GPS Tracking for Package Delivery Services
The constant growth of package delivery demand puts more pressure on your delivery team and package delivery vehicles. A GroupM survey shows that global retail eCommerce sales will rise to $7 trillion by 2024 to make up 25% of all retail sales.
Mondays tend to be the busiest days with the most packages to be delivered, which can be demanding and stressful for both delivery businesses and customers.
Interestingly, U.S. holiday retail sales for November and December 2021 grew 10.5% this year to $859 billion. The record sales increased despite growing supply chain issues, inventory, and fulfillment concerns. This is no surprise with 73% of consumers reporting they are shopping online more now than they did prior to the pandemic.
Given the statistics, you can’t afford for something to go wrong, and GPS capabilities allow you to be better equipped against delivery disruptions. Telematics minimizes the risk of misplaced packages and unhappy customers, making businesses thrive while accomplishing all of the customer’s and recipients’ requirements. Best of all, you can be confident in knowing your drivers’ location and activities in real-time providing there is a good cell signal.
It is important to know that a device has both a GPS and cellular modem antenna. The GPS gives us the location, but the cell connection is what gets the information back to the user. You may be thinking then, what happens in areas where there is poor phone signal, or there is an interruption in service altogether?
Jeff Alsop, Director of Strategic Accounts at GPS Trackit sheds light in the event this occurs. He states, “If there is a poor signal or no signal and data cannot be transmitted we have a store and forward fail-safe. The data is recorded and when the device regains cell service it pushes the recorded events back into the platform and reports so there is no loss of data.”
How GPS Tracking Improves Service During Peak Delivery Periods
The simple answer is that telematics gathers and stores all the data to make informed decisions. The data is sent wirelessly to a cloud service and then to the user’s application. This allows users and drivers to plan and optimize routes, track the fleets’ maintenance schedule and take the necessary quick action during mechanical failures. The information enables the user to correctly identify the choices at hand, and make the best-educated decision possible by:
- Collecting data and information from the GPS tracking system
- Identifying the problem
- Brainstorming all possible alternatives
- Making a decision
Let’s look at some of the benefits of a telematics solution in more detail:
- Route Optimization — Proactively plan and monitor road conditions during the winter weather. Planning the route before the driver sets off to his package delivery route means they can be directed to take the fastest, most efficient route. GPS tracking software can also assist in making real-time adjustments as the winter weather can change suddenly and unexpectedly. Critical information like this is key to ensuring your deliveries arrive at their destinations in a safe and timely manner. In essence, fleet managers will be equipped to proactively divert delays, measure productivity and cut costs whenever possible.
- Mechanical Failure Assistance– Notifying your fleet managers precisely when a truck—filled with last-minute orders—stalls along its intended route to eager customers expecting their valued packages. This real-time information allows the managers to assess the issue and quickly send assistance. Especially if the drivers are delivering packages to a remote location where winter weather can contribute to poor reception.
- Preventative Maintenance– GPS devices can track a vehicle’s maintenance schedule and send alerts about upcoming, essential services. By collecting the information for scheduling maintenance on each vehicle in the fleet, warning you ahead of time of impending mechanical issues. This type of tracking saves you time and potentially expensive repairs. Preventative maintenance ensures the vehicle is operating efficiently.
Are you ready to learn more? Talk to a Fleet Advisor today.
Improve Your Customer Service With GPS Tracking
Package delivery drivers provide great service throughout the year especially during the holidays, and the cold winter months. They have to contend with icy and sometimes treacherous roads in order to deliver packages to anxious recipients on a timely basis. With the use of a GPS tracking system, your business can meet customer needs by offering online tracking that shows when the truck is out for delivery and the day the package is expected to arrive. Your business definitely needs these features in today’s world in order to be competitive and meet the standards of all your customers.
How do delivery services use GPS?
GPS systems allow customers to track their product in real-time. For some, this means viewing the entire process from the convenience of a smartphone or laptop. But even if your system isn’t that sophisticated, having a delivery driver GPS that monitors time and miles helps you provide an accurate arrival time.
Do delivery drivers have GPS?
Most delivery companies and their drivers use GPS for much more than geographic location services. There are several software components involved in the use of GPS tracking software that are extremely beneficial for the package delivery industry, for example:
- Address standardization
- Routing and dynamic rerouting or recalculation
- Mapping address
- Optimization
- Alerts for preventive maintenance, idling and more
Benefits of a Dispatch Feature
With GPS equipped vehicles in your Ed, customers can call their local office and ask a customer service representative for assistance. Your team can provide detailed information about their package, including the location of the truck and specific arrival time.
Can lost packages be tracked?
Using GPS service you can track the location of a sent package on Google Maps, and know precisely where your vehicles containing the packages are 24/7/365 through user-friendly fleet management and video telematics solutions.
Why do packages get lost?
The most common reason packages get lost is because the address label falls off or the shipping label becomes smeared or illegible. The USPA and other national carriers recommend including an extra address label with delivery and return address inside the package in case this problem happens. This way the staff can open the package to recreate a shipping label without having to return the package to the sender.
Who is responsible for a lost package?
Usually, the seller is responsible for lost packages. The reasons for a lost package could be the wrong address on the shipping label, a return address was not included, or the item was badly packaged. Hence the seller must compensate the customer with a new item shipment or a refund.
There might be other reasons that are out of the seller’s hands during the shipping process, however sellers will always be responsible for the package containing their product until it gets to the customer and is officially delivered. This is when your dispatchers may save the day and track down the package with a click of a button with GPS. Knowing the exact location in real-time of each vehicle in your fleet can vastly improve your reliability, which improves your reputation as a delivery service business, and safeguards customer satisfaction across the country. Moreover, even with advanced technology, a knowledgeable service representative can make a huge difference and add value to your brand. GPS tracking builds on service by making sure packages get to their destinations safely and efficiently.
If you’d like to learn more about how GPS Trackit can help to improve safety, increase productivity and reduce costs for your business, speak with one of our knowledgeable Fleet Advisors at 866-320-5810 or get a quick Custom Quote.
Sources:
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-informed-decisions
https://www.roirevolution.com/blog/2021/12/2021-holiday-shopping-ecommerce-stats-trends-june-2021/
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