Automation

Logistics Automation

Dispatch, proof of delivery and customer updates handled automatically.

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What is logistics automation?

Logistics automation manages the recording and communication around deliveries, including allocating jobs to vehicles, capturing proof of delivery, updating customers on progress and reconciling what was actually delivered against what was dispatched.

The information problem in delivery is usually worse than the driving problem. A customer rings to ask where their goods are, and nobody in the office can answer without phoning the driver.

At the end of the day the delivery notes come back on paper, some signed, some not, and reconciling them against dispatch takes an hour that nobody has.

Automating the recording and the customer updates fixes most of the pain. Route optimisation is the part everybody talks about, and in Nairobi conditions it is the part that delivers least.

Why we are cautious about routing

Duara automates logistics operations from Nairobi for distributors, couriers and any business running its own delivery fleet.

We are cautious about route optimisation, which is the thing clients usually ask for first. Optimised routes assume predictable transit times, and Nairobi traffic is not predictable enough for the theoretical gains to survive contact with a Thursday afternoon. Recording and communication are where the reliable return is.

Who this is for

Customers ring to ask where their delivery is
Proof of delivery arrives on paper, sometimes
Dispatch is allocated on a whiteboard
Nobody knows what actually got delivered until tomorrow

Industries we serve

Distribution and wholesale
Courier and last mile
Food and beverage delivery
Pharmaceutical distribution
Building supplies
Agricultural produce

Problems this solves

These are visibility and recording failures, which is where delivery operations actually lose time and money.

Nobody can answer where is my order. Office staff phone the driver to find out, which interrupts both of them and still gives an approximate answer.
Proof of delivery on paper. Signed notes come back at the end of the day, some missing, and a disputed delivery has no evidence.
Dispatch allocated informally. Jobs are assigned on a whiteboard or by phone, so load balance and capacity are guesses.
Reconciliation the next morning. What was dispatched against what was delivered is worked out a day late, when a discrepancy is harder to resolve.

What we deliver

Jobs allocated with capacity visible, delivery confirmed from the driver device with proof captured, customers updated automatically, and dispatch reconciled against delivery the same day.

Job allocation with vehicle capacity visible

Delivery confirmation from the driver device

Proof of delivery captured with photo and signature

Automatic customer updates on progress

Same day reconciliation of dispatch against delivery

Reporting on failed and rescheduled deliveries

Features

Recording before optimisation. We fix visibility and proof first, because that is where the reliable return is in Kenyan conditions.
Proof captured at the door. Photo and signature on the driver device, so a disputed delivery has evidence rather than a recollection.
Customers updated without being asked. Progress messages remove most of the where is my order calls entirely.
Works with poor connectivity. The driver app records offline and syncs when signal returns, since coverage on rural routes is not reliable.
Failed deliveries recorded properly. Why a delivery failed is captured at the point of failure, which is the only time the reason is accurate.

Benefits

The office can answer the phone. Delivery status is visible without ringing a driver, which saves time on both sides.
Disputes get settled. A photo and signature with a timestamp ends most delivery disagreements immediately.
Reconciliation happens same day. Discrepancies surface while the information is still fresh and the driver is still available.
Failure patterns become visible. Recorded reasons show whether failures cluster by route, customer or time of day.

Technologies we use

Driver mobile capture. Delivery confirmation, photo and signature recorded on the driver device.
Offline sync. Records held locally and uploaded when signal returns, so poor coverage does not lose data.
Job allocation. Assigning deliveries against vehicle capacity and load with the position visible to dispatch.
Customer notification. Automatic SMS or WhatsApp updates at dispatch and delivery.
Reconciliation reporting. Comparing dispatched against delivered the same day, with discrepancies flagged.

Offline capability is not optional here. A driver app that requires connectivity will lose records on exactly the routes where proof matters most.

How the process works, step by step

Logistics automation usually takes five to eight weeks, and it starts with the drivers rather than the office.

