A driver calls in sick while you are already struggling to fill in the gaps of drivers who have not pitched for work on Christmas Eve.
What do you do? Route optimization is the quiet fix in the background.
If you do it right, it can turn your chaos into a predictable, repeatable rhythm that saves hours every single week. Not only administrators, but also on the roads.
This guide breaks down how to be on top of your game this festive season by trying out route optimization during the peak season.
Why Christmas turns normal busy into chaos
In November and December, there are more stops per day for drivers to make, tighter delivery promises, and less slack in the system.
There are Black Friday promotions, last-minute Christmas shopping, and online deals spike drastically.
Customers also expect more from stores, demanding a guarantee that their gifts will arrive on time for Christmas.
There is less room for mistakes; if one vehicle is delayed, it has a knock-on effect on the rest of the run.
4 Places where your time is really disappearing
Manual route planning
Planning routes every night with pen and paper will take you more than an hour every evening. This is time not spent wisely.
Extra kilometers on the road
You are wasting time on the road using the routes that will get you stuck in traffic, at a roadblock, or on a flooded road. Your drivers might know the streets, but they can’t anticipate what can happen on the day.
Admin work and paperwork
Not only do you require extra staff to keep track of all your admin, but you also have to deal with human error.
Customers asking: ‘Where is my order?”
Customers can keep staff busy with all the frequent calls asking when their order will be ready. You can’t really blame them because they need to plan their day, too.
When you use route optimization software, none of these problems will occur.
Route optimization in one sentence (Christmas edition)
Route optimization software uses algorithms and real-time data to determine the most efficient sequence of deliveries for each driver. It’s based on Christmas delivery windows before and after Christmas Eve.
The software also takes into consideration the vehicle size and capacity, especially if the content is big and bulky.
Yes, during this time, drivers work long hours, but they must work in shifts and take regular breaks.
Route optimization takes all of that into consideration, including the usual traffic, distance, and any last-minute orders.
Set Christmas cut-offs you can actually hit
No one wants to upset customers, making them miss the Christmas deadline. If you set realistic Christmas cut-offs you can actually keep, you’ll be fine.
But how do you determine when the last cut-off day is? Instead of guessing when the last order dates should be, route optimization shows you how long routes really take in peak season.
It also shows they behave when volumes double, and how many stops each van can handle on the days leading up to Christmas Day.
That means you can set different cut-offs for metro and regional areas based on data, not wishful thinking. There won’t be any disappointed customers leaving bad reviews.
ALSO READ: Who Still Delivers at Christmas? Here Are Australian Courier Delivery Deadlines
Route optimization cuts planning time.
In December, you don’t have time to stand over a whiteboard. Everything happens at a record speed.
Without software, someone is manually grouping suburbs and drivers; a sick driver or an urgent job forces you to start again. It’s normal to second-guess yourself because the stakes are significant all the time.
With route optimization, all your Christmas orders are imported or synced, the system automatically assigns stops to drivers based on location, time windows, and capacity, and routes are generated in minutes.
Keep customers informed during deliveries.
Customers always have plans during the festive season. Whether it’s going to someone else’s house or spending time away from home, it is what brings festivity to the season.
Route optimization really earns its keep when it’s paired with live tracking and proof of delivery.
That means customers get a tracking link and ETA as soon as their order is out for delivery. The ETAs update automatically as routes change, rather than someone constantly having to answer calls with customers inquiring about specific details that you can’t provide.
NOW READ: How to use proof of delivery: Track every move
About the author
Mia is a multi-award-winning journalist. She has more than 14 years of experience in mainstream media. She's covered many historic moments that happened in Africa and internationally. She has a strong focus on human interest stories, to bring her readers and viewers closer to the topics at hand.
