With customers seeking convenience and efficiency, the bottled water delivery businesses are replacing traditional delivery management methods with modern water delivery management software to streamline operations and enhance customer satisfaction. Water Delivery Solutions (WDS) offers water delivery management software that automates and optimizes your entire water distribution process, from order processing and inventory management to finance management and fulfillment.
Business Research Insights states that “the global water delivery service size was USD 19480 million in 2021 and the market is anticipated to touch USD 29783.95 million by 2031, at a CAGR of 4.3% during the forecast period.”
Table of Contents
What is water delivery management software?
Water delivery management software is a subscription-based, scheduled delivery management system that streamlines and simplifies bottled water delivery operations. It automates processes, such as ordering, recurring billing and payments, inventory management, and multi-route delivery planning.
The delivery software for the bottled water business includes ‘SIX’ integrated modules
- Order management software
- Payment management software
- Delivery management system
- Customer relationship management (CRM) system
- Inventory management software
- Business intelligence software
Components of water delivery management software
The water delivery software offers three platforms that work together in sync and provide real-time updates and notifications. The three platforms include: the admin panel, the customer app, and the delivery driver app.
Admin Panel (business owners or managers)
The admin panel is a web platform for water delivery business owners or managers that enables them to get complete visibility and control of delivery operations. It allows them to manage products, customers, and delivery routes. The platform also allows them to track deliveries and monitor driver performance. Features offered by the admin panel are:
- Customer management
- Order processing (one-time or subscription orders)
- Stock management
- Delivery planning
- Route optimization
- Send notifications
- Recurring billing & payments
- Reverse logistics management (empty bottle management)
Customer App (consumers)
A mobile interface (for Android and iOS) for consumers, allowing them to place and manage recurring orders. This customer water delivery app offers customizable features that enable customers to choose delivery frequency (alternate day, custom day, or fortnightly), schedule (delivery window), and number of deliveries. The features of a customer app for bottled water delivery are:
- Place one-time and subscription bottled water orders
- Edit and delete orders (one-time and subscriptions)
- Reschedule deliveries
- Resume and pause subscriptions
- Customized deliveries
- Flexible payment options
- Live order tracking
- Real-time order status updates
- Refer and earn
- Access order history
Driver App (delivery drivers)
It is a water delivery driver app (Android) that helps delivery drivers carry out their daily tasks seamlessly. The app provides complete delivery information about when, where, and to whom to deliver the orders. Features of the water delivery app for drivers are:
- Daily task clarity (customer address, schedule, and order details)
- Run-time order updates (modify, reschedule, and cancel)
- Create new orders and customer acquisition
- Record and manage empty water bottles
- Electronic proof of delivery
- Receive and record cash and digital payments
Why is delivery management software needed for bottled water delivery services?
The bottled water delivery business can be profitable; however, its challenges should be addressed. Addressing these challenges requires careful planning, investment in technology, effective marketing strategies, and a focus on customer satisfaction and sustainability. Some of the key issues faced by bottled water businesses are:
- Logistics and distribution challenges – Inefficiently planning routes manually can increase costs and delay deliveries. Delivering in urban areas without an optimized route can lead to delayed deliveries.
- Inaccurate inventory control – Counting inventory manually is prone to human errors, leading to overstocking or stockouts. Maintaining clean and safe storage facilities to prevent contamination and spoilage of water bottles is difficult.
- Maintain customer service – Manual business management makes consistent, on-time deliveries challenging. A huge communication gap leads to difficulties in handling customer inquiries, complaints, and special requests.
- Marketing and branding – Attracting new customers through multiple channels can be challenging without an online presence. Building brand loyalty to retain customers in a competitive market can be difficult.
- Environmental concern – It is difficult to address ecological problems related to plastic waste and promote sustainable practices. Implementing eco-friendly policies and practices while considering customer preferences is challenging.
- Operational inefficiencies – Training staff to handle deliveries, customer service, and operational tasks can be challenging. Manually optimizing operations to reduce costs and enhance efficiency is not possible. It can, on the contrary, increase operational costs.
Features of delivery management software that help the bottled water delivery business
Water delivery business software helps streamline operations, improving the efficiency of the bottled water delivery business. Water delivery software can enhance operational efficiency, lower costs, and increase customer satisfaction. Here are some key features of such software that can be particularly beneficial:
Delivery planning and management
The system helps you efficiently plan delivery routes to minimize costs and ensure timely deliveries. You can create deliverable areas, routes, and delivery windows. Create driver profiles, and allot routes and schedules to them. The order from a particular route will be auto-assigned to the driver to whom that route is allotted. Route optimization is one of the important features of this delivery management software. It creates the shortest delivery distance and sequences the orders in such a way that it reduces the turnaround time of the delivery driver. It minimizes fuel consumption and reduces overall delivery costs. The drivers can obtain electronic proof of delivery and mark deliveries as delivered and canceled.
Inventory management
The system automatically generates inventory reports to ensure optimal inventory to meet customer demand without overstocking or stockouts. It helps maintain clean and safe storage facilities, preventing contamination and spoilage of water bottles. It enables you to track and manage buffer inventory given to the delivery drivers.
