Routing, Mobile, Telematics
Last-Mile Software for
Beverage Distribution
A single platform built for beverage distributors with private fleets - combining route planning, mobile dispatch, and real-time driver and merchandiser tracking to tighten routes and boost delivery team performance.
Beverage delivery is facing tighter windows, fewer drivers, rising costs, and fluctuating demand. Has your route planning and optimization technology kept up?
More Cases Per Hour, One Last-Mile Solution
Distributors use Descartes’ last-mile delivery solutions to increase efficiency, without adding complexity to operations.
- Cut costs by reducing miles and time.
- Hit every stop on time, in full.
- Provide full visibility to customers.
Total Last-Mile Visibility
Descartes helps beverage distributors spot route delays, long stop times, and underperforming territories—then fix them fast.
- Keep track of stops, drivers and merchandisers.
- Learn from data to create realistic route plans.
- Quickly spot deviations from the plan.
Reduce miles by
10
%
Reduce planning time by
75
%
Reduce merchandiser hours by
10
%
End-to-End Optimization for Beverage Distribution
Plan and Optimize
Navigate tight delivery windows and high-frequency schedules. Adjust for volume spikes, delivery constraints, and evolving service requirements on the fly. Know when to make strategic changes, like opening or closing a depot.
Strategic Planning
Make long-term decisions on routes and fleets.
Daily Planning
Optimize routes to reduce miles, time, and cost.
Execute and Engage
Gain real-time visibility from the moment a truck leaves the yard to when the order is complete. Track routes, monitor driver performance, and keep dispatch, drivers, and merchandisers connected. Reduce inbound calls and improve the customer experience with real-time delivery updates on everyday devices.
Route Execution
Centralized view to track and improve.
Mobile Apps
Proof of Delivery, tracking and driver workflows.
Customer Engagement
Real-time ETAs, tracking and feedback.
Fleet Analytics and AI
Use data to improve planning and execution.
Train and Protect
Establish a strong safety culture and maximize driver and vehicle performance. Keep Compliant compliant with integrated driver safety training, telematics, vehicle inspection, and regulatory reporting, including electronic logging device (ELD), hours of service, (HOS), International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA), driver vehicle inspection report (DVIR) and EU Working Time Directive.
Fleet Driver Safety
One platform for training, telematics, and compliance.
Trusted by the Best in Beverage Distribution
“Getting all those data points ... tells you about how you can run your business better, how you can build better plans, how you can have the right equipment in the right places."
Curtis Akerman, Business Process Lead for Delivery
“With Descartes … we can strategically execute re-routes to optimize distribution and keep delivery productivity high. We have visibility into driver performance and drivers have more manageable days."
Will Woodall, Sales Execution
“The tools from Descartes are solid, but the real value comes from the partnership. If I call, I know I’ll get the support I need."
Matt Fannon, Director of Routing
“Descartes really understands the beverage business. They bring practical solutions our members are able to put into use."
Willie Reed, Senior Director, Sales and Marketing
National Beer Wholesalers Association
Built for Last-Mile Success
Trusted by beverage distributors worldwide, Descartes helps you deliver on time and in full with one end-to-end platform for route planning, dispatch, and customer engagement.
- Over 40 years' experience in logistics.
- Dedicated beverage support team.
- Industry partnerships and integrations.
Our Technology Partners & Integrations
We work with the most advanced technology partners. Our network of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), telematics and geospatial data partners seamlessly integrate into our solutions.
Ready to improve delivery performance?
Connect with our team to get started and see how Descartes can help you streamline routes, reduce costs, and consistently deliver on time and in full.
Featured Resources
Beverage Distribution FAQ's
For a beverage distribution software that reduces delivery costs, improves staff retention and enhances customer experience, distributors should look out for these features:
Strategic Planning
Does the solution let you regularly re-cut fixed routes, make long-term decisions about the fleet, simulate different scenarios and plan for seasonal changes? Can you align merchandiser and delivery driver schedules?
Daily Planning
How easily can you add new orders while still adhering to time windows and business rules?
Route Execution
Can you use real data from the field to improve future planning? Is it possible to keep track of drivers and merchandisers, spot deviations from the plan and tackle issues proactively? Can merchandisers react quickly when the delivery schedule changes?
Customer Engagement
Does the software let you send real-time updates to customers and sales reps – even when the estimated time of arrival (ETA) changes?
Machine Learning
Can the software continually learn from actual performance to create more realistic route plans?
Descartes beverage distribution software helps dispatchers, sales reps, drivers, merchandisers, managers and supervisors to perform their daily tasks.
- Route optimization software reduces planning time and balances workloads.
- Mobile apps and route execution tools keep track of staff in the field and allow for easy communication and performance management.
- Customer notifications reduce inbound calls, minimizing disruption to dispatchers and drivers.
As your fleet scales, overtime costs creep up and delivery promises are more difficult to uphold. Route execution software sheds light on excessive overtime by cross-referencing execution data and clock times to spot inconsistencies and highlight problematic gap times.
Managers can work with drivers to pinpoint what’s slowing things down - Are planned route start times unrealistic? Are drivers carrying out unnecessary tasks?
Beverage wholesalers and distributors with large private/dedicated fleets stand to get the most value from Descartes solutions.
Whether you have recurring customers with fixed routes, or need to tackle ad-hoc daily orders, Descartes software can help you reduce planning time and logistics costs.
Our clients deliver all kinds of beverages to on-premise and off-premise businesses.
Descartes execution software can help you identify areas of cost leakage and keep track of pre-sales, drivers and merchandisers in the field.
Leading beer and soft-drink distributors such as Heartland Coca-Cola, Silver Eagle Distributors, Mitchell Distributing, Pepin Distributing, Schweppes, Heineken, Molson Coors, Standard Beverage, Shore Point Distributing company and AB InBev use solutions from Descartes.