Selfex, a.k.a. India’s Own International Courier Service, is India’s FIRST own international courier company. The company was launched in 2021 and has been operating domestically and internationally since then. Unlike almost all of the other delivery agents, Selfex has its own unique service techniques, which make it more. Selfex works hard to fill gaps where other courier companies seem to lack. They try to provide new services that would not be provided by the existing giants in the country. Selfex also boasts of providing usual services with the benefits of a proper platform and top-notch technology.Startup Reporter recently conducted an interview with Mr. Raj Bajoria, Co-Founder & CEO of Selflex.
Can you share the inspiration behind founding Selfex and what problem you aimed to solve in the delivery and logistics industry?
I have always admired how brands like DHL and FedEx have managed to create a name for themselves in the logistics industry. They are now people’s first choice when looking for international shipping, and they have been my inspiration ever since I decided to venture into this industry. There is no shortage of reasonably priced domestic delivery agents in India’s logistics sector, yet there is a significant obstacle in terms of international shipments. We do have logistic agents and companies that deal with international deliveries, but the pricing is too high and it does not seem feasible. In order to deal with this gap, I decided to come up with Selfex, bringing the concept of self-networking to our domain.
What exactly is self-networking and how does it work within the Selfex platform?
Self-networking is honestly the need of the hour for us in the logistics industry. Around 90% of our logistics clients are unorganised, and self-networking helps bring them all together. With this approach, a client reaches out to us, and we conduct the entire delivery process. We collect the inventory to be delivered from wherever the client is based, be it in Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3 cities. We pick up the inventory and assist in packaging, after which we send it across internationally via air. We use our own network, and we make it affordable for everyone involved.
How does Selfex collaborate with other players in the delivery and logistics ecosystem, such as retailers, manufacturers, or e-commerce platforms?
We have a dedicated team that looks into collaborations and partnerships. Currently, we are reaching out to various logistic agents across the country. We have built an extensive network of logistic partners, manufacturers, retailers, and e-commerce platforms spread all around our country. We also work with international delivery agents for the same, ensuring international reach. We have a business model that factors in all our partners and stakeholders, and our team works around the clock to ensure that everyone’s goals are met.
Can you highlight any specific challenges you have faced while building and scaling Selfex? How did you overcome them?
A major challenge we faced when building Selfex was a lack of understanding and organisation in the logistics field. A lot of the unorganised logistic agents do not have an understanding of how the system works or what documents are required for international deliveries. A lot of the unorganised players are also not well-educated or literate, which puts us and our partners at risk in case we end up with prohibited goods or contraband. Safeguarding ourselves and our partners became simpler once we introduced Selfex, which assisted in live tracking as well as online KYC verification. We have taken huge strides in streamlining our processes in an organised manner, and we have successfully taken down many of our challenges.
Can you discuss the sustainability initiatives of Selfex? How does the company contribute to reducing its environmental impact?
We arrange to pick up our deliveries all at the same place, helping us reduce our fuel consumption as well as the amount of pollution in the atmosphere. Aside from that, Selfex also aims to cut down on emissions and pollution by streamlining the delivery process. Earlier, deliveries would happen via multiple freighters and agents. Selfex aims to complete all possible deliveries for the day using the same shipping channel and minimising the number of vehicles used.
What measures does Selfex take to ensure the safety and security of packages during transportation?
We have a lot of experience in this industry, so we have always had a prepared procedure for goods packaging and delivery that has been in practice for 25 years. We ensure that fragile goods are placed in packages with stickers to highlight them, as well as protective covering and packaging. We also use corrugated rolls and boxes, which vary from two-ply to three-ply and above, all depending on the needs of the particular object. We also track our packages, providing our clients with real-time updates about them. Thus, our efforts ensure peace of mind for both our clients and our partners.
What are your future plans for Selfex? Are there any new features, expansions, or partnerships on the horizon?
We have been projecting a lot of growth in our operations and services, even witnessing considerable growth in our network and locations. We aim to open over a thousand Selfex centers spread all across India, along with around 21 international centers spread across Europe, the U.S., and the U.A.E. We also wish to reach a stage where we can reach out to our customers on the same day of their order, hopefully even quicker than the stipulated time. We are making efforts to meet these goals, and we are optimistic that we will achieve them soon.
