How a single pane of glass can help you win the last mile

A single pane of glass view consolidates data from multiple data points within a business and presents a unified view on a single computer screen. Information is presented as charts and graphs so that managers can access critical information quickly, easily and improve their last-mile operations.

In the context of supply chain management and logistics, a single pane of glass view gives managers the ability to track packages that are in the warehouse or are out for delivery. It provides real-time updates on the route taken by drivers. It helps managers do everything from assigning deliveries and managing fleet to adding unscheduled returns pickups on preset routes.

A single pane of glass view can be likened to a control tower that provides visibility into the supply chain of an organization by sourcing information from platforms like OMS (Order Management System), WMS (Warehouse Management System), and TMS (Transportation Management System).

FarEye’s solutions are built from the ground up to collect information from an organization’s OMS, WMS, and TMS. When dispatch managers use FarEye, they get a singular view of some of the following:

For organizations doing last-mile routing, it can be difficult to track multiple vehicles running multiple routes. With a single pane of glass, multiple routes can be seen on a single map. This allows easy drill down into any particular route including stops along the route.

This also assists dispatch managers in creating the most cost-efficient route and then provides real-time visibility into the movement of packages on those routes. Whether its traffic delays, road closures, vehicle breakdowns, or change of route - organizations get full visibility into their last-mile operations. The single pane of glass view also helps managers add unscheduled pickups to an existing route.

Before planning any route, managers need to have information on driver availability. Different drivers may work on different shifts - some may work on weekends or some may not work on a particular day of the week. A single pane of glass view shows a list of drivers available, which days of the week they are available, the specific times when the drivers are available for driving on specific routes and it shows data on driver productivity.

In a single pane of glass view managers can pinpoint the exact location of orders in real-time. The dispatch manager can know whether the package is with the driver or in the warehouse and also get the precise time at which the order shall be dropped off at the destination.

FarEye’s cross-docking capabilities help streamline hub operations. With a single pane of glass view, dispatch managers get complete visibility into both the inbound and the outbound shipments. This has a direct impact on planning for last-mile deliveries.

With packages being scanned in and out of a warehouse, workers have a single view into the exact number of packages the dispatch managers have in their facility. Having visibility into package inventory helps improve operational efficiency and reduce dwell time.

The single pane of glass view also shows a list of available carriers and the costs associated with each of them. It provides historical data on the carriers in terms of how often they are on time or how fuel-efficient they’ve been in the past. Such historical information helps managers allocate different carriers to different orders on a cost basis. Managers can get information on the exact cost of delivery shown on the single pane of view glass.