Digitise route management in your SME with these applications
If you are an SME in the transport business, you will know how important route planning is, both to save costs and to provide impeccable customer service.
In this article, we tell you how technology has made it possible to simplify this process. Read on!
Whether it is to avoid loss of perishable goods or negative reviews on your website, when it comes to transporting goods, or making last mile deliveries, every second counts. That's why SMEs and freelancers alike need to focus their efforts on getting their routing system as optimal as possible.
Today, technology has emerged as a key ally in this area. From maximising efficiency to eliminating human error, digital route management can address those aspects that traditionally hindered this task, allowing SMEs and freelancers to remain competitive in today's market.
Here's how it can help you!
Advantages of route planning:
If, when it comes to managing your fleet, you are overwhelmed with so many factors to consider, it is time to digitise this task.
By using applications and software, you will achieve greater operational efficiency, cost reduction and many other benefits:
- Saving time and resources: with digital planning, you will not only save on fuel, maintenance and even salaries. At the same time, the use of software will allow you to reduce the time spent on this task, allowing your employees to focus on other areas.
- Increased competitiveness in the market: you will be able to offer better delivery conditions. By reducing costs, you will be able to offer cheaper shipping prices and shorten delivery times. Also, they will be able to receive location updates on their orders, increasing their confidence.
- Real-time changes: when planning manually, factors such as weather and traffic cannot be fully predicted. This software will tell you in real time about incidents, as well as possible solutions for vehicles to take the most efficient route.
- Improvements and scalability: the software will also allow you to keep track of key metrics automatically, so you can identify areas for improvement and make better decisions. In addition, you will be able to adjust routes to your needs once your vehicle fleet starts to grow.
Now that you know the benefits, here are some applications that you can use to manage your SME's routes. Choose the one that best suits your needs!
Route management applications:
Given the large number of options on the market, choosing the optimal application can be a difficult task. We advise you to look at factors such as price, availability of routes and vehicles or extra services offered.
Digital route management enables SMEs and freelancers to remain competitive in today's market.
Here are a few apps to give you a starting point for your research. All of them are paid, but have free trials:
- Zeo route planner: used by companies such as DHL, FedEx or UPS. You can manage your routes from both your computer and your mobile phone, which provides great flexibility. It also covers a wide variety of sectors, for example, for pest control, refurbishment or waste management SMEs.
- Route4Me: This software allows you to manage last mile deliveries. You will be able to constantly monitor your entire fleet, maintaining communication with drivers in order to make their days more efficient. It has a mobile application and a web version.
- Routal: used by companies such as Volkswagen. Thanks to this programme you can plan the best routes for transport, you will have total communication with the drivers and your customers will be informed at all times of the location of their orders.
- Veosat: used by companies such as Orange and FCC. It is a route and fleet management software that will allow you to save time and resources and improve the productivity of your SME. It also covers various sectors such as logistics, passenger transport and waste management.
If you only have one vehicle and you are looking for free options, Google Maps will be your best ally, but you can also use other applications such as SpeedyRoute, which will allow you to configure up to 10 stops for free. In addition, there are also new technologies such as Machine Learning that will be of great help when it comes to digitising your SME.
As you have seen, the digitisation of route management in an SME dedicated to transport is not only an option, but a necessity in an increasingly competitive market. Implementing specialised applications and software not only optimises operational efficiency and reduces costs, but also improves customer satisfaction and allows SMEs to position themselves as leaders in their sector. What are you waiting for to implement them?
If you want to know more information on how to make your SME's day-to-day running more pleasant, you can access all the tips on transport from our content section.