Delivery at the double (Daily Mail franchise story)

Delivery at the double

Daily Mail franchise story

By: Linda Whitney

AS MANY franchisees will tell you, the delivery business can be full of surprises.

'One of our franchisees delivered a pork pie from a bakery in Salford, Manchester, to Tesco's laboratories in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire,' says Len Rainford of delivery franchise Sameday UK.

'At £250 for the delivery, it was probably the most expensive pork pie in the world.'

Sameday franchisees, who must pick up items within an hour of the request being made and deliver on the same day, have also come to the aid of a foreign cricket side on a tour of the UK.

When the cricketers arrived for a match in Scotland, they discovered that all their kit had been left in a hotel in the Midlands.

Franchisees have also delivered smoked salmon to Windsor Castle for the engagement of the Prince of Wales and Camilla, and champagne to the wedding of Peter Phillips, son of the Princess Royal, and Autumn Kelly.

'A woman rang one Sunday and asked if we could deliver a £20 note to her husband in prison.

I agreed and said it would cost £30,' says Mr Rainford.

'After a silence she asked: "Will it be any cheaper if I send him a tenner?"' says Mr Rainford.

Sameday franchises start with one self-driven van and can expand to take on staff.

Investment is from £5,000.

The delivery business is about much more than driving.

'We look for handson types who are willing to do everything it takes to provide the best customer service and deliver goods on time,' says Louis John, of Express Despatch.

Franchisees who run Express Despatch depots need to be organised, enthusiastic go-getters as they will be managing a team of drivers and marketing their service to local businesses, with the help of the franchisor.

'We provide sales support and training to get you in tune with a competitive industry as fast as possible,' says John. Investment is from £35,000 to £40,000.

Fastway Couriers offers depot management or courier 'man and a van' franchises, offering a fiveday-week, with no weekend work.

It offers regular daily pick-ups and deliveries to businesses, but both depot management franchisees and courier franchisees also need sales skills.

'We teach you our tried and tested marketing system and offer courier franchisees help from sales representatives and their regional franchisee,' says Kristian Roberts of Fastway.

Courier franchises cost £13,500, including a guaranteed income of £600 a week for the first 21 weeks.

Regional depot franchises cost from £100,000.

Sameday UK 0800 435 740; Express Despatch 0845 017 9151; Fastway 0870 4586 289.