Why Does The Courier Delivery App Have A Good Chance To Grow In This Pandemic Time?

The world is going through tough times, the terror of corona is not confined to a specific region but has spread all over the world. The deadly virus has the power to contaminate objects and humans by touch, direct or indirect, and is also easily transferable through the air. This has impacted the world in two ways.

The property that the COVID-19 is an airborne virus has made the government impose a countrywide lockdown. Secondly, the property of contaminating objects and humans with the contact of an infected person has halted commercial activities all over the world.  

All these sudden restrictions imposed on the mobility of humans and goods around the world has led to an increase in the on-demand courier delivery app. There are enough reasons to justify the hike behind the concept of courier delivery apps from the consumers ends as well as the service providers side.

We will uncover the concept of courier delivery services, its benefits, basic as well as advanced features in a courier delivery app and the reason why it’s essential at this time and its role in the fight against COVID-19. This will help create a clear picture in your mind on how investing in the courier delivery app development can be profitable. 

The Concept Of Online Courier Delivery And Courier Delivery Apps

Courier delivery services form a crucial part of every industry. These services are necessary for the commercial services, be it the delivery of raw materials or transportation of finished goods every enterprise avail these services at various phases in their production process. Also, these services are availed at the household level as well. 

However, the process is not as basic as it sounds but a complex of various actions such as packaging the product, measuring its weight, approaching the courier company. Also, the courier companies operate for a fixed number of hours and tracking the parcels and customer support are not completely evolved. This led to the need for an online courier delivery application.

The courier service providers decided to inculcate technology in their process for their convenience as well as to provide enhanced customer experience. Online courier delivery platforms are automated solutions for availing the logistics and parcel delivery services using a mobile-based application. 

Courier delivery app not only lets the customer to avail the courier services using their smartphone but also enables convenient real-time tracking of their parcels. Also, 24×7 availability makes these services comparatively preferable.

You can also get an on-demand courier delivery app by approaching a developer company headed by the team of experts like BR Softech.

Business models for online courier delivery

When it comes to courier delivery apps, there are multiple business models that the service provider follows, let us have a look at them-

• Package tracking aggregator: This type of business provides tracking services to users. The app serves as a tie-up with multiple courier carriers and links the package ID to the app for the users to track the status of their order on a real-time basis.

• Branded apps with a complete solution: In this type of business model, the user gets to see full information about the package rather than just knowing about the delivery status. It includes whether the parcel is dispatched, shipped or still in the warehouse.

• Postal and courier service app: It is a one-stop solution for the postal and courier needs for the customer. The customer gets the power to print and tag labels on the parcels and create shipments on their own with the tracking ability. 

FedEx and DPD are two well-renowned brands that have a full-fledged application and provide services like these.

• Marketplaces like Uber that cater parcel delivery: Companies like Uber have made efforts to enlarge their service domain and have entered into parcel delivery with the drivers carrying parcels as couriers.

Now when you have learned about the business models for the online courier delivery platform, you must be aware of the features that your app should support for enhanced consumer experience.

Let us discuss some of the essentials features of the online courier delivery facility.

Essential features of courier delivery app

The features that you opt for your app during the development phase of the courier delivery application may vary with your budget; however, you can enrol for an update anytime for further optimization. 

However, some basic features are essential for a courier delivery app. Let us unfold the features one-by-one.

Features of courier service app

To make the experience interactive and smooth, there are some must-have features that your app should support. We have listed them below for a better understanding-

1. Customer Panel: The app should have a full-fledged customer panel with an easy to understand user interface. Customer panel should be designed in keeping mind that it fulfils various purposes such as-

• Should support secure signup/sign in using email or any other social networking ID.

• Users should be able to view and edit profiles.

• Easy tracking of order should be available for the customer.

• Customer panel should feature a chat option to contact the service provider in case of any discrepancy.

• Customers should receive push notifications related to any update for their parcel.

• A dedicated rating and review column for the user to share its experience. 

• The app should feature a secure payment page that accepts multiple paying options such as debit/credit cards, net banking etc.

2. Courier Panel: A dedicated panel for the manager to help keep the operation organized is required. The following function the courier panel must fulfil-

• The panel should display a login page for the manager to access the application.

• The manager should be able to view all the active orders.

• Status of every package should be visible and automatically updated. If in case it is not automatically updated, the manager should have access to update it manually.

• Chat support to contact the customer and answer their queries.

• A separate section to view complete order history to date. 

Benefits of courier delivery app during the lockdown

With ever-increasing cases of the corona that the world is witnessing, the rate of the infection is multiplying tremendously. Lockdown is promoting the motive of social distancing. 

This demands the rise of home services, and as an initiative, the courier service providers also decided to go online by enrolling for courier delivery app development.

There are various reasons for which online availing services are suggested by the experts during these tough times of the outbreak of corona. These benefits associated altogether with the courier delivery apps make them famous. Some of the benefits are stated below-

• Online and multiple payment options ensure no contact.

• The more clients visit the store to avail the services, the higher is the risk of contamination; hence online service means no human contact (only handing the parcel at the time of pickup/delivery).

• Courier service providers will come across a large number of clients, further increasing the risk of contamination.

Some other home services via courier services

After sufficient research, you can decide the type of courier services you want to invest in. Courier services are used for international logistics and within the national boundaries. 

There are many ways to start your own courier delivery services. Providing logistics for the commercial and non-commercial franchise, partnering with enterprises to deliver their goods like-

• Restaurants: Partnering with restaurants can be profitable as a large chunk of smartphone users tend to order their food using the apps regularly. Restaurants are looking to hire courier facilities to extend their courier services.

• Healthcare: During the period of lockdown, there is a massive demand for medicine delivery apps. With limited medical shops operating in the market and several restrictions imposed on the mobility of the citizens, medical stores are tieing up with courier services.

• Groceries: Meeting the supply of essentials is what worried the citizens at the time of the announcement of lockdown. Courier services are helping departmental stores to fulfil their orders and reach out to the doorstep of customers for the supply of essentials. 

Conclusion

Coping with the challenge of COVID-19 has put a pause on existing commercial activities all over the world; however, it opened the gateway of many others. Government and private entities are actively promoting the stance of social distancing, and so is the need of availing online services. 

This has paved the way for you to outgrow the business and invest in taking the services online. It is profitable to invest in the online business that caters the essential demands of the customers, such as food, medicine, healthcare facilities. Grocery and courier services. 

BR Softech Pvt. Ltd. is a leading IT and software solution company that will help you in courier delivery app development from the initial phase of consulting and project cost estimation to the development of the app and its testing.