Scheduling of deliveries, pick-ups, or service stops can be a difficult and daunting task, especially when you have a large number of stops to make over a large area. Planning an optimized route by hand is challenging because of the vast number of variables that must be considered.
How does one plan out a route that covers the shortest distance, in the shortest time? How many drivers are needed to accomplish the necessary tasks? Are there routes that have current construction, and would slow a driver’s progress?
A route optimization tool is far more efficient and effective than planning routes by hand, due to the advanced algorithms the software utilizes. Optimized routes are the first step in ensuring efficiency in your delivery or service operations.
By utilizing EXTRA’s optimization engine, your routes will be built according to promised customer time windows, traffic, proximity, customer preferences, and much more. Route optimization is defined as the process of finding the most cost-effective route for a set of stops and leveraging tools that are able to do this can result in many benefits for an organization.
Key benefits of Route Optimization include:
When a dispatcher is using the Elite EXTRA advanced dispatching tool, routes are automatically generated in the most optimal order. Using advanced GIS and mapping technologies, the stops are organized according to the shortest time and distance traveled. The expected time and miles traveled are displayed with the route. The tool allows for modifications, if, for example, a particular customer needs to receive their order first, that customer can be locked into the first position and the route will be optimized following that stop. Additionally, changes to the optimization can be altered by specific requirements and configurations.
Contact Elite EXTRA to learn more about how route optimization can benefit your delivery processes.
For more information please contact the Elite EXTRA Sales team at 1-888-484-8729 or by simply emailing sales@eliteextra.com.