Delivery Barcode Scanner App to Manage Deliveries

Is it turning hard to track packages at each delivery stage and minimize lost or misdelivered packages when handling orders in bulk?

Do you often face customer complaints and dissatisfaction due to delivery delays and exceptions? 

If yes, you are not alone. 

While these issues are not entirely new to dispatch managers and delivery drivers, a surge in online shopping over the past few years has aggravated them further. 

In fact, Statista reveals that retail global e-commerce sales are forecast to touch $8.034 billion by 2034.

Even when online order volumes rise, customers expect super-fast deliveries, with two-thirds of global online shoppers expecting to receive orders within 24 hours, which eventually strains delivery processes.

Fortunately, there’s a solution that can help you out – a delivery barcode scanner app.

Wondering how?

Worry not, as this blog guides you through what a barcode scanner app is and how it can optimize your delivery process to achieve timely and accurate deliveries.

What is a Delivery Barcode Scanner?

A delivery barcode scanner is a device or app used to read and process multiple barcodes and labels associated with products or packages. It helps automate the tracking, management, and delivery of packages by quickly scanning barcodes and logging information into a system.

Here’s how it works:

1. Scanning barcodes: The scanner reads a unique barcode (either printed or on a label) attached to a product or package. This barcode contains information about the item, such as its ID, destination, or delivery details.
2. Data capture: Once scanned, the barcode data is transferred to a connected system.
3. Real-time tracking: The scanner, connected to a system, enables real-time updates on the package’s location, status, and delivery time. 

Delivery barcode scanners are commonly used in the logistics, transportation, and retail industries to ensure tracking and delivering shipments accurately.  

Benefits of Using Barcode Scanners in Delivery Operations

The barcode scanning technology has become a vital part of the delivery process for businesses of all sizes. It brings precision and speed to every step of the delivery. 

Here are the top benefits of using delivery barcode scanners:

1. Speed and efficiency

Barcode scanning speeds up the delivery process by replacing manual data entry. Drivers can quickly scan packages, update delivery details, and deliver more orders in less time. As the system validates the barcode in real time, it helps update records instantly with accurate data capture.

2. Real-time updates

Scanned barcodes trigger immediate updates to the delivery system, keeping both drivers and customers informed in real time. This helps reduce errors and improve the entire delivery process.

3. Customer satisfaction

Timely and accurate deliveries reduce the need for customer service inquiries, making customers satisfied.

Use Cases of Barcode Scanners in Delivery Services

With so many packages, destinations, and time slots to manage, errors are bound to happen. 

Barcode scanners offer reliable solutions to multiple problems. Here are some key use cases where delivery barcode scanners help:

• Package tracking and validation

When drivers scan the barcode on a package, the system automatically verifies the package’s details, confirming that it matches the delivery address. It, thus, helps prevent errors like delivering the wrong package to the wrong customer.

• Real-time updates and notifications

Barcode scanners on smart devices can trigger instant updates to both the driver and the customer. For example, once a shipping label is scanned, the system can send real-time notifications to customers about the delivery status.

• Inventory management

Barcode scanning helps with inventory management during deliveries. By scanning barcodes before and after deliveries, businesses can automatically update their inventory records.

• Driver accountability

Delivery drivers scan the barcode on a package at different stages, such as when collecting it from the retail store, transferring it to a local warehouse or fulfillment center, or delivering it to customers. Each scan creates an entry in your logistics system that shows the parcel’s progress and helps determine if there was an issue from the driver’s end, making drivers’ accountability mandatory.

• Return management

Barcode scanning is useful in handling returns. When a customer returns a product, the barcode on the return package can be scanned to verify its authenticity, update inventory, and record the return status in the system.

How Does Upper’s Delivery Barcode Scanner App Work for Your Business?

One of the top delivery barcode scanner apps for improving your delivery process is Upper. This route planner app integrates barcode scanning features to scan product labels at each stop for effective delivery management. Barcode scanning is available as an add-on for $50/month per company.

Here’s how the delivery label scanner app works in Upper:

1. Route planning & barcode setup

Start by importing stops and barcode details for each route with addresses via spreadsheet or entering them manually. You can also add up to 5 barcodes for each stop, customize delivery instructions, and set priority levels for each stop.

2. Optimize routes

Upper optimizes delivery routes based on factors like distance, traffic, and time. The system ensures that each stop is assigned the correct package with corresponding barcode details.

3. Dispatch & scan package labels

Drivers receive their optimized routes on the mobile app and scan multiple shipping labels on packages at each stop. The app instantly validates each scan and makes sure the correct item is delivered to the right location.

4. Real-time validation & error prevention

If an incorrect barcode label is scanned, the app alerts the driver immediately, preventing errors and ensuring accurate deliveries. This real-time validation reduces the chance of mistakes.

5. Track deliveries & notify customers

Scanning a barcode attached to a package every time helps stay aware of its location and send automated delivery status updates to customers on the delivery status and estimated arrival times.

Conclusion

Barcode scanners are essential for efficient delivery. By boosting speed and accuracy, they help businesses meet the demands of fast-paced logistics. Barcode scanners help businesses avoid delivering the wrong packages, keep deliveries on track, and keep customers happy.

As delivery management becomes more complex, barcode scanning technology is no longer optional. It’s a must for businesses that want to stay competitive. With delivery software like Upper, businesses can achieve faster and more accurate deliveries.