In today’s fast-paced world, accurate time estimates play a crucial role in various industries, including shipping, logistics, and transportation. The Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) is a key metric that helps in managing deliveries efficiently and ensuring a seamless flow of goods. In this article, we’ll explore the concept of ETA, its significance in the software industry, and how the best delivery management software helps calculate it.

ETA Meaning: A Glimpse into Precision

ETA, or Estimated Time of Arrival, is a vital piece of information that provides an estimated time when a shipment, vehicle, or a package is expected to reach its destination. Whether you are tracking a courier package, a cargo ship, or even a flight, knowing the ETA allows you to plan your activities accordingly, ensuring that you are at the right place at the right time.

ETA Means in the Software Industry: Precision Matters

In the software industry, ETA takes on an even more critical role. Software applications that deal with logistics, transportation, and delivery management rely heavily on accurate ETAs to streamline operations. This is where the best delivery management software comes into play.

What Is the Best Delivery Management Software?

Solutions like Shipox, a comprehensive solution, offer real-time supply chain visibility precise tracking, and accurate ETAs. This empowers businesses to optimize their delivery processes, reduce costs, and enhance customer satisfaction. If you’re interested in experiencing its benefits, you can request a demo to see how it can transform your operations.

Calculating ETA: A Complex Task Made Simple

The process of calculating ETA involves analyzing various factors, including distance, traffic conditions, weather, and historical data. Here’s how modern delivery management systems go about it:

1. Real-Time Data:

   These systems continuously gather real-time data, such as GPS location, traffic updates, and weather conditions, to make adjustments on the go.

2. Route Optimization:

   Advanced algorithms determine the most efficient route, considering factors like traffic congestion and road closures.

3. Historical Data:

   By analyzing historical data, the system can predict how long specific routes or journeys might take under similar circumstances.

4. Machine Learning:

   Machine learning algorithms continuously improve accuracy by learning from past data and making predictions accordingly.

In conclusion, ETA, or Estimated Time of Arrival, is a vital component in various industries, particularly in the software industry, where precision and efficiency are paramount. The best delivery management software harnesses advanced technology and real-time data to ensure that ETAs are accurate and reliable, making it an essential tool for businesses that rely on timely and efficient deliveries.

When it comes to staying ahead of the curve, understanding and harnessing the power of ETA is indispensable.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What does ETA mean?

ETA stands for Estimated Time of Arrival. It is a prediction of when a shipment, vehicle, or package is expected to reach its destination.

2. What is ATA?

ATA, or Actual Time of Arrival, represents the real-time when a shipment or vehicle actually arrives at its destination.

3. How do delivery management systems calculate ETA / ATA?

Delivery management systems use real-time data, route optimization, historical data, and machine learning to calculate accurate ETAs and ATAs, ensuring precise delivery predictions.

The post Understanding Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA): What It Means and How It’s Calculated appeared first on Shipox.

Fleet management software are now incredibly in demand. One of the main reasons for this is the rise in online deliveries and also the rise in customer expectations. In order to match the customer expectations, it is important that the delivery fleet is functioning in its best state. 

More than 62% of delivery managers claimed that the use of a fleet management software can help improve delivery performance to a great extent. Moreover, it can also play a vital role in meeting customer expectations. 

There are numerous benefits of a fleet management software. However, the most important of these is that it enables users to understand driver behavior and take the necessary measures to improve their performance. 

Here is how a fleet management software helps understand driver behavior:

Reporting and Analytics

This is one of the best aspects that can be put into use to improve and understand any business performance. Reporting and analytics help assess different aspects of drivers’ performance. These help identify the staff members that are not performing as per expectations. It also helps decide the reasons for this, and the ways in which it can be improved. 

Real-time Visibility

Real time visibility enables smart monitoring. This allows people to view and assess the delivery journey and the fleet performance in real time. Many drivers also actively pay attention to the quality of service that they are providing, based on the fact that they are being monitored. This avoids the chances of delayed deliveries to a huge extent. Fleet management software also play a huge role in improving first day delivery success. You can learn and read more about FDDS here. It also encourages safe driving and abidance to traffic laws, saving money and other penalties that may arise due to legal issues.

