The benefits of removing paper trails along with certain manual processes from a delivery operation have been well-established for years now.
Moving over to digital systems to replace manual, paper-based ones improves the workflow of each team member, increases productivity and reduces the chance of error that can occur through each step of the order to delivery process.
Digital records replace paper ones and the chance of duplication or lost reports is eliminated, planning becomes a quicker, more accurate task and the entire business can benefit from having better-organised records, which ones digitised, can be presented in easy-to-digest formats ready for analysis of overall performance.
A step further is the incorporation of a single system that integrates into the existing business model and removes the need for various systems that work independently of each other.
Having separate epod, driver tracking, route planning or order management systems increases the likelihood of incompatibility issues. Alternatively, a complete system that provides a delivery business with everything they need under one roof allows the business to run seamlessly and as efficiently as possible, ultimately driving profits and reducing the cost of service as much as possible.
For distributors, tight margins, specific service times and careful control of stocks relies on a system that can handle daily operations and allows teams to communicate effectively and work as productively as possible. Ensuring each delivery is fulfilled and delays and disruptions are minimised is key to a successful business, and having a delivery management system that ensures reliability and efficiency is the most secure option for a smooth-running operation.
With each process seamlessly feeding into the next, from order placement, processing, driver tracking, collecting delivery reports and reviewing performance, a single system simplifies complex processes and ensures each task is tracked and monitored. The bottom line is, with each component of the delivery process being linked, your team can be too.
A complete system should provide any delivery operation with a single system to take orders from various sales channels, process the picking, packing and loading before planning and tracking each order during the day.
Live route data feeds back to the office teams through the use of a mobile app used by drivers that synchronises with the back-office system. This syncing also allows for instant communication between drivers, office teams and customers, so everyone is kept updated and in the loop, which helps to minimise disruptions and improve responsiveness.
This instant communication between mobile and office systems means stock adjustments and orders are processed at unparalleled speed, boosting order-to-cash flow massively.
Drivers can update office teams on any problems concerning deliveries, vehicle inspections and delivery reports are sent back to the offices as soon as they are completed, and customers can receive updates on upcoming deliveries.
Complete, cloud-based systems allow teams to access operational information from any device, anywhere, which means management can have a ‘bird’s eye view’ of the business at any time.
So how can a single, complete system improve communication lines compared with multiple digital systems?
The answer is simple; a complete system has been built with the various components such as route planning, tracking, order management and epod features designed to work together to improve efficiency and ease the overall management of operations.
Each part relies on the other, and has been developed to work as smoothly as possible as a unified system.
This means there is no room for integration issues, which you are at risk of when trying to incorporate and integrate multiple, singular systems.
To conclude, an end-to-end delivery system that handles each and every aspect of distribution ultimately results in a streamlined operation where each stage of the delivery process feeds into one another, meaning teams can achieve an equally efficient and simplified way of working.
