What delivery demand?
Over the coming weeks, Christmas shopping will escalate, especially during the Black Friday weekend (26th – 28th November). Black Friday is considered by consumers as one of the best times to shop. With great discounts and extended product ranges, it has proved to be a retail frenzy over the last couple of years. An estimated £4.8 billion will be spent this coming Black Friday alone1. More shopping than ever is now being done online, not only due to the post pandemic effect but to gain wider discounts, access more products and avoid the crowds! This means courier services and delivery drivers will be busier than ever to make sure parcels are delivered in time for Christmas
With online shopping increasing, the demand for courier drivers will follow suit. Ever thought about becoming a delivery driver? Well, now is the ideal time to start! Not only can you pick hours to suit you and make some extra cash around Christmas, being your own boss has its perks too!
When is the best time to start?
Don’t delay and sign up today! There is no better time to sign up as a courier driver than before the busiest part of the year. Major retailers such as Amazon, Curry’s, Sky and Asos have already started discounting products 2. No doubt there will be more sales to follow closer to the Christmas and boxing day week.
Who can become a courier driver?
If you have a valid driving license and are over the age of 21, then becoming a self-employed courier driver could be the perfect role for you. It’s a popular career move for many Britons in the UK. In 2020, during the height of the pandemic, online shopping had increased exponentially and parcel delivery firms needed a lot more help to cope with this demand. Hermes, had to source an additional 9,000 self-employed couriers to battle this ongoing demand for delivery3.
More recently Business Choice Direct have seen people from all walks of life change careers to become a courier driver, including ex-tradesmen, recently qualified drivers and part-time employees. It is not only a great way to pick up extra work, but it can also be flexible to suit your lifestyle.
How to survive the festive shopping frenzy?
Couriers often see their workloads increasing two, even three-fold over the festive period. This can mean long hours to make sure all parcels are delivered and that customers are happy.
A bigger workload can seem daunting but with proper planning you will survive the busiest time of the year. Here are our top tips to help:
Plan your routes in advance so you have your route planned out ready to start
- Use the available online tools and websites to plan delivery routes
- Always have a back-up plan – the roads are extremely busy during the festive season so a back up plan means you’re prepared with alternative routes, should you need it
- Spreadsheets – keeping a spreadsheet or list to tick off deliveries as you go will help you keep on track of your day
How can BCD help?
Business Choice Direct understands that whether you are changing or starting a career to become a courier driver, it can be a huge life change and can feel stressful and overwhelming. Our team are highly trained to offer quality service and expert advice on products and the market. We are here to support you through the first 30 days of being a courier and beyond, which can be the hardest time.
We specialise in all types of courier insurance, including long haul, multidrop, and furniture. We can provide bespoke rates and have access to a vast range of insurers in the market to enable us to give you the optimum quote. We can provide cover for UK, ROI, and European usage.
We can also provide goods in transit and public liability cover alongside. Our team will quote you on all this together to reduce hassle, time, and paperwork. Call our award-winning team today on 0344 776 5700 or email us at contactus@businesschoicedirect.co.uk.
1https://www.finder.com/uk/black-friday-statistics
2https://www.telegraph.co.uk/black-friday/0/black-friday-2021-best-deals-live-uk-sale-start-date/