Locus for Retail: Smart Tech’s Role in Empowering Workforce and Streamlining Capacity

The retail industry has gone through a significant change post the inception of online shopping. According to research, 22% of total retail sales are online and the number is growing. This puts a burden on supply chain and logistics for retailers. Two major things retailers need to fix or optimize is the resource and workforce management. As customers flock towards online shopping, delivery needs to be prioritized. With millennials and other young audiences asking for faster delivery, workforce and resource management needs to be top notch for brands to deliver on-time while staying profitable.

The question is how do retailers manage and optimize resource management for such high demands without losing out on profits?

Enter Locus

It isn’t a startling discovery for retailers to find out that there are multiple tech companies that offer cutting edge supply chain and logistics solutions to solve challenges. However, not every vendor out there is the same. Finding one that works for your business is key. Now as mentioned above, resource and workforce management are top factors that determine success in an ever evolving retail environment.

Manual resource allocation plans and archaic methods of workforce management are less than ideal for the current scenario. That’s where Locus comes in with its smart AI. One might ask, every tech vendor in the corner of the globe says – our tech has AI capabilities. What makes Locus special?

Automation with AI

Large volume of orders can’t be an everyday thing for retailers. Peak and holiday seasons are typically when retailers have to scale their capacity to meet the demands. However, with large volumes of orders and manual capacity planning methods, decision making takes a hit and ultimately leads to unnecessary increase in vehicles to accommodate load which leads to increased cost. Now the solution to bypass these challenges is automation powered by AI. How is Locus AI automation different from its competitors?

• Order automation: Locus AI driven Order to Delivery systems can seamlessly automate order processing and authentication with the help of predefined algorithms. This mitigates manual intervention, leading to minimal errors.

• Plan capacity ahead of time or last minute

With Locus’ automated scheduling feature in the capacity management module, retailers can avoid operational disruption due to unpredictable demand and on-ground resource availability.

• On-demand allocation: With smart algorithms, Locus’ capacity planning module has the capability to accommodate any ad hoc order and assign it to the right resource for smooth delivery without compromising existing SLAs.

• Sick days/Driver Holidays can’t hurt your business: Leverage a capacity module that can factor in driver sick days/holidays ahead of time and generate delivery plans.

• Capacity planning for Big and Bulky Retail

Shipments like furniture and large electronics items, not only cost much, but also cost a lot to transport due to the obvious size and the heavy vehicles required for transport. However, that’s not the only challenge. These shipments usually require installation post delivery and require at least two service co-workers to carry the shipment. With manual capacity planning, assigning service co-workers/carpenters with enough experience and making sure each shipment has an installation expert tagged to the vehicle to ensure delivery and installation happen on the same day is impossible. However, smart capacity systems have the capability to assign available service co-workers and then also make sure the installation expert is part of the same truck to decrease cost of transportation and installation time.

Read Also: Cost Effective Delivery Strategies for Big and Bulky Retailers (Ebook)

• Visibility on Driver Operations

Define operating hours, apply shifts, and track the availability of drivers & vehicles across teams & geographies on a unified dashboard.

Empowering the Workforce

While allocating resources seamlessly to deliver orders is great. However, without a proper driver/workforce management tool these frontline workers can’t really make seamless delivery or rather would have to go through a lot to do it. Multiple countries in the world have smart security systems built into the trucks to empower the drivers. However, drivers are not given any smart application to navigate to delivery locations seamlessly and manage their day-to-day tasks.

• Uplifting driver experiences: With Locus’ Driver Companion App, drivers can track their tasks, seamlessly navigate to delivery location with turn-by-turn navigation and send proof of delivery seamlessly from the app to the Dispatch Management System for instant delivery recognition. That’s not all. Drivers often leave due to unfair wages and dispatchers cite underperformance as the reason. However, with the app every delivery is recorded and any overtime is also calculated into the wages and is then reflected on the dispatcher platform for a just appraisal.

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• Smart work order management for big and bulky shipments: From the number of tools required to assemble the shipment to the type of vehicle that is assigned to move the shipment (during exceptions), all this relevant information is sent to the service co-worker before reaching the assembly/installation location. After the completion of the installation, proof of assembly images are sent via Locus Driver Companion App immediately to the assigned executive at the retailers’ company for successful order completion. Making the entire experience for the service co-worker stress free.

Locus is serious about making a difference in the logistics space. Our commitment to making the lives of drivers and employees of our clients easier has already come to fruition.

Hear from the drivers/employees of top brands on how Locus’ Driver companion App is empowering them every day

Why Choose Locus?

We have constantly worked towards making logistics better for retail and many other businesses across the globe for close to a decade now. Brands like Croma, LuluGroup International, LandMark Group and many more, are leveraging Locus’ AI driven Order to Delivery platform to optimize multiple logistics processes to deliver stellar customer and employee experiences while generating revenue.

What we have accomplished in a decade:

On time delivery	Increase in SLA compliance	Logistics Cost saved	Reduction in freight costs	In store fulfillment	Reduction in no of vehicles used
99.5%	32.4%	$288 million	17%	99%	20%

If the current logistics setup demands an upgrade or your tech vendor isn’t cutting it, drop a line for a short yet insightful demo of our platform. We might be able to turn things around for you.