Development

Optimizing routes for school transport, how to improve planning processes? Learn to improve and the impact on children
Digitalization
The first and last (daily) mile of the little ones

Many educational entities choose to provide a school shuttle service for their students. This service can be performed by themselves or outsourced to personnel transport companies. If you are the logistics manager of a student transport company, you will know that in Spain the Real Decree 443/2001 of April 27 points out that the maximum length of travel by school transport cannot exceed one hour, so it is essential that students spend as little time as possible on transport, and that routes are efficient in terms of costs, time and distance.

They have recently been Published studies which correlate long trips to get to school with worse academic performance. Mainly because of reduced hours of sleep and less exercise to get to school. Sometimes the distance from children's homes to school makes it impossible to walk or ride a bicycle, so reducing travel times as much as possible is a priority.

The best way to plan transportation stops and minimize travel times is to use a route optimizer. An optimizer allows you to plan your routes in minutes, and thus achieve a significant reduction in travel times and even reduce the number of vehicles to be used.

It is also essential to have visibility of your operations, to be able to see in real time where the vehicles are located and obtain reports of the number of canceled stops, with their reasons, number of kilometers traveled, duration, etc.

Although school routes tend to be recurring, day by day there are changes in the number of students who demand the service, either due to a change in extracurricular activities or due to absenteeism. The number or size of vehicles to be used for the route may also vary. That is why it is necessary to suppleness and a platform that is plain easy to use and easy to implement.

3 ways to make school transport management more efficient:

  • Optimize routes
  • Get real-time information about the operation
  • Reduced costs, time and distance

In SmartMonkey we help public transport companies with a quick and practical solution in planning student transport routes. In minutes you will have the route optimized, you will be able to view the operation in real time, inform families continuously, obtain reports on important metrics for your operation.

Its implementation is very fast, you only need the data of your vehicles and the directions of the stops, and the optimizer will suggest the most effective routes for you in just a few minutes.

Let yourself be helped and try Routal free for 10 days at routal.com

The first and last (daily) mile of the little ones
Surely it has also happened to you: you buy something online that you need right away, but delivery times are a real nightmare.
Digitalization
How to reduce delivery times

Numerous studies show that it is up to 7 times more expensive to attract new customers than to keep existing ones. Therefore, taking care of the relationship with our client base is a better investment for our company, according to the specialized agency. Demandforce.

And how can we keep our customers? If your company is part of the logistics sector, keep reading, because we have a lot to tell you that will interest you.

Delivery times: the great logistical challenge

Surely it has happened to you too: you buy something online that you need immediately, but delivery times are a real nightmare.

It is nothing new to emphasize that the logistics sector is one of the most competitive and most competitive considering the operations of large companies, who offer increasingly shorter delivery times, of even hours. For this reason, offering an agile delivery service is currently one of the biggest differentiations and the main objective for any logistics company.

And now surely you have doubts: and how do I do it? Below we will explain the 3 essential techniques to optimize and improve your delivery times.

Techniques to reduce delivery times

Optimize routes

Route optimization will be your best weapon to reduce delivery times to a minimum.

For the route optimization prior planning will be essential: defining the total number of stops to be made, establishing a specific schedule or even detailing restrictions such as weight or volume in each vehicle. All these characteristics of our delivery route, if we take them into account at the time of planning, will help us to result in a customized route adapted to the operational needs of our company.

Once we have strategic planning, it will be time to optimize our route. We understand that a route is optimal and, therefore, is optimized, when the result is efficient in terms of time and mileage. Incorporating route optimization software in this step will be essential to have efficient routes, since using artificial intelligence it will effectively calculate in a matter of seconds what is the best route we can take. All of this will help reduce delivery time by more than 30% with respect to other routes.

Incorporate technology into your operating process

Digital logistics transformation is already a reality and, therefore, it is essential not to be left behind and incorporate it into our operations.

In order to be able to adapt to the needs of our commercial activity together with the technological requirements that are increasing at the social level, it is essential to include specialized software that not only improves the efficiency of our daily activities but also increases the level of competitiveness of our company compared to others.

