A comprehensive guide to selecting the right route planner for delivery businesses, emphasizing the importance of understanding business goals and needs, plus comparing prices and app functionality.
Planning a route is easy. Picking the right one, not so much. If you’re like me you’ve probably spent countless hours hunting for solutions which will solve your routing problems. From Google Maps to Microsoft Bing I’ve seen it all and it usually starts out with a question: “What is the best route planner?” In this article we will just focus on picking the right route planner for your business needs.
If you are operating a delivery business, then you will most likely need to use some type of route planner software. Before picking one for your business, there are certain things you will want to consider first.
I’m going to share with you how to pick a route planner for your delivery business, by going through some things to consider when making this purchase. A route planner is basically responsible for calculating the most effective method of getting from one place to another – it’s not just choosing the fastest route but it also includes picking out the goods that can be delivered along the way, while ensuring a good profit margin all of which will ultimately be used to get your business running more smoothly.
The first thing you should do is identify your goals. What are you trying to achieve here? Are you looking for a simple way to plan routes or do you want something more complex? Do you need a tool that will help you manage your fleet of drivers? Or maybe you’re just trying to figure out which days are most effective for deliveries? Whatever your needs may be, make sure that they are met by a software solution.
Once you know what you want from your route planner software, it’s time to take an honest look at how well it meets those needs. Here are some things that we think are important:
Make a list of things to consider when picking a route planner for your local delivery business. Consider:
It is always a good idea to check out the reviews of any product before buying it. Most reviews will tell you how well something works, if it was worth their money, and if there were any issues with shipping or customer service. If there are any negative reviews about an item, then those should be taken into consideration as well.
Another great way to determine what route planner is best suited for you is by asking other businesses that have used them before. If they had good experiences with their chosen program, then they may recommend it over others that they have tried in the past.
Route planning software can be very expensive or free. It all depends on what features you want and how much money you want to spend on it. Most businesses choose paid route planners because they offer more features and support than their free counterparts. However, if your company doesn’t have much money or needs basic functionality only, free route planners may be sufficient for your needs.
Before you start looking for a route planning software, you need to consider what functionality it offers. You may want to consider whether it can manage a fleet of drivers or if it can only handle one driver at a time. Some tools are able to offer both options and others only one or the other.
Can you create multiple routes at once? Many programs allow you to create several routes at once and then assign them out to individual drivers. This is great if you have multiple stops that need to be allocated between several drivers. You can create one route for each driver and then assign them out so each one has their own personalized route that fits their specific needs.
Can I manage my own fleet of drivers? If you have multiple drivers working for your organization, then they all need to be assigned a vehicle and a specific route that they will be responsible for completing on time and without any problems occurring during their shift. If something goes wrong along the way, they should be able to reroute themselves without having someone else do it for them through the application’s interface.
You should always demo the route planner before making any purchasing decisions. This will allow you to see what works well and what doesn’t work well with the software. You’ll also be able to get an idea of how easy or difficult it is to use for your staff members so that they’re not overwhelmed during training sessions
You’ll want to look for software that integrates nicely with your backend. For example, if you’re using Shopify, look on the Shopify App Store for your route planning software. We make one called EasyRoutes that’s been a 2x Shopify Staff Pick and has lots of 5-star reviews. We also offer a 14-day free trial!
Planning routes can take hours, especially if you are doing it for multiple vehicles. With route planning software, you can do this in seconds or minutes. You’ll save time and money by eliminating this step from your business process.
You also don’t need an engineering degree to use these programs. They’re designed for anyone to use with little training needed.
You can customize the program based on your company’s needs and specific requirements. For example, if you want to include stops at gas stations in your delivery route, you can add them easily with this type of program.
It is important to note that, when it comes to choosing a delivery software, you need to determine what you can use the software for and what features you need. It is also extremely important to realize that there are route planning software available in the market which are designed for small businesses, medium-sized businesses or enterprises. So be sure to choose the right type of software for your business.
Roundtrip's mission is to equip every business with the software tools they need to deliver products to their customers in a delightful way. Thousands of Shopify merchants worldwide choose EasyRoutes to power their local deliveries across dozens of product categories, from meal kits and groceries to coffee, cupcakes, kibble, and so much more. Our easy-to-use route planning and delivery optimization app is certified Built for Shopify, a two-time Shopify staff pick, and the top rated local delivery app on the Shopify App Store.
