Customers want to know when to expect their deliveries. Seems simple, right? Often what they get is estimated delivery windows that are comical – some time between 9am and 7pm.
Logistics and delivery organizations looking to improve their service levels see real-time ETAs as a great way to make their customers happier. And it is! But the actual process of implementing a simple text message that says “your delivery will arrive between 9:10 and 9:20am” is anything but simple.
Introducing certainty to your customers’ schedule, with confidence that the promised time is accurate, really does improve the service level and relationship. If you’re looking to implement ETAs, here are some steps to get yourself organised and be able to offer real-time notifications and updates when there’s a delay.
Get your Data in Order
Most organizations are collecting operational data. Cleaning up your data and data sources is the first step in offering real-time ETAs. For you to tell customers when their orders are arriving, you need to know yourself first!
“Good” data is timely, reliable and accurate, relevant, and accessible. Most organizations are tripped up by the accessible part – delivery teams need access to systems and services that hold the data.
Optimize your Routes
Accounting for traffic, weather, and even detours and construction in your route planning and optimization will get you a big step closer to the “accurate and reliable” requirements for real-time ETAs.
Connect with your Drivers
Having a mobile app that travels with your drivers (and their cargo) not only keeps you up to date on their progress along a route, but allows for delays to be identified and passed on to the customer too. An app that allows for two-way updates is even better, giving dispatchers opportunities to spot extra pick ups or drop offs that can be inserted into a route and relayed to both the driver and customer.
The Last Step: API Integrations
An API integration is what will connect all of these elements: the data, the routing, and the live driver updates. Once you have this, it’s simple to set up an automation that lets customers know when to expect their deliveries!
Partner with Adiona for Real-Time ETAs
Adiona is a route optimization platform with a driver app and flexible API integrations. Once your routes are in Adiona, connecting to a text message or email service actually is simple.
Get started today with a free 14-day trial to test out our routes before getting to real-time ETAs.
