DIGITIZING PHARMACEUTICAL TRANSPORT OPERATIONS AND COD CONTROL WITH STM

Serving distributors, retail stores and agents across its pharmaceutical distribution network, our customer operates approximately 80–90 daily deliveries using its own fleet. Before Smartlog, dispatch operations relied heavily on DMS, Excel and individual experience. The process became even more complex because drivers also collected COD payments at delivery points, creating additional document and receivables reconciliation after each trip. Smartlog Transportation Management (STM) was implemented to digitize transportation workflows, standardize fleet dispatch and strengthen control over deliveries, COD and receivables. 

ABOUT OUR CUSTOMER

Our customer is a pharmaceutical company with a distribution network serving distributors, retail stores and agents.

Its delivery operation relies primarily on an owned fleet, handling approximately 80–90 trips per day. This operating model requires the business to manage not only vehicle dispatch and deliveries, but also COD collection and post-delivery receivables reconciliation. 

OPERATING CONTEXT

Before Smartlog STM, the business used DMS and Excel, while many transportation activities remained manual.

Vehicle assignment depended heavily on Sales teams and their familiarity with individual stores and customer locations. As delivery volumes increased, this approach became difficult to standardize and created significant dependence on individual experience.

Drivers also collected COD payments directly from customers. After each delivery, collected amounts, delivery documents and customer receivables had to be reconciled with accounting records, adding considerable operational workload. 

KEY CHALLENGES

Fleet dispatch depended heavily on individual experience

Vehicle assignment relied on employees’ familiarity with customer locations and delivery areas, making it difficult to maintain a consistent dispatch process as the network expanded.

Delivery and COD lacked end-to-end control

Delivery execution and payment collection were not managed through one centralized workflow, limiting visibility into post-delivery status and responsibilities.

Receivables and document reconciliation required significant manual effort

After delivery, information had to be checked across drivers, customers and accounting teams, creating additional administrative work and longer reconciliation cycles.

SMARTLOG’S APPROACH

Smartlog implemented STM as the centralized transportation management platform, connecting dispatch, delivery, COD collection and post-delivery reconciliation within a more controlled workflow.

Standardizing owned-fleet dispatch

STM provides a common platform for organizing and managing the company’s own fleet, reducing dependence on manual vehicle assignment based on individual habits or experience.

Strengthening delivery and COD control

Delivery and payment information are incorporated into the transportation workflow, giving the business clearer visibility into delivery status and COD collection.

Supporting receivables reconciliation

Post-delivery data is managed in a more structured way, helping drivers, operations teams and accounting work together more effectively when reconciling COD and customer receivables. 

RESULTS

Following implementation, transportation workflows became more digitized and centrally controlled through STM, reducing reliance on experience-driven dispatch processes.

One of the most important improvements was in COD and receivables control, giving the business a clearer process for managing payments collected at delivery points and reconciling them across drivers, customers and accounting.

Project data also records an approximately 15–20% improvement in logistics and transportation costs, together with a significant reduction in manual reporting and operational workload. 

BUSINESS VALUE

For pharmaceutical businesses operating their own delivery fleets, transportation management does not end when products reach the customer. COD, delivery documents and receivables remain critical parts of the operational process.

Smartlog STM connects dispatch, delivery execution and post-delivery reconciliation within a more unified workflow. This helps the business improve transparency, reduce dependence on individual experience and build a more scalable foundation for pharmaceutical distribution.