Logistics has traditionally been viewed as a back-office function, but today it has a direct impact on the customer experience, says Michael Campese, senior vice president of sales and marketing with EFW.

To meet modern customer demands, including same-day delivery and real-time visibility, specialized companies within the last-mile space are needed.

As investor dollars that funded its creation and growth are now demanding profitability — just as they did for its predecessors — signals will emerge from the noise.

Transportation visibility software is among the technologies required to enhance the last-mile delivery customer experience, says Bart De Muynck, chief industry officer at project44.

Companies contemplating building logistics software in-house need to assess the ongoing costs involved, says Walt Heil, senior vice president of developed markets at Locus.

By embracing multimodal options in last-mile delivery, retailers can effectively draw on an "unlimited" pool of carrier capacity, according to Matt Schultz, vice president of logistics partnerships with OneRail.

Visibility and reliable technology implementation solve inefficiencies in on-demand and same-day delivery, says Salman Habib, co-founder and chief executive officer of Burq.

Following are four tips to help businesses avoid some of the most common causes of failed deliveries in the last mile.

Sustainability initiatives are an imperative in today's e-commerce world, yet they don't have to endanger profitability, says Dan Nevin, general manager of Inmar Post-Purchase Solutions.

Paul Greifenberger, President Americas with FarEye, explains why retailers must prioritize the optimization of last-mile delivery, to meet modern-day customer expectations.