Delivery Management Software: Boosting Efficiency

Are your delivery times inconsistent? Are you inundated with calls from customers asking the same basic question over and over: “When can I expect my delivery?” Delivery management software can change the time you spend trying to figure out where your drivers are, creating happier customers and on-time deliveries. 

Dealing with frustrated customers calling delivery drivers to find out if a customer’s parcel is already out for delivery can be extremely time-consuming and distracting.  

In this guide, you’ll learn why delivery management software is a powerful tool to help you boost efficiency, cut costs, and make your customers feel like a priority every single time. 

Delivery management software (DMS) definition

DMS is a digital tool or platform used to plan deliveries, schedule orders, and optimize routes for deliveries. 

Many businesses use delivery management apps to dispatch and track deliveries. It not only gives better control over the deliveries from a business perspective but also improves customer satisfaction. 

With a better understanding of when the estimated time of delivery will be, customers can know exactly what to expect and when. 

Is delivery management software for my business?

Delivery management software is mostly used by small businesses for local orders, deliveries with multiple fleets, field service businesses, enterprises using large fleets, and third-party logistics providers. 

Locate2u’s DMS is used by a variety of businesses, all with different needs:

• Emergency vehicles 
• Food services
• Couriers
• Pharmacies
• Construction companies
• Fresh food deliveries
• Recycling bin collectors

Here are some examples of companies that benefit from delivery management software.

GT Product Sales

Delivering automotive spare parts to workshops requires precise delivery times, making vehicles can be repaired within just a few hours. 

With delivery management software, dealerships could track exactly where their GT Product Sales orders were in real-time. This meant customers were no longer calling to enquire about when their deliveries would be made.

Containers for Change 

Western Australia Return Recycle Renew Limited (WARRRL) uses delivery management software to collect thousands of bookings, track every delivery in real-time, and capture instructions from customers. This is done while managing their delivery routes as they change when more orders come in.

Husk Bakery

Delivering fresh food to customers can be tricky, especially if the weather is not cooperating. In a bakery business, freshness is everything. Husk Bakery uses delivery management software to let its customers know on Facebook where the mobile van is roaming for the day. 

Can this software reduce costs or improve delivery accuracy?

Real-time tracking, route planning, and automated dispatch are a few of the main features of delivery management software that help improve accuracy and reduce costs when it comes to deliveries. 

Now imagine you make about 100 deliveries per day. Delivering packages a bit faster and on time can make a huge difference to the business and customers. It’s almost impossible to manually schedule each booking for all those deliveries. You are bound to make some errors. You are just human, after all.

But with these three features, it’s simple.

How? Let’s explore. 

Real-time tracking 

It creates visibility and enables businesses to send customers a live link to follow along as the delivery driver makes its way to the customer. This cuts out the guesswork and phone calls to inquire when a delivery will be made.

This software can be used from the point the customer places the order until after the delivery is made.

To learn more about live packaging tracking and how it works from behind the scenes, read more here: 14 Things You Need To Know About Live Package Tracking

Route planning

Route planning picks the most efficient routes using real-time weather and traffic data. It also reduces fuel costs and time spent on the road.

You may ask yourself, how? By minimizing the downtime of the vehicles and optimizing the driver’s journey. Spending less time in traffic or idling at a traffic light can rev up your fuel costs. 

With the right DMS, you won’t have to spend late nights scheduling the next day’s bookings and routes for delivery drivers.  

Automated dispatch

When the bookings and routes are automated, there is a guaranteed accuracy improvement. No more human errors by burning the midnight oil and working on spreadsheets for the next day. 

@steve_orenstein What is delivery management software?  #smallbusiness #delivery #customerexperience ♬ original sound – Steve Orenstein 🚚

Will delivery management software scale as my business grows?

Yes, it grows as your business grows. In fact, your business is able to expand because you have time for more demanding work. Automating repetitive manual tasks can save a lot of time.  

Transvirtual warns that you might want to scale up or down with busy peak seasons. This is possible by choosing flexible solutions.

