Overview
Courier services are sold by the parcel and the route, and the same-day premium is the line that defines the trade
Courier services move parcels, documents, and small consignments faster than the standard postal network. The customer is a law firm sending contracts before a deadline, a hospital sending samples to a lab, a small business shipping urgent ecommerce orders, or a domestic customer who needs something across town in the next hour. The trade splits between same-day (premium service, dedicated driver, direct delivery) and overnight or scheduled (lower price, consolidated routes). A flat 'courier, $20/delivery' quote without naming the service level, the distance, and the dimensions misses the urgent-versus-routine decision the customer is making.
QuoteGenio gives courier services a quoting shape that fits both same-day and scheduled work. Service level (same-day, overnight, scheduled) as the first line, parcel dimensions and weight, distance band, dedicated versus consolidated route, signature-on-delivery option, proof of delivery (photo, signature, GPS), account billing for recurring corporate customers, and a peak-period or out-of-hours premium. Send via WhatsApp or email to the customer, take card payment or invoice on terms for corporate accounts, and the same record holds the delivery history and any failed-delivery rebooking notes.
Who it is for
Who uses QuoteGenio
Built for every type of courier and parcel delivery business.
The problem
The quoting headaches every courier knows
Couriers run on volume and speed. A clean per-km, per-kg quote sent in 30 seconds wins the booking before the customer rings the next firm.
Quoting eats the dispatcher's day
Every booking enquiry needs a custom quote. By lunchtime your dispatcher has spent two hours on price calculations instead of running the fleet.
Inconsistent pricing across jobs
Without a structured quote builder, the same route gets priced differently by different staff. Customers notice, and trust suffers.
Surcharges fall through the cracks
Waiting time, after-hours, fuel, lift gate, missed delivery re-attempts. If they are not on the quote, you absorb them.
The fix
QuoteGenio fixes the courier workflow
A structured workflow built around the way couriers actually quote: per km, per kg, per service level, on the phone, in seconds.
The payoff
What you get with QuoteGenio
The everyday wins that add up across a year of quoting and invoicing.
Built for couriers
Line items for distance, weight, service level, waiting time, fuel surcharge, and after-hours premium. Everything a courier quote needs.
Price by km and by kg
Quote per km and per kg with separate rates for same-day, next-day, and economy. Customers see the math and trust the number.
Quote in 30 seconds
Dispatcher gets the call, builds the quote, and WhatsApps the link before the customer hangs up. Bookings close in one call.
Invoice on delivery
Convert the accepted quote to an invoice the moment delivery is confirmed. Add waiting time or surcharges, and email the invoice that day.
Built for your trade
Quoting calibrated to how courier services actually work
Pick your trade in Settings and the entire quote flow switches to fit. Line item presets, compliance fields, on-the-quote calculators, and per-m² / after-hours pricing all change to match your industry.
Trade-specific line items
Quick add picker pre-fills the common items your trade quotes. Skip the blank rows.
Brand-specific catalogues
Pylontech, Hikvision, Canadian Solar, Sunsynk and others pre-named. Pick the brand, the description writes itself.
Compliance fields built in
IOPSA, ECASA, PIRB, PSIRA, NHBRC, SAQCC. Set once. Every quote prints them under FROM.
Registration expiry alerts
Dashboard notification 60 days before your PSIRA, CoC or any dated registration lapses.
Per-m² / hour / day billing
Unit selector on every line item: m², hr, linear m, days. Stop doing the maths externally.
After-hours and emergency
1.5× and 2× multipliers as a one-tap toggle. Customer sees the breakdown on the quote.
Quote-flow calculators
Solar size, battery backup, cable run cost. Compute on the spot, drop straight onto the quote.
Staged payments
Deposit on acceptance + balance on completion as two separate amounts on the quote PDF.
Scope-of-work checklist
Structured Included / Not included lists. Client acceptance = signing the scope.
Site-survey mode
Log a location per line item: camera positions, fixtures by room, sensors by zone.
Regional rate hints
Pricing ranges per item per currency shown as you quote.
Free on every plan
All of the above included on the free plan. Premium is for capacity, not the trade tooling.
Why QuoteGenio
Why Courier Services choose QuoteGenio
The tools that matter most when you are quoting on-site, under pressure, and between jobs.
Quote from your phone
Most Courier Services build and send quotes directly from the job site. No laptop, no office, no delays.
Win more jobs, faster
The first professional quote a client receives usually wins. Respond in minutes, not hours.
Quote to invoice in one click
When the job is accepted, convert to an invoice instantly. No retyping, no double entry.
