Cédric Hervet, co-founder of Kardinal
Kardinal has now been working for over ten years on a subject as fascinating as it is complex: route optimization. While the company is sometimes still perceived as a startup, it today draws on solid field experience. Since its early days, the founding team has confronted the logistical reality of many different players, with one clear objective: improving operational performance by taking into account the real challenges on the ground.
This sharing of experience is not intended to promote a particular tool or solution. The ambition is rather to step back and reflect on what makes an optimization project succeed… or fail. To speak frankly about common mistakes, misconceptions, and striking real-world cases, and to draw lessons that will be useful in the years ahead.
Because a route optimization project is not a project like any other. It has a strong, sometimes structural, impact on an organization. And to fully benefit from it, certain conditions must absolutely be met from the very beginning.
The different types of route optimization software providers
The route optimization market today is home to a wide variety of vendors — TMS, DMS, SaaS, or integrated modules — with very different expertise, ambitions, and promises. Kardinal offers a guide to understanding this diversity and knowing how to choose or combine solutions.
Route optimization: between illusion and reality
Route optimization is often presented as the miracle solution for reducing costs and improving service. In reality, implementation runs into concrete challenges: incomplete data, business constraints, and daily disruptions. This article explores the gap between promises and reality on the ground, sharing lessons from real projects, successes and failures alike, to help you better succeed in your optimization initiatives.
Choosing a route optimization solution: a process often misguided
Choosing a route optimization solution is not limited to a technical evaluation or measurable criteria. In reality, it is a human and business project, sensitive to field-specific requirements. This article offers a pragmatic approach to guide an informed choice, based on collaboration and long-term adaptability.
The 3 pillars of a successful route optimization project
On paper, route optimization promises reduced costs, improved productivity, and better service. Yet many projects fail due to neglected fundamentals: tailored modelling, reliable data, and team adoption. This article details these pillars and explains how to implement them to maximize your chances of success.
How route optimization will evolve over the next decade
Over the past decade, route optimization has become a central driver of logistics performance, thanks to digital technologies, the cloud, and real-time data. This article explores the major trends that will shape its future, from advanced technologies and artificial intelligence to quantum computing.