Advertising, e-commerce, manufacturing, FMCG, and almost any company involve moving goods from one place to another with same-day delivery. Logistics also plays a vital role in supporting this journey. There are three stages to transporting an item from start to finish: First-Mile, Mid-Mile, and Last-Mile. Those in the logistics business may be familiar with these terms; however, if you have never heard of them, this article should be a good starting point to understand them.
How does First-Mile Delivery work?
When moving goods or equipment, the first and last mile is the most accessible place for delays to occur. First-Mile Delivery is the transfer of goods to a warehouse or distribution center. In a crowded city, it may be easy to make many stops near one another, but outside the city that becomes much more difficult, which makes optimizing each step in the delivery process even more important.
Customers look forward to quick delivery times, and companies are under pressure to keep up with the demand. That is why the first and last-mile deliveries are so important.
How does Mid-Mile Delivery work?
With Mid-Mile Delivery, it is easier to lower costs than in the other delivery stages. Mid-Mile Delivery is the transfer of goods from a warehouse or distribution center to fulfillment facilities. If you are looking to reduce the cost of long-haul deliveries, it’s essential to consider more than just the weight of the package.
Keep everything in mind, from which logistics company is used to whether or not tracking is needed, to the volume of your package. There is less room for error during Mid-Mile delivery which makes keeping costs low one of the most defining factors.
How does Last-Mile Delivery work?
Last-mile delivery is the step in the delivery process that gets the product to the customer’s door. It is also known as the “last link” as it moves the product from the fulfillment center to the customer.
Last-mile Delivery transfers packages using light trucks, trains, or even small vehicles such as cars or bicycles. Many providers of this type of delivery are small companies that can offer fast turnarounds.
The general challenges in First-Mile Delivery
Packaging, creating labels, or even losing the package are all issues that can come up during First-Mile Delivery. Choosing the right logistics management software can help you streamline your First-Mile Delivery service by providing automated label printing, built-in tracking, and many more features.
Automated software eliminates the need to consult an expert and manually type details such as addresses or customer names on your packages. In addition, the software can streamline other related processes while improving location visibility, lowering fees, and ensuring the package is not lost.
The general challenges in Last-Mile Delivery
Last-mile delivery challenges include poor visibility of delivery operations, inefficient route optimization, tight deadlines, and high delivery costs. Companies such as FlashBox overcome all these issues and ensure on-time delivery with minimal cost and resources. Their same day delivery allows them the flexibility to reduce costs for the consumer.
The general challenges in Mid-Mile Delivery
Mid-mile delivery has more room for error than other steps in the delivery process. It often moves the package the longest distance, and there is less human interaction, which can be used to catch errors. If mistakes cannot be detected before it is too late, and if the package is moved in the wrong direction, significant delays may occur.
There is less room for human error in the mid-mile delivery stage, such as incorrectly writing labels or damaged packages, contributing to packaging delays.
Transportation and logistics companies that do not have access to the latest technologies are rapidly losing customers. As competition intensifies, their business will stop growing. In this age, the demand for transportation and logistics is growing exponentially. Prioritizing technology upgrades will keep you one step ahead of the competition.
What is the Difference between First-Mile and Last-Mile delivery?
Looking at the Direct to Consumer (DTC) model, First-Mile Delivery refers to the movement of goods from supplier to retailer. Last-Mile Delivery refers to the courier moving the package from the store to the end customer.
Another important differentiator is the size of the package. First-mile delivery typically carries large loads of unmarked boxes, put together on a pallet to reduce space.
Once the inventory is delivered to the fulfillment center, the retailer confirms the delivery matches the order. This process is critical because it ensures that your physical list is accurate and helps you avoid shrinkage.
Last-Mile Delivery mainly includes direct and sometimes branded deliveries, as individual orders are shipped to the end customer. These orders can also be packaged in such a way that there is value to the unboxing experience. Some methods of doing this are custom packaging, marketing inserts, and many more.
Streamlining the First and Last-Mile Delivery processes
Some of the biggest challenges of self-managed logistics are keeping stakeholders up to date, receiving inventory on time, preparing orders for same-day delivery, and getting orders to customers as promised.
Managing a growing supply chain can be time-consuming, costly, and disruptive to revenue-generating initiatives.
Using a system such as FlashBox will help you gain a complete understanding of your logistics operations and significantly reduce the burden on your business.
