When the country went into lockdown, home deliveries became more important than ever, becoming a lifeline for many members of the public, prompting thousands to sign up for local dairy deliveries to get their morning pint of milk.
How Dairy Deliveries Have Changed
A great example of this boom in milk rounds is Müller’s Milk & More who gained over 85,000 new customers from January to August this year. To cope with this surge in interest, many companies have implemented digital technology to improve their service and retain some of the new customers they gained during the lockdown. The unprecedented situation also allowed companies to expand their product range and deliver other items like meat, bread, butter, local produce, water softener salt, and fruit juices.
However, some milk delivery companies struggled to meet the unprecedented demand. Some companies were forced to turn away prospective customers, while others recruited more delivery drivers and expanded their operations.
More often than not the deciding factor of whether a company could rapidly expand, or not, was their investment in technology.
EDG’s Digital Solutions Drive Change and Adaptability
So, what kinds of technology do delivery companies need to be able to scale and adapt so quickly? Digital solutions have helped dairy delivery companies to rapidly adjust to the rise in demand by streamlining the delivery process, allowing drivers to make more deliveries each milk round. Forward-thinking dairy companies used digital solutions like EDG’s to support the diversification of their service and successful delivery to a larger customer list. Our software solutions allow our customers to quickly react to industry changes, scale up operations, and manage their mobile workforce to ensure every customer receives their delivery.
How EDG’s Digital Solutions Have Helped Delivery Companies in General
Mobility software helps office staff monitor, manage, and track deliveries and easily schedule employee tasks, enhancing workforce planning. Digital solutions have also helped delivery companies monitor their stock, some of which have a short life and must be efficiently managed to avoid wastage and associated costs. Our Mobile Workforce Management solution replaces many tasks and allows you to manage your company and drivers more efficiently, leading to improved productivity and better management decisions.
Digital Transformation Of The Dairy Delivery Process
The huge intake of new customers has been challenging for milkmen and women who have had to start their shifts even earlier to deliver to customers who expect their order to be on their doorstep by the time they prepare their breakfast. Modern delivery drivers rely on mobility software to simplify the delivery process and help them provide timely and accurate delivery to customers.
At the start of each shift, milkmen and women use handheld devices to find out what products need to be loaded onto their vehicle and whether they are delivering to any new customers. While doing their morning milk rounds, drivers use the handheld devices to email delivery notes to customers and if enabled, use contactless proof of delivery for selected items; speeding up delivery times, plus also reducing the risks associated with the coronavirus.
EDG’s electronic proof of delivery (ePOD) solution equips drivers with handheld devices that provide the optimal delivery route based on real-time traffic updates, enabling drivers to deliver to more customers in a shift. Delivery and collection instructions are displayed for each customer on the route, and drivers can quickly access their work schedule and real-time customer information when needed.
Why Partner With EDG?
This year, many delivery companies have received an overwhelming number of new customers, creating a huge stack of paperwork and a long list of managerial tasks. Delivery businesses have used software such as our Mobile Workforce Management solution to replace paper based managerial tasks and automate repetitive tasks, freeing up their time to focus on fulfilling the increased demand stimulated by the coronavirus.
Like the dairy industry in 2020, your business could require a digital transformation to help speed up your processes and be more agile to market changes. Designed to fit your current practices, our solutions will empower your business with the technology needed to improve your productivity, streamline your internal processes, and cut your operational costs. Our workforce management solutions will replace many tasks, simplify the job of your delivery drivers, and give your managers more time to make better decisions, allowing you to fulfil the high demand that has emerged during the pandemic.
If you’re facing issues seen in the dairy industry and want to know how digital solutions could help, please contact us.
