SmartRoutes in 2024
Reflecting on 2024: SmartRoutes' highlights, new features, events, and innovations shaping the future of last-mile logistics.
As another year comes to a close, we want to reflect on 2024 and express our heartfelt gratitude to our customers. Your feedback and continued support enable us to refine and improve SmartRoutes year after year.
Let's take a moment to revisit some of this year's highlights.
Highlights
January
We started 2024 by introducing the 'What's New' tab on our desktop app. This feature serves as a centralized hub for sharing our latest updates, features, and announcements.
Look out for the small red dot that indicates new posts, making it easier than ever to stay informed. (We also highlight updates in our monthly newsletters.)
April
In April, we attended the Furniture Component Expo 2024 in Telford, which showcased the best tools, machinery, and components in UK furniture manufacturing.
This event was a fantastic opportunity to connect with industry professionals and explore exciting collaboration opportunities. Let us know which events you’ll be attending in 2025—we’d love to connect!
May
One of our proudest moments this year: SmartRoutes was a finalist in the 2024 Tech Excellence Awards for the prestigious Company of the Year category. We donned our finest attire for the glamorous awards night at the Royal Marine Hotel, Dublin.
Being recognized alongside industry-leading companies was a tremendous honour. Although we didn’t take home the award, we left inspired by the amazing companies we were surrounded by. There’s always next year!
June
Our CEO, David Walsh, had the privilege of speaking on the Networking for Success panel hosted by LEO@10. Having worked closely with LEO in our early days and continuing to collaborate with them, this event felt particularly meaningful.
David shared valuable insights on strategic networking, scaling businesses, and staying innovative. The event was a resounding success, filled with inspiring talks and impactful networking opportunities.
September
September saw us crossing the Atlantic to exhibit at PARCEL Forum 2024 in Dallas. This marked our first time hosting a stand at an event—and it was a resounding success. We showcased our solutions, connected with clients and industry leaders, and discussed the future of last-mile logistics.
The highlight? We’ll be back next year—this time in Chicago!
Some Features Added in 2024
Recurring Routes (Weekly Planning)
One of the most requested features is here! Recurring Routes allow you to set delivery routes to repeat automatically based on your schedule, whether it's weekly, bi-weekly, or fully customized.
- Set routes to repeat automatically on a schedule: weekly, bi-weekly, or custom.
- Bulk edit or customize recurring routes to adapt to changing needs.
- Simplifies weekly planning, saving time and improving efficiency.
New Reporting & Analytics Dashboard
To help you make data-driven decisions, we launched an all-new Reporting & Analytics Dashboard, giving you a clear overview of performance metrics.
- Stop Completion: Track completed, undeliverable, and outstanding stops.
- Planned vs. Actual Distance: Compare planned routes to actual distances driven.
- Quantity Capacity Usage: Monitor vehicle capacity utilization.
- Shift Usage: Analyze driver productivity and shift utilization.
- Filter by individual dates, ranges, or drivers for detailed insights.
Driver Permissions - Push Notifications
Improving driver communication has never been easier. With new Push Notifications, drivers can now be instantly notified about changes to their routes:
- Send push notifications when:
- A route is assigned.
- A route is edited.
- Manage notifications in Settings under Driver App > Driver Permissions.
Top 3 Blogs in 2024
1. 8 Route Planning Mistakes to Avoid in 2024
In this blog, we explore the common pitfalls in route planning and how to avoid them. Manual planning, ignoring vehicle capacities, and failing to track performance are just a few of the mistakes we cover to help you streamline your delivery operations.
8 Route Planning Mistakes to Avoid in 2024
1. Manual Route Planning
2. Too Reliant on Driver Knowledge and Past Routes
3. Optimizing for Speed Only and not Allowing for Other Constraints
4. Not Offering Delivery Time Windows
5. Neglecting Customer Requests
6. Not Tracking Your Drivers
7. Not Optimizing Vehicle Capacity
8. Not Monitoring Delivery Performance
2. 12 of the Best Proof of Delivery Apps in 2024
Proof of Delivery (POD) apps are transforming logistics operations. We reviewed 12 leading POD apps, including SmartRoutes, and highlighted key features that set them apart. This guide is perfect for businesses looking to modernize their delivery workflows.
1. SmartRoutes
2. Track-POD
3. Circuit
4. Route4Me
5. OptimoRoute
6. Routific
7. Tookan
8. Onfleet
9. Onro
10. DispatchTrack
11. Upper Inc.
12. Go2Stream
We do recommend look at other necessary features you may need, most of the above options carry a variety of other useful features. We also recommend that you try out a few options on a free trial, this will really give you a sense of how each platform can make a difference to your business.
3. Automated Route Planning: The Key to Efficient Deliveries
Automation is reshaping the last mile. This blog breaks down how automated route planning works, its benefits—like improved accuracy, lower costs, and optimized fleet management—and how integrations with tools like Shopify or WooCommerce make planning seamless.
Conclusion
It’s been a fantastic year, and we’re proud of what we’ve achieved in 2024. Thank you for being part of our journey—your continued feedback and support inspire us to keep improving. We can’t wait to bring you even more exciting updates in the year ahead!
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Caroline Hassett
Caroline Hassett
