The last-mile delivery journey is a process that begins with sorting deliveries at a transportation hub and ends with delivering them to the customer on time, while also maintaining customer communication before and after delivery completion. With rising delivery standards, customers expect flexible delivery options, fast delivery timeframes, and proactive customer support services.
Last-mile delivery software enables businesses to meet these expectations, and reduce costs and delivery times through features such as real-time visibility into the delivery driver’s journey to ensure a smooth delivery process and automatic updates in case of disruptions.
However, numerous advanced last-mile delivery software options are available. In this blog, we have chosen five different solutions, comparing their pricing, business suitability, and key features that fleet managers can use to meet their company’s needs.
1. Descartes’ Last-Mile Delivery Software
Suitable for: distribution-intensive companies such as wholesale distributors, retail, and
Summary: Descartes offers one of the most comprehensive delivery management platforms available. Their last-mile delivery software utilizes cloud-based solutions that focus on enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency by using advanced route planning and optimization and improving driver performance through real-time tracking.
Features:
- Automated route scheduling: Uses resources effectively by allocating available drivers and vehicles to maximize output and reduce costs.
- Ongoing optimization: Combines incoming orders located near other delivery destinations to increase delivery efficiency and reduce miles driven.
- Customer engagement: Enhances the last-mile experience by empowering customers with self-service order tracking, appointment management, and real-time communication options, including proactive notifications about delays or disruptions.
Descartes is one of the industry leaders in a variety of supply chain and logistics solutions; last-mile delivery software is just one part of their offering.
2. Routific
Suitable for: medium-sized local delivery businesses
Summary: Routific’s last-mile delivery solutions let drivers dispatch delivery driver’s route to the driver’s app, in which fleet managers can add additional delivery instructions. It offers real-time driver tracking, sends order tracking links to customers, and proof of delivery features.
Features:
- Real-time tracking of the driver’s location with a map and timeline.
- Advanced route planning features suitable for businesses that prefer planning routes ahead of time.
- Automatically updates ETA based on changing conditions.
3. FarEye
Suitable for: various business types, including e-commerce, retail, and third-party logistics companies
Summary: FarEye’s last-mile delivery capabilities offer customers flexible delivery options and tracking and assists in building different delivery networks to offer same-day and next-day delivery.
Additionally, it features real-time tracking across road, rail, and ocean as well as predictive visibility configurations.
Features:
- Multiple delivery options and enhancement of multi-carrier deliveries.
- Streamlining the transfer of goods at warehouse facilities and driver operations, maximizing efficiency.
- Enhance the pre- and post-purchase customer experience by providing flexible delivery options, including live tracking and scheduling, delivery update notifications, and returns and exchanges.
4. Onro
Suitable for: businesses of various sizes, including grocery stores, restaurants, logistics companies and retailers
Summary: Onro’s last-mile delivery software offers a customer app where they can receive delivery updates and track their order, as well as a driver app to track driver earnings and optimize routes. Moreover, it uses AI to automatically dispatch drivers based on traffic, location, and past performance.
Features:
- Real-time chatting with customers for extra information before the delivery is made.
- Provides proof of delivery signature for customers.
- Offers customers a mobile application to pinpoint the specific location of delivery or pick-up.
- Feedback features available for customers post-delivery.
- Automated dispatching of delivery drivers for increased efficiency.
5. Shipsy
Suitable for: serves retail, logistics, quick service restaurants, couriers, manufacturers, and freight forwarders
Summary: Shipsy is a SaaS-based last-mile delivery platform that allows fleet managers to select the features suitable to their needs. Some of these features include integration with ERP, real-time tracking, delivery alerts, and zone-based driver allocation.
Features:
- Provides a centralized tracking system enabling live updates across multiple carriers.
- COD reconciliation: money collected by the driver deposited in the destination hub for reconciliation.
- Sustainable delivery options: if delivery locations are a short distance from the distribution center, it assigns the item to be delivered via bicycle or electric vehicle.
- A dashboard to manage hub operations such as label printing and dispatching.
Final Thoughts
When choosing a last-mile delivery software, consider your business size, budget, and specific needs to ensure alignment with the right software capabilities.
