The success of a business engaged in the fast-rising and increasingly competitive e-commerce industry is determined by its capacity to deliver, in the literal sense. You may have the best product out there, but if you cannot get it to your customers fast enough, they get turned off and buy elsewhere.
Therefore, you need to make your company’s delivery service practically flawless. And you cannot hope to achieve this using conventional methods no matter how organized you are. By going digital, you reap substantial benefits such as increased efficiency, reduced costs, and improved customer satisfaction, which could lead to customer loyalty. And the bottom line (pun intended) is it improves your company’s bottom line.
Regardless of the size of your business, you could benefit from boosting the efficiency of your delivery service. Here’s how you can do it.
Use Specialized Software
Source: kuebix.com
Specialized software simplifies complicated supply chain logistics. A transportation management system (TMS) like TransVirtual automates the processes involved in planning, executing, and optimizing product delivery.
It lets you know what parcels need pickup and generates an address label that can help speed up your dispatch operations.
Furthermore, within the warehouse, the software will mark each step. It will also extend till the parcel is actually on the road. Losing a shipment is every delivery service company’s worst nightmare, as it may seriously affect the company’s reputation. People do business with a specific delivery service because they’re confident in the security of their packages.
On the other hand, if you’re an online retailer and your product gets damaged in transit, replacing the product will eat at your profits. If such situations keep happening, it could mean disaster for your company.
However, with TMS, you can entirely avoid such a scenario and ensure your business never has to deal with a similar problem again. Even though the automated system might require a substantial initial investment, it will prove to be extremely valuable in the long run.
Optimize Your Routes
Another way to boost service delivery efficiency is through route optimization, which balances driver availability and vehicle space. All key vehicle statistics, such as weight, capacity, load limit, and top speed, should be available for you to manage. Using specialized management software, you can limit the quantity of unused truck space. Any unfilled space in a vehicle is a waste of space. If a vehicle arrives at a site and there is enough space, a stop will be added to maximize the vehicle’s capacity.
Furthermore, route optimization means optimizing driver performance and managing driver availability. Before assigning work to a driver, consider when he’ll be available, how much time he’ll need to return to the office, and when he’ll be available next.
When routes are optimized, the appropriate vehicles and drivers are dispatched to the proper locations and times.
Route optimization is a complex process, but you could easily manage it using a logistics platform. It’s a terrific approach to increase product distribution efficiency without hiring more trucks or drivers.
Improve Warehouse Communication
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To ensure timely delivery, notify the warehouse of any order as soon as possible. An order should be completed in minutes, if not seconds, in your warehouse or by your supplier. It helps with inventory management, alerting you to import more merchandise.
Furthermore, it ensures the influx of orders doesn’t come out of nowhere. The warehouse can also arrange for more workers to ensure that all your parcels are delivered on time.
During this challenging time, you need to speak with your warehouse manager over the phone rather than through email. But suppose you want to automate the process. In that case, you could consider utilizing specialized solutions to handle the complexities of warehouse management, such as time management, accurate tracking of inventory, and other repetitive processes that take so much of your time.
You might also want to check the possibility of integrating this process into the software solution you’re currently using.
Employ Reliable Drivers And Vehicles
Leading shipping companies invest in cutting-edge technology to secure their on-the-road staff as well as the areas in which they operate. Each cargo should be completely loaded, ready to deliver fragile commodities, and secured during transit.
Trucks, vans, and automobiles are the most commonly used modes of transportation. Every vehicle should come equipped with a toolbox, a fire extinguisher, and a set of spare tires. Furthermore, delivery vehicles must be safe to drive.
Individuals with previous driving expertise and a working knowledge of vehicle maintenance make ideal delivery drivers. They also keep the fuel supply in mind.
With a TMS, your drivers don’t have to plan their routes as the software does this for them. Aside from route optimization, this logistics platform also allows sign-on glass as proof of delivery, complete track and trace, and GPS location. Furthermore, this could be deployed on smartphones.
Solicit Feedback
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Requesting feedback from customers is critical for any business. Making mistakes is unavoidable, whether you’ve been in business long enough or just starting. The fact is, you’ll never know about lapses unless you ask your customers.
Therefore, getting feedback from clients is crucial for any delivery service company. The input will disclose what your consumers enjoy about your service and any problems they may have experienced.
It’s not a sign of weakness to solicit feedback. After the delivery, you may send the customer a text message or email asking for feedback. The purpose of gathering feedback is to learn about flaws in your service and how to correct them so you can become a reliable delivery service.
Takeaway
Providing clients with their purchases accurately, in good condition, and on time is nothing short of challenging. Fortunately, you can take advantage of specialized software that simplifies logistics by automating the processes involved in transporting your product from the warehouse to your customer’s doorstep.
By leveraging technology, you can cut costs and time, increase efficiency, improve delivery speed, and keep your customers happy. If you can manage to do this, your business will not only survive but thrive in the competitive e-commerce arena.
