The secret to achieving high-performing field operations is capitalizing on their unique advantages and then harnessing the power of modern technology.

Route planning is the process of creating most cost effective and shortest way to reach from starting point to destination with minimum number of checkpoints in between. Route scheduling is the process of assigning an arrival and service time for each stop. The role of a fleet owner is to make an effective route planning and schedule timely delivery of goods and services to the customers.

Scheduling and vehicle routing, just like any other business process or product, can become outdated if you don’t regularly assess them. If your competitor can deliver in half the time you can, you’re going to lose customers. In a 2019 global survey conducted by BigCommerce, 77% of consumers said they had backed out of an ecommerce purchase because of what they felt were “unsatisfactory shipping options.

Manually scheduling and planning routes is extremely inefficient, and, worse yet, if a customer cancels or makes last-minute changes to an order or if a driver calls out sick, you basically need to start over. Staying competitive amid evolving technology doesn’t have to be stressful, though.