OPERATIONS
T
he last mile in supply chain and logistics is , without question , critically important – and there are a great many reasons for this .
Traditionally , customer satisfaction has ranked highly in this regard given an effective last mile-delivery has the potential to make or break the shopping experience and , therefore , the customer ’ s long-term loyalty .
On the flip side , delays or other issues inevitably lead to unhappy customers , negative reviews and , ultimately , a detrimental impact on revenue .
The need to manage costs and achieve operational efficiency also goes some way towards explaining why the last mile is so crucial to the delivery process .
This final stretch is often the most expensive element and accounts for a substantial proportion of shipping costs , while fine-tuning last-mile logistics can streamline operations and reduce delivery times – leaving businesses better placed to respond more quickly to customer demands and market changes .
However , what has come to the fore in recent years is a growing expectation among consumers for their favoured retailers and delivery firms to run their operations in a more sustainable fashion .
The challenge for businesses is to find new and innovative ways to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions without compromising on speed or capacity .
Sustainability becomes a priority for consumers Today ’ s environmentally-conscious consumers believe the responsibility
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