The best courier delivery applications are also the easiest ways for other logistics businesses to be far ahead of the competition. In this article, you’ll learn about the primary functions, functionality, and other important features of an on-demand parcel delivery app. Before you go any further, there is one thing that you need to know: these kinds of apps actually do not exist yet. This is because the courier industry has a lot of catching up to do if it wants to be as competitive in the marketplace as it already is.
There are two major players in the courier services market:
- The independent courier services
- Leading online delivery platforms
But it’s the on-demand delivery services that have been really gaining ground in recent years. This is due to the fact that people no longer want to be limited by a fixed set of services. They want to have complete control over every aspect of the courier services that they need. If this kind of freedom is something that interests you, then the parcel delivery app development is something that you should strongly consider. But before you decide which delivery application you’re going to use, it would be important for you to understand just what an app is, how it works, and what the various factors are that play a part in its development.
Shipment Tracking
Basically, an on-demand courier delivery app development is a software program that is designed to meet the needs of a courier or other on-demand delivery services in some manner. So for example, if an independent courier service needs to keep track of its shipments, then the app can integrate with its software, which will then give the business owner access to detailed information about each shipment.
On the other hand, a popular online delivery management software enables a user to track shipments that have already been made. Both of these programs are very useful for a variety of different businesses, both small and large, and even though there are a lot of discussion about how to regulate these companies, the fact of the matter is that there is no single governing body in charge of the entire courier industry.
There are two ways in which these courier apps can be used to enhance your business operations:
Either as a built-in or an in-app purchase option. With an in-app purchase option, a courier app developer allows you to customize the application to suit your specific needs and then purchase an application package that contains all the elements that you need. For example, the courier app might contain a customer app, a tracking module, a dispatch system, and even a physical address book. The in-app purchase option will let you purchase the same components individually, should you ever need to make a change or upgrade anything within the software.
As far as how these apps actually work, there are two main types that you’ll come across.
In-built tracking systems
The first is the in-built tracking systems that most courier applications provide; these apps allow customers to get detailed information on their shipments. In some cases, real-time tracking is provided for customers who have access to their account. If a shipment goes missing or gets delayed, a customer will be able to quickly identify it and track its progress through the system.
Real-time parcel tracking
The second type of logistics apps that you can find are real-time parcel tracking programs. These programs allow parcels to be tracked by a dedicated admin panel on a web server. It works exactly the same way as the in-built tracking system in that you can view your parcel’s progress on a map, enter the shipping location and other data, and then track them in real-time using a variety of interactive buttons.
Most programs also allow you to set up alerts so you know as shipments are being made and either pick them up or reroute them to another shipping location. Some examples of common real-time parcel tracking programs include Geocaching, My parcel Network, and the Parcel Force.
Delivery module
Another useful application includes a delivery module. This admin center offers a wide variety of features that help increase customer satisfaction. A customer satisfaction survey usually comes with a tracking feature that lets you know exactly where each package is at any given time. If a customer decides to change their shipping preference, the tracking feature lets you know so you can adjust your packing materials to best suit your customer’s needs.
Analytics and Reporting
Lastly, third-party reporting software can be useful. These reports can include parcel type, delivery location, carrier route, delivery time, tracking metric values, and the total number of packages handled during a certain period. With real-time tracking and premium delivery tracking features, it makes it easy to manage your courier delivery service. As new processes and technology are introduced, it makes sense to update your software to keep abreast of the market.
Delivery Route Optimization Features
Delivery Route Optimization is a process through which companies gain more visibility over their delivery routes and thereby enable them to make effective utilization of their delivery vans. In case of trucking companies, delivery route optimization is mostly carried out by the trucking managers.
The main aim of these optimization methods is to maximize the efficiency of the delivery vehicles. The main objective of this method is to ensure that the delivery vehicles go to the right place.
A delivery route is very important for the smooth functioning of any business. The delivery route basically decides where the delivery vehicle would stop off, what company it should deliver the goods to as well as when to deliver the goods. The delivery route planning method actually enables a company to determine the main delivery location, which means the spot where the driver of the truck will stop the truck for a while and then start the delivery process. The main objective of this method is to make sure that the driver makes the best use of the time given to him and hence, maximizes the productivity of the driver.
