Pat Rice, Product Specialist at RetailSystem, explains why RouteSystem is the game changer the furniture industry needed.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my years working with furniture and bed retailers, it’s that delivery planning can make or break the customer experience. It’s the final mile, but often the most stressful one. That’s exactly why I’m so excited to talk about RouteSystem – our brand-new integration between RetailSystem and MaxOptra – and to personally invite retailers to come and see it in action.
Now, anyone who knows us at RetailSystem will tell you this: we don’t choose partners lightly. There are no quick decisions or shortcuts. We take our time and make sure we’re working with people who share our vision and our standards. That’s why our partnership with MaxOptra has been years in the making. And I can honestly say, they’ve been a brilliant partner every step of the way.
Together, we set out to build something truly furniture-centric – a route planning platform that doesn’t just bolt onto the delivery process but fits the way furniture retailers actually work. The reaction following the launch has been incredible, and I think that’s because RouteSystem solves real, everyday challenges retailers face.
Here’s how it works from a user’s point of view. You schedule deliveries just as you always have – using the RetailSystem scheduler or directly inside the customer order. When you’re ready to plan a run, you simply drag and drop the orders into the RouteSystem planning window. That’s it. Within seconds, those orders appear on the dashboard, ready to optimise.
And this is where the magic really happens. With one click, RouteSystem calculates the most efficient route, generates accurate ETAs for your customers, and even produces a live tracking link they can use throughout the day. It’s fast, it’s smart, and it takes a huge amount of pressure off the delivery team.
Assigning the run to a driver is just as straightforward. The route is pushed straight to the driver’s smartphone app – no special device required. From there, retailers and customers can see live driver location updates, helping everyone stay informed and reducing those “Where is my delivery?” calls we all know too well.
One feature I’m particularly proud of is RouteSystem’s ability to track man hours, van hours and mileage. For the first time, retailers can clearly see the true cost of each delivery run. It’s amazing how much insight that brings – from identifying inefficiencies to uncovering ways to improve profitability.
The driver app rounds everything off with digital proof of delivery: photos, signatures, itemised lists and instant reporting for any service issues. It’s clean, simple, and incredibly useful.
Honestly, RouteSystem has been a long time coming, but the launch has proved it was worth every bit of development effort. It’s a tool designed around the real needs of furniture and bed retailers, and it’s already making a measurable difference.
If you haven’t seen RouteSystem yet, I’d love to show you around it. Book a demo with us – no pressure, just a friendly walk-through of how it works and how it could streamline your deliveries.
RouteSystem is here, and I can’t wait to see the impact it will make across our industry.
