The importance of the last mile in the Pharma sector

Guessing how many challenges the Pharma sector faces in its last-mile service isn’t hard. It’s natural to think that the transport of pharmacy and parapharmacy merchandise involves greater risks than other types of merchandise due to the delicate nature of its products and the importance of keeping them in optimal conditions. So, ensuring safe delivery is crucial not only for customer satisfaction, but also for the health of the consumers of said products.

In Pharma sector deliveries, factors such as speed or quality assurance are not only relevant for a good user experience, they are actually crucial. The fact of the matter is that a bad delivery service can ruin medicines or other types of health products, becoming a great economic risk for the company and a health risk for users.

Not to mention the damage caused by inefficient delivery on the care for customers who need such products on time: hospitals, health centres, pharmacies, private users… So, knowing the specific features of the last mile in Pharma and adapting the service to them is vital for a company in the sector. But what do we need to pay particular attention to when configuring this service?

Speed

Many pharmaceutical products are vital to the health and well-being of users, so speed is one of the most important aspects in the last mile of the Pharma sector. The thing is that the delivery service of a company in this sector can have a direct impact on product availability in places where they are needed and hence on the ability of patients to receive the treatment they need in time. As well as a direct impact on improving the efficiency of the health care system.

An efficient delivery service also helps to reduce the costs defrayed on the storage and management of pharmaceutical products, maintaining customer satisfaction and improving brand image. In short, a fast last mile in the Pharma sector contributes to guaranteeing the health of users and boosting customer loyalty towards the company.

On the other hand, the smooth organisation and planning of delivery routes will contribute to the good last mile service of any company in the sector. The speed and efficiency of delivery will be directly affected by the planning of the routes to be followed. Taking into account the geographical areas and the specific needs of each product or knowing the state of the roads becomes highly relevant for reducing the distances between journeys and making quick deliveries without putting the products at risk.

Product quality

Most pharmacy and parapharmacy products are sensitive to temperature, humidity or vibration. So the last mile logistics service of a company in the sector must take these factors into account so that their transport does not affect product efficiency and safety. Otherwise the health of users who consume them could be put at risk.

There are many reasons why preventive measures should be taken so that this situation never occurs. Assuring product quality during deliveries is vital and all achievable means should be used to ensure this. From constant temperature control to the use of safe packaging which suits each product. In this regard, any safety measure to prevent damage is welcome. In addition, customer satisfaction and brand image will be boosted.

Cold chain and storage

As we pointed out in the previous section, one of the factors that can affect pharmacy products most during transport is temperature. These products are very sensitive to changes in temperature and it is vital to create the necessary conditions so as not to interrupt the cold chain in those cases where this is required since this can affect their efficacy and safety, as well as the health of the users who consume them.

To guarantee the continuity of the cold chain of the products that require it, there are various advanced technologies that incorporate sensors or thermographs to measure temperature in real time. Using this type of innovation, the regulations will always be complied with and the products transported will not be affected during their transport.

Inquieto vehicles for the Pharma sector

Here at Inquieto we make available to distributors and small local pharmacies a selection of vehicles prepared for the delivery of all kinds of parapharmacy products. Our small zero % emissions vehicles are designed for urban delivery from local pharmacies to the customer’s delivery point, caring for cities and respecting the environment. Examples include:

Compact electric van CENNTRO METRO