Consider, for instance, the growth in the number of low- or zero-emission zones, which has significant consequences for the vehicles to be deployed. A flexible route planning system like OptiFlow swiftly generates an optimal plan that complies with all rules and restrictions.
Retail network
In food retail & last-mile delivery, the complexity is even greater. Many supermarkets receive a truck at their back door three times a day: early in the morning for fresh products, late in the afternoon for non-perishable products, and in between for frozen products. It is essential to distribute these flows as evenly as possible throughout the day to avoid peaks, not only in the stores but also in the distribution centers. To deploy the increasingly scarce and expensive operators as efficiently as possible, the workload must be spread out, and not all trucks must be loaded at once.
Smart cloud-based route optimization
Given the constant changes in both the retail network and the rules and restrictions, a flexible and smart route optimization system like OptiFlow is necessary. This flexible cloud solution generates optimal route planning that complies with all the rules and restrictions of the network. Moreover, the use of OptiFlow results in better process control. Transportation departments no longer have to rely on the knowledge in the planners’ heads and no longer must use Excel. With OptiFlow, they have an integrated planning application that supports the complete planning process, including the management of restrictions. Manually moving a route forward or backward to smooth out the peaks in the workload is no longer necessary.
How do we tackle modern delivery challenges?
In a world dominated by rapid e-commerce growth and ever-changing customer expectations, B2C deliveries, or home deliveries, are more complex than ever. Balancing speed, efficiency, and cost is a daunting task for many
companies.
In our whitepaper on ”How to plan complex home deliveries?” we delve into these challenges and shed light on the transformative role that route optimization software can play. Download now!
The Dutch Retail Giant: Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn, one of the largest supermarket chains in the Netherlands, uses the SaaS route optimization system OptiFlow to plan the routes to more than 2,000 supermarkets, convenience stores, liquor stores, and drugstores. The result is route planning that optimally utilizes the high network density while still complying with all rules and restrictions. And, thanks to the advanced algorithms, recalculating the route planning no longer takes 220 hours but only a fraction of that. “Each location, large or small, has its own specific characteristics. Occasionally we acquire stores, meaning we constantly have to adapt to new situations,” says Martijn Beerepoot, project manager for distribution and transport at Albert Heijn. Read the full success story of Albert Heijn & OptiFlow.
Cloud-based route optimization software with the best-performance algorithms!
- High-performance algorithms. Recognized as the best algorithms by our customers.
- >15% cost savings. Unlock your hidden savings potential. Guaranteed.
- 6x faster planning
- Optimize easily 10k orders in a single plan
- Route optimization use cases: distribution, e-commerce, home deliveries, courier, express, and parcels.
- Industries: retail, e-commerce, transport, and logistics.
Continuous Improvement
Albert Heijn also utilizes the possibilities to continuously improve route planning. With OptiFlow DOE (Design of Experiments), the settings are automatically calculated in an intelligent way to analyze which adjustments have a positive impact on the planning results. “Previously, you were done once the planning was complete. Now you have the time to weigh different plans against each other, allowing us to better respond to market developments,” states Beerepoot.
One example is the shortage of drivers. OptiFlow enables planners to make a choice: they can choose the plan with the lowest cost, lowest CO2 emissions, or the fewest number of drivers. It is also possible to take into account their preferences, so drivers can, for instance, take a break in the canteen of a distribution centre instead of on the road. Beerepoot says, “We pay close attention to the structure of a route and adjust the driver’s break settings in OptiFlow to meet his needs.” This results in happier drivers, who show more engagement and deliver better performance.