DECEMBER 20199Logistics Tech to Create the Perfect Delivery ExperienceThe last piece of the puzzle and the most important one for e-com-merce companies to sustain their value proposition for customers is efficient logistics optimization. Top GDP Asian countries, includ-ing some of the high-on-innova-tion Southeast Asian countries, face complicated infrastructural issues. Take Indonesia for instance, world's largest Island country. It has around 13,000 Islands connected through intricate distribution networks. The problems which need to be sur-passed here to make consistently on-time deliveries are unique.The growth in e-commerce and retail (omnichannel) has outpaced infrastructure development. Com-panies must ensure that underde-veloped or unplanned infrastruc-ture leading to pockets of traffic and detention, don't become bottle-necks for on-time deliveries.Technology, primarily cloud-based, in logistics, has helped com-panies with making better delivery schedules, planning traffic-light and shorter routes to reach desti-nations, handling random ad-hoc pickups and drops within routes, and more. The direct benefits are faster deliveries with clear com-munication between all stakehold-ers (managers, delivery associ-ates, and customers) about where exactly the package has reached. When customers have this informa-tion, they are more tolerant of any unavoidable delay.Think about it, previously the customer didn't know when their package would come in, even when the day was not specified. It could be in the morning, afternoon, or evening. Now, the customer would not just know the time when the de-livery would reach them but would also have the timely updated esti-mated time of arrivals for the same. Even if the customer isn't available at that time, they can instantly set up a change of delivery address or just ask it to be left with anoth-er receiver. These things require on-ground tracking and reporting. The manager can just update the delivery route of the associate to incorporate the new information. Robust planning engines running alongside (safely reroutes the trip with minimal-to-no effect on ETAs of other orders. Even when these ETAs are recalculated for the sake of precision, the end-receiver is notified immediately.This gives way to create the perfect delivery experience for customers. We know that acquir-ing a new customer is much more difficult than retaining one. And with the e-commerce market in a deep flux with consolidation and new entrants, customers have a lot more choices for shopping. It would only become more difficult for companies to acquire new cus-tomers in the future. This is the perfect time for them to create a following among their custom-ers. The only formula to retain the customers is to give them the best deliver experience. Technology, primarily cloud-based, in logistics, has helped companies with making better delivery schedules, planning traffic-light and shorter routes to reach destinations, handling random ad-hoc pickups and drops within routes, and more
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