Outsourced vs In-House Delivery Drivers

Timing matters in nearly every walk of life. In construction, the key to a successful project is maintaining the schedule. Construction supply companies who can quickly deliver materials as needed will satisfy their customers and rise above their competition.

Consider the advantages of outsourced delivery drivers vs in-house delivery drivers.

Maintain Organizational Focus

Winning companies have a clear focus and purpose. For a construction supply company, that purpose revolves around offering the highest quality materials at the best rates. Meeting this purpose is particularly challenging these days as the pandemic has led to strained supply lines and great fluctuations in the price of construction materials.

Managing final mile delivery is outside of the scope of a construction supply company. When companies go beyond their core strengths and take on different tasks, they can easily lose focus.

Yet, a construction supply company needs to provide on-demand delivery service to meet the expectations of today’s customers. It’s also an excellent way to expand their reach.

By having outsourced delivery drivers for materials delivery, construction supply companies can serve their customers without losing focus on what they do best.

A Major Undertaking

Having in-house delivery drivers may seem like a simple straightforward proposition. After all, how many people worked at the local pizzeria as pizza delivery drivers?

Well, it’s not simple. At all.

By committing to having in-house delivery drivers, construction supply companies need to interview, hire, train and manage drivers. There tends to be a good deal of turnover of delivery drivers which means interviewing, hiring, and training drivers is a constant commitment.

And employing and training drivers is just the beginning of a successful last-mile construction delivery service. There’s delivery tracking to ensure construction products are delivered on time and in the right condition. Plus, insurance for materials, drivers, and vehicles.

By outsourcing the chore of delivery drivers to a local courier, a construction supply company rids itself of many potential headaches. The courier takes on the responsibilities related to last-mile delivery including having drivers.

Effectively Manage Resources

You don’t have to be a brilliant economist to know resources are limited. Profitable businesses spend their money wisely and minimize waste.

When a construction supply company employs local couriers to make deliveries, they can better manage their resources. Whether it’s a busy season or a slow time, the construction supply company always has the correct number of drivers when working with an on-demand delivery service.

Plus, they only pay for outsourced delivery drivers when needed.  

Having in-house delivery drivers can lead to wasted funds as drivers may not be regularly needed. An easy solution would seem to be to have in-house delivery drivers be on call (i.e. periodic shifts or during busy seasons). However, there’s a driver shortage. So, expecting a driver to remain loyal and available without paying them a regular salary is unrealistic.

One Last Thing

Interviewed, hired, and trained drivers – check. Ready to go and deliver? Not quite. Let’s remember the elephant in the room – vehicles.

By committing to having in-house delivery drivers, construction supply companies need to have a fleet of vehicles at the ready. There’s also maintenance and a parking lot.

The fleet should have vehicles that vary in size. By having the right sized vehicle available for use when needed, construction delivery companies minimize costs in terms of fuel and tolls. Having large trucks only means drivers need more advanced/specialized licenses which leads to them demanding higher salaries.

If a construction supply company does not have a vehicle available to make a delivery when needed, they may lose the sale.

A local courier not only has drivers but the right-sized vehicle for all construction deliveries. By using the courier, the construction supply company never has to lose a sale due to delivery constraints. They can quickly get material into their customer’s hands.

Curri, a one-stop-shop construction delivery service, has a team of trained drivers and is focused on punctuality and reliability. With the ability to match the right driver/vehicle, Curri can help you feel confident your product will quickly get to your customer. Take the Curri demo for a test drive!

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