharpie.

Make sure you have enough bubble wrap on hand to wrap your item securely. You can make your item more secure in transit with more bubble wrap.

To fill your box, you will need access to packing materials. We recommend polystyrene packing peanuts because they provide the best protection and maximize space.

Before you start packaging your item, it is a good idea to keep a pouch with a plastic shipping label handy. You can tape the shipping labels to your item using packaging tape, but it’s safer to have a pouch. You should have shipping pouches available to attach to your international parcel if you plan on sending it internationally.

A sturdy cardboard box is essential. It should be able to hold the item and any packaging materials. This will prevent damage during shipping. If possible, it is worth purchasing a new box.

How to pack your item:

First, ensure that your item is properly packaged. We will use a small, painted wooden box to demonstrate this. We will wrap the item in bubble wrap because it doesn’t have original packaging (such a box an iPhone would come in). If you don’t have any original packaging, this is the best way to go. Bubble wrap is affordable and easy to obtain.

Wrap the item in bubble wrap.

Place the item on a piece of bubble wrap. Wrap it in bubble wrap and secure it with packaging tape. Remember that more packaging materials will provide greater protection for your shipment.

Your bubble wrapped item should look like the image above. The bubble wrap is thick enough that you can barely see the colours in the black box.

It would be best if you filled the box with packing peanuts. Your goal is to cushion the item completely.

Place the bubble-wrapped item in the box. Make sure you leave enough room for additional packaging peanuts.

You can fill the box with more packing peanuts until it almost reaches its limit. These will protect your item against drops and knocks by pushing them down the sides.

Close the box’s lid and shake it vigorously. Add more packaging peanuts to the box until there is no sound when it shakes.

The cardboard box should be sealed with packaging tape. Wrap the tape around your main seam and wrap it around the box three times. The tape should be cut and adhered to the box. Continue the same process and wrap the tape around the opposite side of your box, ensuring it intersects with the tape you’ve already attached to the main seam. After you are done, wrap the tape around the box’s seams. This will prevent tears from forming in the box and preserve its structural integrity.

Measure your parcel and weigh it. These measurements will help you avoid overpaying for your parcel and ensure your delivery is on time.

How to book a delivery

On the ParcelHero booking page, add the collection and delivery postcodes. Add the dimensions of your package to the page you have just accessed.

All the delivery options we offer will be displayed to you. We offer both next-day delivery and cheaper options.

Would you mind describing what’s in your parcel and when you would like it to be delivered? Would you mind telling us how much you value your shipment?

Please enter the address where you would like your parcel to be collected and the address you wish to arrive at.

After reviewing all details, click the Continue button to proceed. The payment screen will appear. You will then be prompted to confirm your payment.

The next screen will allow you to print your shipping labels. The shipping labels will be attached to an email. These labels can be printed out. If you ship internationally, you may need additional forms. Go through all the forms carefully and mark and date any questions.

Place your shipping labels in your plastic pouch. Be sure to see every bar code and all addresses.

Attach your shipping label pouch to the parcel you have packed. Please make sure you adhere to it securely, so there are no sticky edges.

Use your Sharpie for the tracking number. This can be found on your shipping labels. The courier will still be capable of locating your parcel if your shipping label is lost in transit.

You can now wait for your courier to pick up your parcel or drop it off at your preferred location. To track the progress of your shipment from its final destination, you can use the tracking number.

Send a parcel

It might seem daunting to send parcels if you don’t do it often. How do you start? It can seem not very easy, especially if you are sending it halfway around the globe.

Don’t panic. NI Parcels is a seasoned shipping company (the hint is in our name). We are here to offer our expert advice on how to send a parcel using a courier service. We’ll walk you through each step to make sure you understand what to do to send a package anywhere in the world.

Step 1 – Package it up!

First, you will need to pack up the item you will send. It is a big risk for your item and all other items to be transported by reputable courier services.

We all like to think that a courier will deliver our parcel. Your item will be shipped via a courier network. It will first be sorted using a machine, and then it will be loaded into a van that will carry tens or hundreds of large and heavy parcels to its destination. It is unlikely that your parcel will be damaged in transit if sent with a trusted courier like our providers.