Pricing guide
Typical Courier Services job pricing
A rough guide to what courier services charge for typical jobs. Pricing varies by city, vehicle type, parcel weight, and service level. Use these ranges as a benchmark when building your own rate card, not as fixed prices.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Minimum job fee (any courier) | R1,240 - R2,479 |
| Same-day local (per km, bike) | R30 - R58 |
| Same-day local (per km, van) | R40 - R79 |
| Per kg surcharge (over 25kg) | R14 - R36 |
| Waiting time (per 15 min) | R297 - R694 |
| After-hours premium (multiplier) | R25x - R33x |
| Multi-drop route (per stop) | R364 - R1,074 |
Pricing converted from USD to ZAR at indicative rates. Rates vary significantly by country, region, currency, and market.
Call-out fees
A minimum job fee covers your dispatcher and driver time on small jobs that would otherwise be unprofitable. Most couriers charge R1,240 to R2,479 minimum even on a 2km same-day delivery. Show the minimum on the quote so the customer understands the floor price; without it you end up running R496 jobs across town that lose money on every leg.
Hourly vs fixed pricing
Use per-km plus per-kg pricing for one-off ad-hoc jobs where the scope is clear from the booking. Use fixed pricing for known multi-drop routes and contract work where the customer wants predictable monthly billing. Use a per-stop rate for multi-drop runs, plus per-km between stops, so dense routes price competitively without losing margin on long legs.
See it in action
Example quote breakdown
Here is what a clean, itemised same-day courier quote looks like for a typical mid-weight delivery. Notice how every cost is visible: distance, weight, lift gate, fuel, insurance, proof of delivery. Customers accept this format because they can see the math and trust they are not being padded.
Try it yourself
Job size
Region
Sample quote
Same-day van delivery, 28km, 32kg parcel
Same-day van (per km)
Per kg surcharge (over 25kg base)
Lift gate / tail-lift use
Fuel surcharge
Insurance (standard cover)
Proof of delivery (signed POD)
| Description | Qty | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Same-day van (per km) | 28 | R53 / km | R1,481 |
| Per kg surcharge (over 25kg base) | 7 | R23 / kg | R162 |
| Lift gate / tail-lift use | 1 | R364 | R364 |
| Fuel surcharge | 1 | R198 | R198 |
| Insurance (standard cover) | 1 | R297 | R297 |
| Proof of delivery (signed POD) | 1 | R99 | R99 |
| Subtotal | R2,601 | ||
| Tax (10%) | R260 | ||
| Total incl. tax | R2,861 | ||
Totals recalculate as you change the controls above. Tax rate inferred from the sample quote.
Items often forgotten
Waiting time at pickup or drop, lift gate or tail-lift use, after-hours premium, missed delivery re-attempts, congestion zone charges, parking and tolls, and proof of delivery handling. Add these as standing lines on your courier template so you stop absorbing them.
Peer snapshot
How Courier Services actually use QuoteGenio
Indicative activity for Courier Services on the platform. Use it as a benchmark for how often to quote and how fast to respond.
18
Quotes sent per month
60%
Average quote acceptance
4 min
Median time to send quote
R2,861
Typical quote value
Figures are indicative platform averages for this trade segment.
Start quoting Courier Service jobs like this, free
Build your first quote in under 2 minutes. No credit card, no setup fee, no contract.
Avoid these
Common quoting mistakes
We talk to a lot of courier operators. The same pricing mistakes come up again and again. Fix these and you protect your margin per leg, lift your average ticket, and stop running unprofitable jobs to keep customers happy.
Mistake: Quoting a flat fee with no per-km breakdown
Better: Itemise per-km, per-kg, and surcharges. Customers comparing three couriers pick the one whose math they can verify, not the lowest blind number.
Mistake: No minimum job fee on small deliveries
Better: Set a minimum of R1,240 to R2,479 even on short same-day jobs. Without it your dispatcher runs R496 jobs that lose money once you cost the dispatch and driver time.
Mistake: Forgetting waiting time surcharges
Better: Quote a per-15-minute waiting time line on every job. First 10 minutes usually free. Without it, a 40-minute wait at a loading bay eats your margin on the whole leg.
Mistake: No after-hours premium
Better: Evenings, weekends, and overnight runs are 1.5x to 2x standard. Quote the premium upfront so the customer understands the cost before booking, not after the driver is on the road.
Mistake: Missing fuel surcharge mechanism
Better: Fuel moves week-to-week. Quote a fuel surcharge as a separate line tied to a published index, so price increases pass through automatically without re-tendering every contract.
Mistake: No insurance on the quote
Better: List standard transit insurance as a line with declared value cap. For high-value parcels offer a premium insurance upgrade. Customers rarely opt out and it lifts your average ticket.
Mistake: No expiry on quoted rates
Better: Set a 7 or 14 day validity on ad-hoc quotes, longer for contract rate cards. Diesel and labour move enough that an open-ended quote exposes you on long-running jobs.
Mistake: No follow-up after sending the quote
Better: Most quotes that don't close, don't close because nobody followed up. Send a polite check-in 48 hours after the quote lands, and a second nudge at day 7. Two of every three accepted quotes get there because someone followed up.
