Increasingly people are shopping for products online, so delivering these items to the customer quickly and without any damage is a major priority for online sellers. In most cases, these companies are outsourcing the delivery of the goods to logistics companies which have a fleet of vehicles and delivery staff to deliver the goods to the customers at the address specified. The profit of the logistics company depends to a great extent on how efficiently they utilize the resources available. Hence it is advisable to hire a competent company for technology-driven fleet management solutions to make optimal use of the vehicles, and staff. This will help to increase the profit of the company and also offer better customer service.
Route planning
Typically the eCommerce company will have to deliver items to a large number of customers daily. So it is necessary to plan the route of the delivery vehicle properly so that the items are delivered quickly without wasting the time of the delivery staff and fuel. Hence the delivery partners should have dot compliance software that automatically generates the delivery route that the vehicle should take based on the customer list which is generated for the day. The route planning should also consider the size of the items which have to be delivered since more vehicles will be required if larger items like refrigerators or furniture are being delivered.
Data logging
The delivery partners have to keep records that the item is delivered so that the seller can use these records in case of any dispute with the customer. Usually, the delivery partners are using software that allows the delivery person to immediately update that the item has been delivered. Often customers who place orders are not at the delivery address specified due to factors beyond their control. This information is also updated in the records so that the delivery person can try to deliver the item again or return it back to the seller. Some sellers also allow returns of the item ordered for better customer support, and records of items being returned should also be logged, so that a replacement can be arranged.
Hardware and software
While the staff is trained to update the records in the delivery tracking software, there is always a provision for making mistakes or human error. Hence increasingly delivery companies are preferring to combine hardware and software to ensure that the records are largely accurate. They are using other information like mobile phones for confirming the exact location of the fleet vehicle, delivery staff, the route is taken, and time for which the vehicle was halted for delivery. In some cases, vehicle and Global positioning system (GPS) sensors are readily available for tracking the vehicle and other functions, in other cases, customized hardware is required. Based on the requirement of the customer, comprehensive hardware and software development services are provided, which include hardware design, prototyping, testing, manufacturing of mechanical, electrical, and other components, quality checking, and developing and testing software. Maintenance services for the software and hardware are also provided, to ensure that no problems are faced.
