Streamline Deliveries with Dispatch Management Software

Dispatch Software

Deliver with confidence, visibility and control using Descartes proven dispatch software.

Real-time visibility and monitoring of deliveries

Reduce mileage by 10% through optimisation.

Keep up with same-day orders and on-the-fly adjustments.

Identify inefficiencies with plan versus actual reporting.

Close the loop between planning, dispatch and execution.

Simplify Dispatch Decisions

Minimise manual intervention with route optimisation that handles constraints, traffic patterns and time windows.

Increase delivery density and route profitability.
Insert same-day orders while keeping delivery promises.
Empower dispatchers to make adjustments when needed.

Continually Improve Routes

Create and execute cost-effective routes with integrated planning, dispatch and execution.

Reduce planning time by connecting planning, optimisation and dispatch.
Refine delivery plans with machine-learned service times.
Identify cost leakage by comparing planned and actual routes.

Turn Visibility Into Action

Give dispatchers, drivers and customers the information they need to succeed.

Take action when deliveries are at risk.
Automatically update drivers when plans change.
Reduce “where’s my order?” calls with real-time notifications.

Dispatch Software Capabilities

Route optimisation

Build routes that adhere to time windows while considering constraints such as truck type, driver qualifications, driver-to-customer relationships, historical traffic patterns, commercial road restrictions, capacity and cube.

Sequencing and swapping

Automatically assign stops to routes to create balanced workloads and reduce mileage, time and cost.

Manual adjustments

When dispatchers move stops between routes, the software automatically re-calculates and re-optimises the route to maintain service levels.

Same-day optimisation

Assign new orders to the optimal route while honouring existing time commitments. Let dispatchers override suggestions where necessary.

Real-time visibility

Dispatchers can easily see and take action when delivery time windows are at risk. When orders are re-assigned or delayed, the system re-optimises automatically.

Customer communications

Customers receive estimated time of arrival (ETA) notifications and can track their delivery on a map. There's no need for disruptive phone calls.

Plan versus actual

Compare the optimised plan, the dispatcher's plan and the final executed plan to pinpoint inefficiencies.

Machine learning

Continuously improve service time predictions based on actual performance.

Built to integrate

Descartes solutions are designed to work with your existing enterprise resource planning (ERP) and telematics systems so orders, planning and execution are always in sync.

Customer Success Stories

“With Descartes in place, our team of planners has automated and streamlined previous manual planning processes, allowing us to optimise our vehicle usage and minimise CO2 emissions. ”

Rachel Hopkins, Chief Information Officer

CO2 Emissions Reduced

Sales Capacity Raised

Operational Efficiency Improved

“Descartes Reservations™ and Route Planner™ solutions were integral to our strategy of offering a more extensive, but unified delivery service. The advanced optimisation capabilities and architecture of the Descartes solutions were critical, bringing new delivery service options to our customers in an economically feasible way.

”

Andrew Gay - Systems Manager

Fulfilment costs reduced £1.8m

Increased delivery productivity 35%

Delivery windows provided at POS

““Throughout the process, the level of collaboration and effort from the Descartes team to deliver the solution in the way we asked has been amazing.””

Curtis Akerman, Business Process Lead for Delivery

Real-Time Visibility Oversight Complete

Plan vs. Actual Performance Optimal

Fleet Utilisation Reporting Enabled

“We were impressed by the investment and support that Descartes put into this product and the roadmap. This technology has allowed us to be agile, forward-thinking and work optimally with our fleet with benefits on costs, sales and satisfaction across the business and with our customers. ”

Edward Corbett - Head of Programme

Delivery capacity increased 25%

OTIF deliveries increased 15%

Fleet size 500+

“Working with Descartes, we’ve saved 13% on annual fuel costs, which equates to approximately 354,000 fewer miles driven.”

Lee Holmes, Transport and Logistics Director

Annual Fuel bill reduced 13%

Productivity improved 56%

Annual savings £2 million

“Overnight our business was transformed. Our planning team and drivers love using Descartes.....Since introducing Descartes, Stop Start’s daily delivery volume has increased 50%. This rate of growth would not have been sustainable without digital planning tools. ”

Andrew Bayne, Managing Director

Daily planning time reduced 75%

Annual distribution costs saving £450k

Delivery capacity Increased 12%

“We’re delighted with the solution and the service we have received from Descartes. Ultimately, Descartes is helping us minimise our operational costs through its route planning and optimisation solution and is actively contributing to our corporate and social responsibility and sustainability efforts.”

Simon Macdonald, National Transport Manager

Avg distance driven/delivery reduced 2%

Manual processes Replaced

Nationwide stores 300+

What’s the difference between routing and dispatch?
Routing refers to the optimisation of routes and sequences before drivers get on the road. Software such as Descartes Route Planner™ optimises routes to sequence stops, assign drivers to routes and minimise distance, time and cost, all while adhering to time windows.