Step by step
How to quote courier jobs
Check the job brief on the phone before you price it, because a 30-second conversation avoids a $ 40 loss on a job that looked simple. Confirm the pickup and delivery postcodes, the parcel weight and dimensions, the service level (same-day, next-day, economy), and whether a lift gate or tail-lift is needed for anything over 30 kg. Ask about waiting time at loading bays or reception desks, because a 40-minute wait at a hospital loading dock eats the margin on the whole leg if it is not priced. Check for congestion zone charges, restricted access hours, after-hours delivery windows, and signed proof of delivery requirements, because medical, legal, and high-value shipments often carry POD handling obligations that are real billable time.
Itemise every quote per km and per kg rather than as a single flat fee, because customers comparing three couriers pick the one whose math they can verify. Show the distance rate (for example '28 km at $ 3.20 per km'), the weight surcharge above the base allowance (for example 'over 25 kg at $ 1.40 per kg'), and separate lines for lift-gate use, fuel surcharge tied to a weekly diesel index, standard transit insurance with a declared value cap, and a proof-of-delivery handling line where signed POD is required. Set a minimum job fee of $ 75 to $ 150 on the rate card to cover dispatcher and driver time on short jobs. Add an after-hours multiplier line (1.5x to 2x) that is clearly visible, and a waiting-time line charged per 15 minutes after an initial 10-minute free window.
Set a 7 or 14 day validity on ad-hoc quotes and a longer contracted rate card for repeat customers, with an annual CPI-linked review clause built in. State the fuel surcharge mechanism as a published index on the rate card so diesel increases pass through automatically without re-tendering every contract. On contracted last-mile or account work agree payment terms of 14 to 30 days net and state SLA penalty caps (typically 5 to 10 percent of weekly invoice value) so a single bad weather week does not wipe out a quarter's profit. Offer same-day, next-day, and economy tiers on the same rate card because customers self-select on price-versus-speed and same-day commands a 2x to 3x premium over economy when the choice is visible.
Reply to every enquiry with a WhatsApp or email quote link in under 60 seconds, because couriers compete on speed as much as price and the dispatcher who quotes last usually loses the booking. Build the quote while the customer is on the phone and share the link before they hang up, so you convert one-call bookings without follow-up admin. For contracted rate cards, send a branded PDF covering density tiers, surcharges, SLAs, and the fuel mechanism to the retailer's procurement contact, then follow up within three working days to walk through the rate card in person. On the day of delivery, convert the accepted quote to an invoice the moment POD is confirmed, add any waiting time or lift-gate surcharges incurred on the run, and send the invoice before the van returns to depot.
FAQ
Common questions from courier services
Everything you need to know before getting started.
Yes. Each line item has its own quantity and rate. Quote 28 km at R53 / km on one line, and 7 kg surcharge at R23 / kg on the next. The total calculates automatically.
Yes. Once your quote is ready, share the link via WhatsApp. Your customer gets a professional branded document instantly. Most couriers reply to enquiries with a WhatsApp quote in under 60 seconds.
Add them as separate line items with per-15-minute or per-use rates. List them on every quote even if the surcharge is zero, so the customer understands when extras would apply on the day.
Yes. Every quote has a unique public link. Your customer opens it on their phone and accepts online. No app or signup required.
Yes. Convert the accepted quote to an invoice the moment delivery is confirmed. Add any waiting time or surcharges incurred on the run, and email the invoice that day.
Yes. The free plan gives you 5 quotes and 2 invoices per month with no credit card required. Upgrade to Premium for unlimited quotes, invoices, statements, and reports.
Use per-km plus per-kg pricing for one-off ad-hoc jobs where distance varies. Use a fixed per-job rate for known recurring routes (daily document run, weekly stock transfer) where the customer wants predictable monthly billing. Most couriers run both: per-km for ad-hoc, fixed contracts for repeat clients.
Quote a per-stop rate plus per-km between stops. Dense urban routes (10 stops in a 5km radius) price competitively because the per-stop fee carries the route. Sparse rural routes (5 stops across 80km) need higher per-km rates to stay profitable. Always model the route before quoting; per-stop alone underprices long legs.
Quote a fuel surcharge as a separate line on every job, tied to a published fuel price index updated monthly. This way price increases pass through to the customer without re-tendering every contract. State the index and the trigger formula on the quote so the customer accepts the mechanism, not just the current rate.
Yes. Three service-level tiers let customers self-select on price-versus-speed. Same-day commands a 2x to 3x premium over economy. Quote all three on the same proposal where the customer is unsure, so they buy up to same-day rather than down to a competitor's economy.
Still have questions? We would rather answer them now than after you have signed up.
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Guides
Guides for Courier Services
Practical advice to help you quote better, get paid faster, and grow your business.
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