How do I check a courier firm’s weekend and after-hours service demand?

Off-hours work can be a profitable part of a courier business or a drain on the owner’s time. Start with the data: ask for orders by day of the week and hour, over a full year if possible, so seasonal peaks show up. Compare revenue and cost for off-hours jobs against weekday work.

Find out who orders. Are weekend and evening jobs from a few steady accounts, such as medical offices or retailers, or from scattered one-time customers? Ask whether those customers have contracts, or just call when they need something. A steady account is easier to keep than a random call.

Then look at the supply side. Who covers those hours? Is it staff who want the shifts, contractors paid more, or the owner on call? If the seller personally takes the late calls, ask what a replacement would cost and whether anyone would accept the schedule. Ask whether the company charges extra for these hours and whether customers accept it without complaint. Last, ask about any rivals that have started offering the same service, since that may affect how long the demand lasts.

Key takeaways

• Get order data by day and hour across a full year.
• Identify which customers drive off-hours work and whether they have contracts.
• Find out who covers those hours and whether the owner personally does.
• Check that premium pricing for off-hours is accepted by customers.