Source: Field Service News
The most successful logistics managers (and sleigh based delivery drivers) were likely those who could turn to technology to cope with the busiest (and most wonderful) time of the year writes Sergio Barata, General Manager EMEA, Telogis
During the recent holiday season whilst people up and down the country were purchasing piles of food, beverages and presents for their friends and families, spare a thought for those who were able to help make this period as the song goes the most wonderful time of the year.
For fleet managers, this represents one of the most challenging periods on the calendar.
Each year, we hear horror stories of traffic jams and huge queues of HGVs and LCVs snaking for miles outside of distribution centres. We hear about angry customers waiting for their parcels and how it has ruined the holiday. With so many elements to juggle, how can fleet operators keep on top of everything?
Most importantly, how can they ensure their customers get all their present in time?
With research showing that more than half of fleet executives still use manual systems for everyday fleet management tasks, it’s no surprise that many fleets are struggling to cope with the increased holiday workload.
Technology is like Santa’s little helper for fleet and logistics managers, as it plays a vital role in helping to balance distribution centre schedules, driver timings and route traffic and ultimately keep everyone happy. For fleet operators who want to stay ahead of the competition, there’s no time to lose to adopt the latest tech.
Avoiding queues at customers or distribution centres
Long lines of vans and lorries parked outside depots and distribution centres can lead to angry locals – or even a visit from the police – and cause delays for anxious customers waiting for their packages. For fleet managers, it is vital to first look at their Service Level Agreements (SLAs) to establish what is expected of them, and then plan accordingly with the distribution centres in advance to map out the best timings for goods collection.
With this information, fleets can use a tech platform such as Mobile Resource Management (MRM) to plot out the details to spend less time idling in an endless queue. This allows for smoother and less stressful journeys, as well as happier customers.
Avoiding traffic jams with smarter route planning Even without the additional holiday traffic clogging up the roads, a study
earlier this year found that congestion in the UK’s major cities has created a 20 per cent decline in average vehicle speeds, resulting in a whopping 324.3 billion miles of delays altogether – and this is costing our economy around £9bn.
As a result, optimising routes to avoid traffic and achieve marginal gains is more important than ever. MRM provides managers with live analytics that allows them to plan out the best routes beforehand and establish which
driver is best placed to arrive at the desired destination the soonest, as well as being able to manage time slot deliveries. The technology can then track the vehicle’s location once it’s out on the road, and even re-route the driver at a moment’s notice if road conditions suddenly change.
With in the moment visibility over the status and location of each customer’s delivery, this not only means that drivers can take the most efficient routes, potentially reducing idling and fuel consumption, but also that managers are able to respond quickly and knowledgeably to customer questions if unexpected eventualities arise. This can ensure that customer satisfaction will remain high even if unavoidable delays do occur.
