Couriers are in incredibly high demand now, in no small part due to how massive internet shopping has become.

If you want to take advantage of this and start making money as a freelance courier then below are some of the most important things to know.

Do you need a van?

One of the first things people want to know when thinking of becoming a courier is whether or not they’ll need to buy a van. The truth is that while you don’t absolutely need a van to work as a freelance courier, it will certainly help you get more work. A lot of freelance courier jobs require you to have your own van due to the size of the parcel being transported.

Where to find work

Easily the hardest part about getting started as a freelance courier is finding work. There are websites you can use where people post freelance courier jobs so it’s certainly not an impossible task but your aim should always be to secure long-term clients who need repeat work. The best way to do this is by doing an excellent job and proving yourself to be reliable.

Getting insurance

In order to work as a freelance courier you’ll need to get a courier insurance policy. Below are some of the most important things to get included in your policy –

• Road risks – You will of course need to get cover for road risks in order to be able to drive legally. If you want the cheapest type of cover then a third party only policy is what you need. For more protection then consider adding fire and theft or getting a fully comprehensive policy.
• Goods in transit insurance – You will certainly want to get goods in transit cover with your policy too. This will ensure that if any of the items you were transported were damaged or stolen that you’d be fully compensated.
• Breakdown assistance – Breakdown assistance can also be added to a courier insurance policy for an extra fee.

You can get courier insurance quotes from a site such as Insure The Courier.

Paying tax

When you work for yourself, you’ll also need to take care of paying your own tax. If you’re uncertain exactly how to go about this or aren’t great with numbers then it’s never a bad idea to hire an accountant to help you out.

If you’ve ever dreamt of starting your own limousine company then chances are you’ve thought about all the reasons it isn’t realistic – you don’t have enough start-up cash, the industry is too competitive, it’s too risky.

Although these are certainly valid concerns, the truth is that anyone who starts their own business takes a risk. Without risk-taking, the biggest businesses on the planet today wouldn’t exist.

If you do decide you’re brave enough to try and start your own limousine company, below are some of the fundamental things you’ll need to do.

Investing in vehicles

The most obvious thing you will need to start a limousine company is the limousines themselves. The big decision to make here is whether you will buy or rent your limousines.

Unless you have a lot of start-up investment, you’ll almost certainly need to rent rather than buy. However renting does come with its own issues that can complicate things. A third option would be to sub-contract the business you bring in to a company that already has their own limousines. Although this might not be too appealing in principal, it can be a way to get your feet wet without taking the risk of investing in your own vehicles.

Finding drivers

Once you have your limousines taken care of, you’ll then need to find drivers. Limousine drivers are quite a rare breed so it might be quite challenging to find drivers with a lot of experience. However you shouldn’t let this deter you as even drivers who don’t have previous experience driving a limousine can be trained.

Getting limousine insurance

Another vital aspect of running a limousine company is getting limousine insurance. Limousine insurance will cover you for road risks as well as things like liability claims – both from the public and your employees. It’s always a good idea to get limousine insurance from a specialist provider since they will have the experience necessary to deal with the unique nature of a limousine company.

Marketing your business

When it comes to marketing your business, there are plenty of creative marketing techniques you can utilise that require little-to-investment.

Due to the nature of a limousine company, you want to try and create as much buzz and excitement as you can to get the word out. You might consider hosting a special event where your limousines are on display for example. There’s nothing quite like seeing a limousine up close so this can be a great way to generate buzz.

Setting up an type of business can be a challenge and this is especially true for a taxi firm. You’ll need to be very motivated in order to make the business a success but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done.

Below are some of the main steps you need to take in order to start a taxi firm.

Getting an office

In order to run a taxi firm, you’ll first need to get an office. Some start up taxi firms will run their office from home though it’s usually not practical to do this in the long term and is better if you can get a proper premises.

When looking for a location for your taxi office, you should find somewhere that’s on high ground and that’s ideally located in an area that has plenty of passers by that’s easy to find. It’s a good idea to rent any office first so you can decide if you’re happy with it before making a more long-term commitment.

Finding reliable drivers

The most fundamental part of running a taxi firm is finding good drivers. The drivers you employ will make or break your business so it’s extremely important to be selective with who you hire. Below are some of the main criteria to consider when hiring drivers –

• Their age – It’s always a good idea to hire drivers who are over the age of 25. Firstly it will help keep the cost of your taxi insurance to a minimum and secondly older drivers tend to be more responsible and better equipped to deal with the challenges of the job.
• Their employment history – The employment history of any drivers you’re considering is also very important. Ideally they will have plenty of previous experience working as a taxi driver or at least driving for a living in some capacity.
• Their attitude – Experience is always important but so is attitude. Your drivers are going to be who your customers interact with after all and if you hire drivers with a bad attitude then it can easily damage your reputation. Therefore it’s always important to take attitude into account when interviewing drivers.

Getting insurance

You may choose to get owner drivers who have their own insurance but if you’d prefer to buy and insure your own vehicles then you’ll need to get the necessary cover. By far the best way to insure your taxis is to get a taxi fleet insurance policy by getting quotes from a site such as https://www.cheapfleet.co.uk/

 

Running your own business comes with a lot of challenges but for most people the upsides make it worth it – You don’t have to answer to a boss and you’re free to make your own decisions regarding your future.

If you’re thinking of starting your own business then you should find the information below very useful.

Business types

Below are some of the types of business you might consider starting –

• A restaurant – Restaurants are notoriously difficult to make a success, with the majority of them failing in the first year. Therefore opening a restaurant is not for the feint of heart and probably not a good idea unless you have previous experience in the industry and are confident you can make it a success.
• A shop – There are many types of shops that you can open but unless you have a good amount of experience in a particular industry, then an all-purpose shop, such as newsagent can often be a good place to start.
• Car sales – Buying and selling cars can be an excellent way to make money, providing you have a decent amount of knowledge about what models are popular and how to get the best deal when buying. You can ever start out from home when you first start selling, although you’ll need to think about getting a premises and motor trade insurance policy if you want to scale your business up.

Making your business a success

• Do what you know – It might seem like obvious advice but one of the best ways to make a business a success is by sticking to what you know. If you have experience in a particular area then you’re much more likely to be successful than if you started a business in an industry you know very little about.
• Invest in a good premises – A good business premises should be in a good location that’s easy to find. It should also be secure and come at a reasonable price that you can afford to pay.
• Make your business secure – Make your business secure is a must if you want to keep insurance costs down and prevent incidents that could put you out of business. Strong shutters, CCTV and security alarms are excellent ways to make a business more secure.