Press / News - CarPal

A Beginner’s Guide to On-Demand Delivery

On-demand delivery connects a seeker and a provider to a service, allowing the seeker to get an item delivered anywhere in the city at a preferred time slot.

The concept is highly connected to technology as it allows any consumer, small business owner or corporate to plug-and- play a supply chain solution on-demand, allowing you to reduce costs and increase flexibility.

Here are some of the features that will help you increase productivity within your fleet and optimize operations with the help of a delivery management software.

Sources: Statista, Big Commerce

Why Tech is Changing How Restaurants Are Doing Last Mile Delivery

In the past years, food delivery has become an incredibly booming business for good reasons. With the possibility of ordering food online with a single tap on a device, consumers have literally redefined the way restaurants handle their last mile delivery.

In order to adapt to this growing demand for speed, versatility and quality triggered by consumers, more restaurants choose to change their delivery game by being in control of the operations and having the ability to manage their deliveries hands-on.

As Morgan Stanley highlights, restaurant delivery is growing exponentially, and more restaurants are gearing up to fulfill online deliveries.

Also, a handful of startups are aggregating orders online, while courier services ferry an ever-wider assortment of food to consumers.

Leverage the customer experience

But to better understand why it’s important for restaurants to manage their supply chain, let’s take a look at a survey conducted by AlphaWise, in which 18% of respondents have stated that one of the reasons for not ordering food is the lack of a delivery ordering service.

This piece of information is valuable for restaurants as they can optimize delivery services to better cater to clients.

To scale their business, restaurant brands are becoming more aware of the need to manage the supply chain, and many are beginning to embrace softwares that help them make the process more efficient.

With the help of technology, restaurants are able to instantly manage everything from viewing and processing the orders to pulling out data that is meant to improve the delivery processes.

Through tech, these deliveries will not only be more efficient but also more cost-effective as they’ll be done in less time, and via better, faster routes while maintaining a high level of professionalism. This also translates into reducing liability costs, managing live tracking, route optimization, and smart dispatch.

Outsource or in-house delivery?

With more restaurants choosing to include delivery services, the demand increases. In order to manage the delivery logistics, investing in creating their very own delivery fleet is often a must.

Managing the supply chain all the way to the customer enables restaurants to control the entire customer experience, leveraging their brand at every step. Of course, there is also the option to tap into a pool of freelance drivers.

For instance, together with its delivery management software, CarPal offers a fleet of contract drivers. The vehicles of contract drivers range from bikes, cars, vans to trucks, allowing you to choose to tap in to this pool to expand your existing fleet of drivers.

Completely owning the end-to-end supply chain enables restaurants to control the entire customer experience, while leveraging the brand at every single step.

While smaller restaurants can benefit from third-party services to reach a broader clientele, bigger chains have to seriously consider the upside of managing their deliveries in-house as an investment strategy with great benefits that stretch far beyond efficiency.

Last mile delivery <–> Better visibility

Visibility into the order becomes essential in the F&B world. It’s important for restaurants to have complete visibility over their own fleets, inventory and drivers to improve operations and leverage their services. On the customer end, consumers also want to have full visibility into the delivery from end to end.

The conclusion?

All restaurants that wish to stay relevant have to offer an on-demand solution to their customer either by using their own fleet or a professional third party service.

To support this change, restaurants have to operate efficiently and ensure there is consistency in the communication channels from purchase to delivery. Restaurants need this solution to transform existing local delivery operations to one capable of providing the kind of last demand delivery experience that savvy consumers want.

Why Food and Beverages Brands Should Empower Their Operations Through Tech

In order to solve all your operational hassle and empower your business, it’s time to change the way you operate on a daily basis. In this article, we focus on some of the best features a logistics service software has to offer.

We live in a fast-paced digital world where online purchases and deliveries happen continuously.

With big players which continuously change the pace of the e-commerce landscape by offering a wealth of options, consumers’ behaviour is also changing.

