Nikki Clarke: "Right up until 2017, my husband and I did everything in and for the business… it was full on! Eventually, both of our parents came on board to help with packing, and now we have 14 staff on board, managing various parts of the business. Slowly but surely, as we grew more profitable, we could hire and delegate. It was hard for me in the beginning to let go, as I had done everything and this was my ‘business baby’, but the only way to grow is to hire the best people and let them do their jobs – once you’re happy with how well you’ve trained them (you’ve got to train them well!) The right attitude is far more important to me than a plethora of qualifications."
Always plan ahead, too – when the time comes to expand, you want to hit the ground running…
Michelle Shemit: "We have grown our team slowly, but very thoughtfully. Having a clear idea of your organisational strategy and job descriptions is important. It's also best to always be interviewing so that when the time comes to fill a position, you’re ready."
LAST-MILE LOGISTICS: MAKE IT COUNT
The importance of your last-mile deliveries cannot be underestimated. Did you know, for example, that 46% of consumers4 will abandon their online shopping carts if the estimated shipping time is too long? Or that 86% of customers5 are willing to pay more for products and services from companies that offer a great customer experience?
Simply put, you should offer your customers flexible and fast shipping options at checkout, otherwise they won’t return – or worse, abandon their shopping carts before completing the purchase. This is where partnering with a logistics expert like DHL can pay off, as these business owners have discovered…
Monika Trojanowska: "Using a well-known logistics leader like DHL Express can help to reassure your customer that the order placed will get delivered to them. We provide both options on our webshop – a cheaper one without a tracking code, and a more expensive option with track and trace. We see that most of our customers choose the option with the track and trace, so they are always able to see what their package’s status is. This is not only convenient for our customers, but saves us a lot of customer service questions – as most of those are shipment-status related."
Kateryna Panchenko, MyClover: "Our start-up has a limited number of resources, so we needed the delivery service to do the maximum. The biggest challenge we faced came during the delivery process. When we shipped our first bags, we didn’t know about the regional tax – different countries have different taxes. The first customer who received the bag in Germany was asked to pay the local tax, and refused the package altogether. Now, we have signed a direct contract with DHL Express where we discuss individual tariffs. DHL Express is our main partner, friend and assistant – allowing our business to grow rapidly."
So, are you feeling inspired to become the next big e-commerce entrepreneur? Apply for a DHL Express account today to get started.