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Real-time delivery driver geolocation, 7 reasons to implement this technology

9 November 2021 | 4 min read

Launched by e-commerce and logistics leaders, geolocation services have become essential for successful delivery. The operations managers and schedulers are all agreed: these tools really make the management and optimization of routes easier. But professionals are not the only ones who are “addicted” to them! Now, customers also want to be able to follow the progress of their order in real time.
You haven’t taken the plunge yet? Here are 7 major advantages of the geolocation of delivery drivers, on the business side and on the customer side.

You can view the progress of your employees in the field

Delivery optimization software such as AntsRoute is very useful for calculating the best route in advance, and thus reducing usage costs by 20 to 35%. But their mission does not end there! Once the route is started, they also allow you to check in real time the progress of the drivers in the field.
To use this feature, employees just need to enable geolocation in the AntsRoute mobile application. The operations manager then visualizes the position of each of them on the map at the time T, whatever their means of transport (bike, scooter, car, truck, etc.). The table also shows the estimated time of each stop, regularly recalculated during the day.

In addition, managers can check in the AntsRoute tracking module where the field worker was when he validated the delivery, using a color code:

• If the dispatch rider was at the expected location, the note “completed” and the time of validation are marked in green.
• If the driver was outside the area, these indications are marked in orange.
• If the geolocation was disabled, the information is display in gray.

This allows you to check at any time that field workers are following the planned route, without unnecessary detours.

You react faster when unforeseen events occur

Any unexpected traffic jams? A crash or a breakdown? The geolocation systems provide a valuable help to improve the management of unforeseen events disrupting the smooth running of deliveries. In case of incident or delay, AntsRoute crosses the GPS position of the drivers with data from navigation applications like Waze or Google Maps to make the best decision:

• Calculation of an alternative route.
• Deleting a step to be rescheduled later.
• Assigning the delivery to another agent, etc.

An emergency mission? Assign it to the best located driver

Some professionals, such as dispatch riders, receive urgent orders to be completed in the same day. The geolocation system then uses this data to determine which employees should be assigned to consume the least amount of resources possible. If necessary:

• The software ranks the routes to which to add this extra step according to the impact in time, cost and kilometers.
• You confirm your favorite option.
• The dispatch rider or field agent concerned receives a notification on the mobile application.
• The route of the day is immediately recalculated.

Real-time tracking has become a key to a positive delivery experience

Fleet managers are not the only ones to appreciate the new tracking possibilities offered by GPS trackers. Customers have also become “addicted” to tracking solutions. At first, they were reserved for logistics giants such as Mondial Relay, or home delivery platforms such as Deliveroo, but today they are very affordable, even for small companies.

According to an IFOP survey on French people’s expectations in terms of delivery, 95% of buyers want to be regularly informed by email or SMS about the delivery of their package.
Among the different tracking features available on the market, the tracking of the delivery person on a map is the most popular. To hear consumers tell it, it’s almost as fun as a video game…

Geotracking of orders reassures customers

In addition to this funny aspect, geolocation meets a very strong need of reassurance of the buyers. If they are worried, they just have to click on the tracking link provided by AntsRoute to find out in which area the driver is located and how many delivery steps are left. Even if the driver has experienced delays or setbacks earlier in the day, the estimated time of arrival is regularly updated, so the customer always has access to reliable information.

The consumer, more relaxed, requests much less from the after-sales service, which sees its calls reduced.

Good to know: In order to inform customers without compromising the safety of the employees or the goods being transported, AntsRoute displays the area in which the driver is located, but not his exact location.

Geolocation saves valuable minutes on each delivery

Another very positive consequence of geolocation is the reduction of the time spent on each delivery. Since the information provided on the estimated time of arrival of the delivery person is very precise, the customer can plan ahead. The failure rate for absence during the first delivery falls considerably. More surprisingly, many consumers also arrange to receive their package more quickly. Some arrive at the doorstep before the driver rings the doorbell, while others wait at the entrance to their building.

Thanks to the geographical tracking of deliveries, win new customers!

Last but not least, geolocation is a powerful reason to stand out and attract new customers. Still, according to IFOP, 85% of buyers want deliveries by appointment. Two thirds of them are even ready to change their provider to have their goods delivered on the day of their choice within a 2-hour time slot. By using a route optimization solution such as AntsRoute, you will benefit from all these features, which cannot be separated from a geolocation system.

You manage a fleet of delivery vehicles, and you want to try our route optimization tool during 7 days for free? Go to this page!