Enhanced Communication

Strong communication is essential for the success of business operations. It encourages the drivers to stay in close communication with the team. This is necessary for productive fleet performance because communication plays an important role in meeting customer expectations. With regular updates and notifications sent to drivers, they can stay informed about the latest change of plans and can therefore incorporate customer demands at any point in time.

Order Allocation

Order allocation is one of the trickiest parts of the fleet management process. This is because it is difficult to manually assign the right number of orders to the right drivers, and this becomes even more difficult to execute when there are multiple orders to fulfill at one time. 

Shipox is a data-driven Fleet Management Software that enables its users across a multitude of diverse industries to avail market competitive features and customer support in order to automate and perfect their delivery process. Shipox users are able to increase the efficiency of their delivery process, optimize their costs effectively, and enhance their customer experiences. To learn more, you can sign up for a quick demo here.

The post Fleet Management Software: Understanding Driver Behavior appeared first on Shipox.

Here are some of the most common advantages of the categorization of order status by Delivery Management System:

• Systematic Order Management

With each order status clearly labeled and categorized, delivery management can become systematic and there would be no chaos. The automation in this process is also more clear and systematic than manual efforts to label the status of each order. 

• Increased Accountability in Operations

Categorization of the order status can make drivers and managers be vigilant about carrying out the entire order journey with caution and to avoid any form of mismanagement of the orders. Since every form of order status can be held updated, they have the ability to add to the system exactly what stage of the order journey the parcel is at and why. This avoids any unnecessary delays in the delivery cycle. 

• Enhanced Customer Trust

Companies which use such advanced DMS are able to gain customer trust and provide enhanced customer experience. This is because these companies are able to keep track of all possible things that can happen to the order or parcel during the delivery journey, such as the delays that might occur, customer returns, damaged items, or any other factor. It makes customers feel satisfied and secure that the delivery company would be well aware of their order status. 

• Ease of Operations

This feature enables operational managers and drivers to carry out their jobs with ease. They have a clear understanding of what is happening to each order, and can hence ensure successful delivery operations ans be answerable to the clients at the same time. This increases efficiency as well as the reliability of operations to a great extent. 

Shipox has 50+ status types to categorize orders accordingly, in order to increase maximum clarity for flawless order management. The most commonly used order statuses used during the delivery management operations are listed down below along with brief explanations of what they mean:

1. Unassigned – An order when first reaches the Shipox system will have this status.

2. Assigned to Courier – When there is “assign to supplier” rule the order gets updated with this status by default

3. Assigned to Driver – When assigned to a specific driver.

4. Out For Pickup – Driver is on his way to pick up the item

5. Arrived – Driver has arrived to the pickup location

6. First Pickup Attempt – Temporary status. Added when the first attempt is done, and then followed by the actual attempt status

7. Picked Up (A) – When the status is In Sorting Warehouse Picked Up (A) is added

8. Picked Up – Driver or API Courier Company has Picked the parcel Up

9. Bad Sender Address – Pick Up Exception, when the Driver cannot find the Sender’s location

10. Sender Not Available – When the Driver cannot reach the Sender

11. Parcel Not Ready – When the parcel is not ready for Pick Up

12. Sender Mobile Switched Off – When the Driver tried to call the Sender but his/her phone was switched off

13. Sender Mobile Wrong or Incomplete – When the Driver tried to call the Sender but his/her number was incomplete or wrong

