Man and Van and movers, entrepreneurship and the recession

The recession and rising unemployment rates in the UK force people to earn money from alternative sources of employment. Not many would disagree that running a business requires taking risks. However, our ability to take risks tends to change in the harsh economic environment.

According to statistics published in 2009 by the House of Companies; At the time of recession, the number of new business entities increases considerably. This new wave of entrepreneurs often choose to offer a man and a van or moving services. This type of business does not require a large investment or highly qualified personnel. Man and van and moving services provided by a sole proprietor (a man with a van) can be characterized not only by the low running costs of such a business entity, but also by a business structure manageable by a single person.

Man and van and small movers are usually run by one person. The skills required to run a man and truck business or a small moving company are:

– Driving skills and local street knowledge.
– Good communication and persuasive skills.
– A reliable and friendly personality.
– Diplomacy: the man and the truck must be able to peacefully resolve disputes that may arise during the provision of the service.
– Have a clear understanding of relationship marketing and its meaning for business.
– Must be able to keep private and business finances separate.

The assets of a man and van business or small moving company are typically limited to a vehicle (van), carts, and blankets. On the other hand, experienced moving company owners argue that the most valuable and important thing for the success of the moving business is a well-established brand and a strong online presence.

The biggest challenge for all types of businesses is market entry. Where do newly established movers or organizations of people and vans get their business? According to our research in London, most low-budget men’s and van businesses advertise their services on Gumtree.com and other ethnic websites targeting the London community. Moving companies, usually organizations run by more than one individual, use Gumtree.com and Google AdWords and other pay-per-click systems in addition to local press.