How Do You Optimize a Delivery Route?

An effective route plan can mean the difference between success and failure for a delivery business. The key ingredients for an effective route plan are service, speed, and efficiency. If you can optimize these three factors, then you’ll be able to maximize the level of success your business achieves.

So, how do you optimize a delivery route? Well, we’re going to walk through all three of the above key factors and explore how software can enhance your operation. If you want to skip to a section that’s most relevant to you, just refer to one of the headings below. 

• How to Improve Delivery Service
• How to Improve Delivery Speed
• How to Improve Delivery Efficiency
• Use Delivery Route Optimization Planning Software

How to Improve Delivery Service

Good delivery service is about a whole lot more than getting your drivers to smile when they make a delivery. It comes down to the whole delivery experience that each customer is getting. 

Serious delivery companies need to provide detailed tracking so that customers can stay in the loop on where their package or food delivery is. Customers also appreciate the ability to see exactly where a driver is, just like they can with an app like Amazon or UPS, which shows where the driver is on the map in real time. If you can replicate that experience by providing status updates to your customers, you’ll create a more positive experience. 

Other factors that can improve delivery service include an option for drivers to take a picture of the package at the door and provide photo confirmation or get a signature from the customer for proof of delivery. 

Finally, allowing your customers to give instant reviews of the delivery will help you gather valuable intel and improve the quality of your service over time. 

How to Improve Delivery Speed

In a world of next-day deliveries from the likes of Amazon, customers have high expectations when it comes to delivery speed. Few companies can rival behemoths like Amazon on many fronts, but you can achieve the best delivery speed possible by having a smart action plan to improve delivery performance.

For starters, focus on making shorter routes by spreading deliveries out amongst your drivers and creating a balanced workload. Each driver’s route should be based on their location, individual skills, certifications, and compensation level.

Always make sure to plan stops with specific time window requirements first by using priority sequencing in the planning process. You can utilize a route optimization tool that accounts for factors like this as well as time-sensitive route components like high-congestion areas, commercial or hazardous restrictions, highways, toll roads, one-way streets, and other real time variables. 

How to Improve Delivery Efficiency

Efficiency is the key to profitability, and that’s usually the number one factor businesses of all sizes need to consider. By dialing in on efficiency, you can make more deliveries and potentially even minimize costs at the same time.

For example, if you run any kind of delivery service, thoughtful load management and vehicle usage can have a significant impact on expenses like fuel or fleet wear and tear.

Another way to improve efficiency is to balance the workload of your drivers by giving larger routes to drivers who cost less e.g. full-time employees vs. more expensive contractors. 

Of course, the elephant in the room when it comes to efficiency is making sure you have the best routes possible, or in other words, the ability to make as many deliveries as you can while driving the shortest distance. This is where delivery route optimization planning software can be a game changer.

How to Use Delivery Route Optimization Planning Software

Anyone can plan a route with just a pen and a map, but optimizing a route using a comprehensive delivery algorithm is a whole other ball game. Utilizing the best delivery routing software on the market can help you improve delivery service, speed, and efficiency.

As the number one rated delivery routing software, OptimoRoute lets you import thousands of orders at a time, plan multi stop routes far in advance, optimize vehicle loads, driver workloads, and delivery priorities, and provide real time tracking updates to customers and fleet managers. 

The bottom line is that if you’re not using delivery route optimization software in the 21st century, then there’s a good chance you’re falling behind your competition. Customer expectations are high when it comes to delivery service, speed, and efficiency, effective software can help you meet these demands with ease. If you want to learn more about delivery route optimization, take a look at this detailed breakdown.