It can still happen in very rare cases, so make sure you do everything you can to protect your item.

Your item’s specific requirements will dictate how you package it. You will need to pack all items in different ways if you send documents, paintings, or larger items like electricals.

It is important to ensure that your item is properly packed and secured as much as possible. Double-walled cardboard boxes are more likely to break or collapse. To give your items extra cushioning, you might want to use some internal packaging such as bubble wrap and packing peanuts.

Also, make sure to check the prohibited and non-compensation item lists of your courier service to confirm that what you’re sending can be transported and that it is covered in case of damage or loss.

Step 2 – Measure your parcel.

Most courier companies will ask you to give details about your parcel at the time of booking, including the weight and dimensions. This information is necessary because it will help determine the cost of your shipment.

These details should be accurate. This will help prevent delays and complications. You don’t want the shipment to cost you more than you need. You don’t want too much and then be charged a lot more.

Step 3 – Book your shipment.

Once you have your parcel, it is time to book your shipment. You have two options: either you can go directly to a courier company and avail their courier services, or you can book through a third party like NI Parcels.

You can save upto 80% by booking with NI Parcels rather than going to the courier company directly. Because we have negotiated extremely low rates with our network of reputable couriers, you will still get the same high-quality service but at a fraction of the cost.

Booking with NI Parcels can be done in a matter of minutes. You don’t need to be a complicated sign-up process. All you need is an email address. The online booking process is simple and takes only a few minutes.

Step 4 – Print and attach your shipping labels.

You will receive shipping labels when you order a courier service. These labels you need to print out and attach to your item. These labels are emailed to you by NI Parcels.

Send parcels internationally?

You should be aware that international parcels, including to Australia, the USA and other countries, may require additional forms to send your item. International shipping is technically exporting goods. This means that it can be more complicated and will require some research.

You will need to complete a customs invoice if you send a parcel from outside the EU. This document is required to be sent with your parcel. It contains information about your parcel’s contents. To put it bluntly, the invoice is necessary for customs clearance. Your shipment can’t and won’t leave the country without it.

When you book international shipping with NI Parcels, these customs documents are provided to you. We also provide advice on how to complete them. It is your responsibility to research and fills out the forms correctly. No courier is associated with customs.

Step 5 – Relax and unwind!

The courier will take care of everything else! Relax and enjoy the process of having your shipment collected and delivered to your destination.

NI Parcels offers a convenient courier service that makes it easy to have your items delivered to you. For your convenience, we offer a door-to-door delivery service.

We also offer full online tracking so that you can track the progress of your shipment at every step. So you know when your shipment will arrive, you’ll be notified.

If you have any questions, the dedicated customer service team at NI Parcels will be glad to assist you.

Here are some of the best and well known carriers around the world. These carriers provide parcel delivery services to millions of people around the world. They are the best because they provide a good and trusted service. And by giving the best services that is how they got known all around the world. In this article you will find 2 of the most well known carriers around the world. They have been providing quality courier services for how many years already. And within that time, they have created a name in the courier delivery industry that is why they are already well known.

DHL Courier – This Company is one of the well known courier company in the whole world. They can deliver any size and type of parcel all around the world. And the good thing about it is that they have cheap rates compared to other new courier companies. When it comes to parcel delivery you can really count on them for they deliver on time and they keep a good and clean record when it comes to tracking a delivery. If you are too busy to visit their main office you can still book a delivery in their official website. On the other hand, you can also use their services through courier agents.

TNT Courier – This is another well known courier company that has a good reputation to people who send their parcel or packages around the world. Their rates are close to the rates that DHL courier offer. It is also cheap and when it comes to services provided they are also top of the line. They can cover any type of parcel delivery that is why there are also a lot of parcel senders that use their services. They are also well known in delivering a parcel on time and most of the time earlier than expected. Comparing it to DHL, they have a lot of features in common and you can pick either of the two as your courier service provider.

