What is last mile delivery tracking?


Your package has been delivered.

Just before you got that notification, your package went on one of the most challenging parts of its shipping journey: The last mile. Delivering packages on time – every time – means not only happier customers, but also reduced costs for businesses.
The last-mile delivery is now focusing even more on the customer expectation and more and more companies are using complex platforms like Xfleet Delivery Management Software to guarantee accuracy and more personalized experiences.

There should be no excuse for a failed delivery or late arrival delivery.

No matter you are selling groceries or laptops, the final mile of an online order's journey is the most important – and the most challenging because is one of the last points where the company interacts with the customer.

If the delivery is bad --  the item is broken, delivered to the wrong place or the package arrives late -- that can result in an angry Tweet and a lost customer. 

Delivery reflects customer service

We can all relate to the frustration of experiencing a delay when a requested delivery or service doesn’t match its expected arrival time. With technology advancing, customer expectations are rising everyday.

Fortunately, whether you run a fleet of delivery trucks or on-demand drivers, whether you have hardwired GPS equipments installed on your vehicles or you are tracking driver's smartphones, last mile tracking makes sure that you give customers accurate ETAs, monitor deliveries and problems in real-time and your fleets operate safely.

Why you should care about last mile delivery tracking

55% of customers won’t recommend delivery services if the delivery arrives late. With e-commerce booming and same-day delivery becoming the norm, efficient last mile delivery is one of the most critical differentiators among competitors. As a result, delivery companies are investing in this field with needs for route optimization and precise ETAs.

The last mile is expensive

That final mile “is complex and challenging because the infrastructure to deliver to the last mile is costly. Shipping companies must pay for depots, vehicle fleets, IT, back-end systems and wages for delivery drivers.

If the delivery fails the first time for any reason – the customer is not home or the driver could not find the address, the cost doubles as the company must pay for delivery again, doubling the cost.

More manpower is needed especially during peak holiday season when package volume increases.

How location technology helps last mile fleet tracking

Customers expect more and more visibility of the last mile. With the increasing amount of online orders, customers want to be able to monitor their packages at any time – all the way from the depot or store to their doorstep, for example. Fleets thus need to provide efficient delivery services and accurate ETAs. Dispatchers need to make sure that up-to-date tracking information is communicated to the customers, including when there are unexpected changes and without an overload of phone calls.

GPS plays a huge role in location technology for fleet tracking – whether the fleet is composed of trucks, cars, scooters or bikes.

How tracking APIs create visibility to improve last mile deliveries

Integrate Xfleet Tracking APIs bring an added layer of valuable information to make sure the successful route takes place according to the scheduled ETAs and fleet managers can easily assist drivers and manage last-minute route updates if needed.

Xfleet API plays an essential role to your delivery department, no matter you are using hardwired GPS trackers or monitor your field force using their smartphones.
Fleets in different industries will need different solutions based on their business needs but having one integrated platform with an ecosystem of solutions and value-added partners is critical to meet all the demands of clients and ensure you are flexible and scalable enough with the software and platform you are using.

  • Plan vs actual comparing the planned and actual routes lets you see the gaps, replan, and update based on the anomalies.
  • Reverse geocoding allows you to understand where drivers are by converting coordinates into readable addresses.
  • Geofencing defines virtual geofences around locations and checks whether the assets you are tracking are inside or outside of them as well as detect transitions.
  • Location history safely stores and retrieves the locations and movements of devices you are tracking. It allows to retrace the steps of the drivers and display it on the map in real time.
  • Insights and Alerts allows you to receive alerts whenever an asset passes through a geofence. Alerts are configured in one place, which you can send via email or webhook.

Delivering the best experience from the beginning to the end

Fleets in different industries will need different solutions based on their business needs but having one integrated platform with an ecosystem of solutions and value-added partners is critical to meet all the demands of clients and ensure you are flexible and scalable enough with the software and platform you are using.
Being able to track a package every move makes customers feel more comfortable and in control. Delivering on their promise and meeting ETAs are vital in showing that businesses know what they’re doing and are efficient. This impacts customer satisfaction and helps create more consistent route planning for happier customers in the long term.

Find out more how Xfleet's complex technology and how can help streamline your fleet's planning, routing and mapping.