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.

Try it for free!

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