Payment collection
The water delivery system offers prepaid, postpaid, and hybrid payment options, based on which the invoices are created and distributed via SMS, email, and WhatsApp. The invoices are generated automatically based on the number of successful deliveries. The system supports multiple payment options, allowing customers to pay according to their preferences. The system enables payment integrations, credit/ debit cards, bank wire transfers, and cheques. The customers can also pay in cash. The system sends pending payments and low in-app wallet balance notifications, allowing customers to make prompt payments and ensuring timely payments and positive cash flow. The delivery drivers can collect cash and online payments and verify them via OTP as proof of payment.
Order management
The Water Delivery Solutions (WDS) allows customers to place orders from a white-labeled app for water delivery. Customers can place and manage one-time and subscription orders. They can customize their delivery preferences, including delivery frequency, schedule, or delivery window, and number of deliveries. Subscription orders are convenient, and customers do not have to place orders repeatedly. They can edit, delete, cancel, and reschedule deliveries for one-time and subscription orders. The app empowers customers to pause and resume subscriptions according to their preferences. Customers can access their order history and past invoices. They can track their orders and receive a tentative order ETA. Customers receive real-time order status updates, custom and automated notifications, and reminders.
Reverse logistics management
Reverse logistics in the bottled water delivery business refer to tracking and managing bottles, both filled and empty. You can add prices for empty bottles, reflected on the invoice, and link bottles with the product. The amount is refunded when the customer returns the empty bottles. The delivery driver collects and records the number of filled water bottles given to customers, the number of empty bottles collected from customers, and the number of bottles (can be filled or emptied) still with the customer.
Reporting and analytics
The system auto-generates sales, payments, inventory, customer, and delivery reports. The sales reports include transaction reports, monthly recurring payment reports, product sales reports based on area and routes, product performance reports, and reconciliation reports. The payment reports include payment received reports, failed payments, monthly payment reports, billing reports, driver cash reports, revenue per customer reports, and container payment reports. The software generates various types of inventory reports, including dispatch reports, future inventory demand reports, buffer inventory with driver reports, and inventory reports. The system also generates customer reports to help you offer personalized experiences and improve customer satisfaction.
Benefits of implementing water delivery software for bottled water delivery services
Water delivery software for bottled water distribution services offers several benefits that enhance operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and overall business performance. This ultimately leads to sustainable growth and competitive advantages. The key advantages of implementing water distribution software are:
Enhanced operational efficiency
The system can help you improve the operational efficiency of your bottled water distribution business, boosting productivity and profitability while reducing overheads. Ways the water delivery system improves operational efficiency are:
- Allows customers to place and manage orders from a mobile app. This removes the need for calling vendors and placing orders manually. It also improves order accuracy.
- The system automates the business processes, minimizing human interference and reducing errors. It avoids doing reworks. Accurate billing, reporting, and the delivery of the correct order to the correct address are guaranteed by automation.
- Route optimization creates the shortest delivery route, decreasing the total turnaround time. This allows delivery drivers to deliver more in the defined time. The driver is auto-assigned to the order based on the route allotted to them. The orders are auto-dispatched, making the process fast and accurate.
- It digitizes the business, which improves brand visibility and allows efficient implementation of marketing strategies.
Improved overall revenue (MRR)
Water distribution businesses are based on subscription and have recurring revenue. MRR is the monthly recurring revenue that is predictable revenue for a subscription-based water delivery business. This revenue is expected to be received each month or defined time from the customers. Ways the water delivery system help improve overall MRR:
- The system is adaptable and capable of handling an increasing number of customers without burning out.
- The drivers can acquire new customers while making deliveries. It reduces the customer acquisition cost and improves monthly recurring revenue.
- Subscription deliveries ensure consistent and fixed revenue. Customers can place subscription orders and set from custom to infinite deliveries.
- Reduced delivery turnaround time enables delivery drivers to serve more customers in a defined time, increasing revenue.
- You can send pending payments and low wallet balance reminders, enabling customers to make prompt payments and improving positive cash flow.
Increased customer satisfaction (CSAT)
- Enabling customers to place and manage orders from a user-friendly bottled water customer app improves the customer journey.
- Real-time tracking and order status updates foster transparency, enhancing brand image and reliability. It reduces customer churn rates.
- Customers can place subscription orders. They do not have to place orders repeatedly, improving convenience and customer retention rates.
- Integrated customer relationship management (CRM) enables you to offer a personalized experience.
- The system allows you to offer customers discounts and various coupons. This improves customer engagement and builds customer loyalty.
- Flexible payment options enhance customer experience, improving customer satisfaction scores.
- The system ensures timely and accurate deliveries, boosting customer experiences.
Conclusion
Implementing water delivery software can streamline and optimize the bottled water delivery business, integrating various functionalities, like route optimization, order management, stock control, real-time tracking, and delivery planning. The software solution can enhance operational efficiency and customer satisfaction, improving profitability. Book a meeting with our experts and see how we can help you streamline and optimize your bottled water delivery business.
He loves to explore. His passion for helping delivery industries in all aspects flows through in the vision he has. In addition to providing smart solution to make delivery process flawless, Ravi also likes to write sometimes to make it easier for people from business industry looking for digital solutions.
