Archive for February, 2018

For a business, it is crucial that performance is assessed at multiple levels to evaluate their success in reaching targets. According to Business Gateway, knowing how various areas of the business are performing helps owners and managers to assess their business’ strengths and weaknesses. Such assessment exposes business owners to the factors that they need to work upon or change completely to help the company succeed.

It is for this reason that businesses across the world use KPIs to manage their performance effectively and proactively. Also known as Key Performance Indicators, KPIs are measurable values that demonstrate how effectively a company is achieving key business objectives. However, KPIs can vary according to the industry and which part of the business the managers are looking to track.

Here is a list of 3 top KPIs that courier services should track.

3 KPIS FOR COURIER SERVICES

1. On Time, Full Delivery: If you are running a courier service, this KPI is highly important. It is the basic measure of timely delivery in its complete condition. The service needs to be extra stringent and consider a delivery late if they are unable to deliver the entire order on time, in the full quantity, and in its original condition. It is also important to take into account the rate of returns due to shipment damage or shipment error, added an expert at Key Software Systems.
2. Average Late Deliveries: Every business has certain areas that are a leading cause of delays in the delivery of products to the customer. Tracking late orders helps the organization understand the potential negative effects that late deliveries can have on the business, taking into account various types of orders. Take advantage of a dispatch software that gives deep insight into every step of the delivery process. This will help a courier service understand the causes of delay, so that they can take measures to mitigate the risk of losing customers.
3. Accurate Order Picking: This KPI is related to tracking warehouse operations, which are as crucial as the delivery process. A customer will only be frustrated with your services if they end up with the wrong parcel at their doorstep. This is often the result of order picking errors, caused by inefficient warehousing operations, says an article by Adaptalift Hyster. A lot of time and effort is wasted in tracking the correct product and re-sending it to the customer, after they have placed a complaint.

Manually tracking the KPIs at different levels of the business is nearly impossible. Therefore, utilizing a courier and dispatch software that digitally records and analyzes data to spot errors and fix problems proactively is the best course of action.

Customers in today’s fast-paced e-commerce landscape are demanding optimized delivery experiences. B2C companies are rising to the challenge with solutions for faster delivery and more accurate tracking, so it’s time for B2B operations to adopt similar technologies.

Our customers have similar needs to those in B2C markets and expect rapid fulfillment/distribution of orders. With courier delivery software, we can follow best practices for improving delivery services, resulting in increased satisfaction.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE BEST ROUTES

Faster delivery means happier customers, and last mile delivery software makes it possible to minimize delays on all routes. By incorporating current traffic data and anticipating bottlenecks, these programs send drivers on the most efficient course for every delivery. The information can also be used to reduce operating costs by matching the right kind of vehicle to the expected route.

OPTIMIZE FLEET ACTIVITIES

Planning routes with software improves dispatch management by cutting down on the number of empty miles driven by trucks in a fleet. With a clearer picture of package destinations and warehouse locations, companies can schedule pickups and drop-offs to ensure vehicles are full as often as possible and little to no idle time occurs between deliveries.

STAY CONNECTED TO CUSTOMERS

Delays are inevitable when dealing with last-mile delivery. However, the right courier delivery software keeps us in touch with our customers, allowing for instant notification when packages are running late. If customers need a delivery re-routed to a different location, the software handles the transfer and provides drivers with the new route so that they can change course without compromising their schedules.

IMPROVE DRIVER PERFORMANCE

Keeping up a fleet is expensive, and money is lost when drivers travel inefficiently, spend too long at delivery stops, or routinely hit congested areas on heavily traveled roads. Dispatching software provides tools to track drivers’ movements and find places where practices can be adjusted to increase productivity. This saves money on fuel, prevents problems associated with driver negligence, and streamlines fleet activities.

REDUCE LOSS

Packages delivered to destinations aren’t always picked up by the intended recipients, causing frustration for customers and loss for companies. We can deliver “smarter” by integrating GPS tracking devices into packages and using software to locate, retrieve and return misplaced deliveries to the right locations as soon as possible.

MANAGE INVENTORY MORE EFFICIENTLY

Bottlenecks in the supply chain slow down every other step of the fulfillment process. Using software to track the steps leading up to last-mile delivery identifies difficulties and helps us make smarter supply, manufacturing and distribution decisions. It also highlights the items customers order most often, showing which ones require the most stock to ensure consistency in fulfillment.

Implementing courier software solutions to streamline delivery operations and meet the growing need for faster distribution creates a better experience for every B2B customer. By choosing software designed to integrate with existing systems, it’s possible to track and manage inventory from the supply chain to the final destination and provide our customers with superior service.