When it comes to having items delivered to your doorstep in Nigeria, you’re definitely not lacking in choices.
From Gokada to ACE Africa, the parcel delivery industry is a somewhat crowded marketplace. So to make it big and beat out the competition, you have to be willing to make bold, calculated moves.
By 2020, kwik delivery overtook seasoned competitors to earn the award of the best last-mile delivery service by Pulse Digital Picks Campaign — boasting 40.6% of the on-demand delivery market in Lagos.
From its impressive audience segmentation to its invaluable real-time parcel tracking feature on the kwik delivery app, kwik delivery has been efficiently making its way to the top for the past three years. And with its impressive handling of the global pandemic in 2020, it’s clear that kwik delivery’s success will only continue.
But, how did a recently-founded delivery service really become the largest on-demand delivery brand in Lagos in under three years?
Let’s dig in!
Humble beginning
Founded by Romain Poirrot-Lellig, Olivier Decrock, and Yinka Olayanju in 2018, a time when using technology for on-demand delivery was still a relatively new venture, the founders saw an opportunity to enter the market with their web and mobile app.
While they started small and local, with most customers being merchants and small businesses in Lagos, by March 2019, they received $230,000 in seed money, and kwik delivery was officially born.
From then on out, the founders stood by their mission to “build a fast, secure, and affordable last-mile delivery service”, further stating:
“Kwik Delivery has demonstrated to customers and investors alike its efficiency as well as the relevance of its bold technology-based approach during a most challenging period. This financing round is enabling us to grow even faster and to disrupt and conquer new markets.”
With a focus on logistics and technology, kwik delivery has been able to maintain continual growth and revenue.
Strategically overtaking the competition
Though only two years old at the time, in 2021 kwik delivery emerged as the most innovative logistics company of the year at the BusinessDay Nigeria Leadership Awards.
So what drives Kwik’s growth and success? Let’s explore.
Customer Segmentation
Though there are many reasons kwik delivery has been successful, one main driver has been the clear customer segmentation. Instead of lumping everyone into one category and treating them all the same, kwik delivery separates its customers into two groups: Individuals and Corporate Businesses.
There are many ways that businesses can separate out their audience — by location, age, gender, interests, education, etc. But separating one’s audience into defined groups makes advertising and marketing communication easier and more effective.
When a brand manager knows which audience they’re addressing, they can tailor their communication style, visuals, and tone to be able to speak to that particular group most effectively.
For kwik delivery, its first group, Individuals, are people who want to send small parcels and products they sell to their customers — and are willing to pay for it.
Their second audience is made up of corporate businesses (manufacturers and ecommerce platforms) — and kwik delivery often targets those that don’t have the means to deliver or don’t have adequate storage facilities.
Clearly, kwik delivery understands who will be most in-need (and, therefore, most receptive) to their services, which has helped them grow strategically.
Finally, kwik delivery also has its “KwikSters” — individuals looking for steady yet flexible work. Though technically not employees of Kwik, they are well managed with their own app, making it easier to maintain a steady workforce.
Simple Technology
Why Kwik Delivery Is The Best Logistics Company In Nigeria | Kwik
It’s no secret that Kwik is heavily invested in tackling ecommerce, logistics, and operational challenges via the use of cutting-edge technology.
From the Kwikster app to the delivery app, kwik delivery understands that simplicity matters. There is a great deal that goes into the creation and improvement of our apps, and it would be all too easy to overwhelm users with fun, new feature releases or a complicated interface.
Ensuring that the customer is met with a simple, intuitive experience is one of the main things that has set kwik delivery apart from the competition. Kwik’s brand image is tied to this central concept of simplicity and ease-of-use, which leads to a better overall customer experience.
Additional value
As mentioned above in Kwik’s mission statement, Kwik is committed to tackling ecommerce and logistics problems and creating a simple, easy-to-use app that leaves their competition in the dust.
For this reason, KwikStore was introduced to help small business owners create an online store for free and have their items delivered to their customers through kwik delivery.
KwikStore is a free ecommerce storefront solution that allows any African business owner, trader, social vendor entrepreneur and SME to create their own online store in literally 5 minutes without any technical knowledge and run their business directly from their smartphone.
Social vendors can link their KwikStores to their social media accounts, automating sales, fulfillment, inventory management and shipping, freeing them to focus on sales and marketing.
KwikStore is a free-to-use feature of the Kwik Delivery app and does not require any upfront payment or service fees other than standard payment gateway fees.
Merchants can fully customize their KwikStore to match their brand. Once the order is approved by the merchant, payment is automatically processed through the payment partners and the Kwik rider is automatically dispatched to the pickup location; or the order can be picked up directly by the customer.
KwikStore requires a Kwik account, but can be used independently of the Kwik Delivery platform, allowing merchants to use the delivery solution of their choice or sell anywhere in Africa, in areas not yet covered by the Kwik Delivery platform.
All of these features work together to help business owners increase sales and customer satisfaction. They also help define Kwik’s brand positioning in terms of how they want current and potential partners to view them: as the brand that provides added value to the logistics offering, making them the obvious choice for business owners that want to get ahead.
Note: For big time manufacturers, ecommerce giants, and large corporations, you need to scroll down to the bottom of the form and click on “You’re a Corporate customer? Sign up here”
