Making Waves (Part 2): Last Mile Delivery Transportation Innovators

Here are a few more companies that are making waves in the supply chain and logistics industry.  Each company was started to solve particular challenges, from helping companies comply with a new FMCSA ELD regulation to helping consumers who need to be able to schedule home deliveries and returns pickups.  

Using innovative strategies and recent technology, each company helps to facilitate growth in the supply chain and logistics industry.

With the tremendous growth of online shopping and e-commerce, combined with the increase in manufacturing and production across the globe, many smaller manufacturers, retailers and other supply chain businesses have found it challenging to operate profitably and are turning to technology for help.  Companies on this edition’s list are providing key functionality that enables increased information visibility, data for reports and analysis and enablement of cost savings.

In this edition, we provide brief summaries of the following companies:

Shipping Management:

• Shippo

Last Mile Delivery/Last Mile Logistics:

• Doorman

Transportation and Logistics

Transfix

Shippers of varying sizes from a wide variety of industries including retail, manufacturing food and beverage and more benefit from having access to a network of 17,000 carriers with 24/7/365 support.  Real time freight shipment visibility from dispatch through delivery is provided along with automated system alerts to enable fast action if problems arise.

The digital platform provided by Transfix is readily available and reduces the time it takes to book and trace freight shipments.  Cost savings are often realized due to the lower margin as compared with that of booking through traditional transportation brokers.

As is the case in other industries, using logistics industry data can provide perspective into issues that can help reduce costs.  Shippers can also take advantage of the available data to gain valuable insight into issues such as warehouse efficiency and carrier performance.

KeepTruckin ELD:

Supply Chain Network Management

Elementum

Today, more than ever before, companies are doing business globally.  This can present enormous challenges, in terms of complexity, visibility and supply chain risk.

A digital supply chain network, Elementum empowers companies to manage their global supply chains in real time.  The Elementum cloud platform helps to expedite communications and provides tools to enable supply chain businesses to gain insight, be proactive and act collaboratively with other supply chain logistics partners.

With supply chain analytics tools that provide both a high level and drill down detail, Elementum facilitates operations across the global supply chain network.  Real time alerts can be sent to Smartphones and mobile devices to keep users up to date on status changes.

By providing “connected intelligence”, millions of suppliers, logistics hubs, manufacturing facilities and other operations can have access to a seamless flow of real time intelligence without the need for costly integrations.  Essential to operations and supply chain management, this can aid in providing immediate critical information that can be used for remediating supply chain risk and avoiding potential disruptions that can affect manufacturing and order fulfillment.

Using over 30 million data sources, Elementum helps supply chain businesses unravel puzzling patterns, aid in supply chain planning and help improve decision making.

Shipping Management

Shippo

Enter Shippo, a company that specializes in providing shipping management advantages for online retailers and other users. Shippo simplifies these processes by providing users and software developers with its multi-carrier shipping API and dashboard to empower businesses to ship at scale or to use their own accounts with pre-negotiated rates.  

Users can connect with popular platforms such as Shopify via a web dashboard or easily upload a CSV file.

Because Shippo aggregates the volume of all their customers, they are able to negotiate with shipping carriers and obtain huge discounts.  Shippo’s shipping management system operates with a global network of shipping carriers and offers the ability to automate international customs forms and invoice paperwork.  Users have access to shipping insurance, are able to generate scan-based return labels and can track shipments.

Pre-payments or deposits are not required and Shippo can provide commercial rates for USPS and DHL Express as soon as new clients sign up for their service.

Last Mile Delivery/Last Mile Logistics

Doorman

In today’s fast paced omnichannel environment, most online retailers understand that consumers grade the brand based largely on their experience with the package delivery of the products that they order.  For most companies, last mile delivery is the most challenging leg of the customer journey.  Getting the right products to the door of the customer quickly, accurately and at the right time is often problematic.

One hour delivery windows are offered during shopping cart check out and personalized, branded text notifications are sent to keep customers alerted to the status of their delivery.  Deliveries can be tracked while in progress and updates are provided in real time.

Industry studies reveal that 53% of American customers are more likely to make a purchase online if same day delivery is provided.  Using Doorman enables brick and mortar retailers to have access to consumers who want same day delivery service, a previously unattainable customer base.  Because Doorman has strategically positioned fulfillment centers and a vehicle capacity optimization system, retailers can reduce the cost of fulfillment and get the added bonus of providing same day delivery.

As an added bonus, Doorman accepts extra-large packages but charges an additional fee that is based upon the size of the parcel. 

Doorman offers both personal plans, a delivery and returns app for individuals as well as an enterprise delivery solution for online retailers.  Great news from the last mile delivery industry-just in time for the 2017 holiday season!