For 22 years, Last Mile/Same Day delivery has been my world and with 75% of all retail purchases being done online, I have never seen the level of need for it as I do today.  If you are a local retailer you have a "vicinity" and a "shop Local" advantage over the larger warehouse box online retailers.  The big guys have a lot of technology and finance behind them but it doesn't take that to get deliveries done.

Fast, secure same/next day delivery in your local community is easy to set up with the help of your local courier/delivery service and/or your own fleet.  I want you to know that finding a delivery solution is easier than you think, it just depends on 1. How much you want to invest 2. How much branding you want to market and 3. How much control you want to have.  

The first decision is to determine if you want to hire in house drivers or out source to a 3rd party.  Now, there are positives and negatives surrounding both models, I have listed them below.  At the end, I will give you my opinion.

In House Delivery Vehicles and Drivers

Adds

1. You Own/Lease Vehicles: Gives your company a presence on the road.  By branding a vehicle, you have eyes on your Brand, Logo and get to educate people that you are OPEN for BUSINESS, and do HOME DELIVERY.  They see your BRAND, not someone else's.
2. You Hire Drivers: This gives you complete control over your customers' experience.  Your driver becomes your last interaction with the client.  A piece that is just as important as the cashier at check out.
3. No fees (standard for all logistics companies) for delivery or commission paid to 3rd party (Skip the Dishes and Door Dash charge up to 15-20% of the sale)

Takes

1. You manage it all:  this means more distractions from your core business: more payroll, HR management, increased expenses for fuel, vehicle maintenance, leases, insurance.
2. Increased liability.  Once your product and your driver leaves the store, you have an increased exposure to interactions with others on the road and potential complications that aren't present in store.  Your footprint just expanded >1000 fold.
3. Limited delivery capacity based on # of drivers, # of vehicles and type of vehicle available

Out Sourced 3rd Party Delivery Service

Adds

1. Many Vehicles and Drivers available 
2. No Overhead
3. No Insurance
4. No extra Employees
5. No Management other than order pick, pack and organization
6. No Distractions from your core business

Takes

1. No control over driver appearance, customer service or timeline
2. Another Company represents your BRAND​
3. You pay fees, a 100% operational expense
4. Potential for commission payment as well

My Message:

You can not afford to be off of the road in today's market.  You need 4 tires and your brand out there for all to see.  You must let people know that you do deliveries and you will come to them if they can not come to you.  There is a reason that Jeff Bezos has his Amazon logo on everything that moves.  From the boxes and Alexa to his delivery fleet, he has BRANDED his way to financial success. 

You can do this as well even though you don't have Jeff Bezos' budget.  You simply need a delivery partner and a HYBRID model for your LOCAL deliveries.

I have seen businesses try to do their all of their deliveries on their own and I have seen about 80% of them fail.  It is not impossible to succeed, but to start off you need to do the following:

• 1st step is to google a Delivery company in your local town where your store resides.
• Find a reputable company with a solid google rating and give them a shout.  Test their delivery system by having a package delivered from your store to yourself... and rate them on Google.
• Set up an account..
• Companies will consult with you at no charge and help you find the best solution for your products.
• Once you have this set up, look into Branding your own vehicle and get it on the road ASAP if your budget allows.

You can chose to use your Branded vehicle for as many or a few deliveries as you want.  This is why you also have a local delivery partner, they can fill in the gaps when your inside delivery team is too busy or out of commission.  Bottom line is, that for a small investment, you have consumers eyes on your store when they aren't standing in front of it or searching for it on their phone.  They see it being active, doing what they want, delivering their purchases to them while on the road.  Make sure you include statements like "we deliver!" and "Shop Local" on your vehicle of choice.

If you decide not to BRAND a vehicle, that's okay!  Work with your Delivery partner and support each other via social media, and other marketing avenues to let people know you are working together to keep your LOCAL communities strong, safe and supported.  Be the DRIVING force behind getting your Brand out there!  Make sure your delivery company is well connected and has a solid social media presence.  This connection will drive business for both of you and it's a lot of fun!

It is critical that you don't wait for everything to be perfect.  Your specialty is your store, your products and your customer service.  Technology isn't easy for everyone.  But don't let it hold you back.  Don't wait to get caught up before you start to give your clients what they need right now.  A good delivery company will have solutions you can work with no matter where you are at with technology.

My Final Message:  Don't wait for perfection: this market simply wont allow you to and we need to keep our economy moving. Hop on Google, find your delivery partner and get started right away.
​
Rebecca

International women's day is an incredible celebration of women around the world.  I have found that the conversations this year are very different.  There has been celebration with a direct focus on 100% equality in the workplace. 