An example of technological inclusion is the incorporation of a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) in our company. CRMs are software specialized in a set of practices, business strategies and technologies aimed at fostering an efficient relationship with our customers.

Communicate with your customers

In relation to the above, with regard to incorporating specialized software into our operations, it is also essential to have specialized programs in the direct communication with our users.

Not having direct and effective communication with your customers and even with the drivers and delivery people themselves is one of the biggest mistakes in logistics. Being able to enjoy direct communication channels that allow our users to know when they will receive a package, to verify that a service has been carried out or what phase of the operation it is in is key to effective deliveries and also to the satisfaction of all parties.

With SmartMonkey Planner you can count on each and every one of the techniques that will reduce your delivery times from day one. Do you want to try it? Now you can do it and for 10 days for free!

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How to reduce delivery times
Free is usually that word that has magical qualities, since it manages to attract anyone for whatever reason.
Logistics
You think Google Maps is free, but it ends up being very expensive

Free is usually that word that has magical qualities, since it manages to attract anyone for whatever reason. Who hasn't ever seen a kilometer line of retirees because they were giving away “something”? Something, most likely absurd and useless, but free. And if something is free, we all want them.

The last mile is a process of increasing social relevance, especially considering the enormous growth of e-commerce in recent years.

The importance of the last mile delivery process is given not only by the rise of ecommerce as a more than widespread buying trend, but also because of the complexity that the process itself is gaining due to its success.

Logistics companies struggle to be increasingly outstanding in an increasingly competitive market: satisfactory and fast deliveries, contactless, flexible deliveries or with an efficient reverse logistics policy, among others.

In order to meet all these expectations, logistics companies are required to redesign their last-mile strategy in order to continue in such a changing market. It is therefore essential to consider new ways of proceeding with last-mile delivery, since traditional logistics models have become obsolete, since they will not be commensurate with the current expectations of users.

In this case, the scanning is the key piece of this puzzle, since it will be what will allow companies to keep up to date within the sector.

But is it possible to digitalize the last-mile process successfully and for free?

Google Maps vs. specialized last-mile software

Free tools, such as Google Maps, can be very useful on a daily basis as a support method for moving to certain locations, planning trips abroad or even organizing specific routes. But is it possible to use this tool as a last-mile delivery planner? Our opinion is categorical: no.

The limitations of free tools such as Google Maps are numerous. As mentioned before, the last-mile delivery process is far from simple, in fact, in recent years it has become an increasingly complex and professional process (all due to its success in terms of market buying trends).

Therefore, delegating such complex and important processes as route planning and optimization to tools that are not specialized in this regard is a big mistake. In the case of Google Maps, many of the above-mentioned needs cannot be met, such as exhaustive route optimization, direct communication with customers, real-time monitoring of operations or even delivery tests, among others.

Consequently, we must bear in mind that in order to be logistically successful, we must rely on specialized last-mile software. In the article The 5 features you should look for in a last-mile management software”, we tell you in detail everything you should look for in specialized software.

Where two fit, three fit

Greed is known as a cardinal sin, but can it really be considered as such if we speak in logistical terms?

As mentioned before, the logistics industry is very competitive and staying firm in it can be really difficult. For this reason, professional excellence must be sought and, in concrete terms such as last-mile deliveries, even more so.

Incorporating specialized software for the last mile for the organization and favorable course of our daily operations is essential. In addition, it is also interesting to consider the facilities provided by tools such as Google Maps (and not only because they incorporate the magic word: “free”); in the specific case of the Google tool, it will directly help in making deliveries, as a route guide for them.

At this point, why not consider working with both tools and simultaneously? This is possible, since some of the most developed route planning software on the market incorporate Google Maps as part of their services.

In short, incorporating a specialized route planner and having it connected to tools such as Google Maps will guarantee success.

See for yourself all the advantages of incorporating specialized software that also has Google Maps, such as SmartMonkey Planner. Plus, if you sign up now, you'll get a free trial period (for a limited time only).