Courier service is very important for a major economy. Besides the government that provides these services at a cheaper rate, private companies provide a better quality of service but at a significantly higher cost. Courier companies utilize multiple mediums such as air, ground, and ships to make sure the package reaches its destination on time. Although there are a lot of courier companies that provide their services in the USA, only a few have been capable of creating a reputed name for themselves. You should know the features of the best courier company to be able to choose one in the first place.

Best Courier Company In The USA

The best company must have created a reputation for itself through repeatedly performing and maintaining its quality standards through on-time and fast delivery without damaging the packages. Although most companies mostly utilize cargo planes for its courier service, the best company must be known for its ground courier service. For example, FedEx is one of the largest courier organizations not only in the USA but also all over the world. They provide their services in almost all countries in the world. They also have a more efficient business model than their competitors as they target increased profit margins and cutting operating costs and losses at every corner possible.

Advantages Of Choosing The Right One

They provide on-time delivery of packages, or else they promise to return the amount paid for the service. It acts as an incentive for many customers, thus increasing their customer base.

Their customer service operates all over the world and can be contacted from anywhere irrespective of your location and country.

The paperwork required is easy to fill and is quite less compared to other companies.

They provide real-time tracking of your packages, which provides an upper edge over other companies.

The right company also sends a proof delivery on every invoice, thus making sure you have proof that your package has been delivered safely.

Their global network is unparalleled and cannot be overtaken by other companies. The company must have an excellent brand value, which is credited to the quality work. Their PR team also makes sure that the whole company is viewed with a positive outlook to ensure that people prefer utilizing their services over their competitors.

Implementation of a new pricing mechanism that measures both the dimension and it includes the actual weight of the object, and the bill the higher one. It ensures higher profits without having to invest more capital.

When you choose one of the best courier services in the USA, they know they have to maintain their quality standards in the face of stiff competition from other courier companies. But due to the excellent management of the company, the company will ensure that they always stay on top of their competition by concentrating on increasing profit margins while cutting operation costs and losses wherever possible. Besides that, due to their excellent service and customer satisfaction, FedEx is still the best courier service in the USA to date.

Full totally FREE guide for freelance delivery drivers. Everything you need to know to run your courier business as headache free as possible.

We have gathered and provided all the information you might need at any point of running your courier service. You no longer need to search the web for hours or waste time to go look for an advise from one company to another, trying to get a bit more information on how to do the things right. At All About Couriers we have done it for you. We have found all the information, we have found the best advices given, we have used our own experience in the industry and we give it to you all for free.

On our pages you will find tons of information. Answers to questions you might ask yourselves. Useful links that will take you quickly to the place you need to be… Self-employment registration, VOSA vehicle requirements, Insurances, Vehicle parts and even Speed camera locations and much more. We know how busy you are every single day, we want to help you save time so you can get that dreamt rest at the end of the working day. We’ve been there. We know how you feel. We are still doing it day after day, after day. Get that time off you need… Fully use the information we provide and hustle free your days.

This is a full guide for everyone who wants to become a courier driver or for anyone already being a delivery driver who just needs to get the things a little bit more organized… Because our long working hours need to get as less cut-throat as possible. It is hard enough as it is without having to do paperwork, registrations, look for parts, accessories and deal with VAT Returns for example.

At All About Couriers we are trying to do the things differently. We give you an information that many others will charge you for it. We believe it is not correct to put it in an eBook with the excuse to put a price on it. It should be a free source of information for everyone who wants to be a self employed courier. That’s what our courier guide is about. It is not a secret so we won’t keep it as such. We don’t say what we state is the only way to go forward in the courier business, we only suggest what we think it’s best.

We have put everything into categories in order to be easier to find and used accordingly. We also keep a live blog that contains loads of answers to questions you might ask yourself. Where to start? What to choose? Where to look for work? How to charge? How to organise yourself better?

Look for it, if it’s not there, contact us and we will find and publish the answers so anybody can use freely. Come back and check for more new and useful information and ideas. We work on it on a daily basis so there always will be something new to discover.