Today, chances are as a digital shopper, you want to receive your delivery on the same day you placed it and that’s completely understandable.

As a consumer, we want to receive packages faster, which prompts online retailers to offer more options and diversity in terms of products.

But in the midst of this process, a new challenge arises: how do you improve the on-demand delivery process and make your operations more efficient?

According to a CBRE report, “e-commerce continues to challenge the traditional supply chain. As a result, distributors have altered their supply chains to augment the traditional logistics platform that relied on regional distribution, to one that includes an urban logistics schema with locations that serve consumer hot spots.”

Image credit: CBRE

This means the same-day delivery sector is fundamentally changing the way logistics industry functions as more companies no longer rely on a distant warehouse to transport their goods, choosing to move into smaller locations closer to city centre.

In the Food & Beverages industry, which scales extremely fast, in order to meet these demands, more companies need to focus on tech to constantly push the delivery of goods one step further.

A solution is integrating an innovative on-demand delivery software which paves the way for operations managers to seamlessly manage their business and for customers to have a better delivery experience.

Gain transparency and visibility

Transparency is highly valued by both customers and deliverers today. Besides the fact that tracking a delivery allows you to control the entire supply chain process, you will also be able to communicate directly with your drivers at any stage should there be any issue.

This way, communication through tech will bring more transparency and visibility to both parties which in turn empowers your company considerably.

With push notifications, alerts, and real-time tracking, you will observe first-hand how the last-mile logistics sector empowers your operations.

Focus on client retention

A successful company constantly ensures that its customers are satisfied by offering complete transparency into the delivery processes.

Through tech, your company will have the opportunity to build a closer relationship with your customers by understanding their needs and completely catering to their requirements.

CarPal’s logistics service software can help companies scale a delivery operation, while closely considering your customer’s demands.

In today’s competitive market, F&B companies need to understand the need to take extra steps for the most loyal clients in order to have the potential to grow as a business.

Build a competitive brand

Through tech, you can take your company to different heights turning the delivery experience into a channel to understand and delight customers.

By showing loyalty to customers and providing end-to-end visibility, you can offer a holistic experience and help in further customer acquisition.

This will enhance your professional image as a company and at the same time, allow your team to work smarter by using the latest softwares in the market.

Measure results first-hand

Data in logistics plays a tremendous role and it can be simplified by organizing it into metrics, which reflect real-time information about your delivery processes.

This data can also be used to improve efficiency within your workforce and keep control of the operations so that you can easily act and improve your current workflows.

5 Benefits of Using a Delivery Management Software

Today, the on-demand delivery culture is driving businesses to adopt different strategies when it comes to their operations. After all, in the tech world, everybody wants to work faster, smarter and more efficiently.

This is why many companies choose to redesign the way they operate on a daily basis, cutting extra steps from their workflows to give better results to clients. Today, on-demand delivery software solutions are placed at the centre of this culture.

This creates a strong relationship between customers, deliverers and businesses on a real-time basis, facilitating faster deliveries, improved operational management and enhanced customer satisfaction.

According to Stanford Business, “last-mile delivery involves three main entities — customers, merchants, and delivery providers — each with their own set of expectations and challenges.”

To change how businesses operate today, there are a series of solutions that allow companies to streamline operations, keep better tabs on merchandise and track where your spending is going.

But with features like route optimization, real time alerts, access to analytics and data that help speed up the process, as well as live tracking of the delivery and importing spreadsheets with just a few clicks, you can rest assured that your speed and productivity will increase considerably.

From increasing efficiency in the way you deliver items to being able to determine the most optimal route for your upcoming delivery, CarPal uncovers the top 5 benefits of using a delivery management software.

Delivery Management Software Benefits

1. Go paperless

Going completely digital means saying goodbye to stacks of paperwork. Although many logistics companies and drivers in the business are still resistant to tech, times are changing fast and anyone who wants to work more efficiently will need to integrate new technology in the way they work.

