The pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have brought about a drastic change in the way do shopping or make purchases from early 2020. Because consumer visits to a ‘brick-and-mortar’ store in the present scenario has fallen due to social distancing norms and supply shortages cause by the disruption, more space is now taken up by online retailers and online delivery services.
The boom to online retailers like Amazon and also many smaller retailers, has resulted in a struggle to provide satisfactory last mile services to customers. The expectation of fast and free or low-cost delivery, via transparent shipping, has not been always possible to be met for the consumer. This unfortunately can spoil the retailers’ reputation. So it’s important to know about Last Mile Delivery and about the providers of this service better for your business. This last stage of the system will spell the success of the online business. So, it is important to know how to take advantage of the last mile operations for the success of your business.
About the Last Mile Delivery service.
The ‘last mile’, a word borrowed from the communication industry, is what happens at the final stage of your product’s journey after a product is ordered online. The journey starts after the product is made by the company and stored in the warehouse. The merchandise is then packed and shipped to the distribution point from where it’s delivered to the customer. But this last mile comes at a cost that often is more than half the total shipping cost.
Use a software application to manage delivery
Here is where a monitoring system or tracking software becomes very useful last mile delivery by capturing the relevant data for you. A Fleet Management System software that is customisable and mobile app supported, can help in many ways to make the last mile delivery service efficient, safe and profitable. This last leg takes also time and could be expensive to smaller retailers. This last mile problem can be solved with a real time monitoring system integrated to the mobile app which can be used by the field staff or managers on-the-go.
Ways to Solve Last Mile Problem with asset tracking software
There are many last mile providers, like couriers to small local logistics companies, to larger providers operating a fleet of trucks.
- Consider the Cost Saving
Larger order volumes can lower the rates of your last-mile provider. But smaller 3PLs try to stay competitive. Often higher fuel costs and delivery issues hurdle them. However, smaller 3PLs can negotiate fair rates with you, helping to ship your merchandise cost-effectively. The tracking system will keep you update on location and the movement of the merchandise in real-time.
- Reckoning Delivery Times
Delivery times is another issue faced in last-mile delivery. Whether it is open spaced rural parts or congested city streets, 3PLs sometimes struggle to get to the customer’s door. Such delays in shipping can cause customer frustration. The fleet tracking software can pin-point where the trouble is and help resolve the issue, such as expected time of arrival of a vehicle or truck.
- GPS enabled Tracking Technology
To make your last-mile services more efficient, the technology used by the last mile provider is important. You can outsource one or build your own tracking system and monitoring software that provides for not only internal efficiencies, but also transparency for the customers to track their orders and the delivery trucks to improve customer experience and satisfaction.
To deliver a product to a consumer end point or business’ location, you would need last-mile services and it shouldn’t be an afterthought but an integral part. By choosing the right last-mile service, or operator you save money and help boost customer satisfaction. It is a crucial part of your supply chain and by using the fleet management software with mobile app support, it would be a determining factor for your successful business.
Trinetra Wireless offers a customisable asset tracking software which can be integrated with other systems used in a company Using telematics technology and Data Analytics the system can generate, process and analyse the data, to turn it into valuable and insightful information to the managers. The right FMS software to effectively address inefficiencies and identify non-compliance and other discrepancies quickly for you . It enables you to take strategic decisions and corrective action for problem solving.
We shall arrange a ‘Demo’ for the interested person to evaluate our FMS software at your convenience. You need only to contact our BD team to kick-off a useful partnership.