14. Sender Mobile No Response – When the Driver tried to reach Sender but he/she is not responding to Driver’s call

15. Pick Up Address is Out of Service Area – When the address of the Sender is not covered by the Courier Company

16. Future Pickup Requested – When Sender was not available at the location and asked to for pickup for another date

17. Sender Address Change Requested – When the Sender asked to change his/her pickup location

18. Unable to Access Sender Premises or Closed – When Driver cannot get the Sender’s permission 

19. Prohibited Items – The list of the items are not allowed to deliver

20. Incorrect Packaging – When the parcel packed incorrectly for delivery

21. No AWB Printed – When the Sender didn’t print the AWB and parcel is not picked up due to this issue

22. Pick Up is Delayed due to Late Booking – When the Sender placed an order after pickup time

23. Bad Weather during Pick Up – Because of the bad Weather the pickup is delayed

24. Sender Name is Missing – When the creator of the order didn’t mention the name of the Sender

25. No Capacity or Time – When the Driver does not have  place in the car or time for Pick up

26. Pick Up Rejected – When Driver does not have enough space or time to pick up the item

27. Pick Up On Hold – Pick Up is on Hold

28. Pick Up is Scheduled – When Pick Up Address / Date / Time is clarified and scheduled

29. Pick Up Failed – All attempts done or after rejection

30. In Sorting Facility – In Sorting Facility

31. Item is Lost or Damaged – Item is Lost or Damaged

32. In Transit – In Transit From one Hub To Another

33. Dispatched – The parcel is Dispatched

34. Out For Delivery (Driver App only status) – Out For Delivery

35. Arrived at Delivery Address – Driver reached the delivery address

36. Delivery on Hold – Delivery is on Hold

37. First Delivery Attempt – Temporary status. Added when the first attempt is done, and then followed by the actual attempt status

38. Delivered – When the parcel is Delivered

39. Bad Recipient Address – When the Driver cannot reach the location of the Recipient 

40. Recipient Not Available – When the Recipient is not reachable 

41. Recipient Mobile Switched Off – Recipient mobile is switched off 

42. Recipient Number is Wrong or Incomplete – When the phone number wrong or incomplete

43. Recipient Mobile No Response – No Response from the receiver side

44. Delivery Address Change Requested – When the receiver asked to change his/her address for delivery management

45. COD Not Ready – When the Cash On Delivery is not ready

46. Future Delivery Requested – When the receiver asked for delivery for another date

47. Delivery Address is Out of Service Area – When the Courier Company does not cover delivery address

48. Unable to Access Recipient Premises or Closed – When Driver cannot get the Recipient’s permission

49. No Capacity for Delivery –  When the Driver does not have  place in the car or time for Delivery

50. ID or Document Required is Missing – when the receiver do  not have with him/her required ID or Document

51. Bad Weather during Delivery – Because of the bad Weather the delivery is delayed

52. Recipient Name is Missing – When the creator of the order didn’t mention the name of the Recipient

53. Self-Collection is Arranged or Requested – When the Recipient asked for Self-Collection

54. Wrong Shipment – When the Recipient got wrong item

55. Incomplete Parcel – When the some parts of the item missing

56. Delivery Delay due to Late Booking – When the  Delivery Delayed due to Late Booking

57. Insufficient Time for Delivery – When the recipient is not available

58. Delivery Rejected – When the receiver rejected the delivery

59. Delivery Scheduled – When Delivery Address / Date / Time is clarified and scheduled

60. Delivery Failed – All attempts done or after rejection

61. To Be Returned To Shipox – When the parcel will be returned back to the warehouse after delivery attempt is failed

62. Returning To Shipox – When the parcel is on the way back to the warehouse after delivery attempt is failed

63. Returned To Shipox – When the parcel reached the warehouse after failed delivery management attempt

64. To Be Returned – When the parcel will be returned back to the Sender

65. Out For Return – When the parcel is on the way to Sender

66. Returned to Origin – When the parcel is returned to Sender

67. Canceled By Driver – When the parcel is canceled by Driver

68. Canceled – When the Order is Canceled

69. Canceled/Rejected Due to No Service Area – When the Courier Company is not covering the delivery area

70. Rejected – When the delivery rejected by Sender/Recipient/Driver due to issues mentioned above

71. In transit to supplier – When the parcel is in transit to Courier Company

72. Transited to supplier – When the Courier Company got the parcel

73. Prepared for transit – When the parcel is ready for transit

74. Recipient want inspect item – When the receiver wants to open the shipment before accepting it

75. Lost – When the item is Lost

76. Damaged – When the Item is Damaged

77. Office closed – When the receiver asked for delivery to his office location but at the time of the delivery, office was already closed

