Riding on technology to make it in Kenya's courier industry

Jemi Courier Founder Jerry Kamusa

Jerry Kamusa had always wanted to go into business, but the attraction of a regular income kept him in employment.

However, this did not last too long as 12 months into his job, his contract with a company that distributed relief food to war-torn countries like Afghanistan, Sudan and Pakistan ended.

Armed with a year’s experience in the logistics and freight business, Mr Kamusa saw this as an opportunity to pursue his real passion – entrepreneurship.

His job had shown him there were numerous opportunities in the courier sector, so he decided to start a company that would fill some of the gaps. In 2007, he set up Jemi Freights.

“I realised that many of the courier companies that existed at that time mostly served the high-end market and forgot about the masses,’’ Kamusa said.

His firm specialised in the freighting of time-sensitive commodities. A few years in, however, several other entrepreneurs saw the same gap, and crowded Kamusa’s market. He had to switch gears.

“I am sure that if you have used courier services, you have either lost a parcel or heard from a friend who lost one. This is where we come in.”

Freight goods

Kamusa set up Jemi Couriers in 2014 intent on leveraging on technology to track parcels and ensure their timely delivery. The company offers same-day and two-day delivery services in Nairobi, and is in plans to expand to Mombasa and Kisumu counties with same-day delivery.

“To leverage on technology, I personally developed the Jemi Courier app in 2014. It provides access to our web portal where one can make pick-up requests for packages, track consignments in real time using a waybill number on Google Maps, and view delivery confirmations,” said Kamusa.

Jemi Courier, which is located in Nairobi’s NextGen Mall along Mombasa Road, includes among its primary focus segments packaging and preparation of freight goods, medical and pharmaceutical deliveries, as well as home and office pick-up and deliveries.

The company has 10 motorcycle riders and four trucks to make deliveries. Clients can pay upfront using mobile money platforms, or pay on delivery.

For corporate accounts, clients are charged every month. The account has specific individual sub-accounts to prevent the misuse of courier services.

“The sub-accounts ensure that only certain recipients request or receive packages,” said Kamusa, adding that his growth plans include venturing into e-Commerce, which he believes is the future of Kenyan business, once he finds a suitable partner.

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