All About Contactless Deliveries: The Future of Safe and Convenient Shipping

The pandemic was a transformative experience for all of us, fundamentally altering our daily routines and interactions.

How we purchase, work, and communicate has experienced a profound transformation, hasn’t it? Traditional face-to-face interactions quickly led to digital solutions, compelling businesses to adapt to new norms almost overnight. 

One significant shift was how deliveries were managed.

A study by McKinsey & Company revealed that not only during COVID-19 but even in the post-pandemic era;

• 60% of consumers continued to prefer implementing contactless delivery options.
• Additionally, contactless payments increased by a staggering 40%, underscoring the ongoing demand for safety and convenience.

Hence, the logistics industry began embracing innovative solutions like contactless delivery software to address the rising need to implement no-contact delivery at every customer’s doorstep. 

But what exactly is contactless delivery software, how can it be effectively implemented, and what are its key benefits? In this blog, we’ll explore all these aspects, providing you with valuable insights to stay ahead of all.

What is Contactless Delivery Software?

A contactless delivery solution is a logistical assistant that helps execute home deliveries with minimal physical interaction between a customer and delivery personnel. Contactless delivery technology automates the entire delivery process. It ensures that packages or goods are delivered safely and efficiently while minimizing or eliminating direct contact between people.

💡 For a comprehensive overview of how to implement contactless delivery in your business, check out our detailed guide on contactless delivery.

Delivery executives can simply drop the parcel off at the customer’s doorstep, record proof of delivery, and have the customer make the digital payment. This process ensures that the delivered product is virus-free and safe to use. Hence, neither the delivery driver nor the receiver must exchange things directly, all thanks to contactless delivery software.

The Growing Demand for Contactless Delivery Services

With the evolving consumer preferences and the need for safety, there was a fundamental shift in how goods are delivered and received. Several key factors surge demands to provide efficient contactless deliveries. Let’s check those;

1. Health and safety concerns:

The pandemic highlighted the importance of minimizing physical contact to reduce the spread of infectious diseases. The no-contact delivery option became crucial to protect both consumers and delivery personnel. Even as the pandemic subsides, many individuals remain cautious about physical interactions, especially in crowded areas. 

Words of fellow courier guys who delivered during a pandemic, 

“I’ve heard that some people have had to quit their jobs because of COVID-19, but in my case as a delivery worker during the pandemic, I think it’s a prosperous time for my career.”

2. Convenience and efficiency

Implementing contactless delivery eliminates the need for face-to-face interactions, streamlining the process and saving time for both customers and delivery drivers. Consumers can schedule deliveries conveniently, often with real-time tracking and notifications.

Here’s what a contactless delivery personnel from South Korea has to say;

“Face-to-face deliveries take a lot of time waiting for the customers to come out. Non-face-to-face deliveries are much easier. I can leave the delivery in front of the house. That’s all. As I told you earlier, every second counts for us. Every second. This saves a lot of time. To be honest, it is very convenient for us.”

3. Technological advancements:

With the proliferation of smartphones and user-friendly mobile apps, implementing contactless deliveries has been more accessible.

For instance, whenever delivery personnel or courier service providers are near the delivery destination, customers receive real-time notifications and live tracking links, allowing them to prepare for the delivery without needing to physically interact.

Automation: Technologies like drones and autonomous vehicles are being explored to automate further and improve contactless delivery work. However,

As per analysts, the operating costs for a drone delivery service are 40% to 70% lower than a vehicle delivery service model.

4. Evolving consumer expectations:

Consumers are increasingly comfortable with digital interactions and expect convenient, contactless options. Contactless delivery can often provide more personalized options, such as specific delivery times or instructions.  

5. Expanding industries:

While the food industry has quickly adopted contactless delivery as a standard, this innovation is rapidly gaining traction across various other sectors. Industries such as grocery deliveries, pharmaceuticals, retail, and medical supplies are now embracing contactless delivery solutions.

Key Features of Contactless Delivery Software

Upper stands out as an efficient and comprehensive contactless delivery software. Let’s explore the key features and functionalities it offers to ensure smooth, safe, and optimized deliveries:

1. Automated route planning and optimization

The software’s intelligent routing algorithm helps you plan and optimize delivery routes efficiently.

How it works: You can bulk import delivery stops, eliminating the need to manually enter addresses individually. Simply upload the delivery stop address file, and the software will automatically generate optimized routes.

It factors key elements such as time, distance, and delivery preferences (e.g., avoiding highways, tolls, and ferries) to create the most efficient routes. Additionally, it accounts for time windows, service time, specific delivery instructions (e.g., curbside deliveries), and stop priorities to ensure timely and accurate deliveries.

