Route planning for field reps: the rules that actually work
Fancy routing software isn't the answer. Three rules about drive time are.
Routing software vendors love to pitch the "optimized route" that saves you 22 minutes a day. The math is real. The actual wins come from three simpler rules.
Rule 1: Cluster by region, not by priority
If you plan Monday's visits in priority order, you'll drive in a star pattern — out and back, out and back. If you plan by geographic cluster, you'll drive a loop. Loops always beat stars on drive time.
You might visit the 3rd-priority account before the 1st. That's fine. An extra 20 minutes with account #3 rarely costs a deal; an extra 90 minutes in the car always costs you the last meeting of the day.
Rule 2: Anchor the day on one must-do
Every day, pick one appointment that has to happen. Schedule it. Build the rest of the day around it. This prevents the "I had a great morning and then the afternoon fell apart" pattern.
Rule 3: Respect rush hour
In most metros, 4:30 PM onward is a lost hour. Don't schedule a 4 PM visit that requires a 5:15 drive home. Either make it a phone call or move it to the next morning.
Do you need routing software?
Probably not as its own tool. A CRM with a map view and a calendar is enough for most reps. If you're doing 15+ visits a day (door-to-door, delivery sales), a dedicated router earns its keep. If you're doing 4–8 visits a day (typical outside sales), a calendar and common sense are plenty.