"What3words" It is a website whose purpose is the address simplificationachieved through a geo-coding system that provides locations with a resolution of three meters. What makes this service unique is the use of 3 words To identify an exact location, this is a very easy-to-remember solution, different from traditional addressing systems. This site has mobile applications for Apple and Android.
Companies specializing in parcel delivery could increase the efficiency of your deliveries by 30% if they used what3wordsInstead of entering addresses in the usual postal format, the application precisely locates points by combining three unique words.
How What3words works and why it improves delivery efficiency
what3words It was founded in Great Britain in 2013Their system has divided the world into 57 trillion squares 3 by 3 meters; each grid has a unique combination of three words, meaning that any point on the Earth's surface can have a simple and easy-to-remember addressThe service is available in multiple languages (from about 14 languages and growing) and is used in more than 180 countries.
The technological core of the service is its Geolocation API, which converts three-word addresses into GPS coordinates and vice versa. To maintain the accuracy of the 3 x 3 m square, the recommended practice is always work with the coordinates associated with the three words entered, since there is no reliable conversion to traditional postal addresses.
In addition, the API can provide additional contextual information Regarding location. For example, if someone enters a three-word address like ///alcove.grumpy.denied, the system can indicate that this point corresponds to a specific area in a London neighborhood or another city, helping delivery drivers and companies verify that it is the correct location.
Integration with logistics solutions and on-demand services
The world is becoming increasingly filled with services on demandFrom food to cleaning supplies and shipping, consumers expect increasingly faster deliveries. Companies are looking to meet these expectations without driving up operating costs.
Platforms like LogiNext Solutions They have integrated What3words into their tools for route planningFleet management and field operations. Their products, enabled for real-time tracking, routing, and scheduling, use three-word addresses for customers to specify extremely precise collection and delivery pointsThis is especially useful in areas without a reliable addressing system or in places like parks, beaches, or mobile businesseswhere a postal address is insufficient or non-existent.
According to industry executives, many companies are losing around 10% efficiency due to unstructured addresses and poorly optimized routes. By incorporating What3words, the distance traveled and fieldwork time are reduced, which translates into direct savings in time and fuel and a more satisfying delivery experience for the end customer.
Success stories: parcel delivery, last mile delivery and home delivery
what3words has won awards such as "Game Changer" y "Rising Star" in e-commerce deliveries, and it has been revealed that the system has been used by seven national postal services Since last year, in addition to integrating into numerous private logistics projects.
In a recent test in London, the delivery company Quiqup could reduce your delivery times by 30% using this three-word system. For an on-demand logistics operator, this improvement means completing more shipments with the same fleet, optimizing the last mile, and offering tighter delivery windows.
In places like the Caribbean island of Sint Maarten, the fast food company Domino's They've tested this system for their home deliveries. In areas where addresses are confusing or nonexistent, using three precise words allows the delivery driver to reach the correct address. exactly to the portal, house or meeting point that the customer wants, minimizing failed deliveries.
Other logistics operators and commercial vehicle manufacturers have integrated What3words into navigation systems. Currently being tested with routes of about 50 deliveries, a efficiency improvement of around 15% compared to systems based solely on street addresses, largely because they know in advance the best parking spot and reduce driving time and walking distance in the last mile.
Benefits for eCommerce and customer experience
Eco-friendly delivery companies and last-mile services, such as electric scooter platforms, have integrated What3words into the online stores they work with to facilitate deliveries to hard-to-reach locations —even where there is no postal address—. This helps to minimize failed deliveries, reduce returns to the warehouse and improve the utilization of each vehicle.
For online stores, collecting three-word addresses at checkout offers several advantages: it improves accuracy, speeds up route planning, reduces the need to call customers for clarification, and contributes to a smoother shopping experienceSince many consumers are willing to pay more for fast or same-day deliveries, any improvement in location accuracy translates into greater competitiveness and customer loyalty.
Taken together, the combination of a global 3 x 3 meter grid system, a GPS coordinate-centric API, integration with logistics platforms, and real-world use cases in parcel and home delivery make what3words in a key tool for those who wish increase delivery efficiency and offer their customers simple, clear and extremely precise locations without relying exclusively on traditional postal addresses.