Are there businesses in your town which need a delivery service? Maybe you can establish a new business by providing this service for them.

Delivering letters and packages as a business activity has been growing for a number of reasons, including the fact that there are more small- and medium-sized business which need to have their documents and packages delivered quickly but cannot afford and or do not need to employ a bearer full time.

Even companies which have someone employed to do deliveries may need additional assistance, especially during peak seasons.

There is also the difficulty in finding parking spaces in some towns, and the need to save time, which makes the choice of an independent delivery service an attractive option.

Delivery services include both courier and bearer services. A courier service involves picking up letters, documents and packages from a client and delivering it. The delivery service will charge for each item delivered.

The bearer service involves the assignment of one bearer to a client for a fixed period - half a day, three days or one week. The client will be charged for the time during which the bearer is sued.

The delivery service is executed by individuals on motorcycles and bicycles, so there will be a limit on the size of letters and packages delivered.

The delivery of money will require special insurance and armed delivery people, so many companies do not transport it.

You will choose between delivering around town, or delivering between towns. It is up to you.

quality service

Your customers will include other businesses which offer delivery as a part of their service, such as restaurants, businesses which have branches in different locations, such as banks and insurance companies, and small- and medium-sized businesses which cannot afford full-time bearers, or do not need one on a full-time basis.

Your customers will need a reliable delivery service.

Your clients will also appreciate bearers who are neatly attired. Make sure to employ individuals who can read and write, and train them to provide the quality service which you envision.

Packages and letters must also be delivered to the correct addresses. Your client will also expect a quick response from you. You will need to put systems in place to ensure reliability, speed and accuracy.

Your clients will also require honesty, confirmation of deliveries made, and some may also ask for credit.

The Jamaica Business Develop-ment Corporation's (JBDC) manual notes that since you will be hoping to offer this service repeatedly, you could bill them at the end of seven days and give them seven to 14 days to pay.

You will also have to prepare for the demands of peak seasons, such as Christmas, when your service will be in great demand, and you may need to hire extra workers.

In general, your pricing should reflect overheads, which may include wages, salaries, training, electricity, telephone, water rent, insurance, repairs, fuel, two-way radio rental, stationary, advertising and interest on loans, as well as commitment fees for loans procured to run your business.

In addition to newspaper and radio advertising, the JBDC also suggests that you visit potential clients to find our their level of interest, and also distribute business cards, flyers and brochures to spread information about your new service.

You should be prepared to deal with customer complaints immediately, letting the customers know the steps to be taken to solve the issue.

Always remember: the 'customer is always right'.

Remember to keep records of sales, bank balances and accounts receivable or money owed to you for services delivered, as well as your accounts payable, or what you need to pay each week for wages and goods and services. In addition to the weekly report, monthly expenditure reports and an annual budget will help to keep you on track.

avia.collinder@gleanerjm.com