Brief
At Flipkart, I worked on integrating third-party logistics (3PL) services into its Health vertical, following the acquisition of Sastasundar Healthbuddy Limited. My role involved connecting logistics providers like Ekart, Delhivery, and Bluedart with co-located and local Healthbuddy networks across India. I contributed to making warehouses operational in Noida, Guwahati, Navi Mumbai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad by enabling seamless integration with 3PL services.
One of my key contributions was developing the delivery SLA calculations displayed on product pages in Flipkart Health Plus. This required on-ground visits to warehouses to understand processes and design accurate SLA algorithms. Additionally, I implemented nightly workflows to identify embargoed pin codes using data from all logistics providers, improving delivery planning and accuracy.
Technologies Used
- Python
- RDBMS
- FastAPI
- Flask
- Pandas
Problem Statement
The challenge was ensuring products were delivered to customers within the promised SLA while minimizing overflow. This required accounting for multiple factors impacting SLA calculations, including Sundays, local holidays, logistics provider schedules, and Healthbuddy-specific holidays.
Approach
To tackle this, I took an on-ground approach, visiting warehouses and working closely with local and co-located Healthbuddy teams to understand the processes affecting SLAs. Using these insights, I developed an algorithm to calculate SLAs, incorporating all key variables. The system I designed has been in use for over two years with periodic tweaks.
I also managed databases to align shipment attributes and statuses, integrating APIs from Delhivery, Ekart, and Bluedart for streamlined shipment creation and tracking. Additionally, I reduced the SLA update frequency from 24 hours to 3 hours, significantly boosting SLA fulfillment rates.
Reflection
Our efforts resulted in the best SLA fulfillment numbers in the industry, outperforming competitors by a wide margin. This improvement had a direct impact on customer satisfaction, retention, and growth. It also marked a significant optimization in Flipkart’s logistics processes at the time. Working on this project was an enriching experience, allowing me to directly contribute to key operational improvements.