Skills and Capability Matching for Delivery and Service Jobs

What this means for distribution businesses

A pharmaceutical distributor handling controlled substances needs drivers with specific licences for each delivery category. Skills matching ensures only qualified drivers are assigned restricted loads. Furniture retailers can tag two-man delivery tasks with "heavy lift" skills so the optimizer only assigns certified handlers. Courier operations serving businesses with security clearance requirements can restrict deliveries to vetted drivers. For food distributors managing allergen-sensitive deliveries, skills matching prevents cross-contamination by assigning dedicated drivers to allergen-free routes.

What this means for field service businesses

Sending an apprentice to commission a gas boiler is dangerous and illegal. Skills matching guarantees that Gas Safe registered engineers handle gas work, Part P certified electricians handle electrical installations, and F-Gas qualified technicians handle refrigeration. HVAC companies can define multi-level skills: basic maintenance (any technician), boiler installation (senior engineer), and commercial plant work (specialist only). Pest control businesses can match fumigation-certified technicians to chemical treatments while general inspectors handle routine visits. For solar installers, skills matching ensures MCS-accredited engineers handle every installation that qualifies for government incentives.

How it works

• Define skills as binary (has/does not have) or advanced (proficiency levels)
• Assign required skills to task types, customers, or individual jobs
• Tag drivers and technicians with their qualifications and certifications
• The optimizer only assigns tasks to workers with matching skills
• Skills can change by day of the week for schedule-based flexibility