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You think Google Maps is free, but it ends up being very expensive
Reverse logistics is the set of processes responsible for managing the returns of those products purchased by users.
Digitalization
The 7 tips you need to improve the reverse logistics process

The logistics industry is constantly changing, both in processes and in the way of proceeding. These changes are due, to a large extent, to technological advances in the sector, which evoke different modalities in logistics processes, such as reverse logistics.

What is Reverse Logistics?

Reverse logistics is the set of practices and processes responsible for managing the returns and returns of those products purchased by users.

These returns or returns are managed from the points of sale of the products to the manufacturer itself (to carry out the repair, recycling or disposal of the product at the lowest possible cost).

In addition, reverse logistics is already another process and of vital importance when planning the supply chain for the satisfaction of the end customer.

7 tips to improve your reverse logistics

Customer Centric: It responds to the customer-oriented strategy through which an organization places the customer at the center of the company with the objective of focusing all processes and operations on users.

The implementation of the Customer Centric strategy increases the satisfaction of our users, since we focus all our efforts on knowing their needs and concerns regarding our activity. Knowing the desired delivery and return times or a maximum price per service will help increase your satisfaction and, therefore, carry out a satisfactory reverse logistics process.

Strategic Planning: Perform measured and analytical planning to ensure the correct management of operations taking into account parameters such as mileage or travel time. With the right software, this will be an autonomous task, in which a large amount of time is not required and with an optimal result, since it will always offer the most efficient route.

Optimization of resources: The optimization of resources when it comes to transportation is essential for the success of your company's reverse logistics process; it will help control the traceability, trajectory and tracking of shipments. In addition, planning delivery routes efficiently and optimally will result in significant economic and time savings. Therefore, the use of specialized software for route planning will be a key element in increasing the efficiency of your company's reverse logistics process.

Use of metrics and KPIs: To evaluate the productivity and performance of the reverse logistics process, the use of KPIs is essential (Key Performance Indicator). These indicators will help measure and quantify your company's performance and compliance with established objectives. It is recommended that when defining the logistics KPIs, they are developed based on the S.M.A.R.T. (Smart, Mmeasurable, Achivable, Realistic and Time-Bound) model.

Shorter return times: As mentioned before in relation to the Customer Centric strategy, it is essential to know not only the limits of our company in terms of acceptable delivery or return times, but also the “deadlines” or desired deadlines of our customers. For this reason, and in general terms, it should be prioritized that collection and return times are as short as possible and without the need to increase the amount of resources associated with reverse logistics. Thus, specific efforts should be made to improve this particular process.

Proactive monitoring: Proactive monitoring is the live monitoring of the daily planning of services and deliveries that warns of possible failures and errors while allowing us to react and adapt operations in a satisfactory manner.

Good proactive monitoring must have the possibility of monitoring the operation in real time and thus be able to view the progress of the operation live at all times. In addition, and in relation to the real-time monitoring of operations, it is essential that it incorporates sufficient functions that allow a timely reaction to possible failures or errors.

Non-intelligent warehouses or Smart Storage: Smart warehouses are specialized logistics centers that make use of technology to increase efficiency in all their processes, such as the reception, preparation or storage of goods.

An example of the use and benefit of implementing intelligent warehouses in the reverse logistics process is the case of Amazon, a company that has included artificial intelligence in its warehouses in order to quickly determine, based on the costs of each product and its associated return costs, if it accepts to pick up the product in question by activating the reverse logistics process or, on the contrary, makes the refund without the collection of said merchandise.

If you want to guarantee the success of your company's reverse logistics process, you can do so now with the specialized SmartMonkey Planner software. Try it free for 10 days, for a limited time only.

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The 7 tips you need to improve the reverse logistics process
Proofs of delivery, also known in English as proof of delivery (PoD), are the set of all information related to the delivery of a
Digitalization
Digital delivery tests: what they are and why you need them in your business

Las delivery tests, also known in English as Proof of Delivery (PoD), are the set of all the information related to the delivery of a package or the performance of a service.

Its use is increasingly widespread in logistics operations, since it certifies deliveries and/or services in a satisfactory manner, both for companies and for the customers themselves.

