Fit for purpose: Courier

With online shopping on the increase, courier / delivery fleets are set to grow. So, make sure your fleet is fit for purpose before the mad rush hits.

Despite the tough global economy, the courier industry continues to expand, mainly due to the increasing popularity of online shopping.

Naturally, this comes with increased competition as more courier businesses come online and more companies acquire their own courier fleets. In order to stand out from the crowd, courier fleets will have to be superbly effective and have an excellent reputation. The only way to ensure this, is to have a fleet that is perfectly fit for purpose. The following aspects will help determine whether your fleet is fit for purpose:

Durable & Reliable

The most important aspects of any courier vehicle – no matter what you’re delivering – are durability and reliability. When shopping for a new courier / delivery vehicle, start by researching the most reliable vehicles on the market. Ipsos, the global market and opinion research specialists, does annual surveys and it’s a good place to start. Your fleet manager peers are also an excellent resource as they’ll be able to give you real-life insights.

With the courier fleet industry becoming increasingly competitive, and customers expecting excellent service, no company can afford a courier fleet that’s constantly experiencing breakdowns.

Fuel efficiency

Just like any other fleet, fuel efficiency is a big deciding factor when choosing the perfect addition to your courier fleet. Once you’ve identified the most reliable vehicles in the size category you need, it’s time to research which of these will be most fuel efficient in the long run. Online research is a start, but real-life experience is the only way to find out if a vehicle is truly efficient or not.

An experienced fleet partner, and trusted industry peers, are the safest way to get accurate consumption statistics.

Efficiency is crucial as it allows many courier companies to lower their fees and thus become more competitive.

Relevant Space

Depending on the type of courier / delivery service you offer, you might not need thousands of litres of packing space. If you’re transporting small goods or documents, sedans often offer more than enough space.

If your fleet is being used for bulkier objects, small panel vans may be the answer. In order to ensure your fleet is fit for purpose, you need to know what type of loads you’ll be carrying and what is required of the cargo area. Flower arrangements, for example, often need to be secured upright and spaced individually. Fleet managers need to keep these logistics in mind and ensure their vehicles can be fitted with the necessary accessories.

The last thing you want to do is purchase a vehicle only to find out it can’t be fitted with equipment needed for securely transporting couriered goods.

Safety & Security

Hi-jacking is a risk for everyone on the road and courier companies need to be more cautious than most. Hi-jackers will often target courier companies, not get hold of the vehicle necessarily, but rather gain access to items being couriered.

Anti-hijacking systems and vehicle tracking are a must for courier vehicles in South Africa. You don’t want to become known as an easy target as it can severely damage your company’s reputation, especially if you’re transporting sensitive documents.

A secure load area is equally important to avoid smash & grab theft. Ideally, all courier vehicles will have additions such as smash & grab film, as well as load covers and other methods for keeping cargo out of site.

Safe Communication & Navigation

As with most fleets, drivers need to be able to communicate and navigate safely. Due to the nature of the business, courier drivers often need to change their routes throughout the day or contact customers when they reach their destination.

It’s vital to ensure your drivers can communicate and navigate whilst driving – without getting distracted. Depending on the type of vehicle you need to acquire, it’s always worth looking at higher-spec models with handsfree and navigation included. If that’s not an option, there are plenty of aftermarket options. Similar to the car, however, just make sure you thoroughly research aftermarket accessories.

When it comes to courier fleets, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to ensuring vehicles are fit for purpose. Many factors will depend on the type of goods being couriered, distances covered, areas and even road conditions.. All of this will affect which vehicle is perfectly suited to your vehicle fleet. Reliability, however, remains key – one of the hallmarks of a successful courier business is reliability and your fleet therefore needs to be distinctly suited to that specific purpose.