Delivery Route Planners are extremely useful tools to help your delivery business run quickly, smoothly, and more organized. Before you get started with utilizing a delivery route planner, there will be some information that you will need to have ready to get the best experience out of the route planner software. Once that information is prepared, the power of a delivery route planner is at your fingertips. Delivery planners are intuitive and easy to use. Here are some guidelines to get the most out of your delivery route planning software.
Step 1: Gather Input Information
The first step is to gather the information for the deliveries that need to be completed. This includes data such as the number of deliveries or packages, the location of the final destination, and if there are any priority or preferred locations that should be delivered first. The route planner can customize the route to ensure that preferences are met and the priority packages are the first to be delivered. You will also need to know the number of drivers and delivery vehicles that are available to be put into service. This data will also go into the route planner, and allow the software to best optimize the routes for each driver, as well as which packages they should have in their vehicle. If there is a time frame that all packages must be delivered during, that will also be of use for the delivery planner. After you have all this information, the next step is to enter it into the system.
Step 2: Enter Information into the Delivery Route Planner
The second step is to input all the information gathered in the first step into the route planner. This can be done manually, or through connecting the software to your company’s point of sale system. Connecting the point of sale system to the route planning software will ensure that no orders or deliveries are missed or lost in translation, and also takes more work off the shoulders of yourself or your employees. Entering the information for all possible delivery drivers and their vehicles is the best way to operate the software. As will be mentioned in the next step, you will be able to customize the route planner each day with which drivers are available. After the information is entered or the sync is set up with your point of sale system, it is time to utilize the software.
Step 3: Use and Customize
Now that the small preparation has been completed, it is time to put the route planning software to work! The route planner has a very user-friendly interface that is ready to assist in your delivery process. From the software, you can select which upcoming deliveries will be delivered on that day. The software will automatically optimize the ideal route(s) for both time and cost savings for your business. From there you can customize the route to include any additional information or parameters for the delivery. You can prioritize deliveries, set a time frame, or change the number of drivers that are available to work. With each of these new inputs, the software will automatically update its routing information to provide the best route possible.
Delivery route planners are simple, yet powerful tools to lower costs and increase efficiency for your delivery business. The three steps above are all you need to begin using a delivery route planner and get on the road to savings.