PEE or electronic proof of delivery (PoD)

In an increasingly digitized context that requires increasingly immediate processes, it is essential to incorporate mechanisms and tools that advance in the same way as operational requirements. For this reason, the use of PEE or, in other words, electronic proof of delivery is currently essential.

PEEs are the digital proof through which an individual or company certifies that they have received a good or service.

In this way, these PEEs support the execution of a delivery or service, certifying variables such as time, location, name of the receiver, the receiver's signature and even photographs.

Thanks to the incorporation of proof of delivery into the operation, the companies that carry out the service or delivery can access all the documentation electronically, in order to quickly verify that the operation has been carried out correctly.

Nowadays, digital proof of delivery is already part of the vast majority of companies in the logistics sector, as they are the mechanisms that help us to provide greater control of the last mile process quickly and efficiently.

Benefits of digital proof of delivery

As mentioned above, the main advantage of digital delivery tests is the absolute control of the process of delivering or performing a service immediately. However, they also have multiple other advantages. Here are some of them:

  • Productivity: the use of digital proof of delivery speeds up the delivery process, since times are shortened in addition to also facilitating information management.
  • Increased information: The amount of information collected in digital proof of delivery is greater than on paper, since there is limited capacity in paper form.
  • Photographs: with digital proof of delivery, it is possible to add photographs of the time of delivery or completion of the service instantly.
  • Reducing costs: with the addition of tools that allow digital delivery tests, all costs associated with the storage of analog proof of delivery (personnel, space, etc.) are eliminated.
  • Efficiency: with the inclusion of digital proof of delivery, we will avoid possible human errors such as the loss of documentation or possible confusion.
  • Sustainability: betting on methods that help improve the sustainability of our company is increasingly important and this is precisely another advantage of digital proof of delivery, since it encourages the elimination of the use of single-use paper by digital and more sustainable alternatives.

The multiple uses of proof of delivery

Now that you know what proof of delivery is and what all their advantages are, we'll show you some of their many uses.

  • Traceability: not only in the process of delivering an order, in which the proof of delivery certifies the delivery of the order, both for the delivery company and for the customer, but also in the performance of services. An example of this is the case of a company dedicated to the provision of cleaning services: in this particular case, the company that performs the cleaning certifies that the cleaning has been carried out correctly, sending one or more photographs both to the user receiving said service and to its own company. In this way, both users and entrepreneurs are instantly certain that the service has been successfully performed.
  • Comprehensive control: It is common for Horeca channel distribution companies to change at the time of delivery due to a multitude of possibilities: products in poor condition, unwanted, etc. In this case, and thanks to the proof of delivery, the total quantity of products received is reflected, as well as the characteristics of each of them. All of this can be automatically synchronized with the ERP, in order to update the customer's final billing and reduce to a matter of seconds an operation that, without digital proof of delivery, could be extended to days, billing errors and an endless number of calls and office work and a delay in the collection of the goods, with the consequent financial cost for the distribution company.
  • Proactive monitoring: Another of the uses, while the great advantage of including proof of delivery in our operations, is precisely its use when it comes to traceability in real time. An example of this is the case in which the logistics manager of the operation may be controlling and monitoring the status of the deliveries in real time and, in this way, be able to observe if there are delays or if there have been any problems at the time of delivery that can be corrected.

Do you want to know how you can incorporate proof of delivery into your operations and you don't know how? Very easy! In Routal Planner we have delivery tests and a multitude of other features. Sign up now and enjoy all of them thanks to our free trial period.

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If you want to know more about proactive monitoring, access our article “Optimize delivery management with proactive monitoring” and discover all its advantages.

Digital delivery tests: what they are and why you need them in your business
Here are the logistical purposes you need to set for a successful 2022 for your company:
Logistics
The logistics purposes you need for 2022

The last days and the first days of the year are crucial in any area, both personally and in business. We take the opportunity to take stock of everything that happened in the previous year and, we also took the opportunity to set new resolutions for the following year, in order to improve and prosper in the nearest future.

