For last-mile drivers who are on the frontlines -— interacting with warehouse or depot staff, as well as customers — there are numerous process and lifestyle changes. From new PPE, social distancing and contactless delivery guidelines to disinfecting protocols, the entire delivery day is markedly different. Depending on whether the fleet is focused on B2B or B2C deliveries, their routes have often shifted dramatically. For B2B drivers, their routes morphed overnight around various business closures, and many B2C drivers have seen tremendous increases in daily deliveries. In beverage delivery, for example, on-premise (restaurant) deliveries aren’t happening and will only gradually return to the routing rotation, but large format, off-premise deliveries have increased due to the shift in business away from restaurants to grocery stores.
Management faces a different challenge — quickly adapting to what business will look like for capacity planning, forecasting, and staffing. And the systems of record play a significant role in how seamlessly teams can adapt. If business is fluctuating substantially, having systems that can adapt to those minute-to-minute changes is tremendous. If, however, business and orders are changing and the systems are static, the burden on the business can be substantial.