Routing software is generally used for planning and simulation, fixed route creation, optimisation, and sometimes testing “what-if” scenarios.

Dispatch software takes over once the delivery day begins. It’s operational and real-time, focused on execution and monitoring.

Dispatchers might use software to track vehicles using GPS, send updates to customers and drivers, or reassign stops in real time.

With Descartes, businesses benefit from integrated routing and dispatch tools. Planned routes are fed into dispatch, new orders can be inserted on the day without breaking routes, and dispatchers can make adjustments in real time. Mobile and execution data then feeds back into the system to create more realistic route plans.

What are the key features of delivery dispatch software?
Basic software for last-mile dispatching normally includes:
Order assignment: Manually assigning deliveries to drivers, sometimes with limited automation based on availability.
- Basic tracking: Usually GPS-based driver tracking so the dispatcher can see where drivers are.
- Status updates: Dashboards with delivery stages like “en route,” “delivered,” or “failed” appear on a simple dashboard.
- Simple notifications: Customers might get a text or email when their delivery is dispatched or completed.
- Reporting: Basic summaries of deliveries completed.

More advanced dispatching solutions offered by Descartes include:

Dynamic route optimisation: Considering constraints like delivery windows, drivers’ hours, traffic patterns and vehicle capacity. This produces the optimal route plan, reducing the need for manual intervention by dispatchers.
- Historical traffic data: The dispatch solution considers likely traffic patterns when sequencing routes and swapping stops.
- Enhanced visibility: Dispatchers can see when time windows or capacity rules are at risk and make the necessary adjustments.
- Performance tracking: Live “breadcrumb” tracking shows how the executed route compares to the plan. Managers can identify inefficiencies by comparing the optimised plan, the manually adjusted plan, and the route executed by drivers.
- Advanced customer communications: Customers benefit from real-time tracking and notifications when the ETA or order status changes.
- Proof of delivery: Visibility into completed deliveries.
- Integration capabilities: The software integrates with ERP solutions and telematics so that data about orders and deliveries can move seamlessly between systems.
What are some examples of optimised dispatching?
- BC Sands takes advantage of Descartes’ same-day optimisation capabilities to book its online and phone orders directly into the dispatch schedule. Real-time status updates provide visibility into deliveries in progress, as well as automatic customer notifications.
  Mark Parsons, Managing Director, explains: “ We can meet same-day delivery expectations, keep customers informed and easily amend orders on the fly, while increasing consistency of our ability to Deliver In Full, On Time.”
- Brook Furniture Rental uses intelligent dispatching and real-time tracking to automate delivery execution. Dispatchers can react quickly to unforeseen delivery issues such as road traffic accidents.
  “ We markedly improved dispatch efficiency and route productivity, which opened up additional delivery capacity and reduced our delivery costs,” says Nathan Sanders, President and CEO at Brook Furniture Rental. “ In addition, customers can see where their truck is and when it will arrive, down to the minute, saving them time and energy,” explains Sanders.
How can businesses choose the right dispatch solution?
The solution you choose will depend on the size and complexity of your delivery operation.
Fleet size and complexity: Very small fleets may be able to get by using mostly manual dispatch methods. Larger fleets with different vehicle types doing multi-drop deliveries will need dispatch software that can sequence routes while considering more variables and constraints.
Growth plans: As your business scales, minor inefficiencies can quickly add up. Software with integrated route optimisation, driver apps and executional visibility will help to reduce cost leakage.
Features and functionality: For small businesses with simple routes, repetitive deliveries and simple integration requirements, semi-manual planning may be sufficient. Businesses with fewer than ten vehicles can often survive with manual driver assignment and basic tracking.
If you’re managing more than ten vehicles, a basic dispatch software won’t be able to keep up. Each day comes with thousands of possible routes and sequences, making it impossible to manually produce the optimal combination.
At this stage you’ll need dispatch software that can optimise large numbers of multi-stop routes, all while meeting customer service expectations. The ideal software will come with route optimisation capabilities, a comprehensive view of planned versus actual delivery performance, and real-time notifications for customers.
Is dispatch software the same as delivery management software?
Delivery management software encompasses the entire order lifecycle from delivery scheduling, through to route optimisation and delivery execution.

Dispatch normally refers to the software that tracks deliveries once they are on route, as well as making same-day adjustments to routes and sequences.

Delivery management software from Descartes includes delivery scheduling, route planning and optimisation, dispatch and tracking, along with integrated driver apps and execution data that feeds back into planning.

Is dispatch software just delivery tracking?
Delivery tracking can refer to internal dispatch software that monitors the location of drivers, as well as customer-facing tracking and notifications.

Dispatch software goes beyond tracking, allowing dispatchers to make real-time adjustments and insert new orders without breaking fixed routes.