The topic of deliveries is no longer just relevant for large transport companies: Companies of all sizes have to transport goods from one place to another: sometimes it is stock that is transported from a distribution center to various branches, sometimes products that have to be delivered directly to customers. As soon as these trips include several stops and occur more often than just occasionally, well thought-out route planning and delivery tracking become increasingly important: In what order are the stops best made? What happens if something comes up? How can travel time and fuel consumption be reduced? How can optimal utilization of drivers and vehicles be ensured? How do the team and customers know whether a delivery will arrive on time?
Software for tour planning or route planning helps companies answer all of these questions. The software determines the optimal route and sequence of stops based on various criteria and adapts them flexibly if necessary when stops are added or removed or when a route has to be changed due to traffic obstructions.
Small companies or teams that want to try out route planning software for the first time can benefit from a free tool. In this article, we present some software solutions that make route planning possible for free. You can find more detailed information about the criteria we used to select the tools at the end of the article.
These are the advantages of route planning software
Lower costs: Route planning software ensures that routes can be completed in a shorter time: it uses technology to model different scenarios and calculate the route that is most efficient and quickest. Detailed route instructions to drivers during the trip ensure that they find the right route effortlessly and do not have to spend extra time searching for the most suitable route. Traffic jams and other obstacles are detected in real time by many tools and automatically avoided. All this not only saves working time that has to be paid for, but also reduces fuel consumption. Fewer trips may also be necessary overall, as deliveries and destinations can be combined.
Real-time analysis: Companies can see at any time where their vehicles and drivers are currently located, how well they are being used and whether additional resources are needed. Depending on the system, they receive current information on the vehicle status and can identify which routes or vehicles and drivers are more likely to have problems.
Smoother operations: Most route planning software solutions are cloud-based and provide everyone involved - such as drivers, customer service teams, fleet managers and operations management - with a real-time overview of current routes and deliveries. Many tools can be integrated with CRM systems so that customer addresses for delivery are automatically retrieved from the customer database, eliminating errors caused by manual transfer. The tools can also be combined with other delivery and logistics software solutions, such as fleet management systems.
Satisfied customers: A smooth delivery not only improves internal processes, but also south africa telegram data has a positive effect on customer loyalty - after all, it is important to customers that their orders arrive on time and at the announced time. Additional services related to delivery are also welcome: customers increasingly expect to be able to access the current status of the delivery and the location of the delivery vehicle live and in real time.
Detrack
Overview of deliveries in Detrack ( Source )
Overall rating: 4.9/5
Reviews: 28
The delivery management software Detrack helps companies plan and track their deliveries and vehicle fleet. The integrated ElasticRoute function enables the rapid planning and optimization of thousands of routes simultaneously. If necessary, routes can be manually overwritten and adjusted to conditions such as specific time frames and assigned zones. Using live map tracking, companies can see exactly where deliveries are, whether problems are occurring and whether there are any anomalies in the behavior of drivers, such as if someone is driving too fast or is regularly late at their destination. If a vehicle breaks down or gets into an accident, the load can be transferred to another vehicle.
Customers are informed by SMS and email about the expected delivery time and the delivery, can use "Tap to Track" to see the location of the delivery vehicle on a map and can confirm the delivery contactlessly with a signature. The delivery drivers can use the app to capture signatures, scan barcodes and take photos to prove delivery. Thanks to these EPOD (Electronic Proof Of Delivery) functions, companies avoid unnecessary paperwork and have an overview of all documents in one central location. Overviews of the delivery and order history help to evaluate and document processes afterwards.