As food and beverage deliveries continue to increase, it becomes more important to assess the food delivery logistics of the delivery system. How efficient is it? Are there opportunities to cut out wasted time moving cargo at each destination? Are there other options for deliveries?
Here are four tips to improve your company’s food delivery logistics:
An optimized food delivery logistic system begins with the preparation for delivery. Deliveries that are among the first to be delivered should be the last to be packed on the vehicle. This will ensure that the delivery person will not have to spend extra time rearranging the shipment in order to pull the correct merchandise. A predictable delivery plan will ensure that the vehicles are packed correctly. Having a predetermined route for delivery will greatly improve the food delivery logistics plan and save time and reduce expenses.
Optimizing the route of delivery will save both time and money. There are thousands of possibilities when it comes to routing a possible delivery route, but time is of the essence when structuring one’s food delivery logistics. Choosing routes that provide the least amount of drive time and fuel costs results in savings that compound positively. Planning a route to minimize left-hand turns will also save fuel and precious minutes. UPS found that eliminating right turns not only reduces fuel and time costs but also decreases the probability of a collision (Prisco). An optimized driving route reduces the number of drivers needed or reduces their time on the road, which also reduces the chances of an accident.
Improving Customer Service
A major part of food delivery logistics is the final destination. Having the customers or business on the receiving end of the delivery prepared for the delivery will save time at each location. If the shipment is a large delivery for B2B, pre-delivery preparation is a great start. Organizing the drop off location for the new product to be put away quickly will save lots of time. For example, if the inventory method is first in first out, prepare the holding area so that the new merchandise can go to the back of the storage area as soon as it is unloaded. The receiver of the delivery can also be prepared through a live update of the delivery status. This is for both B2B and B2C deliveries. Having an accurate delivery time will ensure seamless delivery and improve the dropoff speed in a company’s food delivery logistics. Customers can be prepared to receive their food delivery, which will decrease waiting times of drivers when they make the handoff of food and beverages to the consumer.
Outsourcing Delivery to Third Parties
The final tip is to outsource deliveries to third parties. When demand rises quickly, it is an extremely viable option to outsource deliveries to drivers such as Postmates or Lyft. This is extremely helpful with irregular deliveries and periods of very high demand that a normal workforce may not be equipped to handle. Outsourcing to these companies is a cost-efficient strategy as opposed to hiring costs of adding more drivers. These third parties can play a key role in a company’s food delivery logistics.
Sources
Prisco, Jacopo. “Why UPS Trucks Never Turn Left.” CNN, Cable News Network, 23 Feb. 2017, www.cnn.com/2017/02/16/world/ups-trucks-no-left-turns/index.html.
