There are always more and more options appearing out on the market in terms of courier software, which means that people who are operating delivery, courier, or messenger services are going to have a lot to choose from in terms of which software they want to select to use within their organizations. There are certain features which stand out and that companies are going to look for time and again because as a single feature they are essential to keeping a courier company running smoothly. One of the most important of these in the current era of the courier industry is having software with an excellent electronic driver dispatch. This means that the courier business software allows for those working in the dispatch office to automatically electronically dispatch the driving routes to their drivers using the software and the GPS routing software in their handheld or vehicle units.

Great electronic dispatch also makes it possible for courier companies to offer better and better services in terms of rush and emergency deliveries. Before GPS tracking and dispatching that was done electronically, it could take some time for the courier company to find the closest driver with the most appropriate workload to dispatch to complete a rush or emergency delivery. The automation of these types of systems and electronic driver dispatch absolutely eliminate all of the time it used to take to organize these types of deliveries. Now when a rush order comes in it only takes a few moments for a dispatcher to organize his drivers and find the best candidate to be dispatched immediately to complete a rush order.

One of the more tedious yet necessary elements of running a courier business is the matter of ensuring that all driver logs are completed correctly, and then verifying the information contained in those logs. One of the best features in new courier software is the ability to combine the electronic dispatch information with that routing information in the GPS units in the trucks to automatically and electronically update drivers’ logs. This helps to increase driver efficiency as well as it can be used as a performance review tool to offer input and suggestions on how drivers could be maximizing their times and completing their runs even more effectively. This is why electronic driver dispatch is now becoming one of those features which is considered almost unarguably essential when it comes time to select a new courier program for a delivery company.

Paul McDuffy is a consultant for delivery software and courier dispatch software companies as well as international courier service businesses.