Planning on going paperless in 2024? Three reasons why NOW is the time!

15 years ago everyone was talking about route planning, 10 years ago it was telematics but now the shift is very much towards customer experience, not just optimisation efficiency.  Electronic proof of delivery (ePOD) is the process of confirming that a delivery or collection has taken place using an electronic device.  It gives you and your customers peace of mind as they know what items were delivered where when, and have the photographic evidence to prove it.

Here at Podfather we are seeing an increase in the number of companies approaching us because the end customers is pushing for a better delivery experience.  Your end customers want, and in some cases need, a digital trail, not a paper trail, of their items.  As digital transformation continues to gain pace across all parts of the supply chain we only see demand for a paperless delivery service increasing. 

Poor service is unacceptable, good service is ok for some but great delivery service is becoming the norm. Since Covid times we have seen a shift in expectations from end customers.  The lines between B2B and B2C have blurred and we, as consumers, expect an ‘Amazon style’ delivery experience irrespective of whether we are ordering an item for home, or for work. 

It’s a buyers’ market so if your delivery service is not up to scratch then your customers will go elsewhere. Not offering ETA updates, reliable time windows, or live delivery tracking links?  These features are no longer a ‘nice to have’ as part of your delivery experience, they are essential in order to retain and grow relationships with your end customers, especially if you are operating in a highly competitive, relatively low-margin market place. 

The majority of tech companies operating in the ePOD and route planning space will talk about how software can save you money.  We’re going to make an assumption that you know that and don’t need us to keep banging on about it.  But let’s talk about sustainability.  We are assuming that you are working towards Net Zero, that your business is looking to improve green credentials and help make a difference in the  battle for climate change? 

Here are some stats for you.  Each Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) in your fleet is emitting 2.6 tonnes of carbon each year, on average.  Every Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) emits almost 10 times that at 20 tonnes a year.  On top of that every piece of paper that you use contributes 0.005 grammes of carbon to the atmosphere. Now that might not seem a lot but if you are you using multiple sheets of paper per job, and doing hundreds of jobs a week, that soon adds up.

• There are many suppliers offering ePOD, route planning and optimization software solutions so why should you talk to us? 
• Well, for starters with are a UK based company with over 20 years’ experience. 
• Our core product offering will give you a great range of functionality in one cloud-based back office system and an easy to use driver app. 
• Our customer success speak for itself, check out our website to find out more.  https://thepodfather.com/customer-stories 
• As a business we are big enough to make a difference but small enough to care.  We are not a faceless corporate, that’s for sure.
• We have an experience Customer Success team who are with you every step of the way on your Podfather journey and we have an excellent Support team who are always there to help when you need them. 
• We love what we do and we’re really good at doing it!

We’d relish the opportunity to talk to you about the challenges you may currently be facing, or discuss your concerns about moving away from a paper-based process.  You can get in touch  by calling us on +44 (0) 131 553 0400 or you can drop us an email to sales@podfather.com. We’re a friendly bunch and we’d love to hear from you.