{"id":3540,"date":"2026-06-30T10:58:50","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T08:58:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/axell-group.com\/en\/?post_type=article&#038;p=3540"},"modified":"2026-06-30T11:00:17","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T09:00:17","slug":"how-do-you-measure-and-improve-delivery-performance","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/axell-group.com\/en\/knowledge-base\/how-do-you-measure-and-improve-delivery-performance\/","title":{"rendered":"How do you measure and improve delivery performance?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Delivery performance is an important indicator of the quality of your logistics processes. Customers expect orders to be delivered on time, in full and according to the agreed conditions. When delivery performance falls short, it not only affects customer satisfaction but also the efficiency of your supply chain and the control of logistics costs.<\/p>\n<p>Many organisations measure their delivery performance but do not always know how to translate the collected data into concrete improvements. In this article, you will learn which KPIs play a role, how to objectively assess delivery performance and which measures contribute to the structural improvement of your logistics processes.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is delivery performance?<\/h2>\n<p>Delivery performance indicates how successfully an organisation delivers orders according to the agreed conditions. It is not only about delivery speed, but also about the reliability and quality of the entire delivery. After all, an order that arrives on time but is incomplete or contains errors still results in additional work and dissatisfied customers.<\/p>\n<p>Within modern supply chains, delivery performance is therefore regarded as a combination of multiple performance indicators. By analysing these KPIs together, organisations gain a complete picture of their logistics performance and can identify improvement opportunities more quickly.<\/p>\n<p>High delivery performance contributes to a stable supply chain, lower operating costs and higher customer satisfaction.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why is delivery performance important?<\/h2>\n<p>Delivery performance affects virtually every link in the logistics chain. When deliveries are predictable, production processes can continue without interruptions, inventory remains easier to manage and customers and supply chain partners gain greater confidence.<\/p>\n<p>Poor delivery performance often has the opposite effect. Delays lead to emergency shipments, additional administrative work, higher inventory costs and disruptions to production or sales processes. In addition, correcting errors often takes more time and money than preventing them in the first place.<\/p>\n<p>For organisations operating in retail, e-commerce, manufacturing or international distribution, delivery performance is therefore an important measure of the quality of the entire supply chain.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Which KPIs measure delivery performance?<\/h2>\n<p>A reliable assessment starts with measuring the right performance indicators. In practice, multiple KPIs are combined to provide a complete picture of delivery performance.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">On Time In Full (OTIF)<\/h3>\n<p>The most commonly used KPI is On Time In Full (OTIF). It measures the percentage of orders that are delivered both in full and on the agreed delivery date. OTIF therefore provides a more realistic picture than transport time alone.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">On-time delivery<\/h3>\n<p>This KPI focuses solely on whether deliveries arrive on the agreed delivery date. Although this is an important indicator, it does not show whether an order was delivered completely and without errors.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Order cycle time<\/h3>\n<p>Order cycle time measures the total time between placing an order and the final delivery. This KPI provides insight into the speed of the entire logistics chain and helps identify bottlenecks in order processing, warehousing or transport.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Perfect order rate<\/h3>\n<p>The perfect order rate shows how many orders are completed without errors. It takes into account factors such as completeness, correct documentation, damage-free delivery and delivery according to schedule.<\/p>\n<p>By analysing these KPIs together, organisations gain a complete picture of supply chain performance. The quality of your logistics processes is not determined by one individual indicator, but by the relationship between multiple performance metrics.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do you improve delivery performance?<\/h2>\n<p>Improving delivery performance starts with visibility. Without reliable data, it is difficult to determine where delays or errors occur. That is why more and more organisations are investing in real-time dashboards and integrated Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and Transport Management Systems (TMS).<\/p>\n<p>In addition to collecting data, it is important to evaluate processes regularly. By analysing deviations on a structural basis, improvements can be implemented before small issues develop into recurring disruptions.<\/p>\n<p>Collaboration between different logistics disciplines also plays an important role. When inventory management, warehouse operations, transport planning and distribution are properly aligned, goods flow more efficiently through the supply chain. Professional <a href=\"https:\/\/axell-group.com\/en\/warehousing\/\">warehousing<\/a> provides an important foundation, as up-to-date inventory information and efficient order processing contribute to predictable deliveries.<\/p>\n<p>It also helps to use logistics KPIs not only for reporting purposes but as management information for day-to-day operational decisions. This creates a culture of continuous improvement in which performance is constantly monitored and optimised.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common mistakes<\/h2>\n<p>Many organisations focus primarily on a single KPI, such as transport time. As a result, they develop an incomplete picture of their actual logistics performance. Deliveries may arrive on time, while errors in order processing or inventory management still lead to dissatisfied customers.<\/p>\n<p>Another common mistake is the lack of real-time visibility. When deviations are only discovered afterwards, the opportunities to resolve problems in time are limited. Modern WMS and TMS solutions make it possible to monitor performance continuously and make immediate adjustments.<\/p>\n<p>Limited collaboration between warehousing, transport and distribution also regularly causes delays. Delivery performance is ultimately the result of the entire supply chain rather than one individual department.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can a logistics partner support this?<\/h2>\n<p>A logistics partner can help organisations improve delivery performance by organising processes in an integrated way. When warehousing, order processing, transport and distribution are aligned, organisations gain greater control over the entire flow of goods and disruptions are reduced.<\/p>\n<p>With solutions such as <a href=\"https:\/\/axell-group.com\/en\/contract-logistics\/\">contract logistics<\/a>, efficient <a href=\"https:\/\/axell-group.com\/en\/distribution\/\">distribution<\/a> and professional <a href=\"https:\/\/axell-group.com\/internationaal-transport\/\">international transport<\/a>, organisations gain greater control over their logistics performance. Real-time visibility through WMS and TMS systems supports the continuous optimisation of delivery performance and helps improve KPIs on a structural basis.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":2839,"template":"","cat_article":[47],"class_list":["post-3540","article","type-article","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","cat_article-groupage-and-distribution"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/axell-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/3540","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/axell-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/axell-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/article"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/axell-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2839"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/axell-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3540"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cat_article","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/axell-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cat_article?post=3540"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}