Upper streamlined our route planning process, allowing us to import address lists from Excel directly. This automation saved about 10 hours of office work every week. Tasks that used to take hours now only take minutes.

— Nathaniel, Partner at Chef Nicole Miami

2. Electronic proof of delivery

Effortlessly captures proof of delivery using photos, QR codes, or digital signatures, removing the need for physical interaction between delivery agents and customers. It also accommodates specific delivery instructions, such as conditions or special requests, which can be added as notes.

💡 Want to dive deeper into how proof of delivery can document confirmed deliveries? Explore our blog on ensuring safe and reliable delivery with proof of delivery.

Admins can easily access all proof of delivery details—including signatures, photos, and notes—ensuring complete transparency and enabling informed decision-making.

Upper helped us fully digital—no more manual manifests or paper signatures. Everything is now seamlessly handled through the app, making our contactless delivery operations much more efficient.

— Jacob Turner Steele, Supply Chain Manager, Parkwood Products Ltd.

3. Automated customer notifications and alerts

Automatically send customers real-time updates on their delivery status with delivery software that includes customer notifications. This ensures continuous communication without manual intervention, delivering friendly messages like: “Hey, our driver is on the way; your stop is next.” This feature is crucial for contactless delivery, providing transparency and keeping customers informed every step of the way.

• Multi-channel communication: Send notifications via email, text (SMS), or both, giving customers flexibility in receiving updates.
• Targeted delivery updates: Customize which notifications to send and through which channels, including updates like “out for delivery,” “missed delivery,” or “failed delivery.”
• Set it and forget it: Automate notifications based on route progress, removing the need for manual oversight and ensuring consistent, timely updates.

With FrostFare’s frozen meal deliveries, timing is everything. Upper’s ‘out for delivery’ notifications ensure our customers are prepared with ice bags when their orders arrive, maintaining the freshness of our products.

— FrostFare Team

4. Curbside deliveries 

Upper’s Curbside Delivery feature ensures a seamless, safe, and convenient experience for businesses and customers. With this feature, your delivery operations can effortlessly accommodate customer preferences, allowing customers to pick up their orders without leaving their vehicles.

How It Works: Customers simply choose the curbside delivery option at checkout. Once the driver is near, they receive an automated notification, such as, “Your order is ready for curbside pickup. Please pull up to the designated spot.” This reduces wait times and improves the overall efficiency of the process.

💡 Interested in learning more about curbside pickup and delivery? Our guide on curbside pickup delivery covers all you need to know.

5. Easy-to-use mobile app for drivers 

Contactless delivery software should simplify the workload for on-field service agents with the help of field service management software. A reliable mobile app is essential for drivers to navigate routes, collect proof of delivery, and update delivery status. An intuitive app allows drivers to focus on tasks without dealing with complicated interfaces—making it as easy and efficient to use as their favorite game.

How It Works: The Upper Driver App is installed on your drivers’ mobile devices. Through the app, drivers can access their assigned routes, navigate with in-app directions, and update dispatchers by marking deliveries as completed, failed, or missed. 

The app also supports real-time communication via live crew chat, allowing drivers to stay in touch with dispatch or delivery managers throughout the process, ensuring smooth coordination.

Upper’s driver app has been invaluable for tracking deliveries. We can monitor routes in real time, check how many stops drivers have completed, and manage their return times more efficiently. The app truly streamlined our operations.

— Derek Neill, Founder of Neill’s Home Store

6. Real-time delivery tracking

Upper provides live updates on delivery status, enabling customers to track their package from dispatch to doorstep, ensuring complete transparency. Real-time tracking links are shared with dispatch and delivery managers and customers, keeping everyone in the loop. 

Delivery managers have complete visibility and control over the routes and can monitor driver performance. In case of unforeseen issues or delays, routes can be quickly swapped, altered, or reassigned to other available drivers, ensuring timely and efficient deliveries.

Upper’s live tracking feature has completely transformed how we manage deliveries. With real-time visibility, we can proactively address delays and ensure on-time deliveries, enhancing transparency and customer satisfaction.

— Kam Kendell, Northern Express Logistics

7. Integrated payment systems

Upper facilitates contactless payments, allowing customers to pay securely through mobile apps or digital payment platforms, eliminating the need for cash or physical card handling. With Upper’s delivery routing software, businesses can easily accept digital payments, reducing manual effort and increasing payment flexibility.

You must integrate payment platforms such as Stripe or other payment gateways with Upper to enable this feature. 

*Zapier helps you connect your payment system with Upper for a fully automated payment and delivery process.

