How last mile delivery optimization can boost your logistics & supply chain business
Do you face strain on supply chain and logistics business after last delivery?
You won’t face strain if you will understand the reason behind burden lies actually. If you know the way to unload it, you won’t face such issues again. Customer’s expectations are increasing day to day in this modern age. Free delivery, same day delivery and real time tracking feature is basic demand of customers today.
What’s the impact of it? Growth in service needs enhanced costs and complexity in supply chain. In this blog, we will find out best options for last mile delivery and how it will be effective for logistics and supply chain business.
Let’s go towards basics at first!
What is last time delivery?
This word originated from telecommunication companies as last mile is known as the connection from ISP to the location of user. Nowadays, the last time delivery is used by various delivery business wherever Merchandise transportation from local distribution to customer location.
The basic goal of last Mile delivery in supply chain and logistics business is to provide package or order to end customer with easier transportation and hassle-free experience for every party. The last time delivery, you won’t even get hassle-free and quick delivery but you will also have satisfied and Happy at the end, customers happiness should be the main goal of a company and that’s why last Mile delivery Optimization is not only beneficial but it is also quite essential in a business. Let’s check out some of the best practices related to last Mile delivery for supply chain and logistics business.
Best practices for optimizing last Mile delivery
There are different practices which are chosen by various organizations but here are some of the practices which can be used by any of the supply chain and logistics business which provide any kind of delivery services. All of these practices are mainly procedure for establishment, streamlining, management, measurement and improvisation of Last mile delivery performance.
Have a proper plan in place
Business which offers last mile delivery to customers should also consider changing operations in the similar manner enterprise do along with factory and warehouse operations.
If we think of it in a simpler manner, enterprises make strong engineered plan for the production, warehouse operations and adapting tools which can finally create benchmark performance for well-established plans.
They well-research plans and do proper management of assets for optimal manpower utilization.
Supply chain and logistics business have to bring out same procedure and thinking to optimize last mile delivery services.
Situation can get worse if provider’s PM and you both are at odds even when there is lot of change in scope.
Leverage modern technologies that fit your business needs
At present, there are number of modern technologies which are present in market in order to provide help to supply chain and logistics business which can help in boosting their last mile delivery services easily.
And all the businesses which are looking to avoid financial costs and hiring in-house professionals for software development will find that last mile delivery system is best option for them.
In similar manner, one can think of last mile delivery application development service as an offshore technology.
The logistics application which is mobile-based can provide advance functionalities which can easily integrate with basic system that imparts in-depth reports, visibility along with summary of distribution procedure.
Analyze and assess data
When your last mile delivery software is finally created, implemented and basis level history is available, you can easily do the analyzation information in order to gaps in final last mile delivery.
Additionally, custom last mile delivery service which is integrated along with business intellect can assist you to find out cost saving potential existence and it is totally achievable also.
With the help of best outsourcing partner, you can include functionality which can ensure certain information and data which can be in reach of right person at right time only.
Establish standard procedures
When you have gone the basic level of reports and data, you can use them to create better process in the business. Always remember that in-depth information research can enhance development of improved engineered plans.
As we have mentioned before, the best enterprises and organizations can use advantages of these plans in identifying and establishing operational processes. Always remember that plans should be well-measured and realistic which can be used to enhance performance of complete procedure in the given time.
Monitor driver, not just the vehicle
Various supply chain and logistics business pay attention on vehicle instead of focusing on driver due to which they lose opportunities in productivity. For example, according to a DHL report, it is estimated that around 40-60% time is wasted by drivers away from the distribution center.
In order to ensure that this time is spent in an effective manner, you need to track and then examine what is driving doing at every step. Additionally, you will be able to monitor their daily routine tasks like loading time, vehicle tasks and other activities through which drivers can work on roads faster and effectively.
Monitor your customers as well
It is very necessary to monitor the performance of your customers. Like, you can maintain and track history of customers in order to find out the delivery issues which are caused by customers.
Sometimes, customers don’t even realize that they are main reason for creating delivery issues. By getting this information, you can work with customers to get rid of this problem in future delivery.
Keys to last mile delivery efficiency
Now you are known with the fact that last mile delivery is final stage between customers and service providing company.
In order to reach this stage, it is necessary that your company delivery efficient services in order to meet all of the demands of customers in the best manner. To create perfect operational efficiency plan, you need to follow four key factors in any logistic and supply chain business:
Inventory tracking
In most of traditional logistics and supply chain businesses, the inventory tracking end immediately after inventory is finally loaded in truck.
What is the result? - The last mile delivery isn’t visible then!
If you are interested in optimizing your last mile delivery at the best level, then you need to leverage technology which can extend visibility to last mile.
You can select last mile delivery which can allow you to do scanning of all the products after they are placed in truck and then tracking is done till the end point.
In this way, you will be turning delivery truck into a movable warehouse which would have full visibility over the inventory basically in real-time.
Check out more: Impact of IoT on Manufacturing, Energy and Logistics Industries
Manage third-party drivers
The companies like supply chain and Logistics Company which deliver have various types of drivers.
After on-demand boom in industries, various companies have initiated taking help of independent and freelance drivers to providing best delivery services through the help of mobile app.
In the same way, you can take the help of last mile delivery app services from professional who can build a mobile app which can be helpful in the management of all these drivers in a particular dashboard.
Data
The route optimization is quite important in supply chain and logistics business. Even then, most of the companies don’t use real-world information to optimize routes.
For example, tracking data of delivery along with timing of driver to reach the destination can help the company to build better plans in future.
After getting such data and information, business can become more efficient with the help of freelance and independent local drivers.
With history of orders over weekdays, one can easily make the prediction on particular days of week. When the demand will be lower, you won’t have to spend money for driving staff and this would save lot of your money.
Proof of delivery
In older times, signature was the only proof used for the confirmation of delivery but can’t be enough at present time.
That’s why it is best to use digital time stamp which can provide better security about time and place of delivery. It can provide full proof of the package delivery in the given time.
In Conclusion…Go The EXTRA MILE!
Last mile delivery has become very popular to provide best services to the customers as it can fulfill all the expectations of customers.
So, you should always put your customers first. If you want to have a customer driven business, then you need to provide 24x7 customer care services along with website, social networking and mobile app development. Social network play a crucial role in enhancing your supply chain and logistics business.
You can have a look at your present company business with fresh eye and then you can visit FuGenX Technologies, a leading mobile company which uses the above plans and strategies to improve delivery and customer care service as it can finally enhance the customer satisfaction to a greater level.
