The importance of carriers in last mile logistics
As seen previously, the purchasing manager will hand over the order to the carrier, who will manage the last mile delivery. Since he is responsible for executing deliveries, from collecting the goods from the warehouses to their delivery to the end customer, the carrier must have a logistics procedure that allows him to:
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- Plan delivery routes;
- Deliver goods advertising database to end customers;
- Manage merchandise returns;
- Manage customer complaints.
In addition, the transport company must correspond to the needs and consumption habits of customers. It can offer:
- Fast deliveries;
- Home or relay point deliveries;
- Pooling of deliveries;
- Tools to track the progress of the current delivery…
It is important to remember that in the consumer's mind, if the carrier makes a bad delivery, it will be the seller directly who will be impacted. This is why, with a delivery cost representing 20% of the overall delivery, choosing a reliable carrier is essential for the last mile to the customer.
What are the current challenges of last-mile delivery?
The current challenges of last-mile delivery to the customer are not simply to be considered in financial terms. Indeed, the challenges also turn to notions of ecology, societal changes of consumers and, of course, to the cost of delivery.
The high cost of deliveries
The sinews of war, deliveries are expensive. And this rate can be passed on either to the seller who takes full responsibility for the cost of delivery or to himself. But he can also decide to charge shipping costs to the buyer, which can easily increase the bill.