The digital marketplace has captivated consumers worldwide, and its allure only appears to be growing stronger. Let’s look at the numbers for a moment: Statista predicts that global e-commerce sales will hit an astounding $8.1 trillion by 2026. This is no small figure, and it inevitably means retailers must prepare to handle an influx of online orders.
Read also: Retailer guide to peak season shipping
But there’s a catch. To effectively meet customer demand, retailers need a well-oiled machine behind the scenes – I’m talking about a streamlined supply chain. And the make-or-break point in this chain? The last mile.
This crucial final step in the delivery process has been an Achilles’ heel for retailers for decades, and traditional legacy technologies aren’t cutting the mustard anymore as order volumes and supply chain complexity reach new heights.
We’ve discussed at length the role of route optimization, order management, and reducing Time Under The Roof, among others. One of the other biggest hurdles in the world of supply chain management is visibility. Many supply chain managers find themselves in the dark, unable to effectively monitor their operations. They’re essentially open to multiple delays from all kinds of obstacles. The worst part? They have no way to know when they’ve been hit.
Shockingly, according to a Gartner report, only 21% of companies boast a robust supply chain network that provides adequate visibility and agility.
Let’s delve into what this lack of visibility in the supply chain means for retailers
Disorder in fleet management:
Ensuring on-time deliveries hinges heavily on effective fleet management. Dispatchers must have real-time control over their fleets during all fulfillment stages, but legacy systems are throwing a wrench in the works, leading to disarray in fleet management.
Operating in the dark:
Without visibility, there are no insights. It’s crucial that supply chain managers receive data-driven insights into their logistics operations. Sadly, legacy systems lack the intelligence needed to gather data and transform it into actionable insights, leaving companies with no visibility over the kind of deep-seater inefficiencies that are hampering supply chain performance.
Inability to track proof of Delivery & Driver Activity:
Retailers often struggle to confirm deliveries due to ineffective notification mechanisms. Legacy systems don’t support digital signature proof integration with dispatcher systems, leading to critical information being transmitted via less reliable means like messages or notifications. Additionally, tracking driver activities becomes a problem as legacy systems aren’t compatible with most driver tracking apps which have limited functionality anyway.
Now that we know the impact of zero visibility in the supply chain, it is imperative that these challenges need to be addressed by supply chain leaders. Perhaps the answer lies in adopting cutting edge supply chain solutions. Partnering with top tier supply chain technology companies is the only way forward for business in the journey towards total visibility into SCM operations.
Locus has developed an intelligent supply chain management system that is capable of providing businesses with multiple benefits including, end-to-end visibility into supply chain operations.
Here’s where Locus is a game-changer for shippers
Reinforced fleet control:
The Locus Control Tower feature equips dispatchers with a comprehensive overview of their fleet, allowing active control at any stage of the fulfillment journey. They can track and reroute the fleet in real time to deal with ground issues like route deviations and unscheduled halts.
Intelligent data at your beck and call:
Locus’ advanced analytics capabilities takes the complexity of last-mile data and presents it to supply chain managers as actionable insights. Traditional legacy systems just can’t keep up with the sheer volume of this data or provide the necessary insight. Locus, however, transforms post-purchase data into valuable knowledge, presented through easily understood dashboards. And these insights aren’t just one-dimensional – they cover a wide range of metrics from SLA, fuel costs, and CO2 emissions to fleet usage and more.
End-to-End visibility on driver performance and proof of delivery:
The Locus driver companion app brings a breath of fresh air to the delivery process. Drivers gain visibility into their tasks and, importantly, benefit from a turn-by-turn navigation system guiding them straight to each customer’s door. Combined with a routing system, drivers can now bypass any on-ground hurdles such as traffic or road closures and choose the fastest route.
From the dispatcher’s perspective, the real icing on the cake is the visibility into proof of delivery and driver performance. Paper-based delivery confirmations have been shown the door. Instead, the digital signature applications are integrated directly with the dispatcher’s system. The Locus Driver Companion App collects a digital signature from the customer upon delivery, which then automatically updates the dispatcher’s system for verification. Driver performance assessment, once a subjective process, becomes fair and transparent as each task is recorded. This creates better visibility for dispatchers and a more satisfying experience for drivers.
And that’s why companies today need to embrace a robust supply chain visibility (SCV) solution. Locus’ customer experience and dispatch management platform has already been a game-changer for established brands like Unilever, Nestle, TATA, DHL, Tforce and many others, offering them the visibility and agility necessary to thrive in today’s complex supply chain landscape.
If your company is still “flying blind” when it comes to the supply chain, it may be time to take Locus’ solution for a spin. After all, a demo could prove to be a valuable use of your time.
References:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/379046/worldwide-retail-e-commerce-sales/
hhttps://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/6-strategies-for-a-more-resilient-supply-chain