1. Difficult contact with drivers: a red flag
One of the first signs that things are going wrong is if you have trouble reaching drivers. Perhaps the phone is not answered, updates are delayed, or you simply don't know where your drivers are. This lack of direct communication can lead to uncertainty and stress, both for you and the customer. Imagine: a customer calls to ask where their delivery is staying and you have no answer. The feeling of losing control then becomes painfully obvious.
Why is this dangerous? Without communication, you enter a vicious cycle of uncertainty, which damages both your schedule and customer trust. Delays cannot be compensated quickly, and as a planner you are powerless.
2. No visibility of vehicle location: a dangerous omission
In modern logistics, the lack of real-time location information is a major risk. If you don't have insight into where your vehicles are, you can't react quickly to changes such as traffic conditions or last-minute route changes. This, in turn, causes delays and frustration for both customers and drivers.
The consequences: customers receive their deliveries late. Which not only disrupts their planning, but can also damage the relationship with your company. For drivers, the lack of overview is confusing and frustrating, affecting their motivation and efficiency.
3. Unpredictable delivery times: a recipe for dissatisfaction
When you have no control over the location of your drivers and the progress of their route, delivery times become increasingly unpredictable. Customers in the B2B segment count on delivery on the agreed time. If you cannot guarantee that, your company quickly loses the trust of its customers.
Unpredictable delivery times cause a chain reaction. Customers have to adjust their own schedules, appointments are missed, and valuable business relationships come under pressure. The consequences for your reputation can be huge if customers receive their deliveries late time after time.
4. The lack of overview: a chaotic working day
Without the right tools to monitor your drivers and deliveries, every working day becomes a challenge. It feels like you are constantly putting out fires instead of strategically planning and optimising. You need more time to find out where your drivers are and whether deliveries are on schedule than to improve your processes. Not only does this cost you valuable time, but it also undermines the job satisfaction of you and your team.
With lack of overview as a result, it makes your work unnecessarily chaotic and prevents you from capitalising on opportunities for process improvement.
