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Last Mile Route Optimization & Order Tracker

Posted on by Antonio Javiniar

In the world of logistics and delivery, the last mile is often the most challenging and expensive part of the process. It refers to the final leg of a product’s journey from a warehouse or distribution center to its final destination, whether that be a customer’s doorstep or a retail store.

Last mile delivery is a crucial aspect of the supply chain, and optimizing this process can lead to significant cost savings and improved customer satisfaction. In this article, we will explore the concept of last mile route optimization and how an order tracker can help streamline this process.

What is Last Mile Route Optimization?

Last mile route optimization is the process of finding the most efficient and cost-effective route for delivering goods to their final destination. It involves analyzing various factors such as delivery locations, traffic patterns, and delivery time windows to determine the best route for each delivery vehicle.

Last mile route optimization can help companies reduce delivery times, improve customer satisfaction, and reduce costs associated with last mile delivery. It also allows for more efficient use of resources, such as delivery vehicles and drivers, leading to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly delivery process.

Order tracking is an important component of last mile route optimization, as it allows companies to monitor their deliveries in real-time and keep customers informed of delivery status. This helps ensure on-time delivery and reduces customer frustration.

The Importance of Last Mile Optimization

Delivery truck on the roadby Joel Moysuh (https://unsplash.com/@pope_moisa)

The last mile of delivery is often the most expensive part of the supply chain, accounting for up to 53% of the total delivery cost. This is due to the high number of stops and the unpredictable nature of urban traffic.

By optimizing the last mile, companies can reduce delivery costs, improve delivery times, and increase customer satisfaction. It also allows for more efficient use of resources, such as delivery vehicles and drivers, leading to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly delivery process.

Challenges of Last Mile Delivery

The last mile of delivery presents several challenges that make it difficult to optimize. These include:

  • Traffic Congestion: Urban areas are often congested, making it challenging for delivery vehicles to navigate and reach their destinations on time.
  • Delivery Time Windows: Many businesses have specific delivery time windows, such as before or after business hours, which can limit the flexibility of delivery routes.
  • Multiple Stops: Delivery vehicles often have to make multiple stops in a single trip, which can lead to longer routes and increased delivery times.
  • Unpredictable Factors: Weather, road closures, and other unforeseen circumstances can impact delivery routes and cause delays.

Last mile delivery route optimization is a process of using technology to optimize delivery routes to reduce costs and time. By utilizing data such as traffic patterns, current delivery locations, and customer delivery preferences, businesses can create optimized delivery routes that are more efficient and cost-effective. This can help businesses reduce delivery costs and improve their customer experience.

How Can an Order Tracker Help with Last Mile Optimization?

An order tracker is a software tool that allows businesses to track the status of their orders in real-time. It provides real-time visibility into the location and status of each delivery, allowing businesses to optimize their last mile delivery process.

Real-Time Tracking and Monitoring

Order tracker dashboardby Alwin Sunny (https://unsplash.com/@alwin_picturesque21)

An order tracker provides real-time tracking and monitoring of delivery vehicles, allowing businesses to see the exact location of each vehicle and the status of each delivery. This information can be used to optimize routes and make adjustments in real-time to avoid delays and improve efficiency.

Route Planning and Optimization

Order trackers can also be incredibly advantageous in the realm of route planning and optimization. By meticulously analyzing various data points, including but not limited to delivery locations, traffic patterns, and delivery time windows, this cutting-edge software has the remarkable ability to provide valuable insights and recommendations regarding the most efficient route to be taken by every single delivery vehicle. In doing so, it holds the potential to significantly decrease delivery times and costs, whilst simultaneously enhancing overall customer satisfaction levels to unprecedented heights.

Delivery Confirmation and Proof of Delivery

An order tracker is an essential tool that not only tracks the progress of an order but also offers additional benefits such as delivery confirmation and proof of delivery. This feature becomes particularly advantageous for businesses that demand a signature or any other form of confirmation upon the arrival of an order. With the assistance of this innovative software, businesses can effortlessly capture and gather this crucial information in real-time, facilitating more precise and punctual delivery updates that will undoubtedly enhance their overall operations.

Data Analysis and Reporting

Data analysis and reportingby National Cancer Institute (https://unsplash.com/@nci)

Order trackers also offer data analysis and reporting capabilities, allowing businesses to track and analyze delivery performance over time. This data can be used to identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions to optimize the last mile delivery process.

Real-World Examples of Last Mile Optimization

Several companies have successfully implemented last mile optimization strategies using order trackers. Here are two real-world examples:

Amazon

Amazon is known for its efficient and speedy delivery process, and last mile optimization plays a significant role in this. The company uses a combination of order tracking, route optimization, and data analysis to ensure timely and cost-effective deliveries.

Amazon’s order tracker, known as “Track Your Package,” allows customers to track the status of their orders in real-time. This not only provides customers with peace of mind but also allows Amazon to optimize routes and make adjustments in real-time to avoid delays.

UPS

UPS has also implemented last mile optimization strategies using an order tracker. The company’s “UPS My Choice” service allows customers to track their packages and receive delivery alerts. This not only improves customer satisfaction but also allows UPS to optimize routes and make adjustments in real-time to avoid delays.

How to Implement Last Mile Optimization in Your Business

If you’re looking to optimize your last mile delivery process, here are some steps you can take:

Analyze Your Current Process

The first step in implementing last mile optimization is to analyze your current delivery process. Identify areas for improvement, such as delivery times, costs, and customer satisfaction.

Invest in an Order Tracker

Order tracker appby Evaldas Grižas (https://unsplash.com/@rebusas)

Investing in an order tracker is crucial for last mile optimization. Look for a software tool that offers real-time tracking, route optimization, and data analysis capabilities.

Train Your Team

When it comes to implementing a new software tool, it is of utmost importance to allocate sufficient time and resources towards providing proper training to your esteemed team. By doing so, you can ensure that not only your esteemed delivery drivers but also all other dedicated employees within your organization are well-versed with the intricacies of the order tracker and possess the necessary knowledge and skills to utilize this tool in a highly proficient and efficient manner, thereby maximizing its effectiveness and optimizing the overall productivity within your workplace environment.

