Trucking/transportation dispatch software - improve end-to-end logistics operations

When buying online, the customer does not know about the processes involved that make up for a successful and delightful delivery. But that's how it should be and savvy brands want to keep it that way. Managing drivers and large transportation fleets is not an easy task. With traditional transportation execution practices, it becomes even more cumbersome. This is where advanced transportation dispatch software solutions come in.

There has been an increase in online delivery services post-COVID. A survey conducted by UNCTAD and Netcomm Suisse E-commerce Association shows that online purchases have increased by 6-10% across most product categories, such as cosmetics and personal care, fashion and accessories. The increase in demand for online delivery further intensifies transportation activities across the globe. To manage and execute such high volumes of logistics activities modern businesses are leveraging automated dispatch services.

What does an automated transport dispatch service do and how it can improve logistics operations.

Automated dispatch systems are designed to provide simpler ways to coordinate routes and deliveries efficiently. A trucking software automates the routing and scheduling processes and saves time which you may have spent doing it manually.

Trucking software gives you complete control over the transportation process and helps you track locations with maps and GPS. It also enhances customer’s satisfaction because of the quick and timely delivery of services.

Following are the reasons why such software solutions are getting renewed focus:

1. Transportation is a critical touchpoint between brands and customers

Good transportation is a crucial factor that affects the growth of any company. When your customers are satisfied with your service, they will continue availing your services. For a good transportation service, there is a need for good trucking software, because it keeps the logistics on track. This, in turn, helps you retain customers- because when their deliveries are on time, they stay happy. Through good trucking dispatch software, you can also inform dispatchers or drivers to deliver certain products to specific customers on a priority basis.

2. It optimizes last-mile delivery expenses

When your company is unable to ensure seamless execution of last-mile deliveries, the overall efficiency of the company suffers.

Last-mile deliveries are expensive and can add 41% more costs to logistics when not managed properly. In such situations, a properly managed trucking software helps companies assign orders to the right drivers, with the right place and time - saving both time and money.

3. It positively impacts customer experience

Customers are fickle because they have a lot of options. If a company wants to grow, it must ensure that the customers are satisfied. Logistics are the hardest part of any business to manage because it involves unpredictable demands and scenarios. Many customers want deliveries on the same day. According to a study, 57% of logistics companies said that their customers’ demands same-day delivery. Satisfying this demand for same-day deliveries may put a strain on any company.

Thanks to automated trucking software, managing such tasks has become easier. Now, it requires less human effort and also saves time and money. Customers, too, are satisfied that their demands are being met.

4. It empowers businesses to shrink delivery cycles

The dispatch management process of a growing company is more complicated. When a company is expanding and increasing its services, it needs good software to ensure a more efficient process.

These software solutions can help you scale your company’s growth. Because there is no need for human intervention, the software decreases the time span of delivery cycles and increases productivity.

5. It helps businesses reduce their carbon footprint

When automated, dispatch services help reduce the carbon footprint of the business. All the tasks are performed in-house, which eliminate the use of papers and other resources.

So why should enterprises get a makeover in this area? Here are a few pointers:

1. Trucking dispatch software helps provide better customer service

Of course, automated services like these can improve customer experiences. Customers like to track their purchases and the dispatch software sends automated texts or emails to keep them updated about the delivery of their product. It notifies the customers that their parcel is on the way or a technician is on his way. This increases customer satisfaction levels and creates a favorable image of the company on their minds. They are more likely to order from the same company again if they get good service- so this helps in customer retention. Customers can also give feedback about the delivery service via this software through a mobile app.

2. Trucking software reduces manual dependencies

With the right technology, enterprises can become smart. Smart companies can reduce manual dependencies. A growing company involves complicated dispatch processes which are difficult to manage manually- and may leave room for errors. With a machine taking care of dispatch management, the margin for errors goes down. The process becomes faster too because the software can notify thousands of customers about their packages, make bills and manage entire fleets of trucks. Fleet maintenance overall becomes easier.

3. Enhancing delivery fleet productivity

With such specialized software, enterprises can improve fleet productivity. Companies can track their fleet- which ensures transparency in operations. Such software also helps companies know about delays or issues the fleet is facing with real-time tracking. Efficient trucking dispatch software further helps generate accurate estimated time of delivery to its customers.

