Proof of delivery: strategic document for your business

Published on 25 March 2022 • Reading time: 5 min read

The last mile is the most expensive and sensitive link of the logistics chain. If there is a dispute during delivery, the billing cycle is delayed or even stopped. In addition, there is a risk that some unhappy customers will share their disappointment online.
To prevent such difficulties, some service providers now offer highly effective proof of delivery solutions, such as electronic signatures.

Table of contents

• What is a proof of delivery?
• What are the different types of proof of delivery?
• What are the advantages of electronic proof of delivery?
• Managing your proof of delivery with AntsRoute

Electronic proof of delivery ensures optimum traceability of the last mile. This strategic document speeds up the invoicing cycle and facilitates the handling of customer complaints.

What is a proof of delivery?

The proof of delivery is a document that indisputably establishes the existence of a delivery, defined in the Consumer Code as “The giving to the consumer of physical ownership or control of the goods”. For this proof of delivery to be considered effective, the sender must provide precise and verified information on:

• The time and place of delivery (day, time, address of the company to be delivered, flat number if the parcel is delivered to a building, etc.).
• The number and weight of packages, the type or description of goods carried.
• The identity and signature of the person who confirms the status of the orders upon delivery. This can be the end buyer or his representative.

The POD is essential to ensure the careful management of the company and its resources, but also to deliver a quality service to the consumer.

• The gathering and secure archiving of proofs of delivery has first a preventive effect. The consumer whose signature has been properly gathered by the delivery person is immediately put at ease. His user experience during delivery is much better. Therefore, he will be much less likely to make a complaint or ask for a refund afterwards.
• In the event of a dispute, effective proof of delivery is essential. To provide a documented response to your customer, claim payment of an invoice, or even get a favourable ruling in court, you will need to provide such proof.

What are the different types of proof of delivery?

The company responsible for delivery can prove the successful delivery of orders in many ways. The most common proofs of delivery are:

• The delivery note. It is essential that the company which ordered the goods sign these documents when the packages are delivered.
• The electronic proof of delivery or e-POD. This is a delivery note in digital format. In most cases, the customer signs this e-POD using an application installed on the tablet or smartphone of the dispatch rider.

The companies delivering parcels in an EU member state have to comply with very clear legal framework. The European Regulation No 910/2014, available on the EUR-Lex portal, states for example that “a qualified electronic signature […] shall be recognised as a qualified electronic signature in all other Member States”.

A delivery note created with AntsRoute software.

What are the advantages of electronic proof of delivery?

The e-POD has many advantages. In just a few years, most of the transport companies have switched to this type of service.

Great reliability

The electronic management of data such as time stamps considerably reduces the number of errors or omissions. In the same way, the automated feedback of paperless proof of delivery eliminates the risk of lost, theft or falsification of delivery notes.

Faster invoicing cycle

Once the electronic signature has been added, the company can invoice the orders. Thanks to this immediate synchronisation, there is no need to wait for an officer to manually cross-check the information, which could take several days.

Productivity and administrative management optimisation

The electronic proof of delivery is easier to gather and process and optimises the work of your employees. Your drivers save precious seconds at every stage of the route. The administration department also processes the information much faster, without the need for time-consuming and error-prone manual input.

Efficient handling of complaints

The management of acknowledgements of receipt in digital format is much more fluid and efficient. The electronic tracking of deliveries also makes it possible to provide a documented response to any customer complaints. Forget about tedious archiving of delivery notes and hours of searching for the missing delivery note!

The benefits of e-POD.

Managing your proof of delivery with AntsRoute

AntsRoute is an all-in-one route optimisation software and application for transport companies, but also for companies that want to manage the logistics part of their business in-house. Our solution includes many features for a smooth and efficient management of the last mile.

Enhanced electronic documentation

In addition to the electronic signature itself, your drivers can easily gather many other digital data in the application:

• Photos of the package or goods delivered.
• Barcode scanning of orders or carried items.
• Comments regarding the delivery: absent customer, dispute, damaged package, missing items, etc.

The management of proofs of delivery on the AntsRoute mobile application.

Traceability and real-time notifications

Thanks to our solution, the operations manager or the after-sales service can now respond immediately to a complaint, without waiting for the delivery person to return. In the case of an unforeseen event during the route, the scheduler receives real-time notifications in order to quickly reschedule a shipment.
Nathalie Michon, logistics manager at SYNLAB, group of laboratories, explained to us in a recent testimonial how using AntsRoute has significantly improved the tracking and handling of failed deliveries. For example, if a driver finds the door closed, he takes pictures in the application with the word displayed at the entrance of the medical office concerned. This system, combined with other automated data such as time stamps or geolocation, enables the company to provide a detailed response to its customers, while proving that it is meeting its commitments.
The application also includes an integrated tracking system, enabling the recipient of each delivery to geolocate their parcels in real time, without the need of customer service.

Automated transmission of a delivery note with AntsRoute.

Find out more about our e-POD solutions and optimise your deliveries for free during 7 days by filling in our online form!