Scaling the heights of Auckland’s decadent (and forgetful)

August 12, 2015

Scaling the heights of Auckland’s decadent (and forgetful)

Urban Sherpa founder Brian Dewil says there is nothing in Auckland like his new online and app-based personalised pick-up and delivery service. Photo: Michael Neilson

Forgotten a Mother’s Day present? Want to impress somebody special? Be that cool boss with a big box of donuts?

Brian Dewil would like Aucklanders to start thinking about his new business in those moments of forgetfulness and indulgence.

Urban Sherpa is a new personalised pick-up and deliver service that embraces all of the benefits of modern mobile technology.

A new age courier-meets-PA, clients can use the app or online service to text in a product they are after and the ‘sherpas’ will pick it up and deliver directly.

Clients can even message the sherpa directly to alter their order or check up on delivery times.

“Mobile technology has enabled this process to work a lot slicker than it did 10 years ago,” says Mr Dewil. “You can just use it like you use Uber. Just click a photo, upload it, send a message, even link a URL.”

“There is nothing like it in Auckland. ”

Centre manager for Heart of the City, Auckland’s CBD Business Association, Tania Loveridge, says the business is a clever new concept.

“We think it is great. It is appealing for those of us short on time and it has the potential for a lot of quirky and interesting things.”

She says the service will be a benefit to the CBD.

“Any business that is embracing technology and also thinking about sustainability and interesting modes of transport is just fantastic.”

Ms Loveridge says one downside could be decreasing interactions between customers and retailers, but in the battle against online shopping it takes the cake.

“If people are still purchasing from local retailers then that is good for business. And they can get to know their sherpa – a personal service, which is really nice, rather than simply through the letter box.”

Mr Dewil says the idea is based on a New York company called Postmates, that uses an app and online delivery service and has taken off across the United States.

He decided to get the service going in New Zealand before a foreign company started up a similar business here.

A pipe dream of more than ten years, Mr Dewil has refined the concept over the last two years. He has had it up and running since June 16.

He says they already have 1000 registered users and have done about 120 trips.

They currently operate in the CBD, within a 4km radius of Aotea Square, but with plans to expand throughout Auckland, and eventually, Australia and Southeast Asia.

In a bid to beat the congestion of the Auckland CBD the sherpas whizz about on Danish-made electric bikes of the future, named “Blue Bullets”, capable of speeds of 45kmh while hauling up to 100kg of goods.

Mr Dewil says it is mainly for convenience but they also do as much as they can to be a sustainable business.

“The Blue Bullet is the answer to things like congestion… Not only does it take one car off the road but it can potentially take off a lot more in saving people making unnecessary trips.”

At $12 per pick-up and delivery within the hour you won’t be using it for your daily flat white, but in those fleeting moments of forgetfulness, wanting to impress someone special, or of necessity, Mr Dewil believes Urban Sherpa comes into its own.

Already they’ve delivered a romantic breakfast to a couple on a yacht, prescriptions to people with difficulty traveling, and hundreds of donuts.

“Just about anything you want, we can do.”

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