At SmartMonkey we want to help you have a very prosperous and beneficial next year for you and, therefore, we are going to help you with what we do best: last-mile logistics.

If you haven't yet considered what resolutions you need for 2022, don't worry, we'll give you the keys. Below, we show you what logistics purposes you need to set for a successful 2022 for your company.

Logistic Purposes for 2022

  • Improve customer satisfaction: User satisfaction with the service we offer must be one of our greatest objectives as a company. To do this, we must carry out actions that directly increase satisfaction and one of the key aspects for this is communication. Direct communication with users is essential, since in the midst of the digital age, we are used to being constantly connected and informed. With the use of specialized software, customers should be able to receive direct and real-time information about your purchases. For example, your customers should be able to know at all times where their order is or when they will receive it, among others. Therefore, it is essential that you incorporate mechanisms or tools that allow such direct communication and, therefore, increase your satisfaction.
  • Reduce failed deliveries: One of the big puzzles for most logistics companies and the carriers themselves is failed deliveries. For this reason, it is essential to make every effort to reduce this rate to a minimum or even disappear in the coming year. But you may wonder, and how do I do it? Well, as we mentioned before, the communication is key. If you establish direct communication channels with your customers, not only will their satisfaction with your company increase, but you will also reduce failed deliveries, since you can set a schedule or ensure that your customer will be at home a few minutes before receiving the package. It's that simple!
  • More sustainable logistics: La Green Logistics refers to all those efforts and actions aimed at measuring and minimizing the impact of logistics on the environment. In short, a set of initiatives to reduce the environmental impact derived from logistics activity. By implementing measures such as the reduction of plastics in packaging or the incorporation of specialized software to obtain efficient routes, we will make our operations increasingly sustainable, bringing us ever closer to the famous “green logistics”.
  • Reduce route times: Have the route planning service, in order to ensure the correct management of the operation taking into account parameters such as mileage or travel time. With the right software, this will be an autonomous task, in which you will not have to invest time and with an optimal result, since it will always offer you the most efficient route.
  • Proactive monitoring: La proactive monitoring It is the live monitoring of the daily planning of services and deliveries that warns of possible failures and errors while allowing us to react and adapt operations in a satisfactory manner.

Start the year fulfilling your resolutions and have a year of business success within your reach thanks to SmartMonkey Planner. Enjoy a free 10-day trial period.

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Before setting resolutions, it is time to take stock of the previous year to evaluate everything that happened and give rise to reflection. Learn about SmartMonkey's 2021 balance sheet in the article 2021 balance sheet: Routal's success story.

The logistics purposes you need for 2022
one of the highest-rated last-mile management platforms in 2021: more than 200 customers across 26 countries trust SmartMonkey
Digitalization
2021 Balance Sheet: The SmartMonkey Planner Success Story

A few days before the end of the year, at SmartMonkey we take stock of 2021: a year as convulsive as it is productive.

Throughout 2021 and even with the pandemic of Covid-19 very present, many companies have been forced to change and adapt to that no longer so “new reality”. New ways of proceeding such as “contact 0” deliveries or the switch to a increasingly sustainable logistics.

We can't be unfair, because despite enormous efforts, 2021 has been a great year at SmartMonkey and you, the user, know what we're talking about.

We have established ourselves as one of the last-mile management platforms most highly rated by its users: more than 200 customers from around 26 countries rely on SmartMonkey Planner for their operations on a daily basis. And thanks to this, and because more and more people trust Planner as their last mile manager, we can say that 2021 is closing as a year that is very aware of the environment: thanks to the use of Planner, 332 tons of CO2 have been saved.

The secret to SmartMonkey's success in 2021: We listen to our users

As we mentioned before, our users know how important it is for us to listen actively in addition to meeting and understanding each other's needs.

Precisely for this reason, in 2021 at SmartMonkey Planner we have implemented great new features on our platform. We started the year with Highway and in April we switched to Planner: a new platform with a much friendlier interface, further improving the experience of our users.

Thanks to the trust of users in SmartMonkey, we are Constant growth, which facilitates the relentless implementation of new features within the platform. In the last month of November, we launched new features within Planner, thus meeting the needs that our users let us know.

