THE ROLE OF SOFTWARE IN BRINGING YOUR PACKAGE TO YOUR DOORSTEP

Ask any e-commerce consumer what they most desire and they are likely to say – getting their ordered packages delivered to their doorstep in the least possible time. And, an online retailer who is able to do so will immediately gain a competitive advantage. But this means they need to take care of traffic navigation, parking regulations and increased fuel costs.

Recent years have seen a surge in digital buyers, which has led to the tremendous growth of online sales. According to data published by McKinsey & Company, the cost of global parcel delivery touched €70 billion in 2014, a figure that excluded the cost of pickup, line-haul and sorting. It was further added that China, Germany and the United States held a major 40% of the market that year.

ACHIEVING EFFICIENCY

With consumer expectations rising by the day, with a demand for increased visibility and speed of their parcels, e-commerce businesses too have pulled up their socks. They are making every possible effort to increase efficiency and minimize cost of delivery. And, they might just have succeeded. According to Statista, in 2017, the mileage for diesel-based parcel delivery from urban consolidation centers amounted to 1.9 kilometers per cubic meter, which was 45% lower than a traditional B2B delivery.

Courier companies are embracing courier software to achieve last mile delivery. Leveraging mobile integration is allowing them easy and convenient access to last mile delivery software, regardless of their current location, says an expert at Key Software Systems.

Here are some of the best features of courier software that is helping companies achieve last mile delivery quickly and cost effectively.

AUTOMATED PLANNING & OPTIMIZATION

Today, courier companies are following different types of distribution models, like single pick and multiple drop or multiple pick or multiple drop. Courier software automatically optimizes the route, which drivers just need to follow.

DELIVERY ROUTE VISUALIZATION

Real-life scenarios enroute may not be similar to what has been planned. Anything that goes wrong, like bad weather or traffic jams, can affect delivery. Delivery software helps you to compare planned routes with the actual routes, while taking into consideration resource capacity and delivery locations to identify the bottlenecks and plan the delivery accordingly.

REAL TIME TRACKING

Even after meticulous planning, when vehicles are on the go, any unexpected situation can affect delivery. Courier software keeps managers in the loop and updated regarding delivery progress in real time. This way, any unplanned route change or customer demand can be responded to immediately.

Moreover, courier software keeps the management aware of the exact location of the delivery staff and vehicles. Drivers and packages can be constantly monitored, which allows for immediate intervention during a breakdown in the process.