The most important aspect of delivery planning is the scheduling of the delivery slots.
With the Descartes delivery scheduling software customers can select a delivery slot at the Point of Sale that is convenient for them at a cost they are prepared to pay within your own optimised delivery operation, ideal for consumer home deliveries, but also suitable for b2b.
Delivery reservations at Point-of-Sale
At the Point-of-Sale, available delivery resources are visible to the software so that possible delivery options can be offered to the consumer in seconds. Selection of certain delivery slots can be incentivised using differential pricing. This encourages consumers to select the most optimal delivery slot for logistics based on previous orders in the system and existing delivery commitments. Understanding your delivery costs and using a differentiated pricing model to influence delivery choices is the best way to increase delivery density and cover costs associate with that delivery.
Allowing customers to self select delivery options that are convenient for them at a price they are prepared to pay drives buyer behaviour and loyalty. It also reduces failed deliveries, helping to ensure customers are present when delivery takes place and proof of delivery is required, such as a signature for the retailer or supplier.
Our scheduling software can also take into account value added services that are purchased and offer delivery options for the goods and services at the point of sale. For example, installation and removal of white goods will require more space on the vehicle and a delivery crew with the skills to carry out the task, this is taken into consideration at the time of ordering.
As the customer is selecting their delivery slot our optimisation engine is considering drver availablity, vehicle capacity and the skills required for any additional services.
Only costed and profitable delivery slots will be presented as being available to the consumer at the point of purchase.
Features & Benefits
Dynamic scheduling
Automatically schedule deliveries as they appear in your ERP systems and easily accommodate changes on-the-fly such as new orders.
Customers select reservations
Provide an enhanced delivery experience with costed delivery options at the point of sale. Increase sales of goods and value added services.
ERP Systems
Descartes Routing software can be integrated with most ERP systems, resulting in seemless bookings for deliveries.
Cloud-based software
Our fleet route scheduling Software is available over the internet wherever you have a connection, providing team access to our solution, working from any location at any time.
Customer Successes
“In the past year since having the Descartes' system our jobs per route has improved by just short of 10%.”
Martin Alldritt - Planning & Optimisation Manager
Jobs per route has increased 9.9%
Average mileage between jobs reduced
Improved Customer Service
“Descartes Reservations™ and Route Planner™ solutions were integral to our strategy of offering a more extensive, but unified delivery service. The advanced optimisation capabilities and architecture of the Descartes solutions were critical, bringing new delivery service options to our customers in an economically feasible way. ”
Andrew Gay - Systems Manager
Fulfilment costs reduced £1.8m
Increased delivery productivity 35%
Delivery windows provided at POS
“By optimising planning, scheduling and routing, we’ve lowered our distribution costs: we’re getting more capacity out of our fleet and have reduced the number of returned loads by ensuring the right product is loaded onto the right truck. ”
Mark Parsons - Managing Director
Reduced cost of distribution
Increased delivery capacity
Reduced number of returned loads
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