8. Analytics and reporting

Offers detailed reports on delivery times, driver performance, and customer satisfaction, enabling businesses to track KPIs and optimize their operations.

Upper’s reporting feature was a game-changer. It allowed us to communicate efficiently with our customers and optimize waitlists. We were able to put clients in the right place at the right time, which they truly appreciated, and it led to more efficient deliveries.

— Phred Swain-Sugarman, Wishlist.Delivery

9. Automated dispatch management

Assigns delivery tasks to drivers efficiently, ensuring deliveries are quickly dispatched and with minimal manual intervention.

10. Health and safety compliance

Implements hygiene and safety features, such as disinfection reminders for delivery bags and temperature checks for delivery drivers

Why Does Your Business Needs Contactless Delivery Software?

Here are a few reasons why your business needs contactless delivery software:

• Enhances customer safety by minimizing physical interaction during deliveries.
• Builds customer trust through seamless and safe delivery experiences.
• Increases operational efficiency with optimized routes and real-time tracking.
• Adapts to evolving consumer expectations for touch-free, digital-first services.
• Streamlines communication with automated notifications and delivery updates.
• Ensures compliance with health guidelines in a post-pandemic world.
• Boosts brand reputation as a forward-thinking, customer-centric business.
• Enables contactless payment solutions for a completely touch-free transaction process.

The exclusive reports by the Insight partners on the contactless payments market say that the contactless payments market is projected to reach US$ 91.80 billion by 2031 from US$ 33.27 billion in 2023 to register a CAGR of 13.5% during 2023–2031.

7 Irresistible Benefits of Contactless Delivery Software

Adopting contactless delivery software brings many benefits to businesses, from improving operational efficiency to enhancing customer satisfaction. Here are the specific advantages:

• Seamless integration with existing systems: Most contactless delivery software integrates easily with your current delivery management systems, making the transition smooth and hassle-free.
• Live delivery updates: Customers receive automatic updates at each stage of the delivery process, from dispatch to arrival, ensuring they’re informed without needing to track manually. 
• Automated route optimization: The software calculates the most efficient routes, saving time and fuel and ensuring that deliveries are completed faster and more efficiently.
• Customer-specific instructions: Customers can provide detailed instructions (e.g., “Leave the package at the doorstep”), and the software ensures these preferences are followed, improving customer satisfaction.
• Touch-free proof of delivery: Features like photo capture, digital signatures, or QR codes provide proof of delivery without requiring physical contact.
• Enhanced communication: Automatic notifications, updates, and reminders keep customers informed throughout the delivery process, reducing the need for manual communication.
• Safety and hygiene: Contactless software promotes safe, hygienic delivery practices, reassuring customers that their health is a priority.

How Does Upper Help You Provide Efficient Contactless Deliveries?

Let’s say you plan to implement Upper as a contactless delivery software for your ABC Express deliveries. You visit the Upper Route Planner pricing page and sign up for a free 7 days trial.

What happens next?

1. Bulk import the stops

For instance, you have 50 stops to plan on one route (Upper allows up to 500 stops on a single route). Upper’s bulk import feature allows you to upload all 50 delivery stops simultaneously. Simply upload a CSV or Excel file containing the addresses, and Upper will automatically review them. If there are any errors or duplicate addresses, Upper will alert you, asking you to correct them before moving forward.

2. Plan and optimize

Next, Upper will optimize the route for you in the most customizable way possible. This can be based on the shortest distance, minimum time, specific time windows, delivery instructions, or stop priorities—ensuring a tailored delivery experience.

3. Route assignment and dispatch

After route optimization, you can assign drivers to each route. Once assigned, you can share the optimized route links via email or text, directly to their phones. Drivers can then follow the route and perform no-contact deliveries by leaving parcels at the doorstep or other specified locations.

4. Track, monitor, and send notifications

Meanwhile, you can monitor delivery statuses and track driver performance to measure efficiency. Upper even sends automated delivery notifications to your customers, updating them in real-time on the status of their parcels.

5. Delivery status

Once the driver delivers the parcel to the customer’s doorstep, they can mark the delivery status as completed, allowing you to track and verify the delivery in real time.

This way, you can effortlessly implement contactless delivery, ensuring safety and efficiency.

Conclusion

One thing is clear: If you’re running a delivery business, you will need contactless delivery software like Upper for faster, secure, and efficient deliveries. In the era of evolving customer preferences, offering contactless delivery services can prove to be a strategic move that knocks the doors to a sea of opportunities. The software works as a secret weapon that provides flexibility in your business to deliver what modern customers want today.

On that note, why not initiate your 7 days FREE trial period with us?