The battleground for eCommerce is the last mile
To stay ahead of the competition, retailers are looking for innovative solutions that meet the evolving customer need for faster, cheaper delivery.
Accenture Logistics Platform
The Accenture Logistics Platform is a next generation delivery solution that enables carriers to meet customer expectations by combining demand forecasting and dynamic route optimisation to enable fast, cost effective & flexible delivery.
Where it’s coming from
The continuing growth in eCommerce, driven by a ‘need it now’ consumer culture, is fuelling the need for retailers to evolve their supply chains and for carriers to adopt new technologies.
eCommerce growth
The global Parcel delivery market is expected to reach $343bn by 2020. This growth presents a significant opportunity and challenge for our clients.
Evolving supply chains
To meet consumer expectations, retailers must transform their supply chains into multi-nodal networks, including using stores as eFulfilment centres.
Disruptive delivery models
Traditional providers aren’t flexible or fast enough. New start-ups struggle to reach economies of scale and efficiency. Both are unsustainable.
Changing expectations
81 %
Of customers are unwilling to pay more than $5 for same day delivery, setting the expectation that retailers absorb incremental costs.
29 %
Of shoppers have changed a delivery time or location. A further 50% would do so if available.
66 %
Of millennial online shoppers say they want eCommerce sites to offer a 1-hour delivery option in metropolitan areas.
Solution overview
The platform is comprised of customisable analytics modules, accessed via intuitive mobile and desktop interfaces. These modules help increase the speed, efficiency and density while providing unparalleled control and transparency to customers.
Key differentiators
Accenture Logistics Platform offers several unique capabilities that serve as key differentiators to competitors.
Dynamic origins & destinations
Ability to optimise routes between multiple dynamic collection points and destinations.
Cross dock exchange
System can also optimise for cross docks (exchange points where drivers can hand off packages).
Dynamic route optimisation
Ability to rapidly optimise and re-optimise driver routes throughout the day, in response to changing conditions and demand.
Geospatial demand forecasting
Ability to predict specific collection and delivery locations, at particular times. This increases route density and speed of fulfilment.
Geospatial learning
Analysis of variance and accuracy of predicted demand to actual orders. Fed back into the optimisation controller to improve over time.
Forecasted learning
A forecasted performance of drivers to their actual performance. Fed back into the optimisation controller to improve over time.
How it works
The platform leverages several analytics modules that when combined provide a highly customisable delivery solution. This enables carriers to increase the speed, efficiency and density across the entire delivery process.
Demand forecasting
Uses historic data to provide a geospatial forecast of future collections & deliveries, infused into route plans to drive density and efficiency.
Optimisation controller
Artificial intelligence identifies the best time to launch the optimisation process, enabling the carrier to control the route density.
Dynamic route optimisation
An advanced routing engine ensures routes are fully optimised while changing conditions (e.g. new orders) are factored as efficiently as possible.
Incremental learning
A feedback loop learns the difference between predicted / actual events and accuracy of forecasting to improve performance of the system over time.
Origin optimisation*
Enables carriers to determine the optimal fulfilment location to maximise delivery speed and efficient inventory management. (*Future roadmap)
Dynamic pricing*
Considers demand, available capacity and cost to smooth the demand curve and enable more efficient delivery routes. (*Future roadmap)
