Route planning is essential for efficiency in logistics and deliveries, and doing so manually with limited vehicles and delivery staff is not possible. The on-demand market in India is exploding, with quick commerce offerings hitting as much as the 10-minute delivery mark.
Hence, route planning becomes even more crucial.
Manual route planning is neither sustainable nor valid for operational efficiencies. First, it can lead to delayed deliveries, and secondly, it doesn’t offer any visibility into the movement of orders once they are with the riders.
This is where the route planning software comes into the picture.
What Is a Route Planning Software?
Route planning software is an automated solution to generate the most efficient delivery routes and plan those delivery routes for optimizing delivery efficiencies. The route planning software uses geocoding and real-time traffic analysis to show the best routes for fulfilling all the deliveries cost-effectively.
This helps reduce costs, improve driver productivity, reduce delays and improve customer satisfaction. Smart logistics management platforms also allow for dynamic en route order clubbing, smart order allocation, and real-time driver tracking to ensure that the system-suggested route is taken.
What Are the Benefits of Route Planning Software?
1. Real-Time Visibility
Using route planning software allows the store/hub managers to monitor the on-road movements of the riders and check if the system-suggested steps and routes are being followed or not.
Hence, the brands can better control the logistics processes and ensure adherence to the SLAs. As the drivers always opt for the most efficient routes for all the deliveries, the brands can also shrink their fuel consumption costs and carbon footprint.
2. Fake Delivery Attempts
The route planning software has real-time tracking functionality and sends automated alerts and messages to the riders and store managers in case a delivery route deviation occurs.
So, the drivers can no longer cite fake delivery attempts or customer unavailability for delayed or failed deliveries. Their real-time location coordinates are always visible to the store managers, and the system records the data for KPI metrics and performance evaluations.
3. Failed or Faulty Deliveries
With tightly knit colonies and alleys spiraling down into a complex web of confusing addresses, failed or wrong deliveries are more than possible. Using route planning software facilitates address conversion into exact latitudes and longitudes.
This allows the drivers to reach the exact delivery location in the first attempt and avoid delivery re-attempts. This helps further reduce operational costs.
4. Reduced Delivery Turnaround Times (TATs)
Reducing delivery TATs means speedy operations and a higher number of orders delivered. All this translates into reduced delivery and fuel costs.
5. Real-Time Tracking and Communication
What makes the route planning software excellent is that the customers can see the real-time movements of their orders. They are sent automated alerts via SMS, email, WhatsApp, etc., to show the ETAs.
This is of extreme significance for the quick commerce segments where the real-time order movement eliminates wait-time anxieties and builds customer anticipation.
Apart from the benefits shared above, the industries that belong to the critical infrastructure, such as manufacturing, healthcare, eCommerce, CEP, etc., can benefit greatly from the route planning software.
The stakeholders can have a firm grip over the delivery movements, especially when riders move critical deliveries, such as biomedical samples and highly reactive medicines.
Hence investing in a reliable, robust, and scalable route planning software with the power of AI, such as Shipsy’s route planning software, is a business must-have. For more information and to get started, please visit the official website or schedule a demo today!
