For any construction materials distributor, planning delivery routes is a big part of the job. Historically, it’s been a tedious, complex process in which delivery bookers have had to work around rigid conventional couriers. But thankfully, modern route planning has relieved businesses of that hassle. Here’s what modern delivery route planners look like, and why making the switch is easier and more beneficial than you might think. 

What’s a modern route planner?

A route planner is a digital tool that organizes material deliveries by importance, prioritizing efficiency above all else. These tools, often in the form of desktop or mobile apps, feature intuitive interfaces and simple drag-and-drop functionality. Curri, in particular, automatically matches you with the right vehicle for your material and route. The best route-planning tools will let you add and remove stops as needed, and rerouting happens automatically with each adjustment to the plan. 

Why is having a modern route planner important?

If your old system isn’t broken, why fix it? The truth is, the importance of an up-to-date route planner can’t be underestimated. If you’re looking to scale your business, or at least edge out the competition, you’re going to need to route plan with greater accuracy, more precision, and visibility for all stakeholders. 

Streamlining your route planning operations will also save your business money. Fewer stops and faster delivery times mean you spend less money sending your internal fleet on a wild goose chase, and you’re more likely to build trust and retain your current clients. 

By simplifying routing logistics, companies can expand their delivery radius, thanks to the time and resources they now have more freely available. With a few minor changes to better their route planning, businesses open up an entirely new avenue to scale their offering. 

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6 benefits of using a 3PL route planner like Curri for construction material delivery

1. You save on operational costs

One of the best ways to grow your profits? Lowering your operational costs. Route planning from 3PL services like Curri gives businesses the chance to reduce expenses in a few ways: 

• Fewer vehicles on the road: You’ll find that when you’re more efficient, you can deliver the same amount of materials with fewer vehicles. It’s less fuel and lower maintenance costs on your internal fleet. 
• Less wear and tear: Using 3PL route planning with Curri means less mileage on your vehicles. This extends your vehicles' lifespans while reducing maintenance. 
• Lower fuel consumption: Less driving means a smaller carbon footprint. Perfect for businesses looking to reach sustainability goals. 
• Less labor: Fewer vehicles and fewer hours driven mean fewer internal drivers. The employees you do work with will be more efficient, but you won’t have to worry about increasing your headcount and inflating payroll costs. 

2. You plan your routes faster 

Modern routing software doesn’t just save internal bookers’ time, but also speeds up the planning process. The data shows the right software can actually speed up operations by as much as 20%. Curri’s route planner offers three methods for quickly mapping trips: 

• Drag-and-drop: Users can drag orders from their queue right onto a driver’s route.
• Lasso tool: Simply draw a looping zone around all drop-off points and assign the route right to a driver. 
• Auto-assign: This feature uses AI and advanced logic to automatically build the most complex routes. It also runs scenarios to minimize the number of vehicles needed, helping users optimize their fleet size and save more money.

For some businesses, planning routes alone can take hours, especially if they do so by booking the old phone call or email way. Once booked, rerouting errors can also cause issues, sending the original booker back to the drawing board. This valuable time could be far better spent on big-picture planning tasks —tasks that actually scale the business. 

3. You continuously refine your operations 

Streamlining your operations is rarely a “set it and forget it” task. Getting stuck in one way of doing things is a quick way to slow down and stagnate productivity. 

If you’re stuck in planning routes manually, cancelled deliveries and road delays can stall your whole day. It means you and your team need to drop what you’re doing and develop a new plan immediately. And if you’re not quick enough? You could lose out on that client. 

But with a route planner that optimizes continuously, you can rest assured that your processes are always as effective and efficient as possible. 

4. Your operations become more scalable 

It’s difficult to scale with rigid delivery logistics. Your driver capacity has a ceiling, your delivery radius never grows, and achieving quick turnaround times consistently is hard. But with modern route-planning software, you can be matched with the right driver and vehicle in a few minutes. This frees up your staff to focus on other areas of your business, from developing outbound sales strategies, prospecting, and fostering stronger relationships with your recurring customers. Plus, with the money you save using a 3PL like Curri, you can invest back in the business, giving you new tools and resources that were previously out of budget. 

5. You gain peripheral data

Great route planners like Curri don’t just simply plan deliveries. Instead, they act as comprehensive logistics platforms, offering peripheral data on managing deliveries and performance history. Curri also provides features like:

• Live tracking: Bookers can monitor their drivers en route and even share the tracking link with all relevant stakeholders. 
• Proof of delivery photos: Bookers will also receive a signature and photo confirmation that their delivery was completed as expected.
• Traffic forecasting: Get live traffic data to help inform your route strategy. 

6. You retain clients and provide better customer service

With faster, more reliable deliveries comes better customer service. Your clients will learn they can depend on you when they need you, which builds a better reputation and keeps them coming back. Also, if you have a flexible modern route planner, you’ll be able to meet (or exceed) customer expectations as customer demand grows.

Try Curri today, and plan your routes simply

Looking to scale your delivery operations? Try a modern, easy-to-use route planner with Curri. We offer all delivery types, from hotshots to LTLs to dedicated FTL service. Users can also enjoy our simple drag-and-drop interface and a nationwide fleet of drivers ready when you are.

‍Book a demo with the Curri team today to learn more and scale tomorrow.