Just in time deliveries, don't make me laugh, I have come to the conclusion there is no such thing. Last week I was called out late at night (at, I hasten to add, a premium rate) to run my Sprinter with a "line stopper" load to a factory in Wiltshire.

Arriving at my clients depot to load everything as usual was at panic stations with the van being loaded quite literally within seconds of the handbrake being applied. With much worried looks and frowns I was repeatedly asked if I could get this extremely urgent load to Wiltshire by 10am next day, and it was impressed on me just how vital it was that this load was there on time. Apparently without these highly important plastic washer things the whole factory would stop production, no doubt resulting in an economic meltdown in the South West that would spread worldwide causing global recession. Well perhaps not that bad, but there was certainly a real sense of impending doom if the washers didn't make it on time.

Driving safely and courteously through the night (Yes some of us white van men do you know) but inspired by the life and death urgency of the load I arrived at the destination with time to spare. With a sense of pride of having averted some terrible misfortune on the inhabitants of Wiltshire I presented myself and my paper work, at the goods in leper hatch.

At this point the whole story of professionalism within our logistics industry falls apart. Now don't get me wrong, I am used to being ignored, ( I'm a) Married, b) have 2 teenage children). But for some strange reason I find standing getting ignored at a leper hatch in the pouring rain and gale force winds for 30 minutes by a goods in clerk who looks young enough that he should be still at Primary school a little galling, even more after I had got out of my nice warm bed to get the most important plastic washer thingy's to his warehouse in time to stop civilisation collapsing around his ears..

After a while contemplating if dragging a ignoramus through a leper hatch would in fact be unreasonable I decide that a less forthright approach may work better, and announce my presence at his window yet again, this time a little louder and with a few extra words that his mother probably didn't teach him. The little Oik at this point manages to at least acknowledge my presence by uttering the immortal words, "You will just have to wait your turn driver".

Some what taken aback, firstly because the mutant behind the desk has actually registered my freezing cold presence and secondly, because from where I am standing I can survey the entire factory yard, and one thing is noticeable to me, although obviously not to the halfwit behind the desk, is that apart from a solitary Sprinter van the entire place is totally bereft of any vehicles, drivers , horses and carts, wheel barrows, in fact anything that could in any way shape or form carry any sort of load.

I could rant on but you probably have got the drift of my whine already, suffice it to say, the plastic washer thingys, that were so vital to the economic well being of Wiltshire, finally got unloaded 3 hours after the point when the world was supposed to stop turning if they hadn't been delivered.

But business is business and I know that even though those urgent plastic thingys are not that urgent after all, when my customer phones me up next week in a panic, yet again I will drag myself out of bed and head for Wiltshire. But this time I will be taking a good book with me to read.

Paul Mcbride runs a small courier business running 4 light vehicles on urgent deliveries throughout Europe

I learnt a valuable lesson, despite all my previous thinking, I now realise that attaining quality contracts in this business has nothing to do with price, service levels, image or marketing.

To set the scene, I have never been a "sporty" person, indeed my idea of healthy exercise has been walking to the bar for a diet coke for the beloved. However the beloved, in collusion with the doctor has decided that my somewhat rounded figure needs slimming down. And golf was suggested (I say suggested because the beloved presented me with a set of clubs, a day guest pass for the local golf club and kicked me out of the door one Sunday morning). Now to be honest the idea of hitting a ball as far as it will go and then walking after it seemed a bit silly, after all, don't hit it at all, it goes no where and you save yourself all that effort. To my surprise I seem to have a knack for knocking little white things far away and actually enjoy the now regular Sunday outing.

A couple of weeks ago I partnered up with another member of the club who I didn't know, but was looking for someone to have a round with, introductions were made and we set off to dole out punishment to the golf balls ( and in his case a fair amount of grass). About half way round we had ran out of the usual chats about golf, family, holidays, cars etc. and the conversation turned to what we do for a living, This gentleman it turns out is the distribution director for a large national company with its head quarters nearby my yard. For a long time I have attempted to get my vehicles in there, as the work is supposed to be steady, they have a reputation for paying on time and treating the contractors well. But all my calls/marketing/letters had always failed to get a response.

