Hello, dears!
Well, after two posts where Stevie either took over or helped me write, I finally get to spend some one-on-one time with you all. Long overdue, if you ask me!
And what better way to celebrate the occasion than by writing a post dedicated not to those who have been reading this blog for donkey's years (although you know I love you), but to those who may have just found us? Or maybe even relatives of my readers, who may be interested in taking up courier work as an owner driver, but are not quite sure if they are cut out for it?
Have You Got the Goods?
That's right, in this post we will be assessing whether or not you – yes, you, reading this post right now – have what it takes to become an independent driver, or even just take on courier work in general. So strap in for the ride, because here we go!
So, what qualities do you need to make it as an owner driver doing courier work? Well, obviously, resilience is key when you're self-employed, because money is a lot less steady and guaranteed than when you work for someone else. But what about things that are more specific to courier work, in particular, rather than simply being self-employed?
Well, there are a few of those, as well. For example, if you're planning on becoming an owner driver (or even a corporate courier) you'll need to have an excellent sense of direction, so you're able to find your way around and not keep getting lost all the time. Good customer service skills are also important (I don't think I need to explain why), and you'll also need to be good at record-keeping, so you don't lose track of what you have delivered, when, and to whom. Time management is also essential – you don't want to lose track of time and end up delivering all your parcels late, do you?
In addition to this, a natural knack and taste for driving, punctuality, a level head in a crisis and a good dose of patience are all good traits to have, as without them you may find yourself in trouble or giving up your new career path quite soon...
If you don't have ALL of these traits, though, don't worry – having MOST of them should be good enough for you to succeed, if not as an owner driver, then certainly doing courier work for a large company. Which, let's face it, is not a bad alternative.
There you have it, then: a little starter guide so you can assess if you've got "the goods" or not (pardon the pun – tee-hee!). Feel free to write in and let me know your findings, won't you?
Until then, though...ta-ra!
- Gertie
x