“Productivity is different with a self-employed fleet,” explains Patrick Gallagher, CEO of CitySprint.

“If you’re paying somebody per job as opposed to paying them per hour, they’re going to work harder.”

Clearly, the self-employed model has its advantages and perhaps unsurprisingly it’s not that unusual within other similar businesses.

Lewis Day operated the same freelance model in its courier division, which allowed for a good fit with CitySprint when it bought the business a year ago.

The acquisition was CitySprint’s largest to date and followed hot on the heels of similar deals to acquire Mainlink and Airlink Couriers in Swindon, TnM Couriers in Warrington, and Despatch UK in Brentwood.

Gallagher explains: “Where acquisitions are concerned it’s really about the people.

“It’s all very well finding a business that will suit your business model, but if you can find good people that will fit into your culture and drive the business forward, you can create a winning formula. At Lewis Day we found some great people.”

The business model has paid dividends with the company achieving double-digit growth for the past five years and Gallagher is keen to grow even further, not ruling out further acquisitions, he says “at a reasonable price”.

CitySprint launches MyTime

CitySprint has launched a new retail delivery service that enables high street retailers to provide their consumers with one-hour delivery time slot choices.

Called MyTime, the new software allows time specific delivery options, within a one-hour time window, using the retailers’ existing IT services and so-called ‘pick pack’ processes.

Using website ‘click and collect’ facilities or via a direct route into one of CitySprint’s 35 service centres across the UK, the new software gives the retailers’ customers the flexibility to choose a specific time and date for delivery, without them having to leave the website.

Deliveries can be made to work, home, the next day (or nominated day) during a customer-chosen one-hour time slot, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Patrick Gallagher, chief executive officer of CitySprint, says: “It’s no coincidence that the retailers offering flexible delivery solutions are those reaping the rewards.

"This new solution makes it possible for all retailers to benefit from increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.”

CitySprint’s success has been built on its ability to work in a range of sectors, but Gallagher is well aware of the rapid growth in ecommerce in the retail sector.

“People want convenience,” he says. “Our number one asset is our flexible, dynamic delivery fleet and the culture we have as a business to align that flexibility to specialist sectors.”

MyTime is made possible by utilising the CitySprint’s existing UK network of more than 2,000 vehicles.

The customer is given status updates and online tracking is available from order to doorstep.

“With MyTime, finally there is a cost-effective delivery option that works around consumer schedules, not the delivery companies,” says Gallagher.

“By tapping into our extensive UK network, which can reach more than 81% of the UK within 60 minutes, we can deliver to a specific date and time that suits the customer and is excellent value for money.”