Starting a pickup and delivery (P&D) service for your business can seem like a daunting task. Hiring drivers, having a route, managing customers orders etc. can be very complicated. This is where the majority of businesses fall short in this area and struggle.
However, with CleanCloud setting up and launching your P&D service is simple. By following the 4 steps listed below, you will be on your way to growing your business with a P&D system in no time.
Setting Up Your Store
The first thing you need to do is start a free trial with us or sign up for our professional package. From here in the ‘Admin Setting’> ‘Pickup & Delivery’ you will find everything you need to start your P&D service. The most important thing you need to do is establish your routes. When setting up your routes we suggest starting small, our routes are done by geo-fence, meaning you establish the exact area you service right down to the street. By starting out small, you can ensure that you properly service an area close to you before looking to expand.
When you have set your geo-fence up you need to add in the times and number of slots you have available for customers to book in, otherwise, your customers will have no slots to book in for your service. From here make sure your store in online on the general settings, then your store will be active with routes for your customers to use.
Creating Your Booking Tools
With CleanCloud you have the choice of three ways that customers can book P&Ds with you. The first being by interacting with you in store. From here you can book in a pickup and delivery for your customers for them when the call or come in. This is the simplest of the three and requires no real set up as you can just do this through the POS.
The second way customers can book with you is through your website. With CleanCloud you have a choice, you can use our templated website and having customers book using its booking too. Alternatively, if you have built or would prefer to build your own website, you can copy our booking tool across to integrate with you there. From here your customers can book in with you online, this is especially useful if you use SEO and google ads to your advantage, helping attract new customers.
The third way for customers to book in P&Ds with you is through the mobile app. Whether you are using the CleanCloud app or your own custom app from us the booking tool will be available for customers. This is generally the most convenient way for customers to book in and track their orders with you. To optimise this and the web tool, you just need to work in the app settings to adjust the tools to be what you are looking for.
The Finer Details
There are many small details and changes that are important in running a P&D service that is tailored to your business. From setting in a delivery fee to allowing customers to add their own notes, there are many minor changes that you may wish to make to properly suit your workflow.
The best way to do this is going into the App settings in your system and setting the preferences to how you would like your system to be run. This way you can run your P&D service exactly the way you would like to. You can, of course, test this yourself with the app to make sure your customer journey is as you would like it to be.
Starting and Refining the Process
There will be no perfect start for your service, the beginning of your P&D service is the most difficult, as not only do you have to manage your operations, you also need to test if your routes are properly organised. The best way to begin is to use existing customers to test your system. Here if any errors are made you can offer discounts and ensure that you are ready to go before launching to new customers across your area.
With the Drivers App, we provide a way for you to reduce early management issues. This app allows your drivers to know exactly what they are doing, allowing them to work independently. However, as mentioned earlier, it is best to start out smaller with less bookable time slots. You can then expand this as things become more successful and you build a reliable customer base.
You may need to make changes to certain options in your workflow, such as adjusting your delivery fees and minimum order amounts. This is all easy to do and syncs with all of the booking tools, therefore refining and adjusting are a painless process with CleanCloud.
After setting up everything as laid out above, you will be running an effective P&D service. You can then look to grow these operations to increase your revenue and expand your business. See our post on how to grow your P&D service here > How to Grow Your P&D Service
Get Started
If you would like more information get in touch with us directly or alternatively start a trial with us with the links below.