Team Behind the Tech: Nick Rider 

At Descartes, our Routing, Mobile & Telematics experts combine years of industry experience with deep technical expertise to help customers maximize the value of their solutions. These professionals ensure businesses achieve operational success by optimizing fleet efficiency and adapting to evolving demands. 

Members of the sales team are at the front line of these efforts. This edition of Team Behind the Tech features Nick Rider, a senior account executive who goes the distance to support beverage distributors in overcoming their last-mile logistics challenges.  

Nick joined Descartes during the acquisition of GreenMile (now Descartes Live) in 2021. His resume includes more than a decade of experience in the logistics and transportation industry, helping businesses—especially within the beverage sector—optimize their last-mile operations. His transition to Descartes allowed him to continue working with industry leaders while leveraging an even broader suite of innovative solutions to drive measurable results. 

Find out what fuels Nick’s passion for beverage logistics, how he helps distributors navigate complex delivery challenges, and what trends he sees shaping the future of last-mile delivery. 

The first step is listening and learning. I work closely with customers to understand their operational goals, pain points, and priorities.  

Once we establish a clear picture, we collaborate to design a sustainable, data-driven solution that improves service levels and delivers high ROI. By aligning our technology with their strategic objectives, we ensure long-term success. 

Beverage distribution requires the tight synchronization of multiple teams—sales, delivery, and merchandising—all working within tight delivery windows. 

• Sales teams take orders 24–48 hours before delivery, with different requirements for on-premises and off-premises customers. 
• Delivery teams must navigate driver-to-customer relationships, vehicle constraints, and service zones. No two days look the same—fluctuating order volumes, traffic patterns, and delivery requirements create a dynamic environment that demands constant adaptability.  
• Merchandising teams ensure products are stocked correctly to meet customer Service Level Agreements (SLAs). 

When these elements are misaligned, inefficiencies arise. The key is to coordinate these moving parts effectively to optimize service and profitability. 

Many distributors hesitate to adopt new technology due to concerns about change management and operational disruption. As a result, they often stick with inefficient legacy processes, leading to increased operational costs, higher driver turnover, and declining sales due to suboptimal service levels.

We take a hands-on, consultative approach—starting by understanding a distributor’s current operations and identifying key areas for improvement. From there, we establish a baseline and use our implementation process to track measurable results. The goal is to eliminate inefficiencies, hidden costs, and improve overall service, all while making the transition as smooth as possible. 

One of the biggest game-changers I’ve observed is leveraging data in a centralized control tower, enabling businesses to:  

• Collect accurate data for better decision-making. 
• Utilize accurate data to fix master data issues. 
• Eliminate manual route planning, reducing unnecessary miles and labor hours. 
• Streamline operations between sales, delivery, and merchandising operations. 

Data is fragmented in most operations before implementing Descartes’ Delivery Management Platform. 

I see AI-driven last-mile solutions becoming a major force in the industry.

AI will refine delivery processes, reducing costs and improving service without requiring excessive manual intervention. With real-time data and automation, businesses can move away from reliance on spreadsheets and reports and instead focus on data-driven decision-making.  

Descartes is a forward-thinking company, continuously enhancing our solutions based on customer feedback. We release frequent updates and collaborate with customers to ensure our software remains best-in-class. Our approach helps distributors stay ahead of industry changes, meet increasing customer demand, and maintain a competitive edge.  

Reviewing your fleet utilization and considering right-sizing the fleet are essential steps to reducing a business’s carbon footprint. When reviewing an operation, distributors should answer questions such as:  

• Are we overserving customers with unnecessary delivery frequency?  
• Can we consolidate deliveries using larger-capacity vehicles?  
• Is our fleet makeup aligned with historical order volumes?  

Additionally, analyzing planned vs. actual fleet performance helps pinpoint inefficiencies, such as excessive idling or route deviations, that impact sustainability and cost.

Assessing current processes and workflows is key. Many companies continue operating the way they have for decades without considering better alternatives. A fresh, data-driven evaluation can uncover opportunities for improvement and pave the way for smarter, more efficient operations. 

Connect with Nick: Interested in reaching out to Nick about your logistical challenges or want to get to know him better? Connect with him on LinkedIn. 

Nick’s expertise underscores how beverage distributors can enhance last-mile delivery with data-driven decision-making and an advanced delivery management platform. It also showcases Descartes’ commitment to understanding customers’ unique needs and supporting them throughout the entire journey—from initial implementation to post-live support and beyond. 

Want to future-proof your beverage logistics? Learn how Descartes can help you solve delivery inefficiencies, enhance customer engagement, and achieve precise, reliable operations with the end-to-end delivery platform designed for smarter, seamless logistics management. Contact a solution expert today.