How EPOD systems are helping to beat the impact of the pandemic  

The coronavirus pandemic has been a challenging time for the logistics industry, with the world’s supply chains thrown into confusion and delays. Even though we’re still managing some of the consequences, we do also appear to be slowly walking away from COVID-19 and heading back to normality.

Thankfully EPOD (electronic proof of delivery) systems have been on-hand to support and help businesses around the UK that continued working throughout the pandemic. But how did EPODs help businesses during COVID-19?  

Increased online shopping  

As so many shops and businesses had to cease their normal operations during the pandemic, many began offering online services instead.  2020 saw a 37% increase in online sales growth compared to previous years. Although this is a great source of income and a way that many businesses have stayed afloat during such a tough period, the logistics industry has had to manage the surge in demand. This is where EPOD comes in.

For many logistics companies, EPOD solutions have allowed them to better manage their increased workload through job planning and scheduling as well as route planning. These features have enabled those in logistics to take the most efficient route, delivering as many items as possible at once whilst eliminating office paperwork. Not only does this save time in office planning, but also saves on driving time and therefore fuel, helping to reduce overall business costs.  

Contactless deliveries  

Another impact of COVID-19 has been the increased demand for contactless deliveries. Whether this is through doorstop drops or collection lockers, many customers have turned to this new way of delivery for ease and to protect themselves. EPOD systems are perfect for managing such deliveries.

Through the planning software, logistics companies can work to group deliveries, enabling an easy drop off to collection lockers or other collection points. Not only does this provide a safer, contactless option for customers, but it also helps logistic companies cut down on the number of last-mile deliveries which are often the most costly part of the supply chain.   

Some EPOD systems, such as PODStar, also allow for image collection (depending on the device) so customer’s don’t even have to sign for a package. Instead, a photo of the confirmed delivery is taken and uploaded straight into a customer portal for ease. This has helped to reduce the number of signatures needed and has also enabled more delivery companies to leave packages in safe places when customers aren’t in to accept them. This reduces time and minimises the need for re-delivery attempts.  

Food home deliveries  

As well as the increase in online shopping, there has also been an increased demand for food deliveries following the coronavirus pandemic. The number of grocery and restaurant/fast food takeaway requests have grown over the past 2 years, and this is likely to continue with an estimated market value of £12.6billion by 2024.  With this increased demand, distribution companies are having to find a better way to manage the demand and still deliver good customer service.

PODStar has been instrumental in ensuring that wholesale food distributors (providing everything from fresh fish, artisan bread, meat, chilled and frozen foods) have been able to serve their retail outlet and restaurant clients optimally. The PODStar EPOD solution has ‘customer portal’ functionality allowing customers to track their food delivery to the store, shop or restaurant in real-time. This helps manage customer service as clients can see the delivery process, mininise food shortages and increase customer satisfaction.    

How we can help  

EPOD systems have helped in many ways during the coronavirus pandemic and although we’re starting to get back to normal, some of the new trends we’ve seen are only like to continue and grow rather than go back to how it was before. Here at TouchStar, we have developed PODStar, a scalable electronic proof of delivery solution for any size of business to optimize working schedules and improve customer service levels. Get in touch with one of our team to find out more.