If you’re making hundreds of deliveries every day using more than one delivery driver, you’ll need the help of technology to keep your operation smooth and efficient. For many businesses that handle last-mile delivery, this takes the form of full-fledged delivery software.
Of course, “delivery software” is a broad term. And the delivery process includes every little step of moving a package from A to B securely.
So, in this post, we’re going to explore what delivery software actually does, highlighting the key features that we’ve built into our own product, Zeo Route Planner, and how delivery teams use it to run a more efficient operation.
Key features Zeo Route Planner offers
We developed the Zeo Route Planner based on feedback from couriers and delivery companies.
This means our platform has been developed with the needs of dispatchers and delivery drivers at its core.
Many other vendors either:
- build a single app for a specific use case, which is used in isolation or within an expensive suite of tools, or
- build one solution for a variety of field services, meaning features are diluted or generic.
Here are some of the features which is offered by the Zeo Route Planner
Route optimization and planning
Manual route planning is a huge time-drain for managers who are scheduling delivery routes, especially when you have multiple drivers working at the same time. And using platforms like Google Maps doesn’t cut it when you’ve got hundreds of stops to schedule each day.
With Zeo Route Planner, you upload your list of addresses (in spreadsheet format/image capture/QR code) into our app. Our route optimizer algorithm will automatically calculate the fastest route for each driver.
Within 1 minute, you’ll have fully-optimized driving directions, which can then be followed up by using your favorite navigation service.
By entering your list of addresses for multiple drivers, you’re making sure your company’s routing is planned efficiently in its entirety.
Route customizations
If you’re working with manual planning or route printouts, it’s a huge challenge to adapt when something unexpected happens. But with our app, you can customize routes as they’re in progress. You can add new stops using the web app, and the driver can do the same manually on their iOS or Android app. This gives you control and flexibility throughout the day.
And route customization is also important before drivers kick off their route. We offer:
- Priority stops: Allowing you to prioritize certain stops that need to be completed early in the day, which is then taken into account for your optimized routes.
- Time constraints: Allowing you to finish a delivery run by a particular time of day or within a specific allocated time window. For example, one business uses this feature to complete B2B stops in the morning before running B2C deliveries in the afternoon.
Download and try the Zeo Route Planner for free, and experience first-hand how it makes life easier while managing multiple drivers across various delivery routes.
Choice of navigation service
Some delivery software vendors force you to use their own mapping tool or limit their integrations to certain navigation systems. But with Zeo Route Planner, you can use the navigation service according to your own preference without adding any extra hassle or cost.
Our platform works with Google Maps, Waze Maps, Yandex Maps, Here We Go, TomTom Go, Sygic Maps, and Apple Maps on the iOS platform.
Drivers toggle between the delivery app and their chosen GPS app, with the two working together seamlessly as their route progresses. This allows you to benefit from best-in-class navigation and doesn’t force drivers to learn a new software solution.
Route Monitoring
Being able to monitor drivers along their routes is critical for any dispatcher or team manager. And with drivers now using their smartphones for navigation and delivery management tasks, this can now be done without buying expensive hardware to track vehicles’ location.
With the Zeo Route Planner app, you can do real-time tracking and know each driver’s location in the context of their optimized route. This means you know where they’ve just stopped and where they’re going next.
In contrast, many other vehicle trackers show you the driver as a dot on the map, but you don’t actually know whether the driver is on schedule or running late.
Providing recipient notifications
You might need delivery tracking to inform customers of where their package is and when their driver is likely to arrive. But to increase efficiency even further, you should aim to give recipients this information upfront, so they don’t have to call your customer service.
When you use Zeo Route Planner as your delivery solution, you can automatically notify recipients when a vehicle leaves your depot to give them a rough ETA and update them closer to the time with an accurate time window for delivery. This increases customer satisfaction and means that you’re able to complete more deliveries because recipients are home at the right time.
Automated recipient notifications also provide delivery confirmation updates and proof of delivery, and they can be sent via SMS, email, or both.
Proof of delivery
Acquiring proof of delivery means you’re protected against complaints and disputes, and it also means your drivers can complete more deliveries. This is because they can leave packages with neighbors or put them in a safe place ready for the recipient to collect when they’re back home. And really, no delivery management solution is complete without POD capabilities.
Zeo Route Planner’s POD turns your driver’s smartphone into an e-signature device, allowing the recipient to sign on the touch-screen with the tip of their finger.
Also, your driver can capture photographic proof of delivery. This information is automatically uploaded into the cloud for your back office records and can also be sent to the recipient as delivery confirmation.
Final thoughts
To sum up, we would only say that using delivery software can provide you with all the features that can make the delivery process hassle-free and increase your profits. With the help of the Zeo Route Planner app, you can absolutely boost your delivery business and generate much revenue.
In our view, there are three main outcomes that delivery software should help create:
- Happy customers
- Happy drivers
- Efficient operations
Full-fledged delivery software should ease friction in every area of dispatching and driving, allowing you to focus on making more successful deliveries faster without adding stress or complexity. This, in turn, allows you to scale your delivery business and serve customers better.
Try it now
Our motive is to make life easier and comfortable for small and medium businesses. So now you are only one step away to import your excel and start away.
Download the Zeo Route Planner from Play Store
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zeoauto.zeocircuit
Download the Zeo Route Planner from App Store
https://apps.apple.com/in/app/zeo-route-planner/id1525068524