If you ask yourself why we do it for free when everybody else is promoting their eBooks and courier guides for which they charge you a certain amount of money, we would answer you that in creating this website, we have used many free sources such as wordpress.com on which basis the website has been created. As well as many free developed and distributed plugins that make things for us so much easier. If the internet community can do things together for free in order to improve itself, why shouldn’t we do it too?! As many of them will say if you like the free plugin and think it worth buying the developer a cup of coffee, we would say it too. We have a Donate button at the bottom of our page for anyone who wants to help us keep this free source online. We thank you for your much appreciated help!

This area of Berkshire is growing all the time with a population of approximately 236,590 people. With this growth the push for couriers of quality within the Reading area is one that Parcel2Go welcomes and aims to accomplish.

Courier Service

Quality is always something we pay close attention to here at Parcle2Go. We are able to offer such cost effective prices and high standards of delivery because we have such a good relationship with our partners and this means that we can make sure that you the customer will always get the best price for your courier service in Reading. You will find a Quick Quote page on our site and it is here you can compare all the couriers we use and find the best price for the service you are looking for.

We want you to have complete confidence when using our courier service. Parcel2Go achieve this by working with only the best when it comes to couriers. Mix that with the level of customer service we provide, the price we can offer to you the customer and by having the most reliable and effective service online means that you can have absolute complete confidence when working with us.

In today’s age most people are online and using the internet for many different things especially when it comes to selling and buying items. With this we have found a growing interest and a demand for a cost effective international delivery service for our customers. We are pleased that at Parcel2Go you can have packages sent to 240 countries around the world and with the couriers we work with we can offer you this service at the best price online. We can aid you in getting the best price on our site, all you need to do is use the Quick Quote service and tell us the desired destination, weight and size of the package and we can give you the quote.

All of the couriers we work with at Parcel2Go offer multiple services for you to choose from. These include services such as parcel tracking, next day delivery and time specific collections. So we are certain that when you use our courier services we will always have the option that is right for you.

We understand the need to get the quote for your chosen courier service correct the first time and we do this at Parcel2Go by knowing the dimensions and the volume of your package. To assist you in getting this we have installed a volume calculator to aid you in getting the correct quote first time.

Parcel2Go always wants to make sure your parcel arrives to its destination as intended. We offer support with a FAQs section on our site which contains tips on how to correctly pack your parcel. Along with guides and tips we also offer supplies to aid you in the packaging of your parcel and to make sure it is safe for transport.

Delivering a service that is able to get your package to the correct address and quickly is of the upmost importance to us. To make sure we get the correct address we have a postcode finder on the site, all you need is the street name and building number. Our postcode finder will do the rest for you.

Whenever you are sending your parcels abroad or in the Reading area then our company Parcel2Go can be the on online courier option to choose. With our competitive prices and quality of online service we provide, we are number one when it comes to delivering your parcel to its destination.

Most of us instinctively link the need to send anything with a trip to the Post Office. Yet for the price-conscious, the internet’s changed all that. The bar’s been lowered on courier service prices, so they’re now accessible to all.

Use these quick tips to help decide when a web courier service works for you:

• Are you sending something weighing more than 1kg?

  Yes Canada Post is generally still cheapest for sending cards, letters and small parcels under 1kg.
  Now do remember your time investment, with Active Courier Service we come to you.

• Do you need it there fast?

  Active Courier Services are speedy, and many offer same-day collection if you book early enough. So for urgent deliveries,  we may be the most economical option.

How big can my parcel be?

 Active Courier Services are focused on letters, small packages for corporate clients.

We calculate costs based on the size and weight of items. However, discount courier companies tend to offer flat-rate prices based around DHL’s standard maximum dimensions. As a rough guide, these are are generally about:

Max length 150 cm, max weight 10kg.

You can usually book a pick-up for the next day, depending on how early you email the pick-up form. But same-day pick-up is often available, provided you meet the daily cut-off time. It’s usually before or around noon, though it can be later.

 To calculate the volume of your parcel in cubic metres, it’s width times length, times height (all in centimetres), divided by 1,000,000.

