Pictures from the mobile app can also be used to guard against claims that a truck damaged a driveway or other structure when making a delivery. This information can help prevent millions of dollars in false claims against large building suppliers each year, according to Parfeniuk. MAKING THE TRANSITION Upgrading from a paper process to a technology-based delivery solution for the first time was a huge change, Vetter says. Among other steps, she and her team helped RBS’s dispatchers learn to create the routes, helped the customer service employees learn how to use the new solution to answer customers’ questions, and helped drivers learn how to execute routes. In rolling out the solution, RBS dedicated a full-time project manager to the implementation. Vetter also assembled a team of super users and trainers. These steps were key to a successful implementation, she says. RBS started the implementation with a handful of branches of different sizes, so the teams could work through any glitches before a broader roll out. When working with a location, Vetter and her team made a point to follow up after the initial session. “If you just walk out of the building, some employees may go back to their old ways, especially if they’re struggling to learn
Driving Efficiency THE CHALLENGES: A paper-based, largely manual system for managing RBS’s delivery fleet provided only limited visibility into the locations of the company’s trucks and the products they were carrying, as well as little ability to provide proof of deliveries. Calculating routes and answering customers’ questions about their deliveries also consumed valuable employee time.
THE SOLUTION: RBS implemented several solutions from Descartes, including Route Planner On Demand, and Mobile Proof of Delivery.
RESULTS: The solutions allow RBS to efficiently create safe and optimized delivery routes and confirm the timing and accuracy of deliveries. The solutions also provide various delivery metrics, such as the number of orders on each truck, which can help in adjusting future deliveries to boost efficiency and/or service. NEXT STEPS: RBS is considering additional solutions, such as the Descartes customer engagement platform, that may help it continue to improve the customer experience, create efficiencies, and reduce the cost of deliveries.
the metrics measure whether drivers put their routes into the system and complete them. Compliance consistently tops 90%, Vetter says. One challenge when rolling out the route planning solution was getting accurate delivery addresses. Prior to the implementation, drivers sometimes had to spend valuable time trying to find accurate and complete addresses. Now, the system highlights addresses that look inaccurate or
the new software,” she says. Consistent follow-up was one key to success. While it’s possible to conduct training through video connections, in-person instruction generally works best, Vetter says. The complete roll out took about nine months. As part of its implementation, RBS developed metrics to determine how well drivers and corporate employees complied with the new solutions. For instance,
Descartes’ route planning solution combines scheduling, delivery route planning and execution, proof-of-delivery, automated pre- and post- delivery notification services, and imaging functionality into a comprehensive platform that provides real-time visibility into deliveries as they are made—and proof of delivery when customers receive their orders.
176 Inbound Logistics • July 2026
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