Most times will tell you to start business ideas around a skill. That of course works but it’s not the only way to go about it. We’ve seen a few business ideas come up in doing errands such as tuma Kerri. You can, if you do a few simple things, set up an errand service of your own in your local area and you could do very well with it. All you need is time and a little bit of savvy to pull this off.
Errands
These businesses have normally been targeted at diaspora folk which is great but within the local environment, there is a need for this too. While people will debate issues around coronavirus the fact is you are better off at home. If not to avoid contracting the virus then at least avoid dealing with roadblocks and enforcement officials. Do not let my limitations in creativity stop you from imagining your own application of an errand service. You can go as far as procuring fresh produce from farmers markets or delivering bread and milk for those who remember the good old days. A popular fast food outlet has a very poor delivery service and you could take advantage of this.
Approaches
This is where it can get a little exciting. You are in the business of running errands not supplying products so you would look at charging a service fee. Say $5 per delivery within a certain area. Resist the temptation to mark up prices of the goods in question, what you sell is convenience, not goods. This becomes important as you grow and it’s important, especially in our wonderful landscape that your customers know that you are not responsible for the pricing of goods only the service fee.
Finances
The reason for implementing this idea locally is that you want to establish trust with your customers very quickly. This will have an impact on your financial standing. Say you take my bread and milk idea up these are small-ticket items that you can afford to buy out of your own pocket and be reimbursed upon delivery including the delivery fee. Great. But as the relationships with customers grow they may be inclined to require bigger ticket items at which point you should be in a position to ask for a partial or full deposit. Trust allows this to work in your favour.
Transport
Any vehicle will do but a lot is going to depend on what exactly you’re handling and the fuel economy. A motorcycle could be enough. If you’re getting more than a motorcycle can handle then perhaps a 3 wheel motorcycle may be the better option. Heavy materials may require a pick-up truck. While we would all love to have all of these at our disposal you will be in the early stages of business and focussing on delivering excellence in a particular thing is the best idea. So pick the vehicle wisely with fuel economy firmly in mind.
Customer service
If you’re not ready to give excellent customer service then this business may not be for you. Most of the examples that my limited imagination could come up with are things that customers tend to be very specific about. Specific is good because for you it gives you a target. Technology also helps in making things a lot easier. So if you happened to go to Mbare and find the produce unsatisfactory you can communicate with the customer and show them the state of things. Customer service goes beyond smiling and pleasantries, customer service IS the business.
In the right hands, you can extend this idea to many things. While we have started vaccinating for the coronavirus the risks of catching it or new variants are still very real. Especially when you take into consideration the slow pace of vaccination. It might be an advantage to get vaccinated if you want to go into a business that deals with so many people face to face. Many groups of people would appreciate the convenience you can provide by performing such errands for them.
