The Challenge

Essential Meal Delivery was founded in 2010 with the idea to offer work-life balance to its customers. The initial stages were promising, with steady growth, serving around 400 meals weekly to discerning professionals. However, as the business expanded, the challenges became apparent. Managing meal deliveries efficiently became increasingly complex. The initial approach of letting customers select meals turned into a paperwork nightmare.

Initially, they used to plan routes manually using Google Maps and Mapquest. But it allowed them to plan routes for barely 5 stops. However, when they needed to plan routes with 15-20 stops, drivers used to waste over an hour from their 3-hour shift and still couldn’t find the best route to follow. Slowly, this problem became a headache because it was utilizing 3 precious resources: Time, fuel, and manpower.

Additionally, he mentioned that the routing software used by his previous company experienced issues where certain features would malfunction over time. This made it difficult to track drivers or determine the number of completed deliveries.

These challenges ultimately led him to search for an efficient route planner, and he ultimately chose Upper. Now, Upper is working closely with them to help eradicate their challenges and excel in the meal delivery business.

The Solution

Initially, they were receiving orders through phone calls and sending Google forms to customers for meal selections. However, this process proved to be quite cumbersome. That’s when they had the idea to create a platform and leverage external services like Upper to help build and expand their dream business.

Automating the routing process:

Upper’s route optimization feature helped David alleviate the manual route planning burden. They transitioned from manually planning 5 addresses with Google Maps or MapQuest to efficiently optimizing routes with 20-30 stops in a click. This feature ensured that drivers could complete their deliveries within a strict 3-hour time window, covering up to 120 kilometers. Upper not only reduced operational costs but also enhanced delivery speed and accuracy.

Driver tracking and customer notifications

Upper’s driver tracking allowed them to keep an update on the whereabouts of the drivers and the status of the deliveries they are responsible for. With the customer notification feature, customers received notifications about when to expect their meal deliveries, setting clear expectations and minimizing inquiries. This feature significantly improved customer satisfaction.

David quotes, “They help us set expectations for the company. You don’t really hear anything from customers sometimes, and it’s a great thing.”

Excel import

David seemed quite impressed with the importing feature, which enabled him to import CSV files without the need to modify them. For this reason, David could save hundreds of dollars on developer fees. He particularly found the flexibility of being able to use any file format to import.

The Impact

Adopting Upper resulted in David’s wise decision towards his dream business model. It had a profound impact on operations and success. Route optimization not only streamlined deliveries but also ensured that meals were delivered quickly while they were still fresh. This optimization saved hours of daily work time, which was spent in planning routes manually.

The software’s notifications feature provided clear communication with customers, reducing inquiries and enhancing overall service quality. It set expectations for delivery times, creating a sense of reliability among customers.

Additionally, Upper’s user-friendly interface and the elimination of file format constraints resulted in significant cost savings. The company no longer required costly developer assistance, which further contributed to the bottom line.

In a nutshell, Upper transformed Essential Meal Delivery from a manually operated meal delivery service into an efficient and scalable business. Upper’s features, coupled with exceptional customer service, not only optimized deliveries but also allowed transparency and peace of mind for the company’s founder.