Step 1
Free operations review

We look at how jobs are allocated, how proof comes back and how many calls ask where a delivery is.
Step 2
Driver app first

Capture starts at the vehicle, because everything else depends on the record existing at the point of delivery.
Step 3
Offline tested properly

We test on your actual routes, since a driver app proved only on office wifi will fail where it matters.
Step 4
Customer updates added

Notifications go live once delivery events are being recorded reliably.
Step 5
Reconciliation and reporting

Same day matching and failure reporting follow, once the underlying data is complete.

Quality assurance and how we work

The commitments attached to automating a delivery operation.

We test offline on your real routes. A driver app proved on office wifi will lose records exactly where coverage is worst and proof matters most.
We are honest about route optimisation. Optimised routes assume predictable transit times, and we will say when Nairobi conditions make the theoretical gain unrealistic.
Proof is captured at the point of delivery. Photo, signature and timestamp at the door, because a record created later is not proof of anything.
We do not track drivers beyond the job. Location is captured for delivery events, not as continuous surveillance, and we will say so to your drivers.
Failure reasons are recorded honestly. Where deliveries fail because of dispatch or stock rather than the driver, the reporting shows that.

Frequently asked questions about logistics automation

Can you optimise our routes?

We can, and we are honest that optimised routes assume predictable transit times. In Nairobi conditions the theoretical gains often do not survive a Thursday afternoon.

So what delivers the real return?

Recording and communication. Knowing where deliveries are and proving they happened is where the reliable saving sits.

What if drivers have no signal?

The app records offline and syncs when signal returns. This is not optional, and we test it on your actual routes rather than in the office.

How is proof of delivery captured?

Photo, signature and timestamp at the door, because a record created back at the depot is not proof of anything.

Will customers be updated automatically?

Yes, by SMS or WhatsApp at dispatch and delivery, which removes most of the where is my order calls.

Does it track our drivers all day?

No. Location is captured for delivery events rather than as continuous surveillance, and we recommend telling drivers exactly that.

Why does driver tracking matter to you?

Because a workforce that believes it is being watched constantly will work around the system, and then the data stops being reliable.

Can it allocate jobs to vehicles?

Yes, against capacity and load, with the position visible to dispatch rather than living on a whiteboard.

Does it handle failed deliveries?

Yes, with the reason captured at the point of failure, which is the only time the reason is accurate.

Can we see failure patterns?

Yes, by route, customer and time of day, and the reporting shows where failures are dispatch or stock problems rather than driver ones.

What phones do drivers need?

Ordinary Android devices. We keep requirements low deliberately, since fleets rarely have uniform hardware.

How long before drivers are using it?

Five to eight weeks, starting with the driver app because everything else depends on that record existing.

Will drivers accept it?

Better when it removes paperwork rather than adding oversight. Framing matters and we would keep it framed that way.

Will delivery data reach our main system?

Yes, so dispatch and delivery confirmation flow into your ERP or order system rather than sitting apart from it.

Can it handle third party couriers?

Partly. Where you subcontract, tracking depends on what that courier shares, and we are clear about the limits.

Does it work for cold chain deliveries?

Yes, and temperature capture can be added where your operation requires it.

Can customers see their own delivery status?

Yes, through a link in the notification, which reduces calls further.

What about cash on delivery?

Collection can be recorded at the door and reconciled against the job, which is a common source of dispute.

Who can see our delivery and customer records?

Only your own staff, under your permissions. Delivery data is not copied out to us and trains no public AI model.

What does logistics automation cost?

Vehicle and delivery volume determine it, quoted after the operations review.

Glossary of terms

Delivery terms in plain language.

Proof of delivery: Evidence that goods reached the customer, normally a signature, photo and timestamp.
Last mile: The final delivery leg to the customer, which is the most expensive and least predictable part.
Dispatch: The allocation of jobs to vehicles and their release for delivery.
Failed delivery: A delivery attempted but not completed, worth recording with its reason at the time.
Offline sync: Holding records on a device without signal and uploading them when connectivity returns.
Reconciliation: Matching what was dispatched against what was confirmed delivered.

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Talk to us about logistics automation

Count how many calls your office took yesterday asking where a delivery was. That is the first thing this removes.

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