Overcome the issues of last mile deliveries
Descartes’ last mile software makes planning deliveries easier. Reducing route planning times, improving customer service, and reducing operations costs.
Reduce planning time
Delivery routes are automatically and continuously calculated as each order is added to the system, eliminating the need for batch processing.
Optimise with multiple depots
Last-mile delivery routes can be planned using the best depot or warehouse. There is no need to set boundaries for each location.
Consolidate collections & pickups
Include customer collections, depot pickups or additional services as part of the optimised route.
Give accurate delivery ETAs
Provide customers with accurate and short delivery time windows.
Contact us to discover how our software can help you make your last mile deliveries more efficient and deliver more with without adding drivers or vehicles.
Contact UsOptimising Last-Mile Delivery Software
In addition to the benefits above, Descartes’ last mile software has the capability to;
- Increase delivery productivity by up to 35%
- Reduce delivery miles by 13%
- Reduce CO2 emissions
- Improve customer service
- Offer customers environmentally friendly delivery options
To discover how your specific last-mile delivery challenges can be solved please fill out the Contact Us form below and one of our fleet logistics experts will be in touch.
Improving Last Mile Delivery Logistics
Customers have high expectations for deliveries, companies need to improve their customer experience and increase productivity while reducing the costs of their last mile delivery operations to remain competitive.
Last-mile deliveries - also known as final mile deliveries - have a big influence on future sales and customer loyalty.
For a business to thrive it must maximise efficiency in its final mile deliveries.
Integrating Last Mile Delivery
Descartes’ routing and delivery scheduling software, provides a host of last mile delivery optimisation solutions that can be integrated with online sales.
The experience a customer receives around their shipping and delivery will reinforce or damage a brand’s reputation impacting future sales. In fact, a poor delivery can quickly negate a positive sales process.
Last Mile Logistics Management Software Features
Automated route scheduling
High density delivery routes are created, utilising the drivers and vehicles available to deliver more and reduce costs. Delivery routes can be based on the most efficient routes not just fastest routes. Automatically optimise final mile delivery routes to save fuel and money.
Dynamic slot scheduling
Enabling self-selection of delivery times at the point of sale increases customer satisfaction and reduces abandoned shopping baskets. Only offer delivery slots that can be fulfilled with the existing delivery capacity available.
Continuous optimisation of routes
Subsequent orders with a delivery addresses geographically close to previous orders may be brought forward and combined, improving delivery times and customer satisfaction, and providing the most efficient route for the final mile.
Delivery notifications
Automated messages during the last mile of delivery minimise missed deliveries and improve customer communications prior to delivery, improving customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Home Delivery
Improve the customers' buying and last mile of delivery experience, from booking a delivery slot through to receiving and acknowledging their delivery.
Digital proof of delivery
Capture images/signatures of deliveries, record any damage, reduce losses, fraud and delivery queries while also eliminating paper and printer ink.
Customer engagement
Enhance customer service and receive important information from the customer pre-delivery and customer feedback immediately post-delivery. Allow customers to track their delivery on a map in real-time.
Last Mile Successes
“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
“Descartes ePOD solution has unlocked considerable benefits for both our business and our customers. We have seen the number of requests for PoD decline dramatically and have received increasingly positive feedback from our customers.”
Peter Russell, IT Director, Carpet & Flooring
Customer POD requests reduced 80%
Successful 1st Time Deliveries Increased
Operations costs Reduced
“Redefining the Customer Experience in the Tyre Replacement Market”
Jobs/van/day increased 194%
Mileage reduced 13%
Fleet size 400+
“Suffice to say, it has been one of the most profitable and productive changes we have made to the business. Overnight our business was transformed. Our planning team and drivers love using Descartes.....Since introducing Descartes, Stop Start’s daily delivery volume has increased 50%. This rate of growth would not have been sustainable without digital planning tools. ”
Andrew Bayne, Managing Director
Daily planning time reduced 75%
Daily Deliveries 1,450
Fleet size 50
“We’re delighted with the solution and the service we have received from Descartes. Ultimately, Descartes is helping us minimise our operational costs through its route planning and optimisation solution and is actively contributing to our corporate and social responsibility and sustainability efforts.”
Simon Macdonald, National Transport Manager
Avg distance driven/delivery reduced 2%
Manual processes Replaced
Nationwide stores 300+
“Descartes solution shortens the time it takes to load our 250 daily orders into the best available vehicle, as well as to plan and route the optimal sequence of next-day deliveries—all while prioritising economical efficiencies. ”
Jon Robshaw, Transport Manager
Planning time saved 25hrs/wk
Customer Experience Paperless
Fleet Size 17
“Descartes Route Planner and the Track-My-Truck feature have been a huge win for our customers, enabling us to give them the flexibility, responsiveness, and transparency they expect and deserve, while also reducing our overhead costs and boosting fleet productivity to drive growth. Delivery operations improved more than we expected, faster than we expected, and it’s made life easier and more efficient for customers and internal teams alike.”
Nathan Sanders, President and CEO
OTIF deliveries up from 91% to 97%
Delivery enquiry calls decreased 50%
Number of distribution sites 12
Descartes Home Delivery Consumer Sentiment Study 2024
Watch the Descartes 2024 Home Delivery Consumer Sentiment study overview today to discover more in-depth findings from consumers about their delivery expectations and experiences.
Create Competitive Advantages
This has the effect of improving customer service while also increasing fleet delivery capacity and delivery density. Delivery slots can also be incentivised to drive delivery density to reduce delivery costs with “green” slots when other local deliveries are taking place.
When moving to a more automated dynamic approach with Descartes, logistics operations typically see an 8-12% reduction in miles if customers’ deliveries can't be moved across multiple days and up to 15-20% reduction in miles when there is flexibility to schedule consumers deliveries across several days. Customers do not always want their delivery the next day, often preferring to select a day and time that is most convenient for them, when they know they will be at home for the delivery.
Learn More About Scheduling Optimisation
Last Mile Proof of Delivery
The Descartes mobile applications enable customer notifications and real-time electronic collection for proof of delivery. With information on location, time and data about deliveries being uploaded at the time of recording. The routing and scheduling software system is updated with the data, enabling deliveries further along the schedule to be improved and notified of expected delivery times.
Read more about Proof of Delivery
Notifications and Automated Order Tracking
Offering real-time order tracking to customers allows them to engage with their delivery seamlessly before, during, and after their delivery appointment.
Descartes delivery notification and order tracking software enables a company to improve their customer’s delivery experience, allowing customers, drivers and staff to share information. Sending the right message at the right time, offering last mile tracking and even customer feedback after the delivery.
Last-mile delivery FAQs
You may also be interested in
Route Planning & Scheduling Software
Plan, dispatch, and control fleet resources. Build optimised routes and schedules with costed delivery options in seconds. Achieve more deliveries in fewer miles to reduce fuel, servicing, and maintenance costs using our route optimisation software.
Delivery Reservations
Automated delivery scheduling, the ability to allow customers to choose their own delivery slots, determined by resources available will improve customer satisfaction.
Delivery Route Scheduling
The concept of delivery route scheduling is to determine which delivery vehicle an order should be transported on and the best order in which a delivery vehicle should make its deliveries.
Route Optimisation
Use clever mathematical algorithms and artificial intelligence to dynamically optimise delivery routes from the latest road network data in real time.
Planned v. Actual
Compare planned routes against actual routes taken and use for future improvements.
