The increased availability of last-mile delivery has made it far more convenient for businesses looking to get their products into customers’ hands more quickly. For business-to-business (B2B) operations, where the customer is another business — as is the case with the construction industry — this has enabled business operations to run more smoothly and efficiently. Enlisting proper last-mile logistics support could improve the business’s bottom line.

As the name implies, last-mile delivery is the final leg of the delivery process, in which the delivery finally reaches the customer’s doorstep. However, in this day and age, when businesses often deliver locally as frequently — sometimes even more often — than they are shipping their products nationally, a strong last-mile logistics solution is as important as ever.

Last-mile delivery and customer satisfaction

Ultimately, the goal of improving the efficiency of last-mile delivery is to increase customer satisfaction. It wasn’t long ago that the only way to ship consumer goods was via physical mail, and the only restaurants that offered delivery were pizzerias and Chinese restaurants. Now that more businesses provide delivery services, consumers have come to expect this level of convenience, especially in the construction industry where you need materials for your construction company.

During the pandemic, delivery became a necessity as several businesses closed their brick-and-mortar storefronts. However, now that these in-person operations are restored, companies have become overwhelmed with the increased demand to keep up with both ordering methods. Thankfully, several innovators in last-mile logistics have found ways to improve delivery services for customers.

Timeliness is important in any delivery, as customers will get frustrated if they do not receive their order on time. But timely delivery is even more critical when dealing with construction materials, where a delay could bring the entire job site’s operation to a halt. As such, driver mistakes must be eliminated as much as possible to improve the efficiency of the delivery process and, in turn, leave customers feeling more satisfied.

Tools enabling last-mile delivery

One of the most exciting trends in last-mile delivery is AI-powered route optimization, which has evolved well beyond simply finding the route with the least traffic. Other factors, including proximity to drop-off, the order of drop-offs, and more, must be considered to ensure the driver completes the delivery as efficiently as possible. Thanks to the enormous amount of data that artificial intelligence can process in a short time, this has become a possibility.

Additionally, automated dispatch ensures that the most fitting driver is dispatched to conduct the delivery promptly. With services now offering simple API integration or spreadsheet import for large volume orders, it is much easier for drivers to be dispatched via automation rather than a human dispatcher, who would introduce another opportunity for human error.

Another crucial aspect of last-mile delivery is security. Ultimately, delivery drivers have access to a great deal of personal, identifiable customer information, including the customer’s name, address, and other access information they may need to make the delivery, such as gate codes. Ensuring a system is in place that only allows drivers to access this information for as long as necessary is critical to protecting the customer’s safety and security.

With these considerations in mind, B2B providers offering last-mile delivery services can increase customer satisfaction. Tools enabling timely and efficient delivery, such as artificial intelligence, will impact the construction industry by ensuring businesses have what they need when they need it.

By Anar Mammadov, CEO — Senpex

*Featured Image Courtesy: Senpex