Space-Filling Curve For Delivery Clustering

Knowing that space filling curve connects points in the shortest possible route, the only limitation for companies to make use of it is specific delivery time windows and truck capacity.

One could use their highest capacity trucks to tackle high volume, time sensitive deliveries first as fixed point on a space filling curve, and move on from there.

Order Fulfilment Alignment With Optimized Delivery Routes

I am thinking that all orders, or customers to be specific,  should be link to optimized delivery routes in the first place. So that picking can be according to first-in-last-out sequence and it can be loaded into truck immediately, reducing double handling, space and mistakes.

To realize these possibilities, it is important then map a delivery route through all the possible customers (e.g all possible postal codes). To find the optimal route sequence. This sequence can be indexed and associated with postal codes in any accounting/ERP software.

Too many postal codes? One way to reduce the postal codes is to obtain the distances between postal codes. If it is close enough, give it the same index.

Order Taking Using Answering Machines

Orders coming fast and furious by telephone calls during peak hours? Customer service officers taking down orders on paper and re-keying into your accounts system? Re-keying data wastes time and is mistake-prone?

One good way of doing it right, the first time is to use a telephone answering system to take orders. In this way, your answering system becomes your 24 hours customer service officer to take down orders. It records what your customers want for checking if any disputes arise. One can also listen to it repeating to clarify orders before keying into system.

Staytime Record For Home Service Visibility and Scheduling

In cities like Singapore where services are required in dense, built-up areas, GPS tracking may not be good enough. There could be visits to different units on the same block that will not be picked up using GPS.

GPS tracking is know to give location visibility, and by extension, how long one stays at a location. Duration of stay at a location, or what I call staytime, is very important. It allows planner to schedule work better to maximize resources.

How do we get staytime data for dense, city services. Well, one say it to have arrival and departure forms to fill. This will allow staytimes, and the associated latitude and longitude location to be captured for useful analysis.