Process serving agency with local servers

Law firms, legal departments, enquiry agents and debt recovery businesses that need documents served in several areas.

You charge the client a fee per job and pay the local server a share. The difference covers your coordination, quality checks and admin.

• Organising and dispatching jobs
• Clear written communication
• Building trust with law firms
• Managing contractors

• Check whether contractors need any licence, and whether they are genuinely contractors or employees under your state's rules
• Workers compensation insurance may apply if you hire employees, check your state scheme
• Public liability and professional indemnity insurance, and check what covers your contractors' work
• You are responsible for your contractors' quality, so check every affidavit or proof of service before sending it back
• Check your obligations for handling clients' personal and legal information under privacy law
• Cash flow, as law firms may pay on 30-day terms while contractors expect quicker payment

Startup costs are typically around $2,500 to $10,000, depending on your job management tools, insurance and marketing to law firms. Treat this as an estimate and price your own setup before you begin.

Monthly revenue is typically around $4,000 to $20,000, depending on the number of jobs, the areas you cover and your pricing. This is revenue, not profit, and contractors need paying. The estimate starts at about 25 hours a week.

Check whether contractors need any licence, and whether they count as contractors or employees under your state's rules. Also check workers compensation if you hire employees, privacy obligations for clients' legal information, and insurance covering your contractors' work.