When customer demand for next-day or same-day deliveries increases, maximizing the efficiency of last-mile delivery software operations has to be a high priority among retailers. In today’s digital age, customer expectations for online delivery are growing rapidly – real-time tracking, free delivery, and same-day delivery. The consequences? Growing service requirements, increased costs, and a broader supply chain complexity. In order to address these challenges, retailers need to develop a delivery management platform that can automate the entire process, from route optimization to driver management, and delivering real-time information to customers. Third-party logistics providers are vital entities in launching and meeting new delivery models for retailers. With effective on demand delivery management software, online retailers can streamline last-mile logistics.
As online shopping continues to grow, here are some tips on how to improve your delivery management system to scale your delivery operations.
Characteristics of a Robust Delivery Management Software
Before you choose any delivery management platform, you should address the following points to make an informed decision:
- Does your business have a seamless returns flow?
- Does the route optimization compliments your delivery business – distribution, rounds, next day, on-demand, etc
- Can it help drivers perform tasks more efficiently?
- Does the delivery management offer intelligent auto dispatch functionality?
You can customize the dispatch software based on your requirements. Automating processes can increase efficiency and productivity for both the logistics provider as well as the online retailer.
How to Manage Vehicles and Drivers in the Most Cost-Effective Way?
To deliver strategically and abundantly, you should make the best use of third-party logistics providers, including drivers and vehicles. Here is what you need to know:
Driver Planning and Scheduling
To do more in the last mile, you need to establish automated driver scheduling and planning, along with quality dispatch software. It will allow you to plan, schedule, and dispatch orders based on your business model and the individual driver skills. Fleet management applications allow you to intelligently choose drivers based on delivery requirements. For example, there are some drivers who are restricted to a particular number of miles in a day. You can choose drivers based on their schedule for the day, their skills, routes, and how many orders they have to deliver.
Staging and Loading
To achieve complete last-mile delivery system success, you should determine the efficiency of the warehouse. That is, you can determine the efficiency even before loading the goods into the delivery trucks. The staging and loading phase is quintessential. Syncing your staging, loading, and delivery processes can speed up last-mile deliveries.
Route Optimization
Online sellers need to create a system that can streamline the entire process while establishing efficient routes. It is up to the sellers whether they want to create delivery routes in advance or on-demand. If you choose to go with real-time route optimization, you can adjust the routes based on weather, traffic conditions, unexpected demands, and also monitor the location of deliveries. Optimized and automated rules enable last-minute deliveries to be easily scheduled and assigned to ideal drivers within the given location, vehicle capacity and type, and more. An optimized route reduces delivery delays, ensures that delivery ETAs are met or any other disruptions, and maximizes resources.
Flexibility
Delivery demand is changing every day. In the digital world, where competition has become a lot tougher, relying on third parties or manual processes for managing deliveries can be restricted in terms of flexibility, agility, and control. Using the right delivery management technology solution can help online sellers create a robust team of drivers who can take care of the delivery needs. This allows you to adapt and manage your time and resources efficiently. As a result, you can tackle unexpected demands, improve responsiveness to real-time constraints, and enhance the overall delivery experience.
With the ongoing pandemic, online delivery has become prominent. But retailers need to have robust technology in place to be agile and responsive. With the right delivery management solution, you can improve your overall delivery services.