Planner is one of the most complete software for managing the last mile, thanks to some of the recent features:

Creating Zones: the possibility of organizing your daily planning taking into account the areas where delivery people can go. You can create zones for different zip codes, neighborhoods, regions, or any division that is of interest to your business.

Tasks: Tasks are all those activities or services that are part of the same stop, regardless of their status (whether those in force, to be performed or completed). Add more information to your stops by creating tasks to include all the details of your deliveries.

Barcode reading: The driver currently has the possibility to indicate the tasks as performed by scanning the barcode from the application.

Mode of transport: currently, in addition to a car, you can generate your routes with a bicycle, motorcycle and truck.

Estimated delivery time: know at all times what the current time of arrival of a driver is at a specific service, at what exact time it has been canceled or if at that time he is in transit, while your customers have the estimated time of delivery constantly updated.

These latest news are added to the long list of features that we have today. From the optimization of efficient routes to direct communication with your customers and even to the real-time monitoring of operations. All this and much more is SmartMonkey Planner. If you want to know in detail how our customers benefit from all these features and many others, discover Planner's use cases: Plan and optimize your deliveries, Track your deliveries, Monitor your operations and Notify your customers.

Don't be left behind and be part of a successful platform and transfer it to your operations, sign up for Planner:

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2021 Balance Sheet: The SmartMonkey Planner Success Story
Logistic heroes, like Santa Claus, rely on tools that can provide all their gifts on time and around the world.
Digitalization
The logistical secrets that Santa Claus didn't want to share with the Three Kings

Santa Claus is one of the greatest and most recognized representations of Christmas. A great, endearing hero and the one responsible par excellence for distributing thousands and thousands of gifts in addition to fulfilling a large number of dreams.

The work of Santa Claus at Christmas is commendable: distributing a large volume of gifts on time and around the world, without forgetting a single one. For this reason, he is a hero, a hero without a cape, as are all those people who are part of a company's logistics operations and who, day after day (not just at Christmas), manage to distribute thousands of products in record time. But what is their secret? How do they manage to deliver so many packages and always on time? Keep reading and we'll explain how to:

2021 Christmas sales forecast

The Christmas campaign is, without a doubt, one of the great challenges for companies in the logistics sector. The increase in Christmas shopping compared to other months of the year leads to an increase in logistics operations. Companies in the logistics sector must do their best to meet the high demand these days (Santa Claus is unforgiving!).

In fact, on specialized portals such as The Economist, highlight a forecast of an increase in shipping management of more than 7% compared to data for the 2020 financial year, which will lead to more than 160 million shipments over this period.

For this reason, logistics heroes, including Santa Claus, are not left behind and rely on tools that can provide all their gifts on time and around the world. Below we reveal to you the great enigma of success.

What is the big secret of Santa Claus?

Given the great impact on sales in practically all stores during the Christmas campaign, it is essential to have excellent logistics management to meet the high demand.

For Santa Claus, it is increasingly important to speed and efficiency when it comes to distributing your gifts: being able to reach all places and in the shortest possible time is a priority.

For this reason, implementing tools that facilitate logistics operations and, above all, help to efficiently manage delivery routes is vital on such a special date.

Here's what Santa Claus' great secret is for a successful Christmas:

· Un software specialized in the last mile: the implementation of specialized tools for managing the last mile is essential, especially considering the busy Christmas dates. Specialized software will contribute to your company's commercial success at Christmas, since it will allow you to plan delivery routes in a matter of seconds, as well as making them more efficient. With efficient routes, you will not only have economic savings, due to lower fuel consumption, but also time savings, since you will carry out the most optimal route.

· Direct communication channels with your customers: direct communication with users is essential, since in the midst of the digital age, we are used to being constantly connected and informed. With the use of specialized software, your customers will be able to receive direct and real-time information about your purchases. For example, your customers will be able to know at all times where their order is or when they will receive it, among others.

