You know the drill: another day, another batch of “Where’s my order?” emails flooding your inbox. Your team’s scrambling to track down packages scattered across town, your warehouse is sitting on stock that should’ve shipped yesterday, and don’t even get us started on those last-minute delivery disruptions eating away at your profits. Oh, and your biggest competitor? They just announced same-day delivery.
Welcome to the final mile delivery battlefield, where customer loyalty hangs in the balance, and your delivery performance can make or break your business. It’s a constant high-wire act — balancing speed, cost and reliability while trying to keep your sanity intact. Whether you’re running an e-commerce empire, managing a chain of specialty stores or overseeing wholesale distribution, the struggle is real. You need a final mile solution that doesn’t just work; it needs to give you an edge.
OneRail jumps into this mess with a simple goal: to make your final mile delivery actually work for you, not against you. We’ve built a network of 12 million drivers and 20-30 couriers per market. Our smart tech matches orders to drivers faster than you can swipe a credit card. And the real cherry on top? We give you visibility into your inventory from start to finish. Need proof? Consider the following stories involving Advance Auto Parts, PepsiCo and Signet Jewelers.
Advance Auto Parts: Revving Up Their Supply Chain
Imagine you’re a mechanic racing against the clock to fix a customer’s car. The last thing you need is to wait around for parts. That’s where Advance Auto Parts comes in with a mission to get those crucial components to repair shops faster than you can say “oil change.” But with 2 million different parts spread across 5,000 stores, how do they pull it off? Buckle up as we take a peek under the hood of their impressive supply chain transformation.
Tackling Delivery Roadblocks from Gridlock to Green Light
Advance Auto Parts faced a serious traffic jam in its logistics. Picture this: 2 million unique parts, but each store only stocks about 20,000. When a repair shop needed a specific part ASAP, it was like finding a needle in a haystack — and then rushing it across town in 30 minutes flat.
Worse, and making matters trickier, auto part demands were as unpredictable as a check engine light. Mondays and Sunday afternoons saw orders flooding in, while other times were as quiet as an electric car. Advance Auto Parts’ fleet of drivers couldn’t keep up with these wild swings without introducing significant costs.
Enter OneRail: Tuning Up the Business Engine
The switch in delivery strategy revved up Advance Auto Parts’ performance in ways that would make any gearhead grin. Teaming up with OneRail gave them access to a flexible army of couriers, ready to act immediately. Gone were the days of rigid schedules and idle vehicles. They could now nail those crucial 30-minute delivery windows without breaking a sweat or their budget.
This newfound agility also turbocharged their sales. Suddenly, Advance Auto Parts became the go-to supplier for tricky after-hours and weekend repairs. Needed a specific part at 8 p.m. on a Sunday? They had you covered. Plus, all that delivery data became a goldmine for fine-tuning their entire system. They could track every step of a part’s journey, from the moment it left the store until it arrived at the repair shop. Any bottlenecks or delays? They’d spot and fix them faster than you can change a tire.
PepsiCo Takes on the Last Mile Challenge
Food, beverage and snack giant PepsiCo faced a new frontier as online orders surged and customers clamored for speedy home deliveries. With 80,000 trucks already on the road, PepsiCo seemed well-equipped for distribution. But the e-commerce boom and changing consumer habits required a fresh approach to restocking store fronts. How could they efficiently deliver everything from large soda cases to light chip bags to retailers like Little Caesar’s while keeping store inventories optimized and distribution costs in check?
Juggling Jumbo Sodas & Snack-Sized Packages
PepsiCo’s diverse product range posed a unique restocking conundrum for its retail partners. Bulky beverage pallets shared truck space with compact cracker boxes, each requiring different handling and shelf placement. The COVID-19 pandemic only amplified this challenge, as fluctuating consumer demand required more frequent and precise inventory replenishment.
So, the company needed a delivery system as diverse as its product line. Flexibility became the name of the game — trucks had to adapt instantly from hauling heavy loads to carefully transporting delicate items. PepsiCo also prioritized security, knowing that safe transit was essential to customer trust.
From Test Drive to Full Speed Ahead
PepsiCo set clear criteria for its potential last mile solution: flexibility, agility, security and scalability. OneRail had everything PepsiCo craved: agility and a platform so advanced that it could match each unique delivery to the ideal courier, whether the package was a case of Pepsi or a box of Doritos.
That said, OneRail had to prove it could handle the complexities of PepsiCo’s massive operation first. So, the partnership started small, with PepsiCo testing OneRail at a handful of locations. However, PepsiCo saw results within a month, and quickly and confidently expanded OneRail’s services to 400 sites.
