At the forefront of technology-driven change in retail, Nirbhay Pratap Singh, Director of Engineering at Walmart Global Tech, is leading the charge in transforming the last-mile delivery process with innovative geospatial technology. In a recent conversation, Singh shares how this advancement is reshaping how Walmart serves its customers, making delivery more efficient and reliable.
“Geospatial technology is not just a buzzword for us; it’s a fundamental shift in how we approach last-mile delivery,” says Singh. As a key member of the data vertical at Walmart Global Tech, Singh is particularly passionate about the potential of this technology. “The beauty of geospatial is that it breaks down the Earth into smaller, granular geo-pixels—allowing us to analyse data at macro and micro levels. This gives us the capability to dive deep into customer needs and create a tailored delivery experience,” he points out.
The power of geospatial intelligence
The core of Walmart’s geospatial technology lies in its ability to optimise delivery routes. By dividing geographical areas into hexagonal grids—compared to the outdated use of zip codes—Walmart can map out delivery zones with greater precision. These hexagonal grids ensure there are no gaps in coverage, unlike square or circular grids, which could miss out on certain areas, leading to inefficiencies.
“This approach allows us to visualise and understand the geography of our delivery zones like never before. We can now create customised delivery areas for each store, based on factors such as slot availability, drive time, store capacity, and customer demand,” explains Singh.
Walmart’s use of this geospatial intelligence is proving to be a game-changer. “It helps us balance the delicate equation of delivery fees, cost efficiency, and sustainability,” Singh continues, adding that by leveraging dynamic data, they can meet real-time customer demands while minimising the environmental impact.
Expanding the delivery network
In the past year, Walmart’s geospatial technology has directly contributed to expanding the company’s delivery network to 12 million more households in the U.S. This growth is a significant achievement for the company, allowing Walmart to reach more customers with fast, reliable delivery options.
“Our delivery strategy is always customer-centric. Every decision we make, from optimising delivery zones to fine-tuning our routing algorithms, is made with the goal of improving the customer experience,” Singh emphasizes.
This technology is also fundamental to Walmart’s operational decision-making. “We integrate various data sources—both internal and external—to ensure we are constantly adapting our operations. Factors like real-time traffic, driver availability, and customer behaviour all play a role in how we manage our delivery operations,” he further explains.
Overcoming challenges in data integration
Building a unified data lake that integrates real-time geospatial intelligence with traditional supply chain analytics was no small feat. “The biggest challenge was ensuring that all data could flow seamlessly into our system in real time,” Singh admits, adding that they needed the right infrastructure to handle the dynamic nature of customer demand and supply.
Moreover, developing this capability required overcoming the complexities of adapting a highly flexible, real-time model within Walmart’s existing logistics framework. “Supply chain and transportation management are two distinct engines, but integrating them into a unified approach has been key to our success,” Singh adds.
AI and ML enhancements
As Walmart moves forward, Singh sees even greater potential for the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to further enhance last-mile delivery. Though he refrains from sharing too many details on specific AI initiatives, he is confident that these technologies will improve delivery speed, reduce costs, and enhance the customer experience.
“Our AI-driven models analyse a vast number of variables to determine the most efficient delivery options. Whether it’s predicting delivery windows or optimising routes in real-time, AI plays a crucial role in making our last-mile delivery system smarter,” he highlights.
A customer-centric approach
The results speak for themselves: in the last fiscal year, Walmart’s geospatial technology helped the company deliver products to 12 million more households in the U.S., ensuring customers received their orders within promised time frames. Singh’s pride in this achievement is evident. “Being customer-centric is at the heart of what we do at Walmart. Everything we do—whether it’s expanding our delivery reach or improving efficiency—is driven by our commitment to serving our customers better,” he asserts.
Through this approach, Walmart continues to revolutionise the way retail operates, making sure that technology always serves the customer first.