How do I keep my couriers on board while I am selling the delivery business?
Tell couriers early enough that they do not hear it elsewhere, and be honest about what you know and do not know. Explain what the sale means for their routes and pay, show them the buyer’s plans where you can, and give them a part in the handover. Silence tends to do more harm than the news.
Decide when to tell them and how. Rumours travel fast in a small team, so a short, plain meeting from you is better than a leak. Say what is changing, what is not and when they will hear more. If you do not yet know something, say that.
Prepare answers to the questions they will ask. Will routes stay? Will pay and schedules continue? Will the new owner keep the vans and the customers? Where the buyer has given commitments, repeat them accurately. Do not promise on the buyer’s behalf. Keep ordinary things ordinary. Pay on time, hold the usual meetings and fix small problems quickly, because a team under stress notices whether the business is still being looked after while the sale goes on.
Introduce the buyer in a setting that lets couriers ask questions directly. Ask the buyer to listen as well as present. Couriers who feel heard are more likely to stay. Consider who matters most to keep. Longstanding drivers know the customers and the routes. Talk to them individually, and ask your lawyer whether any retention arrangement is sensible. Treat everyone fairly, since the team will compare notes. Keep the day-to-day running well until closing.
Key takeaways
- Tell couriers yourself and early, and say what you do not yet know.
- Prepare accurate answers about routes, pay and vehicles, without speaking for the buyer.
- Talk individually to the longest-serving drivers and treat everyone fairly.
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Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to reduce employee turnover
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernment7 steps to increase your business’ value—before you sell it
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