With a dedicated mobile app, managers can check the status of the fleet via a mobile app; and can stay connected with the on-field agents. This ensures smooth communication overall.

4. Optimizing transportation cost

With facilities like mapping and GPS tracking, drivers can find the best routes and get updates on traffic. Drivers can plan their movements accordingly- which helps the company manage costs better. Such software uses advanced routing data to ensure that the drivers reach their destination on time.

5. Improving delivery route planning

Good route planning helps the drivers reach the destination on time. This software helps the dispatchers find the shortest route and ensure quick delivery to its customers.

Dispatch management software improves the responsiveness of logistics processes. It reduces costs and improves customer service. Here are some ways in which such software ensures the efficiency of logistics operations.

Automated Sorting

Automatic sorting reduces manual labour and results in effective and timely deliveries. To sort the packages in the delivery routine is the hardest job to do. Automating sorting assigns the packages to the available driver keeping in mind the time and place of delivery. Incorporating maps helps drivers find the fastest routes, and also reduces costs.

Route Optimization

Route optimization is one of the best features of trucking dispatch management software that lets you find cost-effective routes for the delivery spots. Route optimization takes into account factors like weather conditions, traffic congestions and fuel consumption. Thus, enterprises can be more precise in conveying the expected delivery time for their customers.

Timely delivery also helps businesses expand. How? Route optimization features in the dispatch software help the drivers to reduce per time delivery, which will allow you to assign them more jobs per day.

Real-time Fleet Tracking

Real-time fleet management becomes a piece of cake when enterprises deploy trucking software. Real-time fleet management is enabled as the software sends an update to the fleet manager within ten seconds to two minutes. It uses a GPS tracking device and gives the exact location of the driver to the fleet manager.

When you stay updated about your fleet, you can get an accurate sense of the daily progress of your assigned tasks. This improves overall supply chain management. Also, it helps you provide more precise time estimates to your customers. Some benefits of real-time fleet management and tracking are:

• Makes fleet management possible in real-time
• You will know what your vehicles are 24x7
• Better supply chain management
• Ensure better customer satisfaction
• Helps in fleet maintenance

Contactless Deliveries and Pickups

COVID-19 raised the demand for health and safety measures. In order to keep everyone involved safe, companies started adopting contactless deliveries and pickup. This translated into packages being delivered at the customers' doorstep and avoided manual contact between the customers and dispatchers.

Thanks to advanced transportation management software, this has become the norm all around the world. The customers are informed about the delivery via SMSs and emails. The delivery personnel take pictures and update both the customers and the company as proof of the delivery.

Drivers get the instructions for pickup and assigned the time and place for proper deliveries. Modern dispatching software ensures that the drivers, company and the customers stay connected and updated throughout the delivery process.

Automated Delivery Scheduling

Some might think that calling the drivers and reminding them about the delivery is not a tough job to do. However, the reality is very different. Imagine calling up hundreds of drivers and scheduling the deliveries manually. This is a herculean effort and takes a lot of time.

However, modern dispatch software has the option for automated delivery scheduling. Thanks to this feature, all delivery information is fed to the dispatchers and enterprises have control over delivery operations. Managers can track all operations via mobile apps. The entire process becomes easy, reliable and time-saving.

Empowered with technology, smart and automated dispatch scheduling offers a much efficient ecosystem to orchestrate field deliveries and field jobs with better efficiency. Smaller organizations may still use manual methods for scheduling and dispatch, but when it comes to e-commerce giants, dynamic scheduling is the preferred and go-to tool. Automated scheduling tools can easily manage thousands of technicians by using intelligent algorithms and workflows to distribute multiple tasks and provide real-time tracking. Dynamic scheduling is designed to take care of sequencing based on the priority, skill, and availability of technicians. No wonder it leads to better results and improved field performance.

Good trucking software is powered by tools that automate scheduling processes. Manual scheduling is unable to cope up with the swell in field service delivery requests. Multiple orders, changes, rerouting, all this can only be done economically and efficiently with the help of an automated scheduling tool. Automation helps in scheduling the task to the right resource taking into account his skill, proximity, priority, and availability to perform the task to fulfil the given SLA.