Taking Beverage Distribution to the Next Level

Using Smart Tech to Deliver for Evolving Business and Customer Needs

Introduction

Beverage distributors have never had it easy. In recent years, rising costs, demanding customers, and fluctuations in supply and demand have added to the challenge.

The pitfalls of falling short? Everyone’s bottom line suffers when customers are disappointed and products fail to show up at the right place, the right time, and in one piece.

But proven remedies exist. Top-performing organisations are relying on advanced strategies and logistics technology like strategic route planning combined with artificial Intelligence and machine learning to keep customers happy and safeguard product integrity and security.

Advanced Solutions to Traverse a Competitive Landscape

These days, traditional delivery models are falling to the wayside. To consistently give customers what they want while controlling costs and addressing the labour shortage, it takes a mix of advanced strategies, tactics, and the

Advanced route planning and real-time GPS-based execution solutions play a vital role in helping beverage companies be more flexible, responsive, and profitable.

To stay competitive, industry leaders are adopting the following technologies:

Strategic Route Planning

Identify the delivery strategy that optimises customer service and profit

and location of resources (e.g., distribution centers, fleet size, and drivers) to meet customer service and financial

Constant changes in order volume and mix, customers, customer service policies, and business strategies can cause distribution networks to become imbalanced. It’s costly and means the organisation doesn’t run optimally. Strategic route planning from Descartes addresses this and enables organisations to:

• Model and evaluate the impact of potential changes to their distribution network before implementation.
• Operate with agility by treating various operational factors as variables.
• Understand the best approaches to entering new markets or consolidate acquisitions.
• Determine which new or altered routing strategies will best address demand changes or new business goals.

Strategic route planning is applicable to fleets that run static, master, and dynamic routes.

• Predict the costs and capacity needed to move forward.

Proactive Route Execution

Orchestrating deliveries with maximum efficiency

Descartes’ route execution solution provides distribution companies the comprehensive capabilities needed to achieve true delivery orchestration. Through a combination of real-time optimisation and GPS-enabled mobile

• A closed-loop solution that proactively manages drivers throughout their route and frees dispatchers and managers to focus on exceptions and process improvement.
• Complete visibility to routes as they are being executed.
• Machine learning for more accurate ETAs.

See route information any minute

All the route execution information captured is available in an easy-to-use real-time performance dashboard for drivers, dispatchers, and managers. Managers have mobile applications designed to help them understand how their drivers are progressing and workflow to approve specific changes.

• Route sequence rescheduling suggestions to keep drivers on track and reduce disruptions.

As well, two-way communication automates delivery additions, deletions, and customers making last-minute schedule changes. If multiple resources are needed for a delivery, they can be automatically synchronised to arrive

Telematics

Telematics solutions continuously monitor vehicle and driver performance, helping beverage distributors reduce operating and maintenance costs and comply with regulations. They also provide more comprehensive, up-to-date business intelligence used for identifying areas requiring improvements, driver safety training, predictive maintenance, and long-term strategic decision-making.

Our telematics solutions offer these advantages:

Ensuring Driver and Product Safety

• Fuel
• Improve driver behavior and retention with performance management programs.
• Automate Individual Vehicle Mileage Reports (IVMRs) and fuel purchases for accurate reporting.
• Automatically record trailer movements, inspections, and security seal changes.
• Identify critical cold chain and traceability data points for chain of custody.

Reducing Costs

• Insurance
• Immediately detect temperature variations or door-opening events.

The Descartes Difference: A Seamless Solution

Delivery performance has never been more important for beverage distributors. The challenges of today’s markets are causing a rethinking of distribution strategies and the role and value of distribution capabilities to the top and bottom line. But by adopting new business models, advanced distribution practices, and the right technology, distributors can accelerate forward.

Descartes is supporting beverage distributors around the globe with holistic routing, mobile, and telematics solutions. By combining AI and machine learning with our real-time planning and execution solutions, we leverage real-world performance data to better inform our route planning and execution solutions.

We’ve unlocked the next-generation strategies and tactics in our advanced planning and execution solution needed to thrive in today’s challenging beverage distribution markets.

To learn more about our fully-integrated solutions designed to support the beverage industry, visit Descartes’ Route Planning, Optimisation & Dispatch.

About Descartes Systems Group

Descartes (Nasdaq:DSGX) (TSX:DSG) is the global leader in providing on-demand, software-as-a-service solutions focused on improving the productivity, security, and sustainability of logistics-intensive businesses. Customers use our modular, software-as-a-service solutions to route, track and help improve the safety, performance, and compliance of delivery resources; plan, allocate and execute shipments; rate, audit and pay transportation invoices; access global trade data; file customs and security documents for imports and exports; and complete numerous other logistics processes by participating in the world’s.