Curious about what are last mile delivery solutions? What do they do for your business?
Consider this:
You’re binge window shopping online (believe me, that’s a thing for us smart phone-in-hand-nothing-better-to-do folks). A scroll here, a swipe or two there, a few likes and here it comes…….a CLICK!
You like what you see (yeah, they’re getting real good with product photography, I tell you).
You’re all pumped up; that’s exactly what I wanted, you tell yourself.
You order it right away.
Now what? You have to wait. 3, 4, 5 days, maybe a week, two weeks…depends.
But if you get what you ordered, delivered to your doorstep, the same day or the next, you’re over the moon. You feel accomplished. You feel SPECIAL.
Yeah. That’s what a smart last mile delivery solution does for your business. It trumps all the supply chain logistics speed bumps and drives your customers’ satisfaction off the charts!
What is Last Mile Delivery?
As the name suggests, last mile delivery is the last stretch of your products’ journey where it travels from a warehouse to the customer’s doorstep.
This is the final and most critical part of your logistics and supply chain function. It’s the part that has the end-user directly involved. This last part of your delivery process could involve transporting your product over a few blocks, or even 50 to 100 miles from the transportation hub to its final destination.
The goal of a last mile delivery solution is to get what your customer clicked at, delivered to them at their provided address as soon as possible. Now, this last mile delivery is the most expensive and time taking aspect of your shipping process.
If tackled smartly, it can massively impact your business efficiency, customer satisfaction and consequently your bottom line.
Last-mile Delivery Process – Step By Step:
The last mile delivery process is carried out in the following five steps:
Step 1: An Order Is Placed
The customer confirms the order, opts for a shipping method and gives the shipping address. Upon receiving the information, the supplier confirms the order and initiates the fulfillment process. This is the stage at which orders and requests are tracked by both the sender and the final receiver, who is most likely tracking the progress of their delivery via a tracking number.
Step 2: Orders Are Taken To The Distribution Center
Orders arrive at the transportation hub and are awaiting delivery to their final destination. This is when the last-mile delivery process actually begins—companies must guarantee that the item is delivered as swiftly as possible from the transportation hub to the client.
Step 3: Delivery Services Are Assigned
Orders are assigned to delivery workers depending on routes and recipient addresses. Strategically sorting and designating items for delivery is critical to having an efficient, cost-effective last-mile delivery logistics solution.
Step 4: Orders Are Scanned
Before being put onto delivery vans, the thorough orders are scanned. This changes the order status for both the sender and the eventual receiver who is tracking the package. It also decreases the possibility of packed products getting lost in transit.
Step 5: Orders Are Delivered To The Final Recipients
Orders are successfully delivered to their receivers, and evidence of delivery is acquired. At this point, the package has arrived at its final destination. The delivery staff then updates the tracking information to check and confirm that the delivery has been accomplished.
What’s The Big Deal With Last Mile Delivery and Why Does It Matter?
In the end-to-end logistics processes of companies, the last mile matters the MOST!
Moreover, the post-pandemic mushroom growth in online shopping with the introduction of contactless delivery, zero cash payments, health protocols, and more has further complicated the delivery process . Businesses must find a means to enhance efficiency and minimize costs to fund their shipping and logistics solutions.
The industries most dependent on last mile delivery solutions are retailers, restaurants, e-Commerce, manufacturers, third party logistics and all those who need to ship their products and services seamlessly to their end users.
Remarks
Like most businesses, you may not have up-to-date IT departments or teams. But you can still make the most of the latest tech solutions, through outsourcing. At Techtiz, we have been providing technology solutions for more than 50 clients in a vast array of industries. Our clients in the logistics sector experienced a 40% increase in their revenues through our customized tech products. If last mile delivery is a pain point with your business just like thousands of others, we have sustainable solutions that ensure your growth and profitability. Let’s discuss the possibilities here.