The advantages? Your daily operations don’t have to be manual anymore; after all, to succeed, integrating a delivery management software into your operations is absolutely detrimental into how you want to compete in the current e-commerce market. Think more visibility into daily delivery operations for your team, electronic proof-of-delivery and e-signing as well as having complete control of daily tasks.

2. Route optimization

Most of the times, inefficient routes are the cause of badly managed time hence avoidable delays for the customer. With accurate algorithms which ensure that drivers complete most deliveries in the least amount of time, you will be able to create a truly advanced end-to-end delivery platform, reducing fulfillment costs whilst delivering a top-notch experience.

By measuring driver availability, location proximity and delivery traffic conditions, you can optimize the routes for your drivers and create a smart and efficient delivery route.

For instance, CarPal has integrated Google Maps API in both the admin panel and driver app, which means you can track the location of your drivers. The dashboard also has features to automatically record delivery time, distance, pick-up and drop-off location.

3. Real-time visibility

Around ten years ago, being able to track and trace goods in real-time was a prospect for the future. But today, with the aid of modern technology, businesses and consumers have unprecedented real-time visibility into the status of their order.

This translates into businesses adapting to consumers’ needs, not only by delivering fast but also by delighting customers along the way. In order to be successful in this competitive industry, more companies choose to build an infrastructure which will help streamline operations. By having access to real-time information, companies will find it easier to prevent and fix inefficient processes on-the-go.

4. Customer communication

Constantly keeping the customer in the loop with notifications throughout the delivery process ensures a professional and satisfactory experience for both parties. Also, notifications which are available in transit and on delivery of their order ensure that the customer is available at the time and place of delivery hence allowing the delivery process to be smooth.

5. Access to analytics

By having direct access to data recorded from the orders and drivers, your company will have insight into the delivery operational flow. By keeping track of your data, not only can you monitor your entire fleet smoothly, but also check the driver performance, so you know how to better manage them in the future. This is an important feature as you can gather information on your customers and customize your services based on their requirements.

Last-Mile Delivery at a Glance

Given the increasing number of transactions which are dependent on efficient last-mile deliveries, more businesses are looking for tools to enhance their delivery process and make the operational flow more efficient.

CarPal unveils a breakdown of the trends that shape the industry.

Logistics: Why a Last-Mile Delivery Software Can Streamline Your Company’s Operations

With outdated, manual methods of performing deliveries, the logistics industry seems out of date. But with the use of an automated last mile delivery software, companies can easily cut extra steps from the process and streamline their operations efficiently.

Here, we unveil how businesses can streamline workflows to deliver better – literally.

Customer engagement and satisfaction

It may be old news that Southeast Asia is a hotbed for e-commerce, but with each new survey, there’s a surge in the number of digital shoppers.

What’s interesting is that not only do we live in times when shopping via mobile devices has become the norm.

According to ecommerceIQ, a market research portal dedicated to e-commerce in Southeast Asia, “60% of digital shoppers in Southeast Asia rank “experience” as a bigger factor than “price”.

This means that when it comes to deliveries, more and more consumers want to be empowered. They want a topnotch experience — from the moment of purchase to the delivery itself.

According to a report on the future of last-mile by Mckinsey & Company “20 to 25% of consumers would even pay significant premiums to receive their items on the same day.”

It’s a fact that the future of last-mile delivery is highly dependent on the evolution of e-commerce, which is why the way companies should operate today has to change dramatically.

Today, one of the biggest drivers of this change has been the growth of online retail, which is growing exponentially, with an immense surge in the number of digital buyers in Asia Pacific alone.

This fact puts things into perspective on-demand delivery, as businesses can choose to empower customers by delivering fast as well as offering transparency and visibility into the process by going digital as well and allowing tracking and tracing purchases every step of the way.

Integrate a highly intuitive software in your workflow

To close the gap between customer satisfaction and businesses, companies can change their operations and ultimately how they work by integrating a last-mile delivery management software in their operations.

