Routing software is an essential part of any small business that incorporates real-time deliveries, logistics and scheduled services into their daily operations. To stay efficient and organised whilst managing multi-stop routes for your employees is made a lot easier when a dedicated and effective route optimizations solution is on board.
By optimising the routes your drivers take will allow them to get more work done in a lot less time. Sitting down to plan routes each day is laborious, so having it done using smart software linked to real-time mapping and traffic data is essential. You’ll see hours shaved off the planning process, routes will be as efficient as s possible, and you customers will be happier as a result.
Inefficient routes will cost you
Badly planned routes through up a whole range of issues for small to medium sized companies. Time wise it’s obvious, you’ll complete fewer tasks each day, make customers wait longer for their product or service and may even affect the product, if it’s hot food for example.
Focusing on the costs incurred, many of these can be related to the vehicle and may become evident over time. General wear and tear of the fleet will be affected by inefficient routing, over time this translates to significant losses. Companies will also see a rise in labour and fuel costs as a result of inefficient driving routes. If you’re looking to make deliveries overseas, you may want to make use of a professional freighting company such as this european sea freight company to fulfill your shipping needs when operating on an international level.
What should your route optimizer have?
Automatic optimized routes
Optimized routes should be created for your drivers automatically using data on the delivery address and customer order, in conjunction with other deliveries and live traffic conditions that day. Comprehensive shipping software like those offered by Go3G (visit this link for more info) or a similar firm, can enhance this aspect by integrating real-time data to adjust routes. This inturn can help make sure that your drivers always have the most efficient path to their destinations.
Multi-stop planning capabilities
Getting the most efficient routes for your entire team across the day Is essential. Your software should be able to assign deliveries to drivers based on proximity, size and weight. The optimum route for each driver should then be delivered live, with any changes made considered across the network.
Route planning stats and additional info.
The ability to capture and add photos to the system, both for other users to see live and for records is vital. Notes and other custom meta fields add further functionality for the user, along with the syncing of GPS tracking data and delivery status updates. Data from your routing software can highlight trends in driver behaviour, task completion times and the length of time drivers are on the road, providing the basis for increased long term efficiency.
Turn desktops and mobiles into a fully functional logistics platform
A good modern logistics solution will utilise drivers’ mobile devices to create a virtual logistics network. Drivers can download apps that turn their phones into real-time trackers, allowing updates, mapping and instant communication of tasks completed, pending and failed with a desktop hub back at the company HQ. Companies may even download additional things like this DOT software so they are able to send any training necessary to staff to ensure they are driving safely and in line with what is expected of them. No company dealing with deliveries or scheduled services should be without such a virtual network in this age.
About the author
David Bailey-Lauring is a single father of three boys and a content writer and regularly writes about sport, fitness, education and lifestyle in the UK, USA, and Europe.
