Dispatch delivery software: Getting dispatch delivery right, what enterprises should know

Dispatching is a critical function of logistics that’s getting increasingly complicated with the growing demand for fast and same-day deliveries. Dispatching includes setting up robust processes that include assigning deliveries to fleets or delivery personnel and it ends with the delivery of the package and obtaining proof of delivery. Dispatch and delivery management plays a crucial role in high-volume and high-frequency food delivery platforms. Deploying a dispatch-delivery management system can make your food deliveries much more efficient.

Dispatch-delivery is a term used to describe the logistics process that starts with the dispatch phase and ends with the delivery. The dispatch phase involves processing orders and assigning them to delivery fleets based on route plans.

The delivery phase is when the consignment is delivered to the customer within the timeline and proof of delivery is received.

To put it simply, dispatching is not the same as shipping or delivery. There are three different terms used to describe different processes within the supply chain.

Dispatching refers to the process by which a consignment is processed and allotted to delivery fleets that forward the package to the intended recipient.

A consignment is said to have been shipped once it leaves the warehouse and is en route to its destination. This shipment would be delivered when the intended recipient or their representative collects the consignment and provides an acknowledgement of the same.

There’s a lot that goes into making logistics as economical and as efficient as possible. Implementing a dispatch-delivery management system could help streamline your logistics processes.

Here’s how dispatch-delivery software can help -

1. Route optimization

Route planning was straightforward a decade ago when the distance was the only factor. Today, we’re able to leverage the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms that take into consideration several factors such as live traffic and fuel economy when planning routes. A dispatch delivery software can help you make your delivery fleets more efficient by providing them real-time route optimization.

2. Real-time tracking

Customer satisfaction is the primary motive for every business. Your delivery timelines can play a major role in making an impression for your brand and impact your overall customer satisfaction. Dispatch-delivery management software allows you to make quicker deliveries and also track them in real-time. Customers appreciate being able to monitor where the consignment is and being able to do that in real-time makes it easy for them to coordinate with delivery personnel to receive their package.

3. Contactless deliveries

Many jurisdictions have made it essential for businesses to offer contactless deliveries in keeping with the social distancing norms. An intelligent dispatch-delivery system can help you do that and more. A delivery executive can leave the consignment at the customer’s doorstep as requested and send photos of the same as proof of delivery. Delivery personnel’s body temperature can also be routinely checked and integrated into workflows, ensuring customers that they’re in safe hands. This can go a long way in improving customer satisfaction.

4. Packaging, optimization & sorting

Processing and sorting packages is an important logistics process. A dispatch-delivery system automatically sorts packages based on parcel size and assigns them to the most economical choice among delivery partners. This can save businesses precious resources and streamline their processes.

5. Scheduled deliveries

There is often the need to intimate individual drivers about any updates to their delivery schedule for the next day. A dispatch-delivery system can automate delivery scheduling and have new jobs updated on the drivers’ task lists so that they can act on them at first instance.

Using a dispatch-delivery management system can help your business save on costs, make quicker deliveries and improve customer satisfaction. But there’s a lot more a automated dispatch delivery software can do for you -

1. Single pane of glass dashboard: View key insights on a comprehensive yet intuitive single-pane of glass dashboard that lets you take stock of how well your delivery fleets are performing.

2. Automate your logistics processes: With minimum to no human intervention required, your dispatch-delivery system can manage the key delivery process like job assigning and scheduling in your supply chain autonomously.

3. Intelligent algorithms: These algorithms are smart and keep learning continuously to ensure that each subsequent delivery since the system is deployed is more efficient than the last.

4. Advanced analytics for benchmarking: Dispatch delivery management systems take into account several factors to arrive at the most efficient way to handle a situation, right from route planning to delivery. The software provides analytics that can give you key insights into the near and long-term performance of your logistics teams.

5. Streamline customer support: You can help resolve any queries your customers might have by adding a chat-bot based customer support channel, allowing you to expedite common queries and provide meaningful solutions instantly.

Maximizing the efficiency of logistics processes is critical for restaurants with high order volumes or peak hours. Over the day, you may have to make several deliveries. Choosing the closest possible route is not often the only consideration. Things like fuel economy and time to deliver food to customers is very important as well. Making your delivery processes more efficient can help your business save on logistics and also increase profitability.