If you work with last-mile delivery today, you can learn from the online retail giant, Amazon. Not only do they have a foolproof marketing strategy, but their highly effective supply chain strategy has optimized their sales, delivery, and productivity. Using advanced technologies and ever-changing innovations, this marketplace has helped change the landscape of supply chain management, leaving a trail of competitors in its wake.
Despite Amazon revolutionizing the supply chain design in modern society, they can do more to optimize the last mile of the delivery process and improve the business’s overall speed. After all, Prime delivery and two-day delivery are some of the biggest selling points of Amazon. By partnering with a company that can quicken the last mile, bringing products directly to your front door, the retail giant can change their two-day delivery to same-day delivery.
Bringing Straightaway on board is the next big move Amazon can make in the competitive online world. With everyone turning to online shopping due to the global pandemic, being able to order necessities with the click of a button and receive your must-haves the same day is a sought-after service.
What is the Amazon supply chain?
The Amazon supply chain is the procedure of inventory management, storing products, and delivering products to the customer. The supply chain connects eCommerce companies to e-retail leaders––to put it simply.
This business giant has optimized its supply chain management by embracing new technology and revolutionizing a time-tested business strategy. Bringing new technology onboard, like the Straightaway app, is the next step in further quickening an already effective process.
Characteristics of the Amazon Supply Chain
One of the biggest selling points of using Amazon over other online retailers is the coveted two-day delivery promise. The real question is, how do they fulfill this bold promise? The answer is simple: fulfillment centers and the delivery fleet.
Amazon Fulfillment Centers
Amazon has over 175 fulfillment centers globally, helping organize, store, and churn out the millions of products available on their site. Since online shopping has boomed in the past year, Amazon is planning to open at least 50 more centers across the United States alone to keep up with the growing demand.
Amazon Delivery Fleets
The other important characteristic of the effective supply chain is the delivery fleets. Last-mile delivery is a crucial step of the customer process. If the delivery fleet misses products, uses the wrong delivery address, or delivers the wrong products, the entire supply chain is broken.
Amazon has changed supply chain management in the retail world. However, one question comes to mind––how can Amazon improve their last-mile delivery?
Use the Straightaway App for same-day delivery
Amazon has turned its attention to same-day delivery because two-day delivery is old news in Amazon’s world. Same-day delivery works through incorporating new technology, efficient manpower, and the accurate sorting and storing of products at the hundreds of Amazon warehouses.
In addition to speeding up their supply chain network, Amazon will incorporate high-tech solutions to avoid any issues with the last-mile delivery. By utilizing route optimization software, any mistakes in delivering products to the front door of a home or business can be avoided.
The route optimization software can help plan the most efficient routes for Amazon's delivery drivers, ensuring the route avoids any distractions or issues that could hinder the delivery driver from reaching their destination on time.
One of the new options for route optimization software that can enhance the speed of last-mile delivery is Straightaway.
How does Straightaway work?
Straightaway helps drivers optimize their delivery route, ensuring they take the fastest way possible between multiple destinations. The app uses image recognition to avoid having to enter dozens of stops to your route manually. Instead, the technology lets you scan your manifest or package label to save time and automatically use the correct address.
If you work with a big company like Amazon, this feature is crucial. Avoid manually entering information and use the camera to add up to 500 addresses, saving hours of tapping away on your phone and constantly updating your route.
Not only does the app let you include hundreds of addresses with the snap of a picture, but it can also optimize the fastest route using weather, elevation, road conditions, traffic patterns, and other data sources to provide real-time information to the delivery driver.
The delivery driver also remains focused on the route without having to switch between apps. Gone are the days of determining the quickest route via toggling between Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Waze… Straightaway allows Amazon fleet drivers to avoid traffic while simultaneously providing turn-by-turn directions.
Why does Amazon need to start using Straightaway?
Although Amazon's Delivery system is considered efficient compared to FedEx, UPS, or USPS, its speed and accuracy can always be improved. Individual contractors can sign up to be Amazon fleet drivers, using their own phones and cars to deliver products.
Delivery drivers aren’t given explicit addresses, but have to scan barcodes that correspond to delivery zones for the packages. Once the delivery driver scans the codes from their product manifest list, they are ready to begin their day’s work. The current app used by delivery drives helps optimize their routes, taking into account delays, construction, accidents, and traffic conditions
Despite the high levels of efficiency compared to the ‘traditional’ delivery systems, using a third-party app that can optimize hundreds of addresses is the next step in making same-day delivery a possibility.
Straightaway can Realize Amazon’s Same-Day Dream
Amazon is one of the biggest retail giants in the world and for good reason. With millions of products, hundreds of warehouses, and delivery fleets that bring products to your door in two days or less, this megalith has utilized technology to its advantage. By creating a seamless supply chain management procedure, this corporation has improved productivity and efficiency.
Even so, this company can still benefit from improving its last-mile delivery services. To go from the guaranteed two-day delivery service to an unheard of one-day delivery, Amazon will have to join forces with route optimization software to avoid traffic and other road obstacles.
Using the Straightaway app, Amazon can improve its last-mile efficiency, delivering products to the right addresses in twenty-four or fewer hours.