I have personally never experienced discrimination because of my gender, in fact, I believe it has opened doors for me.  But I have received an education through other women's stories and I am more aware than ever what the impact of a history of discrimination can do to the confidence, perception and ease of existence to a category of human being.  

Whether that category is due to your skin, gender, age or ethnicity, the impact of suppression, bullying and inequality based on a physical trait is powerful.   It feels and appears that now, more than ever, true equality is in the very near future.  With campaigns like #metoo and #timesup voices are being heard and change, significant change, is on the horizon.  Girls and women everywhere have so much to look forward to.   
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As a mother of two boys and one girl, it gives me pure joy to know that the playing field is being evened out and mutual respect will prevail.  My boys and my girl will have equal opportunity to be a part of whatever field they want to play in and thrive in that area with the skills, leadership and work ethic that they bring to the table.

As the CEO of my family business, The Delivery Guys Inc., I am excited to have more females present in our industry in positions of influence and support.  In positions that nurture creativity, enable people to thrive, encourage trust, produce incredible business results and positivity.  I love that the doors will be opened more readily and opportunities will be given.

It is now though, that as women in our chosen fields, we need to ensure that the opportunities given are followed up with quality leadership.  Regardless of why we are given a door to walk though know that it is our ability to execute in our task that our results will be the reward we need as a society to continue to move forwards.

My vision for all of us talented, beautiful, brilliant, passionate women out there is to be a movement for positive change.  To seize the opportunities presented, be wise in our actions and have a work ethic that can not be denied.  Being role models for  all genders, and doing this so that today's catalyst for change gains momentum for generations to come.

Winter tires are an extra expense to consider at a time when families have a lot of money flowing out the door.  This timing has many people questioning whether or not Winter Tires are worth it.   Our delivery company has over 16 vehicles on the road and more than 64 tires, so, if you multiply that out at about $150 per tire, that is an extra $9600 plus installation for 3 months of driving!  So, it is our job to ensure  that we look closely at the pros and cons of investing in Winter Tires.

Tires are made of rubber and rubber expands and contracts based on the temperature it is created to be used in.  We all have plastic in our homes and know that the plastic industry has the ability to make some plastics microwave safe, others to be used in the oven and others will melt if they get close to a heater.  The same technology is used in your tires.  Once the temperature drops below 7 degrees Celsius, your regular "ALL SEASON" tires don't "Melt" with the road as well any more.  They toughen up and will not hug the road like Winter Tires do.  They are built to be heavier on the road and cover more area of the road at lower temperatures.  This larger foot base provides more stability and control.

​I personally like the idea of having a closer relationship with the road while driving, especially in the winter.  The blowing snow, slush and ice build up create hazardous conditions that are inconsistant and continuously changing.  Winiter Tres give the vehicle the ability to provide the driver more support while driving in the colder temperatures and driving conditions.

​Is safety worth it?  For The Delivery Guys Inc., I believe it is.  But is it worth it for the average driver?  In my opinion, again,  yes.  Anything that can assist with your ability to be safe on the road is worth it.  We can not anticipate the severity of our winters but we can ensure that we have the tools needed to drive safely and ensure that the precious passengers in our cars and in the vehicles around us are safe.

I want to caution you though,  be wary of the "4 wheel drive experience" when driving with Winter Tires.  What is this you ask?   Drivers with 4 wheel drive and a wide base feel more confident in their ability to drive faster than others in hazardous conditions, and sometimes due to this fact, feel that there is no risk.

​It is up to everyone to simply slow down, and have control of their vehicle while driving in our winter wonderland.  Winter Tires or not, SUV, car or truck; safe winter driving begins and ends with the driver:  the driver’s ability to drive his or her vehicle with confidence, and understanding how it drives in the conditions that present themselves.

​In conclusion, your confidence is the determining factor:  How confident are you with the vehicle you drive?  Do you feel that you want the extra support?  Do you care enough about the others on the road and the passengers in your car to give them the extra safety?  Can you find the extra money needed to purchase and install the tires?

Some POSITIVE ASPECTS of having Winter Tires include:
​1.  Longer lasting all season tires (All seasons wear faster in the winter)
​2.  Some insurance companies provide a rebate if you have winter tires.
​3.  Improved safety for you, your passengers and your driving neighbours.
​4.  Personal confidence and lowered stress while driving this winter.

​Be safe this winter! Rebecca