Archive for February, 2021

There has been constant pressure on the retailers to improve the last-mile fulfillment experience of their customers. According to a recent article published by Deloitte, the value of same-day delivery sales has grown significantly from practically zero in 2013 to over four billion dollars in 2018. Also, more than 50% of the customers are willing to pay for it. This has pushed close to 65% of retailers to offer same-day delivery by investing in solutions that bring down the time to deliver to a customer.

The biggest challenge that the retailers face in last-mile deliveries is delivery efficiency. Since it constitutes a big part of the overall shipping cost, any drawbacks in the last mile delivery can adversely affect the businesses. Here are four ways you can improve the entire delivery process:

OPTIMIZE DELIVERY ROUTES

The cost of delivery is directly related to the distance between the pick-up and drop points. Therefore, the delivery routes should be constantly optimized to prevent any unnecessary delays. The drivers should be kept aware of real-time scenarios like traffic, weather, construction, and other factors with the help of courier optimization platforms. With courier and dispatch software and GPS tracking, route optimization will bring down the shipping costs, says an article published by Key Software Systems.

ENCOURAGE AUTOMATION

According to an article published by PricewaterhouseCoopers in 2016, the delivery process can be improved and automated with the help of innovations like autonomous vehicles or delivery drones. Besides these radical solutions, other efficient technologies like augmented reality solutions can be used to give drivers more information about their environment and the packages still on board. Thus, automation has the potential to reshape the workforce in this industry.

OFFER MULTIPLE DELIVERY OPTIONS

Some customers might prefer delivery of their parcel at a convenient time over faster delivery. Although the demand for same-day deliveries is on the rise, the customers should still be offered multiple delivery options. It will not only enhance the customer experience but will also reduce your last-mile delivery costs as you can schedule the delivery economically that matches the time slot of the customer.

ENSURE REVERSE LOGISTICS

It is important to have a proper returns management plan in place to minimize the costs of product returns. It will reduce the capital tied into inventory and will enhance the overall transparency of the supply chain.

For retailers who wish to maintain their dominance in the market, the last-mile delivery process should be consistently upgraded with the advancement in technologies. Also, some third-party logistics providers can be employed to save both time and money that can be utilized for scaling up the business. Outsourcing some aspects of last-mile delivery such as delivery software, warehouse space, transportation, and manpower can bring down the costs and improve the overall delivery process.

The courier industry has been consistently evolving to match up with the growing demand and optimize service delivery and support. According to recent data published by Statista, the Courier, Express, and Parcel (CEP) market in North America is estimated to be around 90 billion euros in 2020. It is also expected that we will witness a compound annual growth rate of five percent between 2015 and 2025.

With recent technological advancements, there has been a rise in the expectations of the customers as well. However, the key aspects of the courier industry have still been more or less the same.  Speed, Automation, and Accuracy are as important as ever. That is why businesses are now relying on Courier Optimization Platforms to optimize their services and ensure optimum satisfaction to the customers.

SPEED OF PLATFORM

The first thing users expect from this platform is to optimize the speed of the entire process. The dynamic route optimization through such a platform helps the drivers prevent delays. It also keeps them updated on real-time scenarios like traffic, weather, construction, and other factors. It makes the entire process efficient and speeds up the delivery at each step, says an article published by Key Software Systems.

AUTOMATION

A Courier Optimization Platform improves and automates most of the courier process and requires little or no human intervention. It allows businesses to have complete visibility over their operations. Right from scheduling the pick-up to real-time reporting on the status of the delivery, the entire procedure can be handled smoothly with constant supervision at each step. Not only this automation makes the entire process more efficient, but it also makes it cost-effective in the long run.

ACCURACY IN COURIER PLATFORM

Another important factor that attracts the users towards Courier Optimization Platforms is the accuracy. With GPS tracking, businesses keep their customers updated on the ETA of their courier. They also restrict unauthorized stops and longer-than-planned times to reach a specific destination and improve the accuracy of the entire process.

According to a report published by McKinsey in 2018, customers are becoming increasingly sophisticated with their demands and almost 20% to 25% of them might opt for same-day or instant delivery if it were available at low prices. Additionally, automation can significantly increase the efficiency of this process. So, the courier optimization service providers will have to constantly innovate and enhance the customer experiences for their users.