78. Destroyed on Customers Request – When the customer is no longer interested in the product which is already paid for and ask you the destroy the product

Shipox is a data-driven Delivery Management Software that enables its users across a multitude of diverse industries to avail market competitive features and customer support in order to automate and perfect their delivery process. Shipox users are able to increase the efficiency of their delivery process, optimize their costs effectively, and enhance their customer experiences.It can help to increase the rate of first day delivery success. To learn more, you can sign up for a quick demo here.

The post Delivery Management System: Shipox and Order Status appeared first on Shipox.

The expectations of the customer have increased. They expect everything to be quick and convenient. Restauranters also need to stay on top of their game. That is where the online food ordering system comes into action.  

Food delivery management systems set up integration with POS point of sale system. It creates food delivery automation and streamlines the business. The way it works is by connecting the POS system of the restaurant with third-party online solutions like online ordering systems, delivery services, and house dining apps.  

The software acts as a bridge between the POS and the third-party platform. These integrations allow the online order flow to be streamlined and automated.  

Food delivery systems are cost-effective and it increases productivity as it saves time by automating aspects like taking orders on the phone.  

Here is how businesses can grow their business with the help of food delivery services:  

Provides Easy Access to Customers:  

The system allows restaurants to publish and change menus on different platforms and for different locations. This can be very time effective as it allows restaurants to manage their menus in one place. The system gives the restaurant the authority to change their menus without having trouble with the third-party delivery platforms.  

Automated Inventory Updates: 

Managing the inventory also becomes easy as the system updates the inventory on its own in the restaurant’s POS system. Out of stock items are detected and are made unavailable so that customers know that the dish is not available.  

Automated Delivery Orders:  

The system stops the business from having to manually enter orders in the POS system.  This is because the delivery system pushes the order to the POS itself. This eliminates human error and saves time. Ultimately resulting in happy satisfied customers. 

Order tickets are printed automatically in the kitchen which again results in a smoother time effective order flow.  

Better Customer Relationships:

The system allows a good relationship to bloom between the customer and the restaurant with the help of CRM or Customer Relationship Management system. This system specifically works on creating a relationship with the customer which is vital for revenue. It also streamlines the whole order process and when the customer places an order. The business receives a notification which results in faster execution.

The post Food Delivery Management System: A Demand for Food Delivery Business Today appeared first on Shipox.

An efficient delivery management system such as Shipox can assist you with this and provide solutions that will surely make your customers happy. 

Customers Get to Choose Their Delivery Options

With the on-demand economy trending, customers are constantly expecting to be provided exactly how they wish. Since customer behaviors vary from one to another, it gets complicated to satisfy everyone with one set of approaches. Delivery management systems help you to provide various options to your customers that fit their delivery requirements. They can choose their delivery plans according to time, cost, locations, and much more. 

Customers Get to Track Their Orders 

Not all customers find it exciting to sit around and wait for their parcels; they need to know exactly when they will receive their goods. Delivery management systems provide customers with resources to track their orders every step of the way. 

Many people did not rely on deliveries because picking up goods physically seemed to be a more certain way of acquisition. However, with the option of tracking parcels, more and more customers are trusting delivery options for almost everything they need. 

Customers Fix On-Demand Delivery 

Before delivery management software was a thing, parcels reached customers’ addresses without prior notice and were often missed when owners weren’t available to receive them. Since delivery management systems, customers have been able to select exact times and locations for their deliveries; it is like scheduling an appointment with the delivery personnel. 

The introduction of on-demand deliveries has made it necessary for every business to onboard a delivery management system to improve customer service and satisfaction. 