Get your packaging right

This isn’t just for cosmetic purposes. Poor packing may void postal insurance and compensation claims, so package goods properly. You never know how much they may be thrown around in transit, so take precautions:

Banned and ‘no compensation’ items

We at Active Courier Services  have a list of ‘forbidden’ items that we won’t deliver, so we may inspect your items on collection. Because of this, it’s sensible to leave the top of your packing box open until it’s been inspected.

Easily-breakable items such as china or antiques are generally only carried by economy courier services on a ‘no compensation’ basis. So if they’re valuable, please look elsewhere.

Packing materials

All good packing requires is a bit of common sense. Wrap delicate items tightly in bubble wrap. Grab free cardboard boxes from supermarkets.

If you run out of bubble wrap or the item isn’t very delicate, pad with screwed up newspaper. Some even recommend using popped popcorn (buy kernels in bulk, cook the popcorn without oil and let it cool). Yet if you’re sending internationally, watch out as some countries have tight controls on importing food, so always check this first.

If you live near a large post office, ask them for packing materials – you should be able to get special delivery plastic post bags and they may be available for free.

• Delivery forms

  Active Courier Services require you fill in a booking form for each box you send. These can generally be completed online, or downloaded from the web and printed out. If the form isn’t filled in properly, compensation claims may be invalidated.

  For international shipments only: To send any items overseas you’ll need to fill in a more detailed form for tax purposes. It’s fairly straightforward, but if you don’t fill it out accurately you risk delaying your package in customs, so be careful.

• Collection and delivery times

  This sounds obvious, but make sure you’re going to be in for the whole of the day if you can. If you miss it, it’s likely you’ll have to repay – and that just isn’t MoneySaving!

  Active Courier Services will attempt delivery about three times at the destination address before returning items to the sender, but always double-check. Also make sure you include a return address, to be on the safe side in case problems arise.

Parcelforce Courier service is well known for its deliveries all over UK. You can count on Parcelforce Worldwide as it has been delivering guaranteed express deliveries across 99.6% of UK’s population which could easily reach up to 27 million addresses.

Parcel Delivery Services has been an area of special interest for Parcelforce. A dedicated and well modernized hub equipped with state of art facilities in the midlands serves exclusively to its parcel delivery services is located in the midlands. Currently, Parcelforce the following types of parcel delivery services across UK

For Quick Deliveries

• Sameday – This Sameday service is available across UK throughout the year. You can always check out the price, track and trace the parcel online as well. Parcel force assures you great customer support and also includes a compensation cover of up to £2500 per consignment.
• Next Day AM – The Next Day AM guarantees delivery by 9am, 10am and noon. Hence you have special deliveries being offered as Parcelforce by 9am costing £44.99, Parcelforce by 10am which cost £35.99, Parcelforce by 12 noon for just £22.99. The individual parcel limit rests at 30 kg while there is no maximum consignment weight. For Saturday deliveries you do have to pay extra £12 per consignment while against an additional fee you can go for compensation up to £2500. At the same time you can always real time track and obtain online electronic signatures upon delivery.
• Next Day : This service is also called the Parcelforce 24 and cost £16.99 which includes £150 pound compensation, For Saturday deliveries you do have to pay extra £12 per consignment while against an additional fee you can go for compensation up to £2500. Here, also the parcel limit rests at 30 kg while the size should be 1.5m and 3m in length and girth respectively.

The two days inexpensive deliveries are also offered and the service is called as Parcelforce 48. The Parcelforce 48 costs £12.99 with 25% refund if delivered 1 or more days late

Pallet Delivery, Parcelforce is available over entire UK to its accounts customers. Parcelforce guarantees next working day or 2 working days or 3 working days delivery depending on destination. It also provides confirmation of delivery while Standard Pallets of size 1.2m x 1.0m and Euro pallet of size 1.2m x 0.8m are accepted. Parcelforce also gives full refund for delay upon certain terms and conditions. At £3 per kilo it includes compensation for loss or damage while for enhanced compensation up to £10 per kilo, you do have to pay extra.