WAHM > Stay at Home Mom Work Ideas > Selling a Service > Errand Service

Start an Errand Service from Home

What you will be doing.  In today’s busy world, it’s hard to get all of the tasks we need to accomplish done each day. If there was someone to help out, we would gladly pay a fee for the peace of mind it would bring. As the owner of an errand service, this time saving, mind easing job will fall to you.

To separate this errand service from others, finding a niche can lead to success. Working moms, single moms, expectant moms, two income households, and the elderly all could use your expertise and your car.

How to start.  Assess the needs of this business. In a rural area, running errands requires a vehicle of some kind. In a city, a bike or moped might work for packages, but a car makes more sense for grocery shopping and picking up the dry cleaning.

All depends on the niche that you choose. A poll of the area reveals the names of other errand services and the kinds of jobs they specialize in. Even if you choose a niche, there is no reason why that niche can’t be expanded as the business begins to grow.

Starting costs. The costs here range from $500 to a few thousand dollars. A computer is necessary because customers need a way to schedule pickups and as the business owner you will want to track these jobs and keep a master schedule so jobs don’t overlap. A website allows customers to choose how they contact you: over the telephone or through a scheduling system on your website. As such, hiring a website designer costs money.

A separate vehicle apart from the family car is not necessary unless you want to do so. As the business grows, that may be a feasible option but it is not a must at the beginning. See where the business takes you.

Skills needed.  Communication is paramount. Miscommunication between client and service provider can result in missed appointments. Businesses contracts may only allow one mistake before they replace you. There will be times that mistakes happen or other incidents occur.

A knack for customer service will appease the customers and keep you from losing business. Above all, know when to say when. Overloading can lead to stress which can lead to poor customer service. Knowing limits is an important part of running a business.

Marketing.  Start in your neighborhood. Does anyone need something done? Maybe you are a stay at home mother. Posting flyers at daycare centers, mommy hangouts, gyms, churches, and other places frequented by parents can bring a lot of interesting calls. Advertising here could be your enemy if you are not careful. Ads in the Yellow Pages and newspapers will get noticed.

The downfall of many businesses is coming out of the gate too fast and not having the stamina to keep up the pace. There is nothing wrong with going slow with flyers and, as the business grows and you decide on adding employees, to step up the advertising for more business.