Top 5 Considerations When Choosing a New Route Planning Software Provider

In the rapidly evolving world of last-mile logistics, route planning software is essential for optimizing delivery operations, reducing costs, and enhancing customer service. Yet, while some companies achieve phenomenal results with their solutions, many still face challenges that could be addressed with the right provider. 

In a recent interview, Mark Arike, Digital Content Manager at Descartes, asked Cyndi Brandt, VP of Fleet Solutions, to delve into five essential considerations on how to choose the right route planning provider. These insights will help any distribution company looking to make an informed buying decision and achieve long-term success. 

The first step in evaluating a delivery route planning software provider is identifying your goals for acquiring the software.  

Key question: What do you want to achieve and how will you measure success?  

Whether it’s reducing delivery times, cutting costs, or improving customer satisfaction, defining these objectives up front is crucial.  Additionally, consider the fundamental changes you must implement to align with your goals. A clear vision ensures you select a solution that addresses your business needs. 

For growing businesses, ensuring that a fleet routing software solution can scale to meet both increasing demands and fluctuating operational needs is critical. So, what exactly are scalable route planning solutions for growing businesses and what should decision-makers pay attention to? First, prioritize solutions built on modern, forward-looking technology stacks. Cyndi emphasized the importance of evaluating the infrastructure and architecture of any software.  

Secondly, engage your IT team to help assess whether the solution is built on a modern Software as a Service (SaaS) architecture rather than outdated systems. This ensures the technology can keep pace with rapid advancements and future growth. 

Also, it’s essential to understand the system's capacity for processing orders efficiently. The time it takes to process and convert orders into routes can significantly impact scalability—whether it’s 30 seconds, a minute, or a full day could make or break your operations. By selecting a scalable route planning solution designed with speed and adaptability in mind, businesses can confidently manage growth without compromising efficiency. 

Routing is all about creating the best plan—and advanced technologies like AI and machine learning transform how plans evolve. These technologies shine when they incorporate actual field data into future planning. By capturing real-world information, such as GPS data, arrival and departure times, or service durations, machine learning refines key details like geocodes and service times. 

This leads to increasingly more accurate routes, allowing businesses to optimize stops, enhance efficiency, and support growth. With AI and machine learning, delivery route planning solutions can adapt to real-world conditions, delivering smarter, more effective plans over time. 

When choosing a vendor, it's important to look beyond current needs and ensure they have a long-term vision that aligns with your business goals. There is significant value in working with vendors who have industry longevity, as they’ve developed deep domain expertise in solving complex, industry-specific challenges. The more experience a vendor has across various sectors, the better they can apply insights to address your unique needs. 

Equally important is a vendor’s involvement in industry associations, as this fosters continuous innovation and ensures they stay current with evolving trends. Decision makers should look for vendors who engage with thought leaders, share insights, and regularly update customers on their roadmap through advisory boards, webinars, or direct conversations.  

Vendors who are transparent about their future plans show a commitment to growth and innovation, offering confidence in their ability to evolve alongside your business. 

Customer support is crucial to maximizing operational efficiency and minimizing downtime after implementation. A leading vendor will offer multiple support options—such as phone, chat, email, and forums—to ensure help is always accessible. 

Equally vital is having a dedicated customer success manager—someone who will assist with troubleshooting and also help you leverage the software’s full potential to create greater business value. Their deep knowledge of both the technology and your industry makes them essential partners in your success. 

Choosing the right delivery route planning provider is a strategic decision that impacts every facet of your operations. By focusing on scalability, advanced features, integration, real-time visibility, and dedicated support, businesses can ensure long-term success. As Cyndi aptly put it, “Your routing solution should be a partner in growth, not just a tool.” 

For a deeper dive into these considerations, watch the full video interview and stay tuned for more expert insights from Descartes as we continue to highlight best practices in last-mile logistics and fleet management. 

Ready to take the next step? Explore how Descartes' advanced delivery route optimization solutions can help your business thrive. Connect with a solution expert and see why so many companies trust us as their partner for smarter, more efficient last mile delivery.