· Transportation: given the huge sales forecast for Christmas, it is necessary to take into account the company's logistics and transport capabilities. If, as we mentioned before, the increase in sales is greater than 7% compared to other days, we must weigh what the transport needs will be in order to operate successfully. To reach the total of the operation, you must Increase transport of the same exponentially: increasing one third of available transport, at least 2% if sales exceed 7%.

· Logistic staff: in the same way as with transport, it will be necessary increase specialized logistics staff to be able to carry out the day in a satisfactory manner. Taking into account that the increase in sales will be 7%, the available logistics staff must increase by the same number or, at least, by 2% more. Therefore, the workforce should increase by 2%-5% for that day.

Still not delivering like Santa Claus? Do like him and get all your orders to arrive on time and with great savings thanks to the use of SmartMonkey Planner. And if you know any stragglers who are still delivering on a camel, give them a gift and share this item (they arrive, but they always take longer).

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The logistical secrets that Santa Claus didn't want to share with the Three Kings
The last mile is an essential part of the delivery process, since it plays a key role in user satisfaction and, consequently,
Digitalization
The 4 mistakes to avoid in the last mile

La Last mile is an essential part of the delivery process, since it plays a key role in user satisfaction and, consequently, in the success of the company itself.

It is important to emphasize the parameter of the satisfaction of our users since they, having a bad experience or being dissatisfied with the business activity we carry out, would turn to other competing providers. In addition, they would also highlight the negative experience regarding our company to other potential customers. For this reason, it is essential that in the logistics sector, we analyze what the main problems are in this last mile and, above all, how to solve them.

The Last Mile: The Great Challenge

As we have anticipated before, the last mile is the most challenging part of the logistics process given the great complexity involved, so identifying possible errors and possible solutions is of vital importance.

Here are some of the most common errors in the last mile and how to resolve them.

Outdated planning strategy: times change and with them the ways of proceeding. Living entrenched in the past is a mistake and this can be applied to practically any field, including logistics. Until very recently, last-mile planning was carried out manually: a single person responsible for drawing up that impossible “sketch” of hundreds of deliveries on the same route and with numerous drivers. This way of proceeding is the first big mistake: thinking that the way it has been done is always right.

It is often said that “adapt or die” and this is an example of this. It is crucial to adapt to the new times through the use of digital tools that allow last-mile planning. Thanks to the use of software specialized in managing the last mile, such as SmartMonkey Planner, better results are achieved in route efficiency, user satisfaction (direct communication with customers), savings in planning time (now it's a matter of a few minutes) and significant economic savings also in fuel.

Poor communication: Not having direct and effective communication with users and even with the drivers themselves is also one of the biggest mistakes in the last mile. Having direct communication channels that allow customers to know when they will receive a package or what phase of the operation it is in is key to their satisfaction. The transparency and effectiveness of the entire process is very important for your success and, consequently, ours as a company. At SmartMonkey Planner, we have a direct communication platform through emails in real time, so that operations leave that problem behind and become a pleasant common experience.

Low flexibility: as mentioned before, anchoring in the past is a mistake, since we are in a digitalized and constantly changing world. For this reason, it is necessary to implement last-mile management software that allows the flexibility required by logistics, such as schedule changes or the variability of service and driver assignments. It is necessary to have a tool that has this flexibility to ensure an optimal and efficient service.

A bad implementation: all the errors mentioned so far can be truncated in their solution if a good implementation has not been achieved. It is a priority to implement last-mile management software that has an efficient, fast and optimal implementation. With this we are not only referring to the most technical aspects but also to the human aspects: implementing a tool that is easy to use, so that it can begin to be used effectively in a matter of hours and not over weeks or months. An example of this is the company's success story. Prio Energy, who have been able to start optimizing production routes with literally 1 meeting and a 20-minute demonstration.

“Digital transformation is no longer a source of competitive advantage, it's a ticket to stay in the game”

Pablo Martinez — SmartMonkey CTO

If you want to solve all these problems and many more, join Planner

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Do you want to know more solutions for the logistics market? We recommend that you read the article How to increase logistics productivity: the 4 key aspects you must consider to increase logistics efficiency.

The 4 mistakes to avoid in the last mile