Service Delivers Market To Wumdrop

The success of WumDrop lies in its personalised service, which makes for a convenient courier experience. Co-founder Simon Hartley talks about building this delivery offering.

- Jon Pienaar

Can you become a successful entrepreneur without knowing anything about the industry you’re getting into, or anything about running a business? Simon Hartley, the founder of specialised logistics company WumDrop, is the case study that proves that yes, indeed you can.

WumDrop provides delivery services on a per-kilometre pricing basis, or flat rates for clients that are integrated into the brand’s software system.

Clients range from small online retailers to bigger players like TFG. More recently, WumDrop secured financial investment and increased its client base, edging the business out of the uncertain start-up zone and setting it up for good growth.

While other players focus on scale, volume and reach, WumDrop is obsessed with personalising the key transaction − the point at which the parcel is delivered to the person that needs it. “A courier delivery is an interruption to a person’s day,” explains Hartley, adding: “We offer a simple USP [unique selling proposition]: we guarantee delivery at a certain hour, so the customer doesn’t have to wait around.”

In the over-traded logistics market − where specialised retailers and smaller companies that rely on fulfilment jostle alongside massive corporations that do massive courier volumes daily − WumDrop has achieved growth by believing that delivery services “can be done better”. “When a delivery goes well it is an inconvenience at best,” says Hartley, “but a failed delivery affects both the customer’s experience and the courier’s bottom line.”

Providing customised service