Customers Recieve Automated Notifications of Delivery Status

Even when customers decide their order delivery time and address, it is possible that they entirely forget about it. To remind your customers of their due deliveries on specific dates and times, notifications can come in very handy. Delivery management systems allow businesses to send push notifications to customers via apps, SMS, or emails to remind them of their scheduled deliveries. This way, customers do not miss out on receiving their parcels and eliminate the hassle for delivery services to make the same trips again and again. 

Customers Can Provide Their Feedback 

Delivery management systems allow customers to provide valuable feedback on their experience with your business. This feedback can help you improve on the grey areas to make your services more efficient or evaluate how efficient your delivery service is. With customer feedback, you can work to make your delivery service even more satisfactory for your valued customers. 

Customers Recieve a Personalized Experience with Shipox DMS

Customers are at the heart of any business’ delivery service. It is for their convenience that businesses establish an entire system of providing goods at their doorsteps. However, to take the whole motto of customers several notches up, delivery management systems such as Shipox can be advantageous. 

DMS help in creating a personalized experience for each customer by providing them with the choice of selecting exact dates, times, and locations for their drop-offs. Customers can receive their orders whenever they want and track them all along the way until the final receiving. 

DMS has made customer experience with deliveries far more satisfactory than ever. 

The post How to Improve Customer Service Using a DMS appeared first on Shipox.

Delivery management software are those systems exactly. The opportunity of streamlined, fast-paced, and accurate operations is one that no business, regardless of size, should miss. 

Automated and Streamlined Workflow

A delivery management system eliminates the need to record delivery orders on paper. It also eliminates repeating the recording process at multiple steps. Once a delivery order is fed into the DMS, it operates in an automated format and records every necessary detail. This helps to save time and also human energy that could be better used otherwise. 

Route Optimization

Delivery management software come with an excellent feature that makes deliveries quicker. The route optimization is based on algorithms that allow drivers to plan out delivery routes in the most efficient manner. Instead of finishing one zone and moving on to the next, drivers can plan routes according to real-time traffic conditions, areas, and the least time-taking routes. The entire purpose of route optimization is to make deliveries faster. The sooner a parcel reaches its destination, the higher customer satisfaction, and of course, a higher delivery rate for the business. 

Tracking and Managing Drivers and Vehicles

You can track your drivers and vehicles at any given time with a delivery management system. Unlike the previous times, a DMS eliminates the need for drivers to self-report distances covered or time consumed in deliveries for compensation. You can monitor ongoing deliveries at all times without the need to call several drivers for location information. With a DMS, you can also estimate better that how much time is actually taken on a specific delivery route and map out which delivery routes have the highest utilization rate. This way, you can focus greater numbers of your resources in those regions and manage deliveries more smoothly. 

Save Time and Money With Efficient Management

A DMS will help you save in terms of time and money. How?  With DMS route optimization feature, you will always know the best route for your deliveries which will definitely save time. Once you’ve chosen the smallest, most effective route for a delivery, you will simultaneously be saving fuel costs that would have been otherwise lost to inefficient routing. 

Systematic Monitoring

We discussed tracking features offered by delivery management software that make it easier to exercise control over your fleet. Apart from this form of monitoring, another benefit of using a DMS is that the singular platform approach enables managers to look after several operations at a time. While tracking their vehicles, managers can also remain informed of new orders, available workforce, and day-to-day managerial jobs. This helps in better resource optimization and efficient management. 

All in One Dashboard

What enables systematic monitoring via DMS is the dashboard facility. A dashboard is a layout of all necessary information for a business operation designed to fit the requirement of a specific job role. For instance, a logistics manager’s dashboard would differ from that of a sales manager’s. Dashboards make it convenient to view and access information that requires action. With the dashboard feature, important information is available at all times to concerned employees so that they can assess and plan workflow accordingly. It further helps to monitor and streamline the business flow. 

Single Platform for Reconciliation

A DMS is responsible for the intake of orders, creating customer accounts, processing customer information for delivery, providing analyzed reports to staff members for business operations, managing the deliveries themselves, and of course, monetary management. All these various steps and many more involved in the complicated fabric of making deliveries a success can be managed by adopting a singular software.  

