What Is First Mile Delivery? Difference Between First-Mile And Last-Mile Delivery
Moving of the goods from the manufacturer to the supplier or retail store is the beginning of the supply chain process. This beginning of the movement of the merchandise is called first-mile delivery. There are a variety of ways in which first mile delivery process starts, all depending on the industry type, size, and scale. Proper focus on first mile operations greatly increases the likelihood of a successful outcome and boost customer satisfaction.
Understanding First Mile Delivery
The term “first mile” refers to the transportation of goods & merchandise from the manufacturing facility or warehouse to the next hub, which can be a retail distributor, ecommerce business or an FMCG distributor. First-mile has a variety of meanings for various businesses. For companies that sell products, first-mile means transporting items from distribution centers to storefronts. Finished goods are transported from a factory or plant to a distribution center.
The impact of first-mile delivery is significant because it lays the groundwork for the next steps until the product reaches the end user. When done correctly, customer satisfaction rates rise considerably and business grows exponentially.
First mile is the first leg of the logistics and supply chain process. Consider big shipments coming from China, Hongkong, Indonesia etc., The process begins once the containers leave the point of origination and start moving towards the next destination. There can be multiple legs to first mile delivery and keeping a track of all of it is a bit lagged.
eCommerce Operations: A First Mile View
In recent years, eCommerce has experienced enormous growth and there is intense competition between the online sellers. Businesses, now, need to do everything they can to guarantee the satisfaction of their customers. As a retailer, you’re responsible for ensuring that this first phase of delivery goes smoothly and without much hassle. A simple disturbance of timeline can affect in long term.
Online retailers must give careful attention to delivery procedures at the outset. Your firm has spent time and money researching the best places to source items and materials before even getting started. Then, after that, a careful selection of a courier is made. When dealing with the courier, you must ask the appropriate questions in order to reach an optimal agreement. If you want to ship internationally, learn about any customs regulations and practices that must be followed. This can happen, for example, if you forget to rotate your goods.
If you do not handle your items with care, they may arrive to the customer in poor shape. After signing a straightforward agreement, the courier may assist you deliver the package straight to the client.
Top 4 Challenges in First Mile Deliveries and The Role of Tracking
- Inefficient Labelling Techniques
- Lack of Visibility
- Poor Focus on First-Mile Experience
- Improper Packaging
Difference Between First-Mile And Last-Mile Delivery
Simply defined, first-mile delivery is the start of the delivery process, whereas last-mile transportation occurs at the conclusion of it. The product is transferred from the manufacturer to a courier and then to a carrier via first-mile operations. Last-mile activities conclude when the order is delivered to the customer door step.
The differences between first-mile and last-mile operations are significant, but parallels may be drawn between them.
Last-mile operations are the activities necessary to get products from a transportation hub to a customer’s doorstep. It is critical to maintain a competitive advantage and take innovative methods in order to stay ahead of the competition. In both the first-mile and last mile delivery processes, success is dependent on the earlier phases.
Both have a big influence on customer experience. In order to deliver consumer, best experience, in both first-mile and last-mile deliveries, it’s critical for retailers and logistics providers to have effective communication. The last-mile delivery person frequently requests that the customer sign order receipts or scan the items, updating the status of their order.
First-mile and last-mile carrier companies must develop innovative operational techniques to save money, time, and correctly reach their target destination. To properly manage operations, warehouse inventory and routing must be studied and made accessible. Previously, many of these functions were done manually, but technological solutions have become essential.
Why Should You Be Concerned With First-Mile Operations?
First-mile operations are critical for laying a firm foundation since they’re the main stage. Customers who are satisfied with their purchases in ideal condition and on time are referred to as happy customers. Customers abandon shipments when standards aren’t high enough or erratic. There’s simply too much competition out there to let even little mistakes go unnoticed.
Summarizing First mile
The process of getting a product to the customer is known as first-mile logistics (FML). It generally refers to transportation, although it also includes the construction of materials. The ultimate objective of effective first-mile operations is to satisfy the client’s demands in a variety of timelines. Logistics, transportation, and inventory management procedures were properly controlled by accurate first-mile tracking. Providing visibility at this point aids in predicting outcomes that have a significant impact on the final mile operations, which involve the delivery of goods to customers.