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How to Choose the Best Courier Management Software?
Introduction
Integrating with a single carrier may work when your online store doesn't have a lot of monthly orders. However, as you scale, you’ll have to partner with more courier services to facilitate different shipments.
Keeping track of all your courier companies across different platforms is time-consuming but also tiring. Here’s when courier management software comes into play. From managing multiple courier services under one roof to handling returns, it helps you make the most of your delivery operations.
This doesn't mean that ecommerce brands can choose any courier management platform at random. To ensure you get your money’s worth, this short guide will cover all the factors you should consider before finalizing a courier software.
What Is Courier Management Software, Anyway?
Put simply, courier management software enables you to connect and manage multiple carriers on a single platform. One of the biggest advantages of using courier software is that it also functions as delivery management software. It helps with monitoring the delivery process and keeping customers informed of their delivery status.
Having a delivery management system saves time spent navigating the websites of different carriers and integrating with them individually. With consolidated shipment information, it lets you easily track and view the status of any parcel. It also allows you to take necessary actions in the event of delays or failed deliveries and provide digital proof of delivery.
The right courier management software supports multiple functions. The notable key features include delivery management, route planning, advanced route optimization, and seamless integrations with different courier services. It ensures parcels reach customers within designated delivery windows and provides live tracking of orders, from placement to delivery.
Key Factors to Consider When Choosing Courier Management Software
Here, you’ll find key factors to consider before choosing any courier management software. From essential features to 'good-to-haves,' we’ll cover everything you need to make the right choice when integrating the best courier software into your existing tech stack.
1. Quick order manifestation
Get a courier delivery software that supports bulk label printing and can import orders from multiple ecommerce platforms and marketplaces, such as Amazon and Shopify. The more sales channels it can integrate with, the greater the impact on customer satisfaction. This way, you can scale to other platforms without hesitating about whether you can fulfill orders on time.
Also, check if it can provide advanced configurations like order-splitting, custom status labels, and batch labels processing for faster deliveries. They may sound like extravagant features at first, but once you start getting bulk and customized orders, you’ll know why they’re helpful.
2. Multi-carrier integrations
This one’s a no-brainer. Courier management software is supposed to help you handle multiple carriers simultaneously so the more, the merrier. While integrating with the best worldwide delivery companies, such as FedEx and UPS may be enough, you can’t always rely on them for every shipment.
For instance, in regions like the UK, using Royal Mail can be more cost-effective and efficient than an international courier like DHL. Depending on your order volume and customer demand, you may need a specialized courier business, such as those offering on-demand delivery services. Therefore, delivery management software that can integrate with hundreds of carriers should ideally be at the top of your list.
3. Tracking capabilities
No matter what, make sure the software you choose provides real-time tracking services. Moreover, try to pick one that can also offer branding features including elements such as your company’s logo and color theme. The best courier software also personalizes customer communication , rather than simply redirecting them to a generic tracking page.
If possible, see if it can also send automated customer notifications during shipping. They don’t need to be extreme by-the-minute updates, but milestone-based messages that reassure customers where their package currently is. This will eventually help you reduce WISMO (where is my order) calls.
4. Data analytics
Next on your checklist should be analytics. You should check how each of your carriers is performing. There are times, especially during holiday seasons when courier delivery companies cannot handle the immense pressure of high-volume orders. That’s when you face disruptions in services or delayed deliveries.
Data analytics help you monitor the daily/weekly/monthly performance of carriers, helping you visualize and identify trends. If you find that a carrier isn’t providing on-time service frequently, you can switch to another one for the time being. Analytics also helps you learn how much you’re spending on shipping and whether it matches your predicted budget, thereby optimizing your operational costs.
5. Security
You can’t compromise on your company’s or customers’ data. Choose a courier management platform that enforces the latest security protocols. This will help you keep all data secure and instill more trust among your patrons.
Features like access or admin control also allow you to restrict which team members can access specific information. Try looking for the delivery management software that also provides encryption to ensure your data is always protected, even during system failures or breaches.
6. Compliance
This one can be difficult because it requires a little research on your end. Depending on your geographical location and where you run your ecommerce store, look up all the data protection and consumer laws that apply to you.
Next, ensure that the courier software you choose complies with all of them. As a benchmark, platforms that are compliant with laws like GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and are certified with standards like SOC 2 (Service Organization Control Type 2) and ISO 27001 (International Organization for Standardization) are the ones you should aim for.
7. Pricing structure
No matter how good a courier management platform is, it won’t be helpful if you cannot afford it in the first place. Remember to always check out the pricing plan and options. Do they support the pay-as-you-go model? Or charge a monthly fee?
If you’re running low on order volumes then choosing the former is better while flat-based pricing is more suited for stores with higher order volumes.
8. Returns management
While this may not be entirely necessary if your monthly returns are low, returns management is a decent add-on feature to have. This typically includes providing a returns portal and dashboard to view all your returns in one place.
Unlock Convenient and Smart Logistics at Your Fingertips With Clickpost
Finding courier management software that can include almost all the features mentioned above can be difficult and quite honestly a hassle. Unless you choose ClickPost!
As an AI-based shipping intelligence platform, ClickPost is a holistic shipping solution that lets you manage a wide range of carriers under one platform.
Here are the key features that make it the best courier management software:
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Lets you integrate with 500+ carriers worldwide with the ability to connect to custom carriers and go live within 24 hours.
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Provides an ML-based engine to help you automatically choose the best carrier for every order.
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Supports quick order manifestation processes like automated AWB generations and bulk label printing.
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Displays real-time tracking information via branded tracking pages and sends automated tracking notifications to customers via multiple channels like WhatsApp, SMS, and email.
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Offers 50+ customizable (and downloadable) reports that cover shipping and marketing insights.
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Compliant with international regulations like GDPR along with certifications in SOC 2 and ISO 27001.
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Hosts add-on features like estimated delivery dates, COD reconciliation, returns, and NDR management.
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This courier management system also offers a dedicated driver management portal through which you can assign tasks to drivers, track their performance, monitor their delivery routes, and improve their productivity.
The Bottomline
With the ecommerce industry set to continue growing in upcoming years, it's only natural that ecommerce platforms will face even more orders and delivery challenges. However, partnering with robust courier management software will let you stay on top of these bottlenecks and ensure timely fulfillment.
Go through all of the factors we’ve covered above and make your choice only when you’re satisfied with a platform’s features. If you’re considering ClickPost as your next option, get in touch with its support team to book a demo.