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Bubble Post

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Bubble Post

Package delivery

Limited Company

Belgium

www.bubblepost.be

Sustainability, flexibility

Yan Ketelers

Anthony De Clerck

Benjamin Rieder,  Michel De Waele and Anthony Viaene

Summary

This innovative  company makes an effort to solve the current mobility problems in the city. Bubble Post manages to do so by transporting their packages throughout the city by cargo bike and electric cars. The company offers first-and-last-mile delivery services. Bubble Post  wants to create awareness that there’s need for change in modern society and tries to contribute to build a better future for the cities of tomorrow.

Background

Bubble Post was founded in August 2013 by Benjamin Rieder,  Michel De Waele and Anthony Viaene. Hardly three years later, the company offers its services in the 15 biggest cities in Belgium and also 1 city in the Netherlands. The company was created out of the  frustration about the mobility in the city. Because of these problems like countless trucks driving through the city, causing pollution, and late deliveries, the creative minds started thinking about a solution to optimize their transportation method. By moving around the city by cargo bike, Bubble Post is able to fully satisfy the needs of the customers. Furthermore, this cargo bike also brings the advantage that Bubble Post can be very flexible when it comes to the desired delivery hours.

Before the creation of Bubble Post the company was called Bubble Taxi. Bubble Taxi was company that transported people through the city by bikes. The cost of these bikes was paid by the three founders themselves. These bikes were adapted when Bubble Post was created and at the start of this new company, the creators did most of the work themselves in order to minimize the costs of personnel. Because of to the exponential growth that characterizes this delivery service company, this quickly became impractical because of the need for investments like extra bikes, warehouses, workforces … For this investment, the company opted for Angel Investors. 

Mission

The mission of Bubble Post is to bring the nature back to the city. The company wants to give an answer to the current mobility problems by keeping as much trucks out of the city and transporting themselves mainly by cargo bike. In this way Bubble Post wants to reduce its pollution to the bare minimum.

Vision

The company wants to expand further in Europe and maintain the image of being eco-friendly.

Values

  • Ecology

  • Sustainability

  • Hands on approach

Business Model

The business model of Bubble Post has grown with the company, hints the transition of the Bubble Taxi to Bubble Post. At the moment, up to 70% of the business activity is carried out by motorized cargo bikes. The other 30% of the shipments are being bundled and transported by eco-friendly, electric cars. The company works in an efficient way so the delivery services can be offered at a lower price to the B2B customers. The innovation however is also clearly noticeable in their approach to the B2C customers. The actual customers of the company are the people that ask Bubble Post to deliver the packages, so not the final receivers. Thanks to their high flexibility and advanced IT- system, Bubble Post can align their delivery hours with the customers' wishes.​

Bubble Post desires to expand further in Europe and tries to partner up with local European package delivery companies. These franchises of Bubble Post get to use the advanced IT-systems, the vehicles and the know-how in exchange for a cut of their profit;

The revenue model of the company is based on a fixed fee Bubble Post asks the demanding customer together with a percentage that’s altering for almost every shipment or different client. The amount of the percentage depends on the nature and size of the package but also on the amount of deliveries the customer sends. It thus is clear to state that Bubble post works with customized prices.

Because of the creator's memberships in ‘Bryo’ ,these three creative minds could count on an extensive network. At the foundation of Bubble Post, VOKA was consulted for information on Human Resources policies, existing techniques, accountancy, investment policies,… Another sources of information, and especially for the expansion to the Netherlands was the organization called ‘Flanders Investment And Trade’. 

The company gets promoted through:

  • Presentations and pitches that are given to school groups, companies, at VOKA or network conferences.

  • The press releases in order to create brand awareness.

  • Social media: Initially, social media wasn’t used that actively because in that specific stage, the company targeted B2B clients and Bubble Post didn’t believe in this method to reach companies. This all changed when the B2C clients also became part of the targeted audience.

Growth

Bubble Post has grown exponentially since its foundation in 2013. This growth is noticeable in the expansion to different cities but also the growth within these cities is also remarkable. The company’s revenue of 120.000 euro in 2013 rose to an astounding 2.000.000 euro in 2015. 

Customers

At first, Bubble Post focused on the B2B market and solely offered their delivery services to companies. Nowadays, the company added B2C customers to their targeted audience and tries to optimize their customer approach in order to obtain a competitive advantage.

Competitors

The direct competitors of Bubble post are the traditional companies that offer mail and package services like DHL, DPD, BPost, … But also other entrepreneurs that resemble or want to copy Bubble Post aren’t neglected. In fact these companies are approached by the company to discuss a possible partnership.

Conclusion

Bubble Post’s exponential growth is mainly thanks to the quick adaptations the company made as a reaction to upcoming opportunities. The first transition meant the change from Bubble Taxi to Bubble Post because there seemed to be more future in package delivery. Another change the company has made was to include the B2C segment as a targeted audience

The future of this company still withholds several opportunities. The upcoming trend of drones and crowd delivery, like Uber, can be seen as some of them. Also further expansion to different European cities by obtaining partnerships can be considered an opportunity. However this expansion also means a weakness of the company. Through the use of several partnerships the aspect of internal communication can become a problem.

Yan Ketelers also gave some pieces of advice for new starters and starters with an innovative concept or business model:

  • The mission of your company shouldn’t just explain what the activities of the company are. It has to withhold your values, the reason you work, your goals. Also it’s necessary for starters to maintain a long term vision.

  • Set goals and work out a planning to achieve them.

  • Try to make use of the press and media to promote your business

  • Consult and maintain your personal network. Surround yourself with adequate people.

At the moment, Bubble Post conducts its activities in the 15 largest cities in Belgium and is also active in Utrecht in the Netherlands. Bubble Post  however aims to grow in Europe through partnerships with local companies. In fact, Bubble Post has set a goal to be active in 50 cities all over Europe by the end of 2017 and in 150 cities by 2019.

Posted on 05/04/2016

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