Yet by the 15th hole I had learnt they had been looking for a new express delivery partner for deliveries and returns to and from Benelux, and hadn't found one suitable. Indeed despite my small fledging business being ideal for their needs they hadn't even looked at any of the leaflets/letters, consigning them straight to the bin. His transport manager, despite knowing the company was looking for a courier firm locally exactly like mine had never mentioned our existence.

By the 18th Hole I had an appointment to meet with the man on Monday morning, and by Wednesday two of my vans were on contract to them.

Is this the way business should be done?, I am a traditionalist and believe that my companies work record should be enough to gain me new opportunities. But it seems it isn't. This industry still seems dominated by "Who you know than what you know". Fair? Professional? Probably not but I wont turn down the work just because the way I found it feels slightly off.

My suggestion to all those struggling to find work? Save your money, don't buy fancy leaflets, spend hours making fruitless cold calls or telephoning, Join a Golf Club, it's healthy for both your body and your wallet. And ignore your conscience

Paul Mcbride runs a small courier business running 5 light vehicles on urgent deliveries throughout Europe

Finances, a word that is guaranteed to bring a sweat to my brow. When I started up I took the decision that any expansion would be paid for in full, I didn't want to have to work all week only to find my income gobbled up by repayments. Since then my vans have all been purchased outright, My (very small) yard and office is on land owned by a family member and therefore the best sort of cheap ... Free !!!.

I buy decent second hand vehicles, and as a man with a van, I employ, as needed, a mechanic with a van to fix them. But now pressure from outside is on me. One of my customers is asking for our van to be liveried, and no older than 18 months at any time. Buying new isn't really an issue as I will simply at the end of its life with the customer put in the general courier fleet. Paying for new is an issue, the instant it rolls into the yard I am out of pocket. A second hand van, bought for cash can be refurbished , resprayed and sorted out mechanically run for a year or two and then sold for very little depreciation. A new ones value plummets like a stone the second it sees its first bit of tarmac.

But the customer is insistent, and their work is consistent and well paid. So do I bite the proverbial bullet and spend out cash on a new van?. I like having the cash in the bank, if it goes quiet I ( and my drivers can still get paid). Engines and gearboxes can be replaced without the worry of how to pay for them. Or do I go for finance and the bewildering array of options and accept that the vehicle is working 2 days a week for the finance company not me.

I realise that many people will say that by earning the money and putting it into the bank for future purchases is the same realistically as paying finance, and your probably right, just to an old fashioned bloke like me, cash in my bank is better than cash in someone else's.

The next couple of weeks will be spent pondering this problem, and visiting various showrooms to see exactly what is on offer, in the mean time I cant help thinking to myself that while a brand new van is a step forwards, is it, with all the finance problems that come with, it a step upwards?

Paul Mcbride runs a small courier business running 5 light vehicles on urgent deliveries throughout Europe

What's changed?

I apologise. It's been a while since I last blogged, but if there has been a downturn in the economy I haven't noticed. Since my last blog I have bought a brand new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, and taken on a number of new work commitments. The work is a mixture of contract and spot hire.

What is different is that before I was searching, almost begging for work, and willing to  reasonably cut my standard rates to obtain it, where now I seem to able to demand my price and terms.

I am unsure what has changed within the industry. But work is flowing inwards, new customers are accepting that for the first 3 months I want paying 7 days from invoice or my vehicles stop turning up. I quote a rate that 6 months ago would have included ferries, now I get the same rate but ferries paid.

None of this has happened by accident. I have been trying for years to increase my rates and improve the terms under which I carry goods. And argued long and hard with my clients But have always been rebuffed. Now it seems that something in the industry has changed. I can demand my terms and they are accepted most of the time.

At the time of typing I have one customer whose account is overdue by 14 days, and that's it, everyone else is paying up on time (that one customer was  my first major customer and has always paid late, but paid well and never argued against interest on the account if over 28 days late). A situation I have never found myself in before.

If this is recession give me more of it.

Paul Mcbride runs a small courier business running 5 light vehicles on urgent deliveries throughout Europe.