Delivery delays are frustrating, but they can also cost businesses money, trust, and repeat customers. Without a Transport Management System, they’re a nightmare.
Now, who wants that?
Even minor inefficiencies in transportation can snowball into major problems. And it can happen so fast.
So, let’s look at a transport management system (TMS) and why so many companies, big and small, organize their logistics with this software.
Delivery delays lie at the heart of the success of any company dealing with drop-offs. Think about Amazon. Why are they so popular? It’s because of their fast delivery times.
Let’s look at six ways a TMS can help your business reduce delivery delays.
Can a Transport Management System Help Cut Time On The Road?
Yes, there is smart technology that can make route automation easy, helping your drivers take the most efficient routes. It can also be proactive and detect a problem before it even occurs.
1. Smarter Route Optimization
One of the top causes of delivery delays is inefficient routing. You can imagine if, have 12 drivers on the road, who are all experienced drivers.
They follow their own path to the next location without thinking twice or checking any map. While this is very impressive, it’s not always the most efficient route.
So many factors can delay the journey by a few minutes here and there. Before you know it, by the end of the day – that driver has wasted more than an hour of your time.
A transport management system helps to plan each driver’s route to perfection, automatically considering the weather, road conditions, traffic, vehicle capacity, and driver skills.
By automating this process with route optimization software, routes are updated every few minutes, adjusting the current factors that may change.
2. Proactive Problem Detection
Delays don’t always start on the road; sometimes, they’re brewing long before the wheels hit the pavement.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone monitor operations and flag drivers when bottlenecks can disrupt the day’s delivery?
That’s exactly what a TMS does. The system can, for instance, flag repetitive late truck departures. This is helpful when you can track and collect all the data on your vehicles to give you insight into where the real problem lies.
A simple adjustment to loading schedules might do the trick and save you plenty of time and delays.
How Does TMS Drive Visibility and Communication
Being able to communicate with customers is important; it prevents negative feedback by being proactive and helping customers before the problem snowballs.
A TMS drives visibility and communication.
How does it do this? By providing real-time tracking, centralized data access, and seamless updates for all stakeholders.
This ensures that everyone stays informed and connected throughout the delivery process.
3. Real-Time Visibility for All Stakeholders
Communication breakdowns are a hidden culprit behind many delays.
The one moment you are on top of the delivery and the next moment the driver is met with a grumpy customer who is threatening to turn to social media about the poor delivery experience.
Customers, drivers, and dispatchers often operate in silos, leading to confusion and inefficiencies.
But a TMS bridges these gaps by providing real-time updates to all involved.
You’ve seen those messages or calls from customers asking where their order is. The phones are ringing non stop. And the worst thing is, you as the manager also don’t know where your driver is.
Instead of being bombarded with calls from frustrated customers, keep them informed and be proactive about solving your problem.
4. Streamlining Last-Mile Deliveries
Last-mile delivery is notorious for its unpredictability. Last minute delays are inevitable when you work in the logistics space.
Most of the time, delays are caused by things like gated communities that a truck or vehicle can’t access. Or you deliver to an office block, and the customer is on the fifth floor.
That’s why a transportation management system is important to simplify this process. It uses tools like route optimization and a driver app, which help with better communication and notes beforehand to avoid unnecessary delays.
Why is Transport Management System Important for Post Delivery Analysis?
A Transport Management System is important for post-delivery analysis because it provides detailed data insights. Yes, this helps businesses to evaluate things like:
- Performance.
- Identify inefficiencies.
- And optimize future operations for better results.
5. Data-Driven Driver Performance Management
No system is complete without accountability. A TMS tracks driver performance, from adherence to schedules to idle times, helping businesses identify patterns contributing to delays.
We know most drivers want to do their jobs well; they just need the right tools and feedback.
There are companies which use feedback software enabled through their TMS. This encourages customers to give feedback and drivers to know what they are doing wrong.
There is also space to give recognition to the top-performing drivers, boosting morale and productivity.
6. Adapting to External Disruptions
Weather, road closures, or unexpected surges in demand can throw even the best plans off course. A TMS equipped with predictive analytics helps businesses adapt on the fly.
It’s better to be prepared than to be caught off guard.
Delays Don’t Have to Be Inevitable
The right tools make all the difference. A management system gives your business that competitive advantage it deserves.
So here’s a question: How many delivery delays could your business avoid with better systems in place?
Whether running a local courier service or managing a global supply chain, a TMS can be the difference between making promises and keeping them.
About the author
Mia is a multi-award-winning journalist. She has more than 14 years of experience in mainstream media. She's covered many historic moments that happened in Africa and internationally. She has a strong focus on human interest stories, to bring her readers and viewers closer to the topics at hand.
