The Best Dispatch Software has These 7 Features

June 22nd, 2020    3 Min Read   

The increasing popularity of online shopping in recent years has also accelerated the demand for fast and convenient delivery options. Companies must scale their delivery operations to take advantage of this growth. More so, since eCommerce is predicted to reach four trillion dollars by the end of 2020. In the United States alone, analysts predict online shoppers will hit 300 million by 2023 or 91 percent of the current U.S. population. It is crucial for businesses to brace for the surge in eCommerce by leveraging the right technological tools today, particularly dispatch software.

What is a Dispatcher Software?

The rise of eCommerce shopping also comes with higher consumer demand for varied shipping options and convenient and quick deliveries. Thus, businesses must be able to quickly and correctly send out orders, making dispatch delivery a little more complex and costly if lacking the right solutions. Fortunately, there’s a powerful assortment of dispatch software available now that can handle everything from customer scheduling, delivery vehicle tracking, and equipment monitoring.

The software offers dispatchers a convenient way of completing and monitoring tasks with unprecedented efficiency. It allows for automation centralization of data and real-time information gathering, thus ending the era of manual processes in dispatching and delivery vehicle monitoring.

What is the Best Trucking Software?

There is plenty of trucking software for dispatch available, but not all of them were created equally. Here are the must-have features to keep at the top of your list when shopping for a digital dispatch solution.

Delivery Variables – Dispatching is complex and time-consuming, making it important to find software that accounts for variables such as driver costs, truck capacity, customer location, time on site, driver skills, and delivery expected time of arrival, among others.

Integration – A dispatch software isn’t the lone technological solution used by companies. Companies must search for software that can be easily integrated with their present order management system (OMS) and other existing operating systems. Make sure to dig down into the details on this point and learn everything you can about the API.

Automation – Automation is key to streamlining operations across industries. A worthwhile automated dispatch system will free up office workers, saving time and resources for the business. It should also pave the way for the company’s delivery customization and flexibility, so real-time rerouting and other necessary last-minute adjustments can be made promptly.

Dispatcher Onboarding – Even the most advanced platforms will turn out to be useless if they are too complex for employees to understand and use. It is important for companies to implement systems that are easy to understand and intuitive so that team members can quickly adapt to the new digital tool, and organizations can start benefiting ASAP.

Real-Time Data and Alerts – Even the best-laid plans can go wrong. This is especially true for dispatching and delivery. Dispatchers need to have visibility on their drivers, vehicles, and resources so they can make well-informed decisions while real-time communication allows for easy execution of new plans. Greater visibility into available resources helps ensure on-time and cost-effective deliveries. Efficient route planning and quick decision-making are only possible if real-time and accurate data are available to dispatchers.

It is essential to look for dispatch software that offers real-time visibility and live alerts. A solution that provides data on delivery and driver status, driver ratings, missed deliveries, average-time-to delivery, and other relevant information is crucial to upgrading the customer experience.

Digital Proof of Delivery – A digital proof of delivery or POD, in short, is of great help in dealing with disputes, exchanges, and other customer post-sale complaints. A POD system worth having should allow customization of digital delivery acknowledgment formats. Some companies have also already upgraded their POD systems to support contact-free delivery for the safety of drives and customers alike.

Agility and Robustness – Dispatching needs will change as the business’s delivery services grow. A growing company will undoubtedly need to get the services of additional vendors or external fleets, hire more drivers, and beef up their reporting, among others. Businesses need to obtain dispatch software that can adapt to their needs as its operations expand.

In the end, dispatch software is a crucial key to timely deliveries, increased customer satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness. But these are only achievable if businesses choose the dispatch software that is apt for their needs today, as well as tomorrow.

DispatchTrack is a leading provider of SaaS solutions that enable end-to-end optimization of operations and customer experiences in last-mile delivery. The company’s platform includes modular tools for self-scheduling, route optimization, customer communication, real-time tracking and ETA, proof of delivery, and delivery network intelligence and analytics. With customers across North America, Europe, South America, and Asia, DispatchTrack is used by thousands of businesses of all sizes and many multi-billion-dollar enterprises across a wide range of industries, including furniture, appliances, building supplies, food, and beverage. More than 60 million scheduled delivery experiences are powered by DispatchTrack each year. For more information, visit www.dispatchtrack.com