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Strategic Route Planning

Use Strategic Route Planning to plan your delivery network effectively.

Maximise efficiency, respond to changing customer demand, meet new business objectives, and find the best entry into new markets or consolidate acquisitions. 

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Strategic Route Planning capabilities

Distribution and 3pls

Model and evaluate

Correctly simulate and analyse the financial and operational impacts of any change to your distribution network with strategic route planning software before making any decisions and potentially expensive mistakes.

Bookings LA

Best delivery frequency and day

Discover the most effective delivery schedule to improve both customer service and fleet efficiency.

RTL distribution

Flexible operations

Determine the most effective delivery plan to boost customer satisfaction and fleet productivity.

Route execution

Ultimate routes

Discover which alternate or revised routing strategies will meet the needs of the company's current goals or future growth best.

Investor relations

Business growth

Understand the optimal tactics for penetrating untapped markets and integrating recent acquisitions.

Monitor general LA

Accurate predictions

Discover the potential resources required to move forward and estimate the potential cost of deliveries by using strategic route planning.

Computer screens

Why adopt Strategic Route Planning

  • Your customer base has and continues to change. 
  • Your customer service policies have and continue to change. 
  • Your company went through a merger or acquisition. 
  • Your company sees significant variances in delivery volume through the year 

Strategic Route Planning visibility impact

Planning Changes

  • Changes to distribution centre locations.
  • Driver schedules and compensation plan changes. 

Business Strategy

  • New business models.
  • New delivery service options.

Variables

  • Peaks and troughs in demand.
  • New vehicle options. 
  • Possible acquisitions. 

Strategic Route Planning - Single pass approach 

Using a single-pass approach for strategic route modelling, Descartes' strategic route planning software improves the effectiveness of delivery operations. Strategic route planning can be used by groups operating either static, master or dynamic routes because it improves processes that are used in daily route planning. 

  • Optimum delivery strategy with strategic route planning 
  • Strategic planning can be used to calculate the optimal number and location of new facilities, vehicle numbers, and drivers to business requirements. 

 

What is Strategic Route Planning? 

Strategic route planning is the process of designing a transportation plan for a specific period in the future, typically from one month to a year ahead. A strategic route plan will be based on factors important to your business such as customer locations, delivery frequency, shipment volumes, and transportation costs. But can also take into account potential new customers, optional locations for depots and warehouses or a variance in the number and type of vehicles involved such as EVs to overcome CAZ restrictions. 

The objective of strategic route planning is to optimise the routes and minimise transportation costs while still meeting customer demands and meeting KPI’s. This sandbox method of planning can enable optional plans to be created and tested before implementation to minimise the risk of failure. 

See the impact of Strategic Route Planning