Coordinating dispatch and delivery is one of the most challenging tasks for any commercial laundry manager.
From making sure the delivery reaches the correct client to coordinating with drivers and assuring customers will get their order on time, your laundry dispatch is a crucial process that is hard to get right and will turn out costly if it’s wrong.
Why develop a system for fast, efficient delivery?
Companies are looking for reliable suppliers that can contribute to their supply chain, especially during tough, volatile times.
Your ability to coordinate timely dispatches will show you are running a well-oiled machine that can churn out output on time, proving your reliability and improving your brand’s reputation.
Studies show that over 60% of B2B buyers consult with a peer before deciding to work with a partner. This indicates that trust is a crucial component of doing business.
So if you are looking to bring in new customers, you need to earn the trust of your existing clients.
Earning their trust and developing a comprehensive dispatch system that sees them get their deliveries on time, will help you do just that.
Ways to coordinate quick and efficient deliveries
Here are some tips to help you improve the reliability and efficiency of your delivery system.
Schedule your deliveries ahead of time
Depending on the volume you are handling, you may want to agree to scheduling your deliveries weeks ahead of time.
Looking ahead can help you coordinate dispatches because it allows you to stipulate several requirements for making the delivery. You can account for availability time windows, vehicle requirements, and drivers on duty, allowing you to allocate your resources in a way that would give clients what they need without stretching resource capacity to its limits.
Planning your deliveries can also improve customer service and operational efficiency. You can convey to customers when they can expect their delivery, and when you deliver on time, you start building credibility as a reliable business.
It can also galvanise your staff because they have a “deadline” to meet, prompting them to work more efficiently; but it is important to ensure that you set a reasonable deadline that does not result in long hours.
Coordinate your delivery and pick-up along the same route
It might seem natural to have combined routes for pick up and delivery, but coordinating services along the same route can save you time and speed up service rates.
Studies show that coordinating drop-off and pick-up along the same route can improve delivery efficiency by 43%.
This is because arranging pickup and delivery in the same location can optimise processes related to deliveries, reducing the time required to create customer appointment windows, prioritise times for deliveries, and even work around constraints to deliver what customers want on time.
Invest in tools to optimise delivery routes
The right tool not only optimises the logistics process but can also find new delivery routes if the original ones are no longer viable, leading to better dispatch and delivery rates.
Coordinating with several drivers to find the optimal delivery route is problematic because that wastes hours on logistics, driving up costs.
Instead, you need to invest in tools that would automate the logistical aspects of delivery. With the right tools, you can find the ideal route in minutes and even send these routes to your drivers directly.
Automating the process can help you find the optimal delivery route for any of your clients and relay it to your drivers in minutes, allowing you to coordinate dispatches efficiently.
Investing in the right tools will also allow you to react to unexpected circumstances faster and create a backup plan, which improves your dispatch and delivery rates.
Coordinate deliveries efficiently with Bundle Connect
If you are looking to coordinate dispatches more efficiently, consider investing in Bundle Connect.
The cloud-based laundry management solution optimises dispatch processes to bring both clarity and efficiency to your delivery services.
This solution allows you to communicate with your drivers, discover the optimal route for pick-up and delivery, and even assess orders dispatched to a location.