The last mile delivery solution is the most critical element of the eCommerce supply chain. Customers might expect this to be free, which might be a person or a business, and they certainly expect it to be fast.
These delivery companies need to be competitive and meet consumer demand while simultaneously cutting costs and improving efficiency. Beating these challenges means having a competitive edge over other last mile logistics providers. Failing these challenges means poor customer satisfaction or higher costs, which means logistics companies cannot afford to disappoint.
Your commonly Asked Questions Answered
Here we take a look at your commonly asked questions, giving you the answers you have been looking for.
What Is Last Mile Delivery?
Last mile delivery is the last leg of the journey, which could be a mile or fifty miles. The parcel or package leaves the transportation hub and is moved to the final destination, typically a retail store or a personal residence. This is a critical step that will make or break the consumer’s impression of the business they have ordered from.
What Are The Stages Involved?
The final mile delivery typically involves five steps:
- The parcel is entered into a centralised digital system and given a tracking number, which is monitored by the sender and recipient
- The package arrives at the transportation hub
- The order is assigned for delivery based on the final address
- The parcels are scanned as they are loaded onto the last mile delivery vehicles
- The package is delivered and verified
What Are The Challenges Of Last Mile Delivery?
Two challenges of last mile delivery include:
- Route optimisation – This is a challenge and can result in higher fuel costs, which in turn means more exhaust pollution
- Same-day or next-day delivery – This is increasingly expected and requires end-to-end cooperation between the sender, logistics company, and the customer, who may not be at the delivery location, wasting time and fuel.
What Are The Solutions To These Challenges?
Every challenge has a solution, and in this case, there are two that will enable logistics companies to increase their profitability, lower fuel costs, and reduce pollution to maintain good air quality:
Delivery software – Technology is an integral part of planning and reacting. The software can optimise route planning, considering many factors such as truck capacity, traffic and congestion, and location. Also, offering the customer real-time status and visibility can be the difference of the customer being at the delivery location or not.
Electric last mile delivery truck – These utility vehicles are ideal for urban environments, creating zero emissions and running almost silently. They are highly manoeuvrable, which is a significant consideration for operating within town centres with narrow streets. Battery technology has moved on significantly, and electric last mile delivery vehicles have a range of up to 120 miles, with a load capacity of up to 1,450kg and a towing capacity of up to 4,000kg.
For more information on last mile delivery solutions, please contact the team at ePowerTrucks.