Santosh Sahu, CEO of LastMileLink Technologies, a CitySprint subsidiary, explains how the latest technologies can be used to help operators overcome last-mile hurdles
In a world of innovative delivery drones and driverless pods, it’s a surprise to find that many businesses are still behind the times when it comes to the basics. Last-mile delivery has become something of a black hole in the logistics sector, and with the imperative for convenience and speed only increasing, it’s an area businesses can’t afford to get wrong.
Whether it’s retailers relying too heavily on the “sorry we missed you” card, or manufacturers managing a fleet inefficiently, last-mile logistics has become a huge sticking point for any organization with a significant distribution component to its business. Convenience itself is much more than just a consumer imperative – efficiency has the potential to unlock time, money and resource within any business.
Having the right networks in place
Too many last-mile delivery networks are poorly set-up and unable to cope with the demand for convenience and speed. A lack of efficiency, accuracy and ability to plan precisely results in problems for businesses and end customers in every sector.
While the traditional hub and spoke model certainly enjoyed its own golden age, enabling overnight delivery scale and efficiency in set routes, the need for a more flexible resource is now being demanded. Instead, organizations need to be focusing their efforts on optimizing their networks; adopting a highly flexible and responsive approach to final-mile logistics and working with established, nationwide courier networks.
The role of technology
This may be a huge challenge for the logistics industry, but for technology, it’s also a huge opportunity. When applied practically and thoughtfully, technology can close this gap. And while recent technology efforts have focused on innovation and invention, a lot of this lacks practical application – businesses need to get the right systems in place to tackle last-mile delivery well before drones should even feature on the agenda.
That’s exactly why the CitySprint Group created LastMileLink Technologies; a dedicated team of developers and technology experts addressing the everyday needs and demands of the last-mile conundrum. Technology is right at the core of our business, meaning we can operate more efficiently, provide our customers with a better service and make life easier for our couriers.
Same-day delivery is revolutionizing logistics, driven predominantly by the demand for convenience. At LastMileLink Technologies, we developed the technology platform behind On the dot – a revolutionary technology platform offering customers the ultimate convenience with one-hour delivery slots of their choice. It’s now time for businesses in all walks of life to take action, harnessing the networks and technology at their fingertips to get systems in place and overcome the seemingly insurmountable hurdle of last-mile delivery.
July 20, 2017