Effective call handling with IVR phone system for logistics companies

Within any logistics network, there are vendors,  warehouses, distribution centres, service operations, transportation routes and hubs, carriers, freight forwarders, importers, exporters, and more. 

Managing these channels is the prime challenge faced by businesses of this sector. Herein, a comprehensive and advanced cloud-based IVR system for logistics companies to manage their internal as well as external communication with their customers.  

The follow article is written with the following objectives:

(1) To propose an apt communication method that can be implemented to enhance your delivery system in your logistics company.

(2) To enhance the levels of communication efficiency among your business professionals of the logistics sector.

(3) To rectify current problems that occur in your communication channel that affects information dissemination in your logistics company.

Here’s presenting an extensive list of probable problems that logistics businesses face, and how the MyOperator cloud IVR system is an effective solution for the same.

1. Check and verify your delivery status

Problem: It is almost a necessity for logistic companies to update their customers with the precise status of the order and ensure the delivery on time. Nothing is worse for a customer to wait for a package that doesn’t get delivered at his doorstep on the expected time. 

The key challenge here for the logistics provider is to check the precise status of the delivery and work on it if things get delayed.  Is it the fault of the vendor or is it the fault of any middlemen involved in the delivery process ㄧ the company has to be aware of the exact situation and inform the customer accordingly.

Solution: With a comprehensive call management solution and cloud call center solution, your company supervisor can get the real-time update of the delivery agent’s location and SMS notification can be sent to the customer automatically on the basis of the integration. Also, businesses who have sent their goods (parcel) for delivery on other locations can be notified of the timely status through SMS.

2. Faster internal communication & collaboration

Problem: A lag in communication can cause a cascade of problems across a logistic company’s supply chain, lowering its efficiency and increasing costs. Timely communication and team collaboration between suppliers and frontline employees or corporate