Archive for July, 2021

The key to improving delivery management is working on improving operational efficiency at each step of the delivery process. It is essential regardless of whether your company is a startup, a global brand, or anywhere in between. Your delivery operations should always be aimed at achieving optimal customer satisfaction while using minimal resources, despite high volumes of deliveries.

Here are some helpful tips to optimize your delivery management process:

1. ENCOURAGE AUTOMATION

You need to constantly work on automation if you want to run an on-demand delivery service. The same-day and instant deliveries are expected to reach a combined share of 20%-25% of the entire last-mile delivery market by 2025, according to an article by McKinsey & Co. So, if you want to maximize this opportunity, invest in an automated dispatch solution. It will automatically assign orders to the nearest drivers, enabling them to reach customers within a short time frame. This software plays a key role in automating the flow of valuable, customizable, and time-sensitive information to ensure accuracy, accountability, and greater profits, according to Key Software Systems.

2. UTILIZE AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance human capabilities and eliminate routine work. You can use it to optimize your delivery management in several different ways – customer service chat-bots, anomaly detection, quality assurance through picture-, video- and data monitoring, fraud detection cameras, image recognition, and even delivery robots.

3. FOCUS ON IMPROVING INTERNAL COMMUNICATION

If you are in this industry, you need to ensure that your employees communicate efficiently. For instance, if your drivers can communicate with the back-end team instantly, they can resolve any issues that hinder them from making timely deliveries. You can improve internal communication with the right delivery management solution that offers visibility into the details of the delivery and driver location.

4. OFFER TRACK & TRACE AND NOTIFY YOUR CUSTOMERS

73% of customers wanted to receive their shipment in a convenient time slot rather than receiving it quickly, according to a report published by Capgemini Research Institute. So, while optimizing your delivery routes, you need to make sure that up a delivery route plan that will allow your driver to carry a particular shipment and arrive at the designated time. With efficient tracking tools, you can notify your customers about their delivery time and ensure that you get happy and satisfied customers.

5. PROCESS RETURNS EFFICIENTLY

You should keep a track of the products that get returned and ensure that your infrastructure i.e. warehouse, staff, and delivery management system can support an easy returns process. It will help you maintain customer loyalty and reduce the number of calls to your customer services team.

It may seem challenging to maintain a smooth and efficient delivery management process. But, with the right set of tools and solutions, you can ensure optimization at each step to ensure current and long-term profitability.

Logistics and supply-chain play an important role in the success of almost every business in the service industry. That is why the market size of the couriers and local delivery services industry in the US has witnessed a growth of 4.7% per year on average between 2016 and 2021, reaching 118 billion dollars in 2021, according to the figures released by IBIS World. In this huge industry, some businesses often make some mistakes that cost them both time and money.

Here are four such common delivery mistakes and the steps to help avoid them:

1. USE OF OUTDATED TECHNOLOGY

Digitization is essential for a company that wants to succeed in this competitive modern world. If you are using outdated technology, it means that you cannot effectively communicate with your customers or keep them updated on the order status. If you implement and adapt to technology in your logistics strategies, you can significantly boost your revenue and end up with more satisfied customers. For instance, supply-chain management software can consolidate integrations, increase visibility to key metrics, optimize efficiency throughout the delivery process, and maximize brand management, according to Key Software Systems.

2. IMPROPER WAREHOUSE STORAGE

A common mistake in warehouses is that the fast pickup areas are not separated from bulk storage. It creates a big clutter and makes it hard to locate urgently required parcels. Businesses can avoid this problem by designating a spot for placing fast-moving goods away from primary stock storage. It enables them to keep several different products within a restricted space and storing bulk quantities in other parts of the warehouse.

3. INABILITY TO SCALE

Every business should properly measure its growth potential as it is crucial for efficient logistics operations. Any imbalances between your stock and storage space can result in unnecessary expenses. You can employ advanced systems with a maximum- and minimum-reorder feature to ensure proper calculations when restocking. Additionally, you can use a forecasting tool to scale your operations based on current logistics statistics.

4. LACK OF TRACKING TOOLS

Almost 49% of respondents revealed that losing their parcel was one of the most common reasons for their dissatisfaction with online order shipping providers, according to a survey by Statista. You can eliminate this problem by using an efficient tracking tool that regularly updates your customers about the progress of their parcels and when to expect them. It also ensures that the parcel reaches the preferred destination and avoids losses caused by false claims about shipping issues.

Deliveries can be a challenging and confusing aspect of running a business, especially if any mistakes in the process can cut into your business’s bottom line. However, if you are aware of these mistakes and take steps to avoid them, you can eliminate unnecessary costs and errors, and provide your customers with an unparalleled experience.