Monitor and Analyze Data

Once you have implemented an order tracker, make sure to monitor and analyze data regularly. This will allow you to identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions to optimize your last mile delivery process.

By leveraging data-driven insights, businesses can optimize their delivery routes to reduce time, costs, and improve customer satisfaction. This involves analyzing a variety of data points, such as customer locations, traffic patterns, and delivery times. With the right order tracker, businesses can easily track and analyze this data to ensure their deliveries are running as efficiently as possible.

Conclusion

Last mile route optimization is a crucial aspect of the supply chain, and implementing an order tracker can help businesses streamline this process. By providing real-time tracking, route optimization, and data analysis capabilities, an order tracker can help reduce delivery costs, improve delivery times, and increase customer satisfaction. If you’re looking to optimize your last mile delivery process, consider investing in an order tracker today.

Last Mile Delivery Solutions – Inventory, GPS and E-Commerce

Posted on by Antonio Javiniar

In the modern, rapidly changing world, customers expect reliable logistics and swift delivery when making online purchases. This has led to the rise of last mile delivery solutions, which focus on the final leg of the delivery process from the warehouse to the customer’s doorstep. In order to meet these high expectations, businesses must utilize inventory management, GPS tracking, and e-commerce integration to optimize their last mile delivery process.

Inventory Management

Inventory managementby Kyle Glenn (https://unsplash.com/@kylejglenn)

Effective inventory management is crucial for last mile delivery solutions. It involves tracking and managing the movement of goods from the warehouse to the customer. By implementing a robust inventory management system, businesses can ensure that they have the right products in stock and can fulfill orders quickly and accurately. This not only improves the efficiency of the last mile delivery process but also helps to prevent stockouts and delays.

GPS Tracking

GPS tracking is a vital component of last mile delivery solutions. It allows businesses to track the location of their delivery vehicles in real-time, ensuring that they are taking the most efficient routes and making timely deliveries. This not only improves the overall speed of the delivery process but also provides customers with accurate delivery estimates and the ability to track their orders. GPS tracking also allows businesses to monitor the performance of their delivery drivers and make adjustments as needed to improve efficiency.

E-Commerce Integration

E-commerce integrationby Bruno Kelzer (https://unsplash.com/@bruno_kelzer)

Integrating e-commerce platforms with last mile delivery solutions is essential for businesses that sell products online. This integration allows for seamless communication between the e-commerce platform and the delivery system, ensuring that orders are processed and fulfilled quickly and accurately. It also provides customers with real-time updates on their orders and allows for easy returns and exchanges. By streamlining the e-commerce and delivery processes, businesses can provide a better customer experience and improve the efficiency of their last mile delivery.

Benefits of Last Mile Delivery Solutions

Implementing effective last mile delivery solutions offers numerous benefits for businesses. By optimizing the final leg of the delivery process, businesses can improve customer satisfaction and loyalty. This can lead to increased sales and repeat business. Additionally, efficient last mile delivery can help businesses save on costs by reducing the number of failed deliveries and returns. It also allows for faster delivery times, which is becoming increasingly important in the competitive e-commerce market.

The Future of Last Mile Delivery

The demand for reliable and swift last mile delivery solutions is only expected to increase in the future. As e-commerce continues to grow, businesses must adapt and optimize their delivery processes to meet customer expectations. This may involve implementing new technologies such as drones or autonomous vehicles for delivery. It may also involve utilizing data and analytics to improve route planning and customer targeting. By staying ahead of the curve and continuously improving their last mile delivery solutions, businesses can gain a competitive edge and meet the ever-changing demands of the market.

In conclusion, inventory management, GPS tracking, and e-commerce integration are essential components of effective last mile delivery solutions. By utilizing these tools, businesses can improve the efficiency and reliability of their delivery process, leading to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. As the demand for fast and reliable delivery continues to grow, it is crucial for businesses to invest in and continuously improve their last mile delivery solutions.

Streamlining Retail Delivery Management for Efficiency

Posted on by Antonio Javiniar

In today’s fast-paced retail environment, efficient delivery management is crucial for success.

As online shopping becomes more popular and customers expect quick and dependable delivery, retailers need to optimize their delivery procedures to remain competitive.

This article discusses why managing retail deliveries is crucial and how retailers can make their delivery processes more efficient.

Why Is Retail Delivery Management Important?

Retail delivery management is the handling of product delivery from a retailer to the customer.

This includes everything from order fulfillment to tracking and delivery.

Efficient retail delivery management is essential for several reasons:

Meeting Customer Expectations

Retail deliveryby Grab (https://unsplash.com/@grab)

In today’s digital age, customers expect fast and reliable delivery.

Online retailers like Amazon have accustomed customers to receiving their orders quickly, often within a few days or even on the same day.

Retailers who cannot meet these expectations may lose customers to competitors who can offer quicker and more effective delivery.

Reducing Costs

Inefficient delivery processes can result in higher costs for retailers. This can include expenses such as missed delivery windows, incorrect orders, and returns.

By streamlining delivery management, retailers can reduce these costs and improve their bottom line.

Improving Customer Satisfaction

Efficient delivery management not only meets customer expectations but also improves overall customer satisfaction. Customers who receive their orders on time and in good condition are more likely to become repeat customers and recommend the retailer to others.

How Can Retailers Optimize Their Delivery Processes?

To streamline retail delivery management, retailers can implement the following strategies:

Utilize Technology

Delivery technologyby Grab (https://unsplash.com/@grab)

Technology plays a crucial role in optimizing delivery processes. Retailers can use delivery management software to track orders, manage inventory, and automate tasks such as labeling, inventory management, and GPS tracking.

Additionally, retailers can use route optimization software to plan the most efficient delivery routes, reducing delivery times and costs.

Collaborate with Suppliers

Collaborating with suppliers can help retailers improve their delivery processes.

Retailers can work closely with suppliers to make sure they always have enough inventory to fill orders fast and smoothly.

Suppliers can also provide valuable insights and data on their delivery processes, allowing retailers to identify areas for improvement.

Implement a Warehouse Management System

A warehouse management system (WMS) can help retailers manage their inventory and fulfillment processes more efficiently. With a WMS, retailers can track inventory levels, automate picking and packing processes, and manage returns.

A WMS can also integrate with other systems, such as delivery management software, to provide a seamless and streamlined delivery process.

Utilize Third-Party Logistics (3PL) Providers

3PL providersby CDC (https://unsplash.com/@cdc)

Outsourcing delivery to a third-party logistics (3PL) provider can help retailers streamline their delivery processes. 3PL providers have the expertise and resources to handle all aspects of delivery, from warehousing to transportation.

By partnering with a 3PL provider, retailers can focus on their core business while leaving the delivery process in the hands of experts.

Implement a Click-and-Collect System

Click-and-collect, also known as buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS), is a popular delivery option for customers. By implementing a click-and-collect system, retailers can offer customers the convenience of online shopping while reducing delivery times and costs.

Customers can place their orders online and pick them up at a designated location, such as a store or locker. This not only streamlines the delivery process but also drives foot traffic to physical stores.

Real-World Examples of Streamlined Retail Delivery Management

Let’s take a look at two real-world examples of retailers who have successfully streamlined their delivery processes.

Walmart

Walmart deliveryby Grab (https://unsplash.com/@grab)

Walmart has implemented several strategies to optimize its delivery processes. The retail giant offers same-day delivery for online orders, allowing customers to receive their orders within hours.

Walmart also utilizes a click-and-collect system, allowing customers to pick up their orders at a designated location. This has not only streamlined the delivery process but also increased foot traffic to physical stores.

Furthermore, Walmart has teamed up with external companies to handle the delivery processes for them. This helps Walmart to concentrate on their main business.

Zara

Zara deliveryby charlesdeluvio (https://unsplash.com/@charlesdeluvio)

Zara, a popular fashion retailer, has implemented a click-and-collect system to streamline its delivery processes. Customers can place their orders online and pick them up at a designated store location, reducing delivery times and costs.

WebJoint also utilizes technology to optimize its delivery processes. The retailer uses easy-to-use technology to track inventory levels and automate picking and packing processes, improving efficiency and reducing errors.

Who Is Responsible for Retail Delivery Management?

Retail delivery teamby Headway (https://unsplash.com/@headwayio)

Retail delivery management is a collaborative effort between various departments within a retail organization. This can include the supply chain team, warehouse team, and delivery team.

However, it is essential to have a designated team or individual responsible for overseeing and optimizing the delivery process. This can include tasks such as tracking delivery metrics, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing new strategies and technologies.

Takeaways

Efficient retail delivery management is crucial for meeting customer expectations, reducing costs, and improving customer satisfaction. By utilizing technology, collaborating with suppliers, and implementing streamlined processes, retailers can optimize their delivery processes and stay competitive in today’s fast-paced retail environment.

With the rise of e-commerce and the increasing demand for fast and reliable delivery, retailers must prioritize streamlining their delivery processes to stay ahead of the competition. By implementing best practices and utilizing the right tools and strategies, retailers can achieve maximum efficiency in their delivery management.

WebJoint: Our Retail Market Network

Posted on by user

Over one-third of California’s delivery services use WebJoint, the industry’s leading software provider. We’re the only company offering a software platform that’s specifically designed to boost cannabis delivery revenue.

As a result of our cannabis delivery technology, we hope to provide operators with complete autonomy. With the help of revenue-generating solutions, businesses can grow quickly and sustainably.

Using our platform, we can establish a three-way connection between cannabis brands, their customers, and retail delivery services, all in one place. Our team will help you test new markets and scale on a local, regional, and statewide level using our cannabis direct-to-consumer platform. 

It’s not just our system that makes WebJoint a great fit for the cannabis market: We’re a part of it. Let us take a moment to highlight this rapidly expanding market and explain why you should join the WebJoint investor community!

Join Our Investor Community on StartEngine!

We hope you’ll join our investor community now that you’ve learned more about our history and what we have to offer.

For more information on WebJoint and how to become a shareholder, please visit our raise page on StartEngine!

It is our hope that this campaign will be a successful one, with many achievements along the way.

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WebJoint: Market Opportunity

Posted on by user

 

WebJoint is a leader in the cannabis delivery software industry, powering over 33% of California’s delivery services! In fact, we’re the only software platform designed to increase cannabis delivery revenue. 

 

The goal of our cannabis delivery technology is to empower operators to fully control their businesses. Providing revenue-generating solutions will maximize operational efficiency, positioning them for rapid, sustainable growth.

 

Our platform allows us to establish a smooth, three way connection between cannabis brands, their customer base, and retail delivery services.  

 

Our system is beautifully efficient, but the market we serve is even more promising: WebJoint is a part of the skyrocketing cannabis market. We’d like to take a moment to highlight this fast accelerating market and explain why you should join the WebJoint investor community!

The Problem and Our Solution

The Problem:

State regulations on cannabis are extremely stringent. Consequently, cannabis is a market that lacks direct-to-consumer sales infrastructure. 

 

Cannabis brands have marketing dollars and loyal consumer bases in the thousands. You would think cannabis brands would be allowed to sell directly to consumers, but in reality they cannot fulfill orders unless they have a retail license.  

 

Because of these retail restrictions, they are forced to sell to the middleman: licensed retailers. The issue with this is that retailers don’t have the same marketing power as brands, and their supply stocks are limited.

 

This becomes an inconvenient process for the consumer. Consumers usually know what brands they want, and what price they want to pay. How do they know which retailer to purchase from given that inventory, availability, and pricing may vary?

 

Our solution was quite simple: digitize and automate the process 

 

The automated integrations embedded in our platform upgrades the direct-to-consumer cannabis delivery sector by bringing much-needed improvements in eCommerce, inventory management, and compliance. 

 

Our platform establishes a smooth connection between cannabis brands, their customer base, and retail delivery services that benefits everyone!

Booming Market Opportunity

The U.S. legal cannabis market is projected to reach  $41.5 billion by 2025! 

We’re growing to become a major contender in this industry. Lucky for us, we have the numbers to back up why WebJoint is a valuable asset! With $161 million orders processed to date, we’re achieving 322% year-over-year growth through our platform!

Additional Stats:

  • Raised $2.2M in capital.

  • 400,000+ retail cannabis customer accounts created.

  • 203% increase in revenue from 2019-2020.

  • 346% YoY increase in orders delivered through our platform.

  • 1.9 million orders completed in 819 different Californian cities.

Join Our Investor Community on StartEngine!

Now that you know a little more about our background and what we have to offer, we hope you will consider joining our investor community. To become a shareholder, and for more information on WebJoint, simply visit our raise page on StartEngine!

 

Our team is looking forward to a strong campaign filled with many milestones.

 

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Weedmaps and WebJoint partner to simplify cannabis eCommerce

Posted on by user

 

weedmaps webjoint order integration

Are you tired of missing out on customer sales because your online menu is out of sync?

Let’s face it – there’s no worse feeling than finding your favorite products online, only to find out that it’s out of stock as soon as you’re about to check out. If you’ve experienced this on your site before, chances are so have your customers.

Out of sync menus create a horrendous shopping experience that leaves your customers frustrated and could cost your business tens of thousands of dollars in sales and missed opportunities. As a cannabis delivery, your customer’s online shopping experience can make or break your business. 

To level up your customer’s shopping experience, we’re excited to announce our partnership with Weedmaps so you never have to worry about menus going out of sync ever again. We built this integration with Weedmaps to build a reliable, multi-channel cannabis shopping experience for your customers. 

This direct integration with Weedmaps and WebJoint offers:

  • Real-time inventory updates to give your customers the most up-to-date product information.
  • Centralized menu management that eliminates double entry and saves you time and money by allowing you to manage your menu from one place.
  • A streamlined ordering experience that automatically sends orders from Weedmaps to your WebJoint POS with all product, inventory, tax, and promotional data already synced to make reporting and compliance painless.

Want to get started with Weedmaps and WebJoint?

Integrating Weedmaps and WebJoint is fast and easy. Just reach out to your Weedmaps and WebJoint representatives and let them know you’re interested in getting started. From there you can sit back and relax, while our teams do the heavy lifting to set up your WebJoint and Weedmaps integration. 

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Mobilizing Your Dispensary with Delivery – A Conversation with Gary Cohen of Cova Retail Software

Posted on by user

This week, I had the opportunity to sit down with Gary Cohen, the CEO of Cova, to discuss the future of cannabis retail, his vision for cannabis retail technology, and why it’s important now more than ever for cannabis dispensaries to offer delivery to their customers.

Gary Cohen, CEO of Cova
Gary Cohen, CEO of Cova


Q: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, your experience in cannabis, and how you ended up in the position you’re in today?

GC: I’m very fortunate to have been a part of two new industries in my career- the first was the mobile phone industry in 1986, and the second was the cannabis industry in 2016. Neither of these two was taken seriously initially and have a lot in common. Both the industries had massive complexities to getting off the ground, faced governmental headwinds, and were started by brave entrepreneurs. I applied my experience from the former to the latter and foresaw an opportunity to advance ahead of what were the initial and elementary cannabis retail solutions with a more compliant and robust platform.

Q: What problem is Cova solving in the cannabis industry?

GC: With strict laws surrounding the cannabis industry, streamlining dispensary administration while keeping operations compliant can be challenging. Moreover, doing it in a way that is easy to understand, learn and execute is a bigger problem. At Cova, we’re constantly evolving and developing new tech tools to help simplify the complexity of running a dispensary and ensure that cannabis retailers always stay compliant with changing government regulations. 

Q: With over 1800+ dispensaries in the U.S. and Canada using your system, Cova has quite the hold on the industry. What is it that separates you from your competitors??

GC: Our clients love Cova’s cannabis technology platform. But there are various other differentiating factors as well. Our personal approach to ensuring the success of our clients, our excellent launch and support team, and our enterprise-oriented capabilities that allow dispensary owners to manage multiple stores are a few things that stand out. 

Cova spun out of an established POS company (for the mobile phone industry). Thus, we already had the right tech tools (engineering services, IT infrastructure for retailers with 1,000’s of stores, APIs for clear ERP integrations, dedicated account support) to optimize for North America’s largest cannabis retailers. Through regular training and launch and ongoing software support, we are dedicated to the success of our clients, whether they have one location or over 100.

Q: As new territories continue to legalize cannabis and more retailers open up shop, what would you say are 3 key areas to focus on/advice for new licensees?

GC:

  1. “Know what you want to be about”- what does your brand stand for? Your brand values must reflect in the customer experience you deliver to your target market.
  2. Orient your interactions with customers to be “an educator” about cannabis. By leading with information and generating awareness, you not only win their trust but a long-term loyal customer.
  3. Unfortunately, nothing in this industry happens on time, so be prepared for process delays. Because it is marijuana, extra scrutiny or pushback occurs at every step of the way on the path to “opening a dispensary”. So, hope for the best, but budget for delays.

Q: Since the pandemic, consumer buying behaviors have shifted towards delivery. How do you envision this affecting dispensaries in the long-term? How are your customers adapting?

GC: The pandemic accelerated the adoption of cannabis delivery and other convenient services, but we have observed that delivery plays a significantly important role as markets mature. Over time, consumers learn how they prefer to consume cannabis, the types/strains they like most, brands they trust, and retailers who stock the products they want and become accustomed to a particular experience. Since they don’t need to “shop in the store” anymore, delivery is convenient. Delivery extends our client’s reach, and when they feel the economics make sense to add delivery services, they nearly always do.

Q: What are the benefits of incorporating a delivery service into a dispensary? How difficult is that transition?

GC: Delivery expands a dispensary’s serviceable market, either demographically (medical marijuana patients, people without transportation, elderly, etc.) or geographically (more territory, or in the event of bad weather), which provides more sales opportunities. 

With Cova’s seamless integration to WebJoint, adding cannabis delivery to a dispensary’s operations is quite easy.  However, the difficulty in transition can be due to state regulations and not our two technology platforms. Vehicle type, driver qualifications/certifications, insurance, etc., are a few crucial legal considerations.

Q: What does the future of cannabis technology look like to you?

GC: POS will remain the heart of a dispensary’s technology, and cannabis retailers will have to choose between two paths in the future. 1) Go with an all-in-one platform, or 2) Choose a Best in Breed (Retail) Platform. For people using Cova, the future looks promising because we have built our system on an open API architecture that allows multiple software solutions in the cannabis technology ecosystem to integrate into Cova POS. We offer flexibility to our clients regarding the technologies they may want to use and don’t restrict them to using “an all-in-one bundle of services.”

Related: “Payment Processing for Cannabis Delivery Services and Why Cashless Payments are Better”

Q: 2022 is poised to be the biggest year for cannabis – ever. What’s next for you and Cova?

GC: 2022 will be a big year for Cova, as we will expand to several new states that have legalized cannabis.  We are also hiring and doubling the number of employees from 65 to 130. 50 of those 65 will be in the product development team, as providing the best-in-class cannabis technology platform to our clients is the main priority. This growth strategy is not only to maintain our position of having the most superior cannabis POS in the industry but to also expand the capabilities of Cova platform further for the benefit of our clients.

Q: What are a few resources you can share with our audience? What are some of your favorite books, podcasts, software, etc. that have benefited your personal and professional growth in the industry?

GC: I look at MJBizDaily every day- they do a great job capturing the industry’s news and happenings. I often recommend “Weed the People: The Future of Legal MJ in America” by Bruce Barcott, to people unfamiliar with the history of cannabis and the industry. These resources will help you keep abreast with all the latest events in the cannabis industry.

Q: Lastly, where can our readers find you and learn more about Cova?

GC: You can visit our website at www.covasoftware.com

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The Future of Cannabis Delivery Payment Processing – A Conversation with Cathy Corby Iannuzzelli of KindTap

Posted on by Antonio Javiniar

This week, I had the opportunity to sit down with Cathy Corby Iannuzzelli of KindTap to discuss the rapidly growing sector of payment processing in the cannabis industry, her vision for the future of payment technologies in highly regulated markets, and why cannabis deliveries should implement a payment processing solution for their operation today.

KindTap – the fastest growing payment processing solution for cannabis delivery services.

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, your experience in the payment processing world, and how you ended up working in the cannabis sector with KindTap?

CI: I’ve been working in financial services and payments for 30 years on the card issuing and merchant processing sides of the business. Much of my career has involved launching payment products when the whole product category was new. Things like debit cards, internet banking, e-commerce and prepaid cards we all take for granted now, but there was a lot of pioneering to bring them to market. About 3 years ago while working for a client in Denver, I became aware of how broken payments were in cannabis. Broken isn’t even the right word – payments simply didn’t exist in the cannabis market. My pioneering spirit kicked-in and I refocused my consulting on the cannabis segment. In 2019 I met the founders of KindTap who had deep cannabis expertise and were focused on the cannabis payments problem, as well. We started collaborating on what has now  become KindTap and earlier this year I joined the team full-time.

Q: What problem is KindTap aiming to solve in the cannabis industry?

CI: As we all know and experience today, the payment experience for cannabis is friction-filled, both for the consumer as well as the merchant. For the e-commerce experience, there is no actual “commerce” as payment info is not captured online and there remains massive payment friction upon delivery/in-store pickup. For the merchant, they are capturing pre-order sales with no certainty of pickup or payment, and it’s even worse for delivery when drivers are being sent out to collect cash! KindTap aims to solve all of this friction with a very straightforward payments platform for online and in-store commerce, along with a consumer-level loyalty program for every dollar spent within our network of merchants.

Q: How does the lack of traditional banking infrastructure for the cannabis industry negatively impact cannabis businesses?

CI: Unfortunately this is a major problem that will not go away with one or two bills passed at the federal level. We connect with merchants and consumers on a daily basis, and they all want less physical cash in the system. This is one of the core challenges, and with KindTap we aim to remove that physical cash and bring the industry to the 21st century of digital payments.

Q: How is it that KindTap can provide banking and digital payment solutions to plant-touching cannabis businesses while more conventional banks (Chase,Wells Fargo, BoA, etc.) can’t?

CI: Banks are excellent at managing risk. As long as cannabis is illegal at the federal level, it’s a risky business for banks to serve. When weighing the risk-to-benefit, the cannabis segment is simply not large enough to the mega-banks to make the benefit worth the risk. Smaller financial institutions – where the innovation in cannabis banking is taking place – see a large opportunity relative to their size and are investing in people and processes to manage the risk. KindTap has partnered with financial institutions that have a multi-state license to operate, but yet have the size and innovation to work directly in the cannabis industry.

Q: Up until recently, there has been hesitation among plant-touching operators to transition to digital payment solutions due to regulations, among other factors. How has that changed? What does KindTap do to ensure security and safety of an operator’s assets?

CI: KindTap operates within the current regulatory framework for cannabis banking and merchant processing, on a state-by-state basis with no interstate commerce. We do not operate on what they call “federal rails” which is Visa and MasterCard. Think of us like one of the MSOs: They operate state-by-state with a multi-state/national presence, and so does KindTap. Our security and safety of assets is backed by trusted financial institutions and vendors who are in the business of payment processing, with a long-history outside of cannabis.

Q: Cannabis delivery operators across California use KindTap to process customer payments. What are the benefits of payment processing for cannabis delivery?

CI: Great question, as we love to describe where KindTap shines! Our system collects payment information upon checkout, not at the delivery location, which removes the friction of paying cash upon delivery (or a mobile cashless ATM terminal, only to receive physical cash for your change). The consumer not only gets a more seamless delivery experience but also has the ability to earn loyalty rewards for shopping at multiple merchants within the KindTap network, just like AMEX. The merchant LOVES the ability to remove cash from their system, and delivery drivers can now have a more predictable schedule without having to collect cash at each stop. Everyone truly wins.

Q: What’s the biggest obstacle to implementing payment processing for cannabis deliveries? How quickly could operators implement payment processing like KindTap?

CI: Our system allows for operators to implement KindTap within a matter of days on the back-end, in partnership with WebJoint. The biggest obstacle, frankly, is the previous battle scars of other payment processors and the mess they created for cannabis operators and consumers. Once the operator pays attention to KindTap’s offering, then we tend to move forward with implementation without any issues.

Related: “Payment Processing for Cannabis Delivery Services and Why Cashless Payments are Better”

Payment Processing for Cannabis Delivery

Q: What does the future of cannabis banking look like for you?

CI: At KindTap we believe the fragmented banking system will not go away anytime soon, especially on the payment processing side where most providers live at the federal level and changing those regulations will not happen overnight. We built KindTap to thrive in the current banking environment, and whenever federal legalization occurs whereby the “federal rails” of Visa/MasterCard enter the picture, then our business will continue to thrive with our planned transition of our platform to that of a federal-level payments platform.

Q: A recent study by Grand View Research projects the legal cannabis market to reach $84 billion by 2028 and leading up to that, the cannabis payment industry is hotter than ever. What’s next for the KindTap team?

CI: We are excited about our growth roadmap for KindTap. You will read later this year our publicly-announced expansion plans and roll-out of our credit and loyalty features, which will quickly solidify us as the leader in cannabis payments and the first payments provider to offer a digital credit solution to cannabis consumers.

Q: What are a few resources you can share with our audience? What are some of your favorite books, podcasts, software, etc. that have benefited your personal and professional growth in the industry?

CI: Great question. Not to sound like a plug, but I actually learn a lot from WebJoint’s content and white papers, which help me to better understand the delivery side of the business more so than other sources.

Q: Lastly, where can our readers find you and learn more about KindTap?

CI: You can visit our website at www.kindtaptech.com or email us at info@kindtap.com.

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Make $30 for Every $1 Spent with Cannabis Text Message Marketing – A Conversation with Happy Cabbage CEO, Andrew Watson

Posted on by Antonio Javiniar

I had the opportunity to sit down with Andrew Watson, the founder and CEO of Happy Cabbage Analytics, an “integrated data platform that is revolutionizing how cannabis businesses target customers and inform business decisions.”

In this interview, we discuss Andrew’s journey into the cannabis industry, the inception of Happy Cabbage Analytics, and its mission to generate revenue by raising the standard on data-based marketing campaigns.

happy-cabbage-logo

Andrew Watson, CEO and Founder of Happy Cabbage Analytics
Andrew Watson, CEO and Founder of Happy Cabbage Analytics

Q: What can you tell us about the origins of your interest in/experience with cannabis?

AW: My first experience with cannabis was in September or October 2007 when I was 15 and a sophomore in high school. I was waiting by the Royal Farms in North Baltimore (which is where I was born and raised) for a friend to pick me up and take me to see a Resident Evil movie. Some kids from my high school were walking by to go into the wooded park that was behind “the RoFo” as we called it back then. 

Now, these were definitely kids I would consider “cool” in the social hierarchy of high school, and I was definitely considered “not cool.” I was a pretty big goth, budding theater kid, and overall weirdo. I wasn’t good at or interested in sports and instead mostly played PC video games and listened to heavy metal. These kids saw me though and invited me to go smoke with them; very cliche.

During that first session after I was handed the bowl I immediately tipped it over upside down spilling the nugs all over the ground. I remember Andy Dufrense (not a real name but let’s call him that) had to open up his flip phone in the dark for some light and pick them up off the ground. Incredibly embarrassing, but very memorable. From there I definitely became a “stoner” in high school, sneaking around my house and Baltimore, smoking out of homemade bowls, cooking brownies, and overall experiencing the black market life that was cannabis in Baltimore in the late ’00s. 

I always had a sense of it being wrong that it was so stigmatized: kids I knew got harassed by cops by just having half-smoked joints on them, kids kicked out of my private high school for being caught with weed on them (but other kids not kicked out for harassment or assault). After high school, I was fortunate enough to go to a very “hippie” college in Oregon in which I became enmeshed in West Coast (and white) weed culture. There I learned what cannabis can be when removed from the specter of over-policing and stigma. It was an alternative to the heavily ostracized culture that I experienced in Baltimore, a world in which every kid was smoking, but being caught with it could ruin your life. 

My cannabis consumption in college and in the years since definitely reduced from high school (nowadays I pretty much only smoke pre-rolls every other week) but my strong interest in the political movement, economics, and opportunity flourished. In 2017 when I had the opportunity to start consulting for a delivery business in Oakland I pounced on it, and from that experience ultimately Happy Cabbage Analytics was born.

Although from those earlier experiences I have never truly felt like a part of the West Coast weed culture, I admire its opportunity and the wave of change it will bring to the country. To put it bluntly, a place like Baltimore will likely be last in line to experience the opportunities, prosperity, and wholesomeness that the legal industry provides. Many folks who maintain power either via keeping the legal industry exclusive, or preventing legalization all together, will flourish in a place like Baltimore with its stark inequities and deeply entrenched police brutality. That being said, work being done here, mistakes we are making, and progressive movements we are building around equality restoration will eventually make it to Mondawmin Mall, Druid Hill Park, and behind that Royal Farms. 

My interest and career in cannabis ultimately stem from that hope and desire to help see it through. In a lot of ways, it’s all about making my 15-year-old self happy and to rue the stigma that shaped so much of my original experiences in cannabis. I want Baltimore City to ultimately be proud it has natives who have become cannabis entrepreneurs, and hopefully re-shape the minds of those adults who knew me back then and helped perpetuate that stigma.

Q: Can you briefly share with our readers what Happy Cabbage Analytics specializes in? What part of the supply chain do you service? What problems do you solve for them? 

AW: Happy Cabbage specializes in growing revenue- we take a dollar spent on our platform and convert it into $30. This starts with data from POS systems in cannabis retailers, dispensaries, and delivery services. From there, we detect opportunities for revenue growth. What customers have disappeared? What do customers like to purchase? What would a business analyst advise if they were to look at the purchase data? We identify opportunities, present them in our platform, and then, via a marketing solution called Polaris, we segment customers who should be marketed to via SMS. The idea is not to produce charts and graphs but to produce actionable insights. We primarily serve the Bay Area, but we do also have customers in Colorado and Ohio, from mom and pop shops, large franchises, small businesses, delivery platforms, etc. 

When our customers hear “analytics and data”, their eyes tend to gloss over and they start to feel overwhelmed. Having them use an overly sophisticated, cumbersome platform is a disservice; it actually dissuades them from taking the time to analyze and get familiar with their outputs. Our culture is focused on how to empower folks with information, without making it overly burdensome to do that. We serve all kinds of clients. Take, for example, the mom and pop shop. How do we get them to use their data, that is fully and entirely theirs, and generate targeted SMS messaging, price optimization, etc without having to invest in expensive tooling? It’s very important for us to say that cannabis is a collection of small businesses and entrepreneurs at this phase in the industry (at least in California). While we love serving all kinds of businesses, that accessibility means we have a responsibility to enable even small businesses with an intuitive and intelligent interface.

View Integration

Q: What is the value of investing in text message campaigns for cannabis retailers?

AW: As mentioned above, investing in the machine-learning powered text messaging we provide shows consistently a 30x ROI for our clients. Said another way, for every customer you engage we see about $3.50 of revenue generated. For our customers who are spending $1,500 a month on our platform, that means they are generating $45,000 a month in attributed sales from their usage of Polaris. When you compare this to the $5,000 a month many folks are spending on Weedmaps or other forms of customer acquisition, the value becomes obvious. 

Regular customers, customers who are already familiar with your brand, can be brought back into the store at a significantly lower cost than new customers can be acquired. Furthermore, they have higher average ticket sizes, consistent order frequency, and can help boost community awareness of your dispensary by referring their friends. 

Furthermore, these customers have already opted-in to receive text message promotions: they have stated they want to know the deals. That doesn’t necessarily mean however that they are engaged. Our average dispensary that has two years of data in their system, less than half of their opted-in regular customers have come back within the last 90 days (when on average the order every 20-30 days). For many dispensaries and delivery services that means they have thousands of opted-in customers who are primed to come back but haven’t.

A great way to burn these customers though is to give them heavy promotional messaging about products they don’t care about. The customer who only ever buys Plus Gummies does not care about the high THC exclusive flower you have on your menu and vice-versa. Blanketing these customers with uniform text blasts, and not matching consumers to preferences lowers the potential ROI. 

Using Polaris, however, you can easily drive much higher ROI by matching those customers’ preferences to the texts that you send out. This is ultimately where the value comes from. A recent customer of ours in San Francisco who surveyed their consumers found that 98% said they like the text messages they get, and many consumers respond to our messages specifically that they appreciate the personalized marketing and messaging associated with their consumption preferences.

Q: For our readers who want to implement new tactics like text-based campaigns into their overall marketing strategy, where do you suggest they start?

AW: You should start by messaging your existing customer base who has opted-in to messaging. You can collect these opt-ins (either automatically through WebJoint or) via a simple opt-in form you embed on your website. Contrary to popular belief, many consumers both want and seek out the promotional messaging that comes from retailers. High taxes, and difficulty in finding certain products, means consumers have to rely heavily on communications from dispensaries and delivery services to know if deals and products are available.

Unless you are using a solution like Polaris that can help you automatically sort through consumer preferences I would avoid strong messaging about certain products and product categories. If you have a great deal on Raw Garden, but only 20% of your consumers have ever purchased or care about Raw Garden products, the 80% you message about Raw Garden are going to get annoyed and either opt-out or simply ignore future messages.

We see this strongly in our data, where blanket messages that don’t mention specific products can get much higher conversion and engagement than blanket messages that advertise specific products.

Using Polaris however, I would start off by following our guided campaigns. This can help you see quickly who your lost customers are, who prefers flowers, who is overdue for an order of edibles, etc. From there you can leverage our Advance Targeting by going after folks with specific preferences around brands, order sizes, and importantly, geo-fenced delivery zones. That way your messaging is powerful and tailored appropriately to the diversity of your consumers. Our customers who use our tool in this way see by far the highest ROI, with some customers seeing as much as $10 per customer engagement in sales.

Q: In a few words, how would you define a successful text-based marketing campaign?

AW: One that drives $3.50 or more of sales per customer engaged, and or one that recaptures over 20 lost customers. The best campaigns we see are most often the ones tailored to a specific brand, order timing, and product category preference. These go out to a few hundred consumers at a time, but 5 campaigns for 500 consumers will easily see 2-5x the returns that 1 campaign to 2,500 consumers drives.

Q: What would you say are the top 3 factors behind a great text messaging campaign?

AW:

  1. Take the time to really carefully segment your customers. Look at customers based on their behavioral attributes, not using generic demographic data like age or gender. I feel like the focus on customer recapture isn’t as strong as it should be. Customers that drop off are still customers that have been sold at one point. They already get you and your brand. They don’t need to discover you. And oftentimes, if the incentive is there, they want the exclusive offers of a loyal customer. Get specific with their attributes; whether customers are overdue for the order, have completely dropped off, prefer extracts/flower/specific brands, etc. Communicate with them strategically, using their relevant brands and products, so they feel like you’re looking out for them.
  2. Text messages are meant to be short and to the point. When sending an SMS blast, you need to be efficient with your language and prioritize what you say, so state your offer upfront. Provide a clear call to action. Without this, recipients will most likely opt-out, or simply leave you on read.
  3. As with any marketing campaign or platform, it is important that you analyze key metrics. Are you gaining a return on your investment? What’s resonating with customers? How can these observations feed your communication strategy? Every campaign is a learning experience, and a great campaign is a gift that keeps on giving. It not only generates revenue through a single promotion, but it informs continual strategic, data-driven communications.

Q: What are the most common mistakes you see cannabis operators make in terms of marketing – specifically on text message marketing?

AW:A lot of the most common mistakes are easily avoidable ones. Some campaigns are not explicit in the action they would like the recipient to take- is your call to action clear? If a text blast is indiscriminate enough, users will sense that the message isn’t genuine, and they certainly won’t be compelled to engage. Another item that will place you in a customer’s blocked contacts is reaching out too often. Try to limit reaching out to your customer no more than once a week. We often see the most successful customers fall in the one text every two weeks category. But the most important of all these is to pick the best segment of customers. Are they relevant to the promotion you have on hand? Are they dropping off from their frequency of contact? Are they loyal to specific brands or products? And you really don’t need to get much more specific than that. If you stick with simple parameters, you lessen your chance of hyper-targeting and correlating groups that don’t really have much in common. 


Q: In the breadth of experience with your customers, what is the ultimate value of data analytics and insights you can get from text-message marketing campaigns?

AW: Humanizing your consumers and understanding the trade-offs and relationships between brand and retailer. We as an industry have a lot of myths about how consumers purchase cannabis and what information they respond to. By pairing analytics and data with text messages we effectively build a virtuous feedback loop to constantly experiment with what actually drives consumer behavior.

For example, a recent trend we have found is that when you mention a specific brand in a text message (such as Raw Garden) yes it will drive more folks to purchase the brand, but on average even our most successful branded campaigns only get 10-20% of the consumers who order to actually purchase the mentioned brand. That being said if you take 500 customers who have bought Raw Garden before and mention there is a sale on Raw Garden, they will convert at 2x the rate of mentioning Raw Garden to consumers who have not bought it before (but still prefer extracts and vapes). Of those consumers who bought Raw Garden before though, very few of them might actually buy it again, they’ll buy something else like Select or F/ELD.

Understanding these nuances is what you get from intelligent experimentation. This is what Instagram does when they serve you an ad on the story, what Netflix does when they sort your recommended shows, what Lyft does when it gives you a notification about discounted rides. All major retailers both digital and in-store are constantly testing their consumers. They make no assumptions about consumer behavior and let the data decide what to market, when to market, and how to market. This is the value of the data in cannabis, which is far richer than most retail data in the traditional industry. We as an industry should expect this level of automation, customization, and precision in our marketing. We at Happy Cabbage Analytics are taking the first steps to empowering our retailers with the tools to get them there.

Q: What are a few resources you can share with our audience? What are some of your favorite books, podcasts, software, etc. that have benefited your personal and professional growth in the industry?

AW: Check out our blog, https://www.happycabbage.io/blogz, where we try to publish a lot of our findings and recommendations. 

In terms of understanding consumer behavior better and what tools and techniques we use to create intelligent marketing campaigns, I’d suggest reading the book Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kanhamen. This book goes over some of the fundamental premises of behavioral economics, consumer psychology, and buying behavior. Another good book in this realm that’s a bit lighter is Nudge by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein.

To keep up with cannabis-specific trends and updates I subscribe to a lot of the various newsletters. Although short and mixed in relevance, the MJ Biz Daily newsletter is a great source for industry tidbits to keep you informed.

Honestly though, I, like many people, generally feel as if there is a gap between folks on the ground doing business in California and the reporting and pomp around the more established cannabis news and investment newsletters. I really appreciate what WebJoint and some others are starting to do in terms of getting more of the on-the-ground perspective, particularly as it relates to California (which is a larger market than Canada). 

Q: Lastly, where can our audience find you?

AW: We can be found at:

www.happycabbage.io

You can find me on LinkedIn here: Connect with Andrew Watson on LinkedIn
You can reach me via email at andrew@happycabbage.io

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“Accela” (FULL EPISODE) – Social Equity: Up in Smoke (Episode 2)

Posted on by Alvaro Wong

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EPISODE 2 SYNOPSIS

Social Equity: Up in Smoke – Accela is the second installment of WebJoint’s documentary series highlighting Los Angeles’s Social Equity Program. 

The fallout stemming from the DCR’s Phase 3, Round 1 retail licensing process left many applicants confused; their application status was left at an indefinite standstill. With over 800 applicants waiting for answers, the Department of Cannabis Regulations (DCR) has faced scrutiny, a third-party audit, and an applicant-led lawsuit in the last 6 months. To ameliorate its relationship with the community, the DCR proposes several policy reforms to ensure a more equitable retail licensing process moving forward.

But how did we get here?

This documentary delves deep into the fallout of Phase 3, Round 1 of LA’s Social Equity Program through the journeys of Jumane Redway (the first application to be submitted), Evelyn Scott (who would’ve received a license had it not been for the normalization process), and Kika Keith and Madison Shockley (applicants and community leaders who took the fight directly to the city). This episode also features expert witness, Jason Frankovitz, who analyzed the technical faults of the licensing process. 

Their stories, collectively, shine a light on what is often left in the dark: the policy shortcomings of LA’s Social Equity Program, the severity of Accela’s technological mishap, and the DCR’s Normalization Process to ensure fairness.

 

BACKGROUND

We knew that as WebJoint, one of just a few minority-owned, minority-ran cannabis tech companies in LA, we had an obligation to the community to help them fight for equitable opportunities and participate in California’s cannabis industry. We thought we would be most valuable to the community if we created the forum for Social Equity Applicants to share their experiences with the rollout of LA’s Phase 3, Round 1 Social Equity Program. Ultimately, our goal with this project is to be a collection of stories that (1) mobilizes the community to continue the fight for equity, (2) humanizes the applicant experience, and (3) local governments to think critically about what true, equitable policy means for communities of color. 

 

We’ve been working towards a collective vision of equity alongside community organizations/community leaders across LA for the last 10 months. To this day, we’re building coalitions. We look forward to showcasing these stories with Social Equity: Up in Smoke. 

 

MEDIA INFO

 

About WebJoint:

WebJoint is a METRC-certified eCommerce and inventory management software provider for over ⅓ of California’s cannabis delivery services, providing automated driver dispatching, geofencing, real-time delivery tracking, compliance features and much more.

To learn more about WebJoint, please visit https://www.webjoint.com/

About SEOWA:

Social Equity Owners & Workers Association (“SEOWA”)  is a collective of Social Equity Applicants that share a passion and commitment to making sure the cannabis industry provides a chance to repair the destruction caused by the War on Drugs to minority communities through inclusion and ownership within the industry. 

To learn more about SEOWA, please visit https://www.seowa.org/

Media Contact: 

Antonio Javiniar

antonio@webjoint.com

Copyright © 2024 WebJoint. All Rights Reserved.

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