With more time on your hands, it’s easier to grow and expand your business. 

Finding the best delivery management software for your business

There are thousands of DMS on the market, but choosing the right one that fits your business and needs is not an easy task. 

Here’s a checklist with questions to ask yourself if this is the right software you need.

• Does it offer real-time tracking?
• Can I optimize routes efficiently? 
• Does it provide integration with existing systems?
• Is it enabled with driver communication and messaging?
• Can you track the real-time delivery status?
• Does it allow multi-drop-offs?
• Is there driver scheduling and shift management?
• Does it allow for customer feedback? 

These features have the potential to improve your customer satisfaction, allowing them to feel in control of the purchase process. It will also reduce delivery times and fuel costs, and we know happy customers mean more business.

Four factors to consider when choosing DMS

Now that you have those questions to consider before considering the software let’s consider how it can impact the decision-making process.

• Scalability: Ultimately, make sure that the software you choose can grow with your business without compromising performance. You want to be able to grow and increase your fleet while still having a good outcome.

• Integration capabilities: Look for software that integrates with your existing systems to avoid data silos and manual entry. Make sure you ask the consultant all the questions before signing up. You can also try out the free trials to make sure that you are happy with what it can offer before spending any money. Make sure there is support 24/7 in case you need it.

• Ease of use: The platform should be intuitive, minimizing training time and ensuring smooth adoption. If it’s not user-friendly, you’ll spend more time trying to figure out the process. Also, look out for software updates that can make your life easier as technology improves.

• Reporting and analytics: Detailed reports allow businesses to identify areas for improvement and optimize delivery processes. Without real-time data, your company won’t be able to know exactly where the pain points are and how to approach and solve it. This could be through training staff and ensuring all employees understand what is expected of them. 

What delivery software solutions are available? 

Here are a few reputable delivery software companies that offer DMS in one place. Many offer the same basic features, but it all depends on what suits your budget, business needs, and company size.

Locate2u

Locate2u has a schedule management system that allows you to plan and schedule deliveries quickly. It ensures that appropriate resources are available when you need them most. They also offer route optimization, real-time tracking, proof of delivery, last mile delivery, and delivery management. It’s all paperless with Locate2u. CEO Steve Orenstein says Locate2u is the “perfect tool to manage your deliveries” while optimizing schedules in seconds. 

Onfleet

Onfleet specializes in last mile delivery. Based in San Francisco, they offer route optimization, a client portal, and a chat and SMS line for customers. 

Route4me

Route4Me‘s cloud-based software helps manage multiple deliveries. Based in Florida, US, it’s known for its on-demand service and customized offerings. It provides a free trial and helps customers manage multiple deliveries simultaneously. 

TrackPOD

TrackPOD’s biggest focus is proof of delivery, making sure everything is electronic. They work with small and large logistics companies. 

Routific

Routific helps companies optimize their final-mile logistics. It offers delivery management, route planning, and route optimization. 

How much does the software cost?

On average, the price of delivery management software is $556 per month, according to Egolli. But it all depends on whether you prefer monthly or annual billing. In some instances, you can also pay per vehicle or order. 

The price can also increase if you require more features; the more simplistic, the lower the price. 

Here are three models to pay attention to:

Subscription-based: Pay a monthly or annual fee based on the number of deliveries, users, or vehicles.

Pay-as-you-go: Ideal for businesses with fluctuating delivery volumes, where fees are based on usage.

Support and services: Some providers offer additional services like onboarding and training, which can affect pricing.

Final words: What is delivery management software?

When you have found the right delivery management software, you won’t have to scramble to find your drivers or field endless customer calls. 

With delivery management software, you can now meet the expectations of your customers and investors. And this is not only a solution for big businesses with big balance sheets. Yes, you, the small business owner, can also use this software to scale your business. 

In a time when technology is advancing at a rapid rate, let it do the heavy lifting.

NOW READ: Top 7 GPS Apps for Delivery Drivers: Boosting Efficiency

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