Why GPS tracking is the best way to solve last-mile delivery issues

Quick fulfilment and delivery are no longer a “nice to have”— they are required for every online buying experience as more consumers depend on e-commerce for all of their purchasing needs. Improved delivery and processing speed should be the top priority for logistics providers and their large merchants if they wish to remain competitive in today’s demanding market.

Consequently, businesses are moving quickly to innovate and test supply chain models to boost packing capacity, delivery speed, and customer satisfaction while reducing prices. However, last-mile delivery continues to be one of the most expensive and complicated part of the supply chain.

Here, we’ll define last-mile delivery, discuss the problems logistics companies face and explore why GPS tracking is the best way to streamline last-mile delivery processes.

What is the definition of last-mile delivery?

The last step in the supply chain is last-mile delivery. It’s moving an item from a warehouse to your customer’s home. To ensure on-time delivery, the final mile delivery is critical and must be handled with care.

Businesses must ensure that their products are shipped promptly to meet rising consumer demand at this critical stage. Customers expect on-time delivery of their orders, whether large-scale retail orders or individual packages delivered to their homes. Getting from the main transportation hub to the final drop-off site is the most expensive phase of the journey; therefore, making efficient use of available resources is critical.

Last-mile delivery challenges

Since many of the general population and non-essential company personnel were required to remain at home during the COVID-19 epidemic, there was an increase in last-mile delivery activities. Due to high demand and many last-minute delivery modifications, logistics businesses tend to always be under pressure.

• If you’ve ever tracked a package online in real-time, you’ll know how inconvenient last-mile delivery can be, with its lengthy processing and delivery times and the several drop-offs required for each package in a single day’s journey.

• In remote areas, delivery sites may be hundreds of miles apart, getting just one or two deliveries each. Even with fewer drop-offs, road congestion will still affect delivery time in cities.

• Online shopping has significantly increased the number of parcels shipped each day in the worldwide retail business. Furthermore, consumer expectations are rising, with customers demanding not just quick but also free delivery, making last-mile delivery even more costly.

A GPS tracking software system is one of the most effective solutions to these problems. Any transportation or delivery company that depends on its assets to generate revenue has to keep track of its vehicles, and a good GPS tracking system could be the solution.

If a GPS monitoring system is implemented, businesses can focus on enhancing and optimising their fleet management operations. Additionally, they can seek for methods to minimise expenses and boost efficiency at the same time.

What is a GPS tracking system?

Today’s society relies heavily on GPS (Global Positioning System) software. Through satellite signals, GPS tracking determines the location of a GPS tag. When combined with maps and a cellular connection, a GPS monitoring device can provide any monitored physical asset’s precise and real-time position. All in all, GPS monitoring is a great way to keep track of your vehicle’s locations.

Benefits of GPS tracking for last-mile delivery

Boost cost-efficiency

Using GPS tracking devices to track vehicles, managers can better understand their operations from the fleet data gathered. They can track each vehicle’s location and utilise data to reduce fuel usage and enable better fleet acquisition and planning decisions by understanding vehicle utilisation.

Improve driver behaviour

Fleet management can be improved by using GPS tracking devices to monitor drivers and their vehicles, increasing revenue and profitability for businesses. Trip reports and vehicle analytics can notify managers which drivers are driving safely and effectively.

Fleet managers can optimise routes or engage drivers in minutes using real-time traffic data and visibility of every vehicle on the map provided by fleet management software.

Vehicle theft prevention

A company’s vehicles are its essential assets. Regardless of whether the vehicles are leased or owned, they must be regulated and kept safe for everyday activities.

Real-time GPS location data can be used to locate missing or stolen vehicles using fleet management software and significantly speed up their recovery.

Vehicle idling time reduction

There will always be something unexpected, no matter how carefully you plan. Traffic congestion, vehicle breakdowns, and automobile accidents are all possible bottlenecks in the distribution process.

That is why GPS tracking is quite beneficial. When utilised with fleet management software, last-mile delivery businesses can optimise delivery routes in real-time, eliminate delays, and respond swiftly to issues.

Increase consumer satisfaction

While face-to-face client engagement is not available when drivers are on the road, GPS monitoring devices can help to improve customer satisfaction.

A courier service that uses GPS tracking, for example, can give consumers real-time delivery updates, such as where their shipment is currently located at and when it has been dispatched or delivered.

Conclusion

As a result of adopting GPS monitoring software, last-mile delivery businesses will be able to increase transportation efficiency and also gain valuable information about vehicle and driver efficiency.

With a GPS tracking software system, you can reduce fuel consumption, maintenance expenses, accident rates, and paperwork. It can also help to minimise the number of fleets that are lost or stolen and enable quicker fleet recovery turnaround times.

Combining GPS tracking devices with last-mile delivery systems can help businesses save money, improve brand reputation, and enhance customer satisfaction. Contact V3 now if you run a last-mile delivery service and want to implement GPS tracking on your vehicles.