Satisfy Customers and Grow Your Business

Agile deliveries are one of the most efficient manners for customer satisfaction nowadays. With a higher rate of satisfied and loyal customers, your business is sure to grow. The more accurate and quick your deliveries are, customers’ trust in your business will grow undoubtedly. 

DMS for Enhanced Management

A delivery management software will ensure that all your delivery-related operations are in a smooth flow, accelerated, and most importantly, accurate. A DMS will help you manage your resources more efficiently and grow your businesses.

With delivery management systems, you get:

✔ Smoother workflow                           

✔ Optimal resource utilization              

✔ Saved time and costs                       

✔ Tracking and monitoring                   

✔ Customer satisfaction                       

✔ Business growth                               

✔ Efficient management                       

✔ Easier reporting                                

✔ Accessible information                      

✔ Systematic monitoring                       

See Shipox’s Delivery Management System capabilities in action. Book a demo now

[elementor-template id=”38103″]

The post Core Benefits of Using a Delivery Management System for your Business appeared first on Shipox.

Research shows that 20-25% of buyers accept higher charges for instant deliveries. To cater to such a population, your business must have a delivery management system with all the best and needed features. 

Transparency Throughout the Delivery Process

Efficient delivery management offers a more engaging platform across all different operational units. This connectivity and communication among different departments ensure smooth and accurate workflow. The entire purpose of bringing multiple operations on a single platform previously functioning separately is to maintain an even level. With certain office-based teams in constant contact with field teams, accuracy and efficiency can be highly increased. The purpose of transparency is the basic fabric of a delivery management system within which many other important features reside. 

When your business acquires a delivery management system, it is in hopes of achieving the following:

• Increased number of pick-ups in a day
• Prompt, accurate, and on-time deliveries
• Reduced costs in delivery operations
• Resource optimization
• Real-time fleet tracking
• Continuous connectivity between teams
• Analytical reporting

Having a Mobile Interface

An efficient delivery management system is highly dependent upon its mobile interface offering. A mobile interface allows business teams to remain connected. Also, through a mobile interface, team members can access important information at any given time. For example, drivers require information such as customer addresses, preferred delivery timings, payment methods, and fastest route guides. All of these components are extremely crucial in making faster deliveries and gaining customer confidence. 

Real-Time Tracking and Updates

A key feature for any delivery management system is real-time tracking and updates. This feature goes two ways. The first part of it is for the business where managers can track their fleet at all times while in the field. A close eye can be kept on every personnel and monitor their delivery time, the routes they take, and the number of deliveries they make in a day. Such vigilance ensures no fraudulent practices within the teams and cuts down on time and costs. The second part of it is updating customers on their product delivery status. This keeps the customers informed and ready once their parcel is about to arrive. 

Efficient Order Management

Once an order is received, the next important decision is how to deliver it as quickly as possible. Delivery management systems have eliminated the need to assign orders to delivery personnel manually. The entire task has been automated, where drivers are assigned deliveries through the system. Another excellent feature is the route optimization through which drivers are informed of the quickest possible routes to make a delivery or complete their delivery schedule for a day. Efficient delivery management systems also assist businesses with COD delivery management, one of the most popular payment methods.

Analytical Reporting 

A delivery management system that you hire for your business should be capable of providing you with elaborate, automatically generated reports for critical decision-making. The entire data related to your business’ delivery operations is managed on this system. The system should be sophisticated enough to produce analyzed reports. Delivery management systems also offer dashboard analytics for users to have necessary information laid out and catered to. Monitor the number of orders that require dispatch and track delivery till the last mile, from one place. Some delivery management systems also provide crucial information such as highest order generating zones or areas so that resources can be allocated efficiently towards those. 

Efficient delivery management systems can assist your businesses to a whole new level. Optimize your day-to-day delivery management operations with Shipox. Automate processes and ensure fast-paced delivery operations. 

The post Top Features for Efficient Delivery Management appeared first on Shipox.