How would you describe TurnAround?
TurnAround Couriers is a competitive courier business operating in downtown Toronto. We have great rates and excellent service, and we deliver clients’ packages on time. That’s our clients’ day-to-day experience of us. But we’re also a business with a twist, because we only hire at-risk youth. So by supporting our business, you are directly helping these young people, and, really, your city. So you are accomplishing two things at once – getting your package delivered and also supporting an innovative company with a social conscience.
What do your clients say about TurnAround Couriers?
They are delighted with the prices and the level of service. We get that all the time, especially since we introduced an ASAP (no later than 30 minutes) service level which is extremely popular and points to us being the quickest courier firm downtown. Also, when they they chose us, they know they are supporting something worthwhile, and not by paying extra or going out of their way, but just by using TurnAround Couriers, by making that choice. They feel good about the choice. And they should, because it’s a payoff on so many levels.
Who are your clients?
We work for over 500 companies and organizations in the city. They represent a broad cross section of business interests, but the majority of our clients are in the professional services industries, especially law and financial services. I am especially proud of the fact that in the downtown core we are the preferred vendor for Royal Bank of Canada, that we do all the work for PriceWaterhouseCoopers and that we work for so many of the large law firms, such as Stikeman Elliott LLP and Ogilvy Renault LLP.
Has it proved possible to run a for-profit business which also has such a strong social mission?
Definitely. TurnAround Couriers is profitable and growing. I would say that without our social mission we would have significantly fewer clients and would probably be struggling to survive in what is a declining industry (same day couriering): instead we are growing. What has also proved to be very interesting is that the youth who come to work here are so keen to succeed and turn their lives around that I feel that their level of drive and determination is higher than a “regular hire”, which results in a higher level of customer service for our clients.
