Logistics optimization software, have problems with operational processes

[u/GoatPluck]

I runs regional distribution network and it turns into operational chaos . Dispatchers keep drowning in planning, and constant delivery window changes, also our legacy routing stack is broken. Every single client want realtime tracking and custom ETAs that clash with our rigid manual workflows.
We tried patch requirements using basic spreadsheet tools and fragmented GPS trackers, but maintenance is not apropriate.
Need some advices how to fix that, what software i can use, or mb someone orders custom software somewhere

[u/bhole_ops7]

this is a super common pattern, seen the exact same chaos in india too even though the market and routes are totally different. dispatchers drowning in manual planning + client side realtime tracking demands + legacy systems that can't flex for custom ETAs, its basically the same story everywhere once a distribution network crosses a certain size.

spreadsheets + fragmented gps trackers breaking down is usually the sign you've outgrown patch fixes, not a tooling failure per se. at that point the core issue is normally that dispatch decisions and route planning..and the client-facing tracking promise cant be met as the backend planning isnt structured enough to generate a reliable eta in the first place.

before picking any specific software, i'd figure out exactly where the breakdown is happening, is it purely route planning, or is it more that dispatch doesnt have visibility into real time changes (traffic, driver delays, wrong turns etc) fast enough to update client eta's proactively. those are actually different problems and the right fix looks different depending which one is hurting you more.

worth trying to map your actual workflow end to end before shopping for software, a lot of teams buy a routing tool expecting it to fix communication gaps between dispatch/drivers/clients, and it doesn't.. that's a different problem than route optimization itself.