Conquering last mile delivery: From biggest challenge to greatest competitive asset 

Sorry for opening on a sour note but for how much time your business has been struggling in vain with last mile delivery optimization? And how many resources slipped through the cracks already? It seems like it’s high time we dotted the i's and crossed the t’s on the matter and prevented any more of your budget from being wasted when it could be multiplied.  

The last-mile delivery dilemma

Free and fast shipment – that’s all your customers need to keep choosing you over your competitors. But if you’ve been trying to live up to these seemingly simple characteristics for some time now, you know that there’s an unfortunate last-mile delivery problem you have to overcome.  

The thing is that this last phase of the delivery process is the most expensive one and yet, you have to make it free and lightning-fast for consumers to stay happy with your goods and services. But how? The answer to it is right below. 

Address your last-mile delivery challenges with Modsen

Endpoint logistics challenges have been on our radar for quite some time now, which means that virtually for any obstacle your business is struggling to overcome there is a widely researched, tested, and successfully implemented technological solution devised by Modsen logistics team.

Let’s have a closer look at the main challenges in last mile delivery you’re most certainly familiar with from your own business experience.

Key last-mile delivery problems

Source: TheLastMileLogisticsWhitePaper

Having helped over a dozen logistics, ecommerce, and retail business owners cut last mile delivery costs, we’ve got straightforward technological answers to any end-point logistics obstacles that hold you back. 

Challenge #1. High fuel costs and inefficiencies caused by poorly planned delivery routes

Our solution: Last mile delivery route optimization software

No last mile delivery management strategy is complete without taking routes under control. Carrying out endpoint logistics in cities is inherently connected to variables such as traffic patterns, weather conditions, delivery time windows, and vehicle capacity. Route optimization software helps calculate the most time- and cost-efficient delivery routes, ensuring drivers make more deliveries in less time. 

The key route optimization software features we help businesses to implement include: 

Challenge #2. Lack of visibility into delivery progress and driver accountability

Our solution: Last mile delivery tracking and telematics software

Full delivery process visibility ranks first among the key customer demands for final mile logistics. But apart from meeting consumer expectations and ensuring timely deliveries, last mile delivery tracking software also provides real-time visibility into vehicle locations, while telematics collects data on driver behavior, fuel consumption, and vehicle health.  

Effective tracking and telematics software should incorporate the following core functionality:

Challenge #3. Inefficient manual workflows and lack of delivery tracking

Our solution: Delivery Management System development

Last mile delivery process flow only becomes effective when looked at in a holistic way. The development of a custom DMS for your business will help you automate and manage the entire delivery lifecycle, from order allocation and route assignment to proof of delivery.

When our partners turn to us for last mile delivery management system development, we go for:

Challenge #4. Missed deliveries and lack of communication about delivery status

Our solution: Real-time customer communication tools

How to improve last mile delivery transparency for end users? Create customer-friendly tools to keep them informed about their delivery status through live tracking, SMS, or email notifications. Real-time updates reduce customer uncertainty, building up brand loyalty. 

Among the key features we develop for real-time customer communication tools are: 

Challenge #5. Labor shortages and delivery inefficiencies in high-traffic areas

Our solution: Autonomous last mile delivery solutions

Drones, robots, and autonomous vehicles hold the future of last mile delivery for large-scale businesses. Shipping robots are already racing across neighbourhoods helping businesses transform endpoint logistics as we know it and slash the cost of last mile delivery as it is the human labour that makes it so expensive.

Building software for autonomous delivery vehicles we implement the best and most advanced AI and ML solutions to allow for seamless:

Challenge #6. Failed delivery attempts and customer unavailability

Our solution: Smart lockers and pickup points software

Missed deliveries come 7th among the top 10 key closing mile logistics challenges and this time speed of shipment and fleet capacity don’t really matter – the ball is in customer’s court. To bridge this failed delivery gap, more and more businesses opt for smart lockers that provide secure, centralized locations where clients can pick up their deliveries at their convenience.  

The features we build for self-service lockers software include: 

Challenge #7. Lack of real-time insights into package location or condition

Our solution: IoT-based software

Today’s last-mile delivery deals with a variety of goods, including perishable foods and pharmaceutical produce that are highly susceptible to shipment conditions like temperature and humidity. To take those factors under control and ensure timely and high-quality delivery of easily spoiled goods, business owners opt for built-in IoT devices that enable real-time tracking and monitoring of packages, vehicles, and in-truck environmental conditions.

The key IoT software features we help businesses implement encompass: 

Challenge #8. Dependency on paper-based processes and lack of flexible data access

Our solution: Mobile and cloud-based applications

If you plan on business scaling, it’s wise to upgrade logistics data management tools first. Cloud-based last mile delivery platforms and mobile apps give drivers, managers, customers, and business owners access to complete delivery information from anywhere and significantly increase overall operational efficiency. 

Our experience in building logistics data management tools includes: 

Challenge #9. Limited delivery capacity during peak periods and high operating costs

Our solution: Crowdsourced delivery platforms

Since human labour is the main reason why last mile delivery is so expensive, hiring on-demand independent contractors, or gig economy personnel is a viable option to cut endpoint logistics costs. For businesses looking to embrace this opportunity, we develop crowdsourced delivery platforms that help find workers to handle last-mile deliveries and benefit from: 

Final thoughts

Don’t let last mile delivery challenges hinder your business growth. Allow our team to step in and transform your endpoint logistics into a competitive advantage.