Cannabis Delivery Software
Cannabis delivery software is designed to help any dispensary or cannabis delivery business manage their operation more efficiently using features like dispatching, scheduling, optimized routing, etc.
Cannabis delivery software is similar to any general-purpose delivery management solution with a few similar features, tools and capabilities. The key difference is that this particular category of software is specifically tailored for the cannabis industry, an industry that is highly regulated by local, state and federal authorities. The main role of this type of delivery software is to facilitate quick and streamlined implementation, as well as increased efficiency for marketplaces, cannabis businesses and dispensaries of all sizes and scale. There are software products available that can support a small cannabis delivery service or dispensary just as well as any large, well-established company with a multi-state operation selling a wide variety of cannabis products.
Most of today’s online delivery services for cannabis products typically follow one of two core business delivery models, with each one having its own monetization strategy. The first of which is the cannabis delivery app for single and multi-location dispensaries. This delivery model is specifically tailored for dispensaries and cannabis businesses that are already planting, cultivating, harvesting and producing their own cannabis products and have enough or sufficient inventory to start selling those same products on their own. The other model is the cannabis delivery marketplace, which is geared towards delivery services that do not grow or cultivate their own cannabis but are looking to start a cannabis marketplace with a delivery service.
Cannabis delivery software comes in many different shapes and sizes. Not all software solutions in this category are created equal. There are plenty of standalone cannabis delivery tools in the market that focus on facilitating the delivery management process for dispensaries and other businesses in the cannabis industry. However, there are also delivery solutions that are already fully integrated into a seed to sale or dispensary software suite.
Dispensary software is a retail management and point-of-sale (POS) solution that is designed to facilitate the key requirements of cannabis retail businesses. This category of software is quite similar to cannabis delivery software, but it also has the capability to address other aspects of the business such as managing inventory for single or multi-location dispensaries or recording and storing customer data for generating reports used in audit checks. A dispensary software suite also provides tools for managing employee schedules and shifts, while allowing cannabis retail businesses to store transaction data for real-time financial reporting.
Cannabis delivery solutions, on the other hand, put more emphasis on the delivery process, from scheduling deliveries and dispatching couriers to managing inventory and the real-time tracking of delivery drivers and fleets through GPS tracking technology. One of the key features of a good, highly effective cannabis delivery solution is the ability to integrate with website builders and retail POS systems. This is a good feature to have if you’re looking to optimize your workflow and your entire cannabis delivery operation as a whole.
A good cannabis delivery service starts with a well-designed, well-optimized ecommerce platform or website. This isn’t just so you can effectively process and manage online orders, but it’s also to ensure and facilitate the necessary logistics and order fulfillment for your cannabis products. This is why it’s crucial that your cannabis delivery software is capable of integrating with a good ecommerce platform and point-of-sale system, as it enables you to deliver a truly seamless shopping experience for all your online customers.
Fleet management and GPS tracking are functionalities that are invaluable in any cannabis delivery solution, especially for dispensaries and online cannabis retailers that manage their own fleet of delivery vehicles. Having the ability to instantly dispatch delivery drivers and couriers is a huge advantage for dispensaries, regardless of the size and scale of their operation. Not only that; being able to dispatch drivers with the right orders and then track them as they proceed to deliver the products to the right customers is something that a good cannabis delivery platform can easily provide through GPS tracking technology and a good fleet management solution.
Cannabis delivery software with GPS tracking and fleet management often comes with inherent functions, such as delivery time and live estimated time of arrival (ETA), obstacle or traffic alerts, streamlined route planning and real-time route adjustments. This allows for real-time tracking of deliveries, making sure orders are fulfilled or delivered on time.
Of course, all these typically start with proper route planning; i.e., finding the best and most efficient delivery route. This not only provides better customer experience, but also helps you save time and fuel costs. If the courier inadvertently runs into an unexpected traffic jam, HQ can be instantly notified so they can inform the customer about the slight delay and make the necessary adjustments to the ETA and delivery time.
Inventory management and analytics are other key functions that are inherent in most cannabis delivery software solutions. A good delivery platform is not solely focused on the delivery aspect of the business, especially when it comes to retail businesses, which is what a dispensary or an online cannabis store is. One of its core functions is inventory management.
For an ecommerce business or a dispensary that offers a delivery service, inventory management is an important process as it allows them to look after their stock levels, especially when it comes to perishable products. With an inventory management feature, dispensaries can know exactly which product items are running low and when to order new raw materials or order from their cannabis suppliers, if they don’t cultivate or produce their own cannabis.
Analytics and real-time tracking are crucial features for dispensaries, as it allows them to keep track of their inventory at all times and avoid getting investigated by the authorities, which could result in hefty fines and other legal issues.
There are many benefits from implementing the right cannabis delivery software, especially when you take into account the strict rules and regulations that are imposed by authorities towards the cannabis industry. If you own or run a dispensary, you want a software solution that can help you with several key aspects of your operation, such as real-time delivery tracking, inventory management, integration, reporting and analytics.
Speaking of industry rules and regulations, one of the biggest and most important benefits of using a cannabis delivery solution is the compliance management and traceability it is capable of providing. A good number of cannabis delivery platforms in the market are equipped with compliance management functions. If you want to keep your doors open to customers and avoid legal troubles from the authorities, then you want your business to stay compliant with industry regulations and standards, especially when you’re providing a delivery service.
Compliance management can help make sure you’re not delivering your products to underage buyers, that your products are properly weighed, labeled with the right dosage and packaged well, just like any other consumable goods. If you’re using a mobile app to accept orders and for deliveries, there are compliance tools that allow for strict age verification and other security measures to make sure you’re not breaking any rules in the city, state or municipality you operate in.
A major aspect of compliance management is traceability, so with the right cannabis delivery software, you can ensure proper traceability of all your cannabis products. For farmers and cannabis producers, traceability encompasses the entire lifecycle of their product, from seed to sale. For dispensaries that don’t grow their own cannabis products, traceability starts with the purchase order from their suppliers all the way to the final sale.
Finally, there’s the seamless integration with third-party systems. Good cannabis delivery platforms are capable of integrating with other system that you might already be using to run your dispensary or cannabis deliver service.
The software market is filled with all kinds of software products tailored for the cannabis industry, such as seed to sale software, dispensary software, the more generalized cannabis or marijuana software and the cannabis retail POS system. All these products are available as a standalone system. But there are also comprehensive suites available that incorporate all the best features of each of these products into a single unified platform, often referred to as best-of-breed.
Needless to say, best-of-breed platforms can be quite expensive, especially for smaller cannabis retailers and dispensaries. This makes integration a truly beneficial feature as it allows you to incorporate the delivery software into your existing cannabis tech ecosystem, which might already include your retail POS system. You have the ability to slowly grow and develop your technology stack one software solution at a time.
The fact that the cannabis industry is one of the most highly regulated industries out there, especially the retail aspect of it, having a good cannabis delivery software solution equips you with the tools you need to ensure compliance, proper inventory management and on-time delivery to the right customer without the risk of breaking the rules and regulations.
While there are many seed to sale or dispensary software suites that are available, which already have delivery management features built into the platform, a good standalone cannabis delivery solution can still provide your business with a lot of benefits and functionalities, especially if you’re just a small dispensary that don’t necessarily cultivate your own crops.
