Building Technology for Delivery Partners in the Supply Chain Ecosystem

When the supply chain ecosystem is in question, without proper management and enabling of delivery partners, a business is set to fall into chaos. To prevent this, a certain range of technological features are needed to reap the benefits from delivery partners. These features are able to bring out the full potential for a distribution and delivery business and keep the relationship between companies and delivery partners running. These also save a noticeable amount of time in the delivery cycle, which makes them a necessity. In this article, we will look into some of the delivery partner features needed to enhance the flow of the last mile experience in your supply chain.

Dynamic Shipment Monitoring

When a product is en route, one of the key concerns of the consumer is monitoring. It works in both ways, for the company and the customer. Here, dynamic monitoring comes into play. Dynamic monitoring is a feature that allows both the company and the customer to see in real-time where the product is in the planned route. It keeps the route under supervision and creates a sense of assurance for the customer. Being able to see where your product is in between the route from dispatch to delivery also allows the customers and the company personnel to communicate with the delivery partners effectively. This minimizes the chances of route errors and helps manage expectations better. This also results in a large amount of time saved in between as errors are kept to a minimum and decisions are made on the data that is received in the process. Dynamic monitoring also allows universal monitoring of shipments and their statuses, no matter what vehicle they might be in. Monitoring or forecasting of any sort of problems that might occur during the delivery also falls under dynamic monitoring, so there is full control over the entire process.

Smart Route Planning

Technology embedded within the delivery system allows the delivery person to change their routes by analyzing setbacks ahead of time while delivering the product. Some examples are traffic, bad roads, bad weather etc. This allows all the parties involved to be aware of the changes that might happen because of such problems. It also gives the delivery personnel insights into which route might be the best option for them to get the product to the customer. Route optimization in this way helps decrease the delivery time by a huge margin. Calculated decisions make sure the fleet functions in the most time-efficient way possible. In normal cases, issues within the fleet management eat away at precious time. With software doing the calculations for the fleet, time efficiency is sure to peak.

Inventory and Delivery Synchronization

One of the other key features of the tech shared with the delivery partners allows them the freedom of adding real-time updates from any point of delivery. Delivery men can input delivery details and checkpoints while in the delivery cycle, keeping the cycle running and updated at all times. It also allows updates from the inventory, which keeps accurate records of when a product has left there. It also works in reverse, in instances when a product has been returned, it also keeps track of when the product has re-entered the inventory. As soon as the delivery personnel inputs an update, it simultaneously updates inventory count as well. This way, inventory management systems and the dynamic order are always in sync. Reasons for returning a product can be recorded on the spot by the delivery partner so that it can be reviewed and tallied against later by the warehouse managers.

Digital Billing

The technology also allows rigorous verification methods for billing tasks. Delivery partners are able to input details after payment has been received and then it is verified by respective administrators in the financing department. All invoices are assigned a digital signature that is unique to the transaction, which eliminates chances of any manual cash-handling off the record. Receipts that are electronically sent to the clients carry the same signature allowing them to keep a record of transactions.

For credit transactions, the bills or ePOD (Electronic proof of delivery) can be digitally sent to the accounting department and the billing can start instantly as opposed to the paper PODs making their way to the accounting department and then getting billed after manual batch processing. Such electronic billing processes save a huge amount of time which helps cut billing cycles.

ETA Dynamic Monitoring

One of the biggest features that the delivery partner technology brings to the delivery process is dynamic monitoring of the Estimated Time of Arrival or ETA. ETA monitoring is calculated from all the data that has been input by the delivery man and data that has been kept track of from route analysis. Calculating route issues and other engagements, software calculations are done to predict an estimated time remaining for the product to reach the customer. Dynamic ETA monitoring takes delivery optimization to the next level as it is calculated through most of the technological aspects mentioned above and gives both parties insight in real-time so that people on the receiving end can schedule accordingly to take the product or can inform the delivery service in case they are unable to receive it in that particular time frame.

Keeping the distribution or delivery ecosystem running is a tough task if the right technology is not implemented. The implementation of proper technology in the least mile sector of the delivery process is more important as it is directly tied to the experience of almost all the parties involved. Balance is set to fall apart if the right digital tools are not properly implemented for the users. All these assets accumulated are able to take the delivery ease to the next level, ensuring a good user experience on all ends.

If you are looking for a software that helps you and your delivery partner connect and make real-time decisions most efficiently, then Nuport is the way to go. Nuport, while providing all the assets you might need to utilize your work with your delivery partners, it also tops the chart with an extremely user-friendly interface. Nuport connects all the ends in the most efficient way possible. Schedule a demo today!