Setting up a route . . .

In 2010 we bought a Ford Flex that had MS Sync installed in it.  That meant that I, for the first time EVER, had GPS at the tip of my fingers!!!  WOW!!!  What a great feature!

My husband on the otherhand didn't think that we really needed it.  I have to admit, I didn't think we did either.  Then I remembered my Avon business and how it would be of great use to me when making my Avon deliveries.  You see I meet people at places I frequent during the course of my day and they don't necessarily live in my area.  So this GPS is a WONDERFUL way to find the addresses that I don't know when making my deliveries.

Another way that it come in handy is by 'routing' my addresses in an orderly, timely and economical fashion. With the gas prices as high as they are, I need all the help I can get.   My GPS will hold 5 addresses in at one time and it will "optimize" my route.  It's like driving blind!  Taking the guesswork out of driving.  There is no more . . . "What street do I turn on to get to _____'s house?" It does it all for me.  Needless to say, I have thoroughly enjoyed my GPS in my car and am lost without it.

If you are not lucky enough to have a GPS in your car or even a "mobile" one, you can still set up routes for your customers.  In fact, what I am about to explain can be used even with a GPS in your vehicle.

I have taken a map of our city, used a marker to divided it into 15, fairly equal, sections (or routes), giving each section a number and a delivery day.   When I get a new customer, I add them to a route based on their address.   Now when I go deliver my brochures or orders, I do them by routes.  Since I have 15 sections there are 3 routes assigned to each day of the week . . . Monday - Friday. 

As I said, when I get a new customer, they are assigned a route based on where they live or , sometimes, where they work.  My routes are large and my customers are spread thruought the routed areas.  Since my GPS will only hold 5 names at a time, I kind of have to know which ones are close together.  My next project is to go thru my routes and divide them into lists of 5.  Then I can just enter that list into the GPS and run with it.  No more thinking . . . thinking gives me a headache.  Easy Peasy is my motto!! 

Example:  When I deliver my brochures, I deliver to Routes 1,2 & 3 on Monday.  Then when my orders come in, I will deliver their order on that date too. 

When you take your customers orders, let them know that you will be delivering their order on "such and such" day.  Sometimes, this may not work if they are paid on a different day.  But, for the most part it will.  Once your customers learn that you have a system in place and you follow that system with consistency, they will do what they can to honor that system.

Happy Selling!

 Karen Whitney