We live in a time of perpetual change, so the need to streamline operations and create more efficiency in your workflow represents one of the greatest drivers of competition.

As more companies switch to e-commerce, the volume of online orders increases considerably hence businesses need to find a way to better manage their operations in order to tackle the challenges of the online era.

In order to flourish and scale, companies have to take a closer look at their logistics operations and really understand what needs to be changed in order to meet the needs of today’s empowered consumers.

For instance, CarPal offers a delivery management solution that allows businesses to control the whole supply chain without (fully) owning it. Some of the immediate features that will help streamline your company’s operations are efficiently dispatching orders, tracking driver movement, offering an analytics module to make faster decisions as well as customer management.

Data aggregation for analysis and optimization

Smart use of data is essential to winning the last-mile delivery sector. For instance, the use of data in route optimization offers the ability to optimize each driver’s daily route.

This can be done by identifying peak hours, seasonality, as well as forecasting future delivery needs. By using a last mile delivery software, the aim would be to ensure more accurate and efficient planning for future deliveries. Gathering data can also be used for creating more efficiency around managing staff on the ground.

Real-time tracking and management

Live tracking solutions which are fully integrated with digital devices are a game-changer as they allow companies to leverage technology to extend the visibility into the order until the last step of the process. With this kind of next-gen infrastructure in place, businesses can know which driver has a certain item and where it is at all times.

These practices are designed to streamline and better manage the delivery process, as well as establish and maintain a competitive advantage, and ultimately generate new and recurring business!

Getting Behind the Scenes of On-Demand Delivery

Demand for automation, personalized work and streamlining complicated operation processes have strongly contributed to a shift in how businesses choose to operate today. To understand how companies can better adapt to new technologies, CarPal sheds light on what the on-demand delivery sector means and what it has to offer when coupled with tech.

What is on-demand delivery?

In a nutshell, on-demand delivery connects a seeker and a provider to a service, allowing the seeker to get an item delivered anywhere in the city at a preferred time slot.

This concept is highly connected to technology as it allows any consumer, small business owner or corporate to plug-and-play a supply chain solution on-demand, allowing you to reduce costs and increase flexibility.

In simpler terms, with the use of tech, consumers get what they want, when they want it, wherever they may be located.

Why on-demand delivery is revolutionary

In today’s fast-paced and consumerist times, the on-demand delivery culture is booming considerably, creating a tight relationship between consumers and businesses.

As such, more and more companies choose to level up their services and integrate innovative technology such as a delivery management software in their business models, helping to make consumers’ deliveries easier and more personable.

But to have a more clear idea of the roots of the on-demand economy, let’s go back to the ubiquitous example of Uber, which was one of the first tech companies that disrupted how the on-demand industry operates.

Ever since, the “uberization” of services has spread in so many other industries. One immediate consequence was that the on-demand delivery culture has pushed businesses to adopt different strategies when using softwares to close the gap between consumers and services.

With this shift in behaviour, the consumers’ expectations have also changed considerably. Today, if a business wants to scale and become more customer-centric, it needs to channel its operations through a comprehensive platform that provides the ability to work smarter. This will happen by tapping on tasks like managing all deliveries and drivers, creating a more personalized service, and having access to a wealth of information in real time.

Implementing an on-demand delivery solution is essential to making the delivery process more efficient, improving customer retention, and having the ability to keep up in an ever-evolving and competitive business landscape.

On top of that, it’s also a known fact that streamlining operations processes can turn into profit. With the right mobile apps and highly intuitive softwares, companies are quickly able to streamline the delivery process from A to Z, achieving the highest output possible.

As a software solution is created to optimize productivity for your business, here are some of the key advantages of integrating an on-demand delivery management software.

Digitize the end-to-end delivery process

Let’s face it, we live in digital times, so that means more automation, streamlining your work, and improving your customers’ overall experience. By adapting to the digital world, you can work smarter and forget about tedious paperwork or keying in important data into excel sheets which can be misplaced.

