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Why is Route Planning Necessary for Your Business in 2024

Discussing the importance of a route planner for delivery businesses with multiple destinations, highlighting how route optimization software can significantly reduce transportation costs and improve customer service.

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Every decision is critical, and making the wrong one can have a negative impact on company revenue and customer satisfaction, depending on the complexity of your routes, geography, customer expectations, budget, and so on.

Route planning is difficult when you have a large number of destinations, especially if your company is still using pen and paper. This method of planning is inefficient and time-consuming, and it puts businesses at risk of failing to meet customer expectations. That is why you should think about investing in a route planner.

Route Planning Reduces Transportation Costs

When it comes to transportation costs, which can quickly add up, businesses that want to stay within their budgets are at a disadvantage. Having multiple destinations and driving for long periods of time will not be cost effective due to the high cost of fuel in most parts of the world.

Route optimization software, on the other hand, can help you save time and money by planning efficient routes that take into account your location and avoid backtracking. As a result, drivers spend less time driving, businesses save money on maintenance because less backtracking is required, and businesses can reduce vehicle wear and tear.

Route Planning Improves Customer Service

Improving customer satisfaction is critical for a successful business, and eliminating wasteful practices is one of the best ways to do so. You understand the value of punctuality and efficiency in maintaining customer satisfaction as a business owner. In fact, 96 percent of consumers said they would shop with a retailer again after a positive delivery experience, according to a 2015 delivery consumer report.

Faster response times and deliveries increase productivity while also creating appealing delivery experiences that encourage customers to return for more. A planner can be used by businesses to make last-minute changes and meet tight deadlines, ensuring that no customer is forgotten.

Route Planning Increases Productivity

Thousands of tasks must be completed in every business, and businesses that are constantly on the move are no exception. It’s easy to let a few tasks slip through the cracks when you have an ever-growing list of places to visit every day. It’s crucial to keep track of the ever-growing list of destinations, which is easy to do with a route planner.

Navigation apps like Google always come to mind when it comes to route planning. But what about companies that must visit 20, 50, or even 100 locations in one day? Google Maps can’t get you around town efficiently because it works on a stop-by-stop basis. As a business owner, you must consider time frames, driver shifts, the number of stops, stop changes, and so on. Not only do route planner solutions help you avoid backtracking by organizing your stops by location, but they also ensure that your company arrives on time at all of its scheduled destinations.

That’s why you should look into a route planner like EasyRoutes. EasyRoutes turns your store’s orders into optimized delivery routes you can share with a driver or deliver yourself. EasyRoutes is web-based, meaning there is no software to install, and you can access it from any browser. The routes you share with drivers are mobile-friendly and can be opened on their mobile phones. They can even send stops to their favourite navigation apps to get to where they are going faster.

EasyRoutes is a 2x Shopify Staff Pick. It is very well reviewed, well supported, and it has plans and free trials for business of all sizes (including a free route planner plan for businesses just starting out!)

Get EasyRoutes on the Shopify App Store
Get EasyRoutes on the Shopify App Store

Overall, route planners help you save time and money on the road by lowering transportation costs, giving you a more flexible budget, assisting you in getting to your customers more efficiently and on time, and increasing the number of destinations you can visit in a day.

About Roundtrip

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.

"What used to take 3 to 4 hours to map out and print 100+ deliveries now takes us 30 mins."
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