Top 8 Last-Mile Delivery Start-ups & Companies 2021
The last-mile delivery businesses have changed dramatically with the integration of last-mile delivery software. The software manages and streamlines the delivery operations offering an exceptional delivery experience. It offers great flexibility to the delivery operations, automates smart route optimization, and real-time tracking. Thus the majority of the logistics business has implemented the last mile delivery management software to keep them at the forefront of a competitive market. With the help of innovative technologies, the form of delivery business has changed to new levels where machines and robots deliver the packages. Below mentioned are the top 8 last-mile delivery software start-ups and companies in 2021 that you should focus on.
Onfleet
Onfleet is a last-mile delivery software designed with an insight to empower delivery businesses and to optimize the last leg of the supply management system. Founded in 2015, the company has helped many businesses to make smarter decisions enhancing the customer experience.
Onfleet has its headquarters in San Francisco, California serving many people across the country with unique features and functionalities. The software offers route optimization where it automates the delivery time, location, vehicle capacity, and traffic providing efficient routes for drivers. Onfleet saves time and offers auto dispatching where fleets are dispatched as per the planned routes reducing the number of drivers needed for a day. An electronic proof of delivery (ePOD) supports features like photo collection, signatures, barcode, and notes, and these data can be sent back to admin in real-time.
The software has predictive ETAs that gives predictive arrival times and real-time alerts. The chat platform helps drivers to communicate privately with the entire team. The real-time tracking feature helps to know the location of drivers offering a responsive web tracking experience. The key metrics such as success rates, on-time rates, service times, feedback scores, etc. can be monitored easily and custom reports can be made.
Deliforce
Deliforce’s last-mile logistic software is SaaS-based delivery software that optimizes the last-mile delivery with features like real-time tracking of delivery agents and a flexible workforce management system. Established in 2018, the last-mile delivery software offers ultimate customer satisfaction through the efficient coordination and management of the elements of the supply management system.
Deliforce ensures seamless delivery services to multiple destinations through a smart route optimization feature where delivery agents take the shortest possible route that saves time, money, and fuel. It tracks the agent’s location in real-time and streamlines the logistics data. Customers can choose the location, vehicle type based on its capacity, driver based on availability and ratings. The smart notification features help them to receive updates regarding the dispatch, shipping, and delivery details.
Deliforce offers three different apps for
- Admin
- Customer
- Driver
The extensive dashboard of the last-mile delivery software has a task filtering feature where the admin panel can assign different tasks to the delivery agents. It also allows the manager to filter the tasks based on date, status, time, and delay.
The electronic proof of delivery helps the agents to get the signature of the customers after the package is delivered. The software allows ratings and feedback sections where the reviews about the services can be shared.
Analytics tool helps to understand the overview of the business progress through graphical representation. The logistic software can be integrated with other multiple cloud apps such as Google Maps, Google Docs, Google Drive, Slack, etc. Deliforce has served more businesses across the world with its unique features and world-class expertise.
Postmates
Postmates is an Uber-owned on-demand last-mile delivery platform founded by Bastian Lehmann, Sean Plaice, and Sam Street headquartered in San Francisco, California. Established in 2011, the company changed the pattern we receive common goods. They work with a mission to empower communities by encouraging local shopping. They deliver almost every local product at your doorsteps within an hour.
They successfully implemented this delivery system by connecting various customers with local couriers at a single platform. Based on the location of the product and the final destination, the products will be delivered without any hassles. In the Postmates app, the retailers create a virtual store where they can showcase their products with catalogs having high-resolution images. Their fleet of drivers is serving 40 metropolitan markets across the United States.
Starship Technologies
Starship Technologies is a last-mile delivery start-up launched in 2014 by Ahti Heinla and Janus Friis. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, the company changed the perspective of last-mile deliveries with the aid of small self-driving robots Customers can simply download the app and can order their favorite products and the self-driving robots deliver the goods within 30 minutes. Customers can track the robot using their mobile app by the consumer that ensures a great customer experience.
The robots have weighed less than 100 lbs and are capable of delivering goods in a range of about 4 miles with a speed of a pedestrian. They are designed to navigate around objects and people, even rural areas with great safety. The door remains locked throughout the journey and only opens at the final destination using the customer’s smartphone app. This new delivery concept is a benefit for people living in rural areas and the self-driving robots reduce the chances of heavy traffic conditions.
Nuro
Founded in 2016, Nuro is a fully autonomous last-mile delivery vehicle that is believed to be the future of last-mile deliveries. This last-mile delivery company is headquartered in Mountain View, California.
The door-to-door delivery is done with the help of driverless delivery Nuro vehicle having a length and height of a typical SUV and width of 1 meter wide. The Nuro vehicle is capable of holding cargo up to a maximum of 115 Kgs. With a perspective to improve human life through robotics, Nuro has employed over 500 people recently.
Matternet
Established in 2011, Matternet is a Menlo Park, California-based drone logistics start-up offering end-to-end solution on-demand last-mile delivery. They solved the delivery challenges with innovative solutions by using the sky as a powerful delivery medium. They have integrated Matternet M2 Drone, the Matternet Station, and the Matternet Cloud Platform providing a new customer experience. The M2 drone is designed to carry a load of 2kgs and 4 liters over a distance up to 20kms.
The Matternet Station has an efficient way to send and receive packages seamlessly with an automated payload and battery exchange. The cloud platform helps to receive customer requests, generates optimized routes, monitors, commands and controls all operating Matternet assets. The new drone logistic business has revolutionized many business sectors such as healthcare, e-commerce, and logistics business.
Amazon Flex
Amazon Flex is the last-mile delivery start-up owned by Amazon itself. Started in 2015, the company is headquartered in Seattle, Washington with an insight to offer last-mile delivery with a network of contracted last-mile delivery drivers. Driver picks up the packages from the distribution centers and delivers them at the customer’s doorsteps. To work as a driver in Amazon Flex, one must fulfill certain requirements.
They can make their own schedules but need to pay for the gas and vehicle requirements. Amazon Flex isn’t available everywhere yet, but as the service expands, they expect to begin rolling it out.
PiggyBee
PiggyBee is a crowd shipping community in Brussels. Started in 2012, it helps users to search for travellers by browsing departures and arrivals in various locations. These travellers can drop off their products for which a tip will be received by them. When the customer finds a traveller heading to their location, a message will be sending them regarding the products to be delivered. They can drop off the user’s products and in return, travellers will be paid by users. They can discuss the tip, shipping charges, or price of products in case of purchases.
The app has a secure payment module. The cost is not only monetary; users may also provide other services like accommodations, travel costs, and local advice, etc. After the completion of the delivery, the traveller will be paid and rated through PiggyBee. This helps travellers to develop a reputation for future deliveries. Basically, PiggyBee focused on Europe but has expanded serving many users across the globe.
Conclusion
The way we approach a last-mile delivery business has changed into new forms with the help of last-mile delivery software, self-driving cars, robots, and drones. All these companies can optimize your delivery business solving the business challenges in 2021. Choose the right last-mile delivery software that suits your requirements. Deliforce is the last-mile delivery management company in Bangalore offering end-to-end last-mile delivery solutions to keep your business ahead of the competitors.