Today, at the core of the on-demand delivery sector lies a courier software solution, which closes the gap between customers, businesses and drivers on a real-time basis. This not only helps facilitate faster deliveries, but also creates a better operational flow and improves customer satisfaction.

From the consumer’s perspective, the key aspects here are the ability to get full visibility on the order, communicate efficiently with the driver, and get real-time notifications when the product arrives.

Optimize the supply chain process

A high percentage of companies in the supply chain industry still work in the most traditional way, using pen and paper, taking phone calls, and creating complicated spreadsheets for their delivery planning and scheduling.

This manual procedure involves so many steps and takes so much time while increasing the chances of error throughout the journey. This way of working is not only outdated, but also makes the process more difficult to manage. This is why solutions offered by CarPal are designed to help companies streamline the process and make operations hassle-free.

To develop this type of product, which helps users deal with any type of obstructions in your business process, we tapped on these areas:

Enjoy real-time order management

With the boom of e-commerce, consumers’ expectations have changed considerably. We want faster and better service but what makes such service level feasible is integrating real-time technology to manage and optimize deliveries on-the-go and automate the processes. To have a positive experience, it is essential to keep an overview on all orders and track potential delays for both on-demand and scheduled deliveries.

Manage live tracking

This empowers you to have complete visibility of the assets and updates on the location in intervals as well as alerts if the package is still on the way. Tracking your fleet in real-time and accessing records of all past orders will actually free up your time while allowing you to maintain complete control.

Personalization is key

Customers are becoming better informed and know exactly what they want from a service. This means that personalization is not just another buzzword, but a real feature, which any company can tap on to gain real benefits.

One avenue would be making use of the consumer’s personal data to create a more bespoke experience for them. This is one case where consumers are generally willing to share their information to gain certain benefits in exchange.

For businesses that operate in industries where on-demand personalized services haven’t been thoroughly explored, this represents an opportunity to pivot. If you can offer better personalization, more visibility and a personable service, you’ll definitely have a real winner.

Analytics make a difference

Data at your fingertips is a great advantage; think having access to interactive analytics, historical data on orders, drivers and customers in actionable graphics, making it easier to identify peak hours, seasonality, as well as forecast future delivery needs.

CarPal’s software captures various data points for every transaction in order to have an in-depth analysis into transactions and use this actual knowledge, which was previously inaccessible to improve the consumer’s experience.

Stay ahead of your competitors

A positive customer experience holds high value in any business. By switching to digital and using an on-demand delivery software, you will be able to cater to your customers’ needs and gain competitive edge against other companies.

It’s no secret that companies show loyalty to customers by providing end-to-end visibility, from placing the order to receiving it, creating a holistic experience and helping in further customer retention and acquisition. So investing in a supply chain management solution that pledge cost-effective, time-saving and optimized deliveries is the key!

EXHIBITION: CommunicAsia/EnterpriseIT (23-25 May 2017, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore)

CarPal is exhibiting at the upcoming CommunicAsia/EnterpriseIT Exhibition & Conference. As the premier sourcing and knowledge ICT platform in Asia, CommunicAsia2017 will bring together a comprehensive display of cutting-edge technologies. With the convergence of technologies and the disruption of traditional business models, ensure that your business stays updated and ready to tackle future consumer demands.

Date: May 23~25, 2017
Time: 10:30am – 6:00pm
Venue: Level 5, Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands

Admission is FREE! Register for your visitor pass right now by registering here!

Come visit us at Booth 5K6-03 and chat with our on-site associates to learn more about our innovative last-mile logistics services and solutions!

EXHIBITION: InnovFest unBound (2-3 May 2017, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore)

CarPal is exhibiting at the upcoming InnovFest unBound, Southeast Asia’s largest innovation festival where over 8,000 entrepreneurs, brands, corporates, investors and tech start-ups meet and share new ideas, build partnerships and celebrate digital disruption.

Date: May 2~3, 2017
Time: 9:00am – 6:30pm
Venue: Sands Grand Ballroom, Level 5, Marina Bay Sands

Come visit us at Pavilion J and chat with our on-site associates to learn more about our innovative last-mile logistics services and solutions!

CarPal raises SGD 3.83 million to help businesses build their own hybrid delivery fleet

CarPal has raised an additional SGD 3.83 million to further develop the SaaS solution CarPal Fleet and help businesses build and control their own fleet of drivers. The round is led by new private equity participants, and the existing investor, RB Investments, has re-invested as well. This round follows the pre-series A of SGD 1 million raised back in January 2016.

Launched in July 2014, CarPal is one of the pioneering on-demand logistics service based on sharing economy, headquartered in Singapore. Over the past 2.5 years, CarPal has steadily grown into a popular and reliable last-mile delivery service for consumers and businesses alike, delivering anything from fresh food, flowers, clothing, household appliances to furniture items.

CarPal has recently announced the official launch of its new SaaS delivery management solution: CarPal Fleet.

“Over the past few years we learned that many of our customers wish to build their own fleet of drivers. This is mainly due to specific requirements or SOP. Hence launching a product to give customers full control over the delivery operations made a lot of sense.” says Maarten Hemmes, founder and CEO of CarPal.

By allowing businesses to optimize the routing of delivery orders and match the best available driver, CarPal Fleet can bring delivery costs down and help businesses to compete with industry giants such as Amazon, Lazada and Zalora. CarPal wants to give businesses more control over their delivery fleet and help them find a healthy mix between in-house and third-party drivers, without actually having to purchase any vehicles or hire additional staff.

Today, CarPal has hundreds of customers all over South East Asia. including (full-service) logistics providers, parcel delivery services, food delivery services and others. Businesses use and pay for CarPal Fleet via volume-based pricing.

CarPal is competing with others in the space like Bringg and Onfleet. The main aspect that sets CarPal apart from the others is the fact that the business actually recruits drivers in every market for customers to add to their fleet, taking away the initial recruitment efforts.

CarPal is currently consisted of 15 people and it is headquartered in Singapore. The company plans to expand into new markets and new segments with this round of additional funding, which includes growing its R&D and sales team.

To date, CarPal has raised $4.83 million.

About CarPal

CarPal SG Pte. Ltd. is a Singaporean company headquartered at the heart of CBD area in Singapore. Launched in July 2014, CarPal is transforming the way local goods move around in cities. It is building a platform and the technology that allows any consumer, small business or large corporation to plug-and-play a supply chain solution on-demand, allowing them to reduce costs and increase flexibility.

CarPal opens a new world where local supply chain management and analytics become a breeze and fun to operate. Keep operations lean, customers happy and continue making fast decisions.

Since launch, CarPal has been met with immediate success and exponential growth. CarPal raised its pre-Series A round of SGD 1 million from Singapore-based VC firm RB Investments in January 2016. CarPal is currently serving businesses as well as consumers across different industries in Singapore with presence in multiple locations in South East Asia.

About RB Investments

Founded in 2014, RB Investments is a venture capital firm specializing in seed or growth-stage rounds. RB Investments seeks to invest in Internet, mobile, information technology, consumer products and services, and hospitality start-ups. Recently, the VC firm has participated in a series of high-profile funding rounds including fashion app Voonik, online travel marketplace TravelTriangle, digital payments startup InstantPay, food-tech start-up Swiggy and on-demand food delivery platform Faasos Food Service. To date, RB Investments has backed more than 2 dozens startups in India as well as a handful of startups in South East Asia.

Read more about RB Investments on its official website: http://rbworld.com

Press release

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PR Contact Persons

Joanne Huang, Marketing & PR Director
Email: joanne@carpal.me

Maarten Hemmes, Founder & CEO
Email: maarten@carpal.me

Ondine Carron, Marketing Associate
Email: ondine@carpal.me