The on-demand economy is thriving at a rapid pace in the recent pandemic time. However, we are using on-demand services for a decade with the advent of Uber and Airbnb back in 2009 and 2008 respectively. These days, many industry sectors including home services, retail, real estate, and hospitality, are leveraging the benefits of the growing popularity of on-demand services, and the logistics sector is no exception.
The on-demand courier delivery app enables courier and logistics companies to automate the processes of order and delivery. The app also offers real-time tracking of parcels to customers and courier service providers alike. As the scope of courier companies has widened significantly across the corporate world, the on-demand courier app aims at integrating logistics in the operational activities of parcel booking and delivery.
Logistics focuses on transportation for ensuring the delivery of goods at the right time and right place. The mobile app development company can integrate logistics into the courier delivery app for this reason. During this pandemic time, courier delivery service providers give their services on a 24/7 basis through an app. The on-demand courier service app is secure, scalable, and swift enough to give delivery startups an edge over established companies.
Before digging deep about the features and mechanism of on-demand apps, let’s make a list of business models for courier delivery services for startups.
Most Popular Courier Delivery Business Models
Aggregators – Here the data from all the courier service providers can be centrally aggregated. Packages are manually added in the data with the help of the unique ID of the package. Here a person can track the movement of packages from one location. The push notification feature enables the customers to know about the delivery status.
Postal and Courier Services Apps – FedEx and DPD are noteworthy parcel delivery apps. These apps offer a fully flexible admin panel for customers with customization options for creating shipment prints and labels for their packages. These types of apps enable customers to get rid of booking their parcels in the office.
Parcel Delivery Marketplace – Uber has brought many innovations in logistics and hospitality sectors. One of its creative ideas is Uber Freight. Another idea is to combine courier services with its flagship cab business. Uber for courier services has opened the door of additional income for millions of drivers who can use their cab for courier or food delivery. Uber-like marketplace for parcel delivery is a more convenient way to deliver parcels or courier than traditional ways.
Must-have Features of On-demand Courier Delivery App
A customized courier delivery app should have the following features. The app has three panels for customers, courier persons, and admin. Here is the list of most common features-
Customer Panel
- Registration and Profile Creation
- Order Tracking
- In-app Chat Feature
- Payment Gateway Integration
- Push Notification
- Review and Ratings
Courier Persons Panel
- Login and Registration for Manager
- Courier Account Creation
- List of Orders
- Delivery Management
- In-app Messaging
- Complete Order History
Admin Panel
- Third-party Analytics Integration
- Warehouse Management
- Customer Management
- Delivery Management
Large-scale logistics industries, as well as courier delivery startups, can leverage the benefits of a tailored courier delivery app. Let’s go through how the on-demand parcel and courier delivery system works.
How On-demand Courier Delivery System Works?
The on-demand courier delivery system involves various steps ranging from booking to the customer gets the delivery of the parcel. The courier delivery apps offer a combination of affordability, convenience, flexibility, and GPS to ensure timely delivery at the right place. The app also enables users to track their parcels in real-time by integrating with the system. The courier delivery startups can focus on grocery deliveries, medicine, and food deliveries by including necessary features in the app.
The on-demand courier apps enable users to keep track of parcels. Courier service providers can reduce the operational cost as the apps bring automation and give more flexibility. The apps are designed to facilitate startups and established courier service providers to manage online booking and other related processes without hiring additional staff. In a way, the courier delivery app remains cost-effective for the logistics and courier business.
After going through the role of a customized courier app, here are some tips to build a user-friendly and feature-rich app for delivery startups.
Tips to Keep in Mind while Developing On-demand Courier Delivery App
Like other on-demand apps, the courier delivery apps also take a lot of time and effort in making a proper strategy before the development phase. It is necessary for delivery startups to research market trends and their competitors’ apps. The courier delivery app should fulfill the requirements of customers while resolving the issues of other similar apps available.
After the research phase, startups can choose the most suitable model for developing a customized courier app. Here, many aspects need to be considered. With limited resources and budgetary constraints, delivery startups have to take the geography of their services, type of vehicle, package size, etc. aspects into account. All these aspects impact a lot on the scope of the app and ultimately on the app development cost.
Finally, it is necessary to make the list of necessary features for the on-demand courier app. Startups can prioritize their requirements to meet budgetary limitations and also consider an option to come up with an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) in the initial phase. It is better to consult a reputed mobile app development company at this stage to get the quote based on the features and functionality of the courier app.
These days, retail and eCommerce enterprises strive to improve their last-mile delivery services to remain competitive. A seamlessly-performing on-demand delivery app can help them achieve this goal. Also, food and grocery delivery startups can make the most of on-demand delivery apps. Courier startups can associate with retailers and give them all the benefits of on-demand apps.
The on-demand courier delivery app saves time, improves processes, increases value, and assists startups to build a brand by providing excellent customer experience and enhanced services. Fewer mistakes and real-time delivery in a cost-effective way are noteworthy benefits of a tailored courier app.
