Businesses across the globe are still dealing with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and now more than ever before, a trusted last-mile delivery partner is crucial in order to stay ahead of your competition. Last mile, in supply chain management and transportation planning, is the last leg of a journey comprising the movement of people and goods from a transportation hub to a final destination.
With the rapid growth of ecommerce and changing retail conditions, last-mile delivery has taken on more importance for businesses in today’s economy. A lot of change has taken place in the last-mile delivery sector and if businesses don’t adapt, they’ll quickly fall behind their competitors.
Here are the top 7 last-mile delivery trends you need to know about for 2022.
Top 7 Last-Mile Delivery Trends You Need To Know For 2022
Couriers Are Taking Up More Of The Market
As we saw in 2021, courier and freight options are taking up more of the last-mile delivery market and that trend is here to stay in 2022. The demand for ecommerce deliveries is through the roof and some brands will have a tough time finding a courier company. Many courier companies are facing capacity limits and this issue is compounded by delivery driver shortages.
Real-Time Tracking
Last-mile delivery providers are all in when it comes to real-time tracking and enhanced visibility. This is an area that has grown throughout the years to ensure that drivers optimise their routes and customers stay happy. This type of business intelligence will help shippers understand their business needs and where they can save more money.
Here are some of the features you should look for when choosing a tracking software provider:
- Track: Customers and drivers, dispatching, warehouse parts, commissions, profits
- Customer Portal: shipment reports, online ordering, print POD, shipping labels, quick tracking
- Agents/drivers: delivery manifest, shipment records, delivery notes, report proof of delivery, mobile interface
Virtual deliveries
In our current pandemic world, face-to-face deliveries have dwindled. Electronic proof of delivery is the new favourite and reliable way to deliver, giving customers peace of mind that their last-mile delivery provider is keeping them safe. Virtual and contactless deliveries are here to stay and something that will continue to be implemented for years to come.
Drone Deliveries
The future is here and last-mile delivery providers are turning to drones to deliver their customer’s packages. Ecommerce demand skyrocketed in 2021 and delivery companies had to start thinking outside of the box. Not to mention, labor shortages have made it hard for delivery companies to find drivers.
On-Time and Speedy Deliveries
Today’s consumers care about speed and will pay almost anything to get their deliveries quickly. This obviously creates a unique set of problems for retailers and they need to ensure this is something they can quickly adjust to. You want to do everything you can to keep your customers happy and speedy deliveries are going to do just that.
Being Environmentally Friendly
Look anywhere across the world and you’ll see brands making a concentrated effort to become more environmentally friendly. That trend is ramping up more in 2022 and last-mile delivery providers can achieve this in a couple of different ways. One obvious way is investing in electric vehicles. EVs maintain plenty of value in the long term and are a great way for businesses to save on costs.
Last-Mile Delivery Utilizing Big Data
Many last-mile delivery companies have access to large amounts of data and it is all extremely valuable for what it can do for your business. Here are some of the ways big data can help last-mile delivery companies:
- Cuts your costs: You can eliminate errors that have been plaguing your business and automate processes.
- Increases your efficiency: In today’s digital age, there are so many tools that we can take advantage of, such as Google Maps, online banking, and social media platforms.
- Improves your pricing: Big data lets you evaluate your current finances and give you a big picture view of what your competitors are doing and where you can stand out more.
- Compete with larger businesses: Big data levels the playing field and lets you use the same tools available to everyone else.
- Increase your sales: All the digital data available to us today gives us tremendous insight into our shopping habits, budgets, and so much more. This data lets businesses offer the services and products that customers are looking for.
About Ape Ship
Ape Ship is a courier and freight company that provides small parcel to single pallet delivery to local businesses in Lower Mainland. We are the preferred carrier for lower mainland healthcare and B.C. long-term care facilities.
At Ape Ship, we believe in being community minded and service oriented, while providing fast and reliable deliveries.
Need to sign up for an account, chat about your shipment, or are interested in becoming a driver? Contact Ape Ship today to learn more about our courier and freight services!