Ultimately, the collaboration allowed PepsiCo to maintain its high customer service standards while controlling delivery costs. Thanks to OneRail’s innovative platform and logistics expertise, PepsiCo created a last mile delivery system as refreshing as its beverages — one that could adapt to whatever the e-commerce future might bring.
Signet Jewelers — Sparkling Success with Same-Day Delivery
You’re scrambling to find the perfect anniversary gift, and time’s running out. But Signet Jewelers, the world’s largest diamond jewelry retailer, has pulled off a retail magic trick — transforming from a traditional multi-channel setup to a slick omnichannel operation that can get that last-minute bling on a special someone’s doorstep pronto. Here’s how they made it happen.
From Silos to Seamless: The Need for an Omnichannel Makeover
Before 2020, Signet’s omnichannel experience lagged behind the times. Their 2,700 stores overflowed with 80% of their inventory, yet online shoppers could only access the limited selection in their e-commerce warehouse. Valuable opportunities slipped through their fingers daily, and they desperately needed to unlock their vast in-store treasure trove for online customers.
The stakes couldn’t have been higher. Diamond rings and precious gems don’t allow for mistakes. One delayed or misplaced delivery could shatter a proposal plan or turn a birthday celebration sour. Signet faced immense pressure to execute flawlessly every single time, with its reputation and customer trust hanging in the balance.
Delivering Diamonds & Delight: Making Customers Smile
OneRail’s platform transformed Signet’s business overnight. Suddenly, their entire jewelry collection was available online, tapping into inventory from those 2,700 stores. But the real X factor? Real-time tracking for every sparkling package. Store staff and customer service reps could follow each delivery with laser precision. Now, if anyone called about their highly anticipated jewelry, Signet had answers. No more vague “it’s on the way” — they knew exactly where that diamond was and when it would arrive.
Same-day delivery put Signet in a league of its own. Stores became local hubs, ready to send out last-minute anniversary gifts or surprise birthday presents within hours. Customers loved the convenience, and Signet found a new revenue stream by charging a premium for speed. It wasn’t simply keeping up with the times; Signet rewrote the rules for jewelry retail and proved that even traditional industries can shake things up — and give customers something to truly get excited about.
5 Key Strategies for Nailing Final Mile Delivery: Lessons from the Big Leagues
PepsiCo, Signet Jewelers and Advance Auto Parts cracked the final mile delivery code, and their insights can help businesses of any size step up their game. Here’s how to turn your final mile into your strongest link:
- Team Up Across Departments: Advance Auto Parts got 5 division presidents on monthly calls, from supply chain to IT. Result? A 360-view of delivery challenges. Break down those office walls and get everyone talking.
- Smooth Out the Change Bumps: Rolling out a new system to 5,000 stores isn’t easy. Advance Auto Parts did it by communicating clearly and taking it slow. Bring your team along for the ride when you’re shaking things up.
- Put Customers First: Signet Jewelers nailed it with same-day delivery and real-time tracking for their valuable goods. What would make your customers feel like VIPs? Figure it out, then make it happen.
- Build for the Big Leagues: PepsiCo scaled from a few test sites to 400 locations in a month. That’s thinking ahead. Choose a system that can handle your wildest growth dreams.
- Never Stop Tweaking: Advance Auto Parts used delivery data to constantly fine-tune their operation. Keep your eyes on the numbers and be ready to adjust. In this game, standing still means falling behind.
Driving Success in the Last Mile: OneRail’s Impact
Last mile logistics used to be a nightmare. But look at Advance Auto Parts, PepsiCo and Signet Jeweler now. They’ve gone from pulling their hair out over logistics to pulling off delivery magic, all thanks to OneRail. These companies have turned the last mile into their secret weapon, wowing customers and leaving competitors scratching their heads. And here’s the kicker — they’re doing it more efficiently than ever.
Think about it. Thanks to the Amazon effect, your customers expect the moon and then some. So, can you really afford to let your delivery game slide? That’s why OneRail doesn’t offer a band-aid solution for your delivery ecosystem. We’re talking about a complete overhaul of your logistics, backed by an army of 12 million drivers and tech so smart it’ll make your head spin.
Whether you’re drowning in unpredictable orders, eyeing new markets or just trying to keep customers from jumping ship, OneRail’s got your back. So why keep banging your head against the wall? Give OneRail a shout and schedule a demo. It’s time to turn that final mile from your biggest headache into your not-so-secret superpower.
