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Delivering the Future: A Conversation with Dispatch’s CEO on National Supply Chain Day
Kelsie Hengel
Published on:
April 29, 2025
Updated on:
April 29, 2025
Published on:
April 29, 2025
Updated on:
April 29, 2025
In honor of National Supply Chain Day, we sat down with Dispatch CEO & Co-Founder, Andrew Leone, for a thoughtful conversation on the state of supply chains, the vital role of last-mile delivery, and how technology is shaping the future of logistics.
Q: Why is National Supply Chain Day important to recognize, especially for companies like Dispatch?
A: The supply chain is truly the backbone of our economy. It’s the infrastructure that moves goods from where they're sourced to where they’re consumed—and most of the time, people don’t even realize it’s happening. From material sourcing and manufacturing to distribution and final delivery, it’s a massive, coordinated effort that often goes unnoticed.
Companies like Dispatch are part of that invisible engine. We see the supply chain as not just essential, but also underappreciated. Recognizing it—especially on days like National Supply Chain Day—is important because it brings awareness to the intricate, behind-the-scenes work that enables everything from manufacturing to your delivery showing up on time.
Q: What role does last-mile delivery play in the broader supply chain ecosystem?
A: Last-mile delivery is the final, critical link in the supply chain. It’s where goods complete their journey—from a warehouse or distribution center to the end user. And it's the most complex and costly leg.
While the earlier parts of the supply chain focus on moving bulk materials or large shipments, the last-mile deals with individual delivery points. It’s dynamic, unpredictable, and varies wildly based on customer needs, geography, and timing. Because of this, last-mile delivery also has the greatest potential for customer experience and efficiency.
Q: What are the unique challenges and opportunities in last-mile delivery?
A: The biggest challenge is unpredictability. Unlike other segments of the supply chain where patterns are more stable, last-mile demand is sporadic and spread out. You're delivering smaller quantities to many different destinations, often on short notice, which makes it harder to optimize routes and maintain efficiency.
But with that complexity comes opportunity. There’s a huge chance to improve performance through smarter logistics—whether that’s through intelligent routing, better use of vehicle capacity, or responding in real time to customer demands. There’s also tremendous potential to improve sustainability by reducing miles driven and emissions through optimization and innovation.
Q: How does Dispatch contribute to solving these challenges?
A: At Dispatch, we use data and technology to cut through the complexity. While the visible part of our service is a driver completing a delivery, what happens behind the scenes is much more intricate. We’re using data science, algorithms, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI) to optimize delivery decisions in real time.
We analyze demand patterns, route efficiency, customer priorities—whether that’s speed, cost, or both—and tailor our delivery logistics accordingly. This allows us to serve a diverse range of customers, even those within the same industry who may have completely different delivery requirements.
Ultimately, our goal is to make last-mile logistics seamless and cost-effective, while delivering exceptional service.
Q: How does Dispatch collaborate with other supply chain players?
A: Integration is absolutely key. Dispatch doesn’t exist in a silo—we’re building the standard for last-mile delivery, but we have to fit into our customers’ broader supply chain ecosystems. That means partnering and integrating with transportation management systems (TMS), warehouse management systems (WMS), and other platforms.
These integrations allow for smoother pickups, real-time visibility, and better coordination. The more deeply we can integrate into a customer’s tech stack, the more value we can deliver. Ultimately, our goal is to reduce friction and make last-mile delivery as easy and efficient as possible for everyone involved.
Q: How does technology drive your last-mile strategy?
A: Technology is at the core of everything we do. AI and machine learning help us make smarter decisions, faster. They allow us to respond to real-time inputs—things like traffic, delivery time windows, or shifting demand—in a way that manual systems simply can’t.
There’s also a huge opportunity with data. Most companies don’t have the visibility or analytical tools to act on the information they collect. Dispatch does. We’re using that data to make better decisions on behalf of our customers—and to help them delight their customers in turn.
We also know technology can’t do it alone. Human touch still matters. The best tech in the world won’t replace the impact of a friendly, professional driver showing up with excellent service.
Q: What does the future hold for last-mile delivery—and for Dispatch?
A: The future of last-mile delivery is faster, smarter, and more integrated. We're going to see more automation, robotics in warehouses, autonomous vehicles, and systems that allow machines to communicate directly to make decisions in real time. These advances will not only reduce costs but also minimize environmental impact and improve customer experience.
At Dispatch, we’re positioning ourselves at the forefront of that future. We’re investing in innovation—not just in tech but also in how we operate, partner, and scale. We see an enormous opportunity to help businesses of all sizes optimize their logistics and better serve their customers.
More than anything, we’re excited. The future is being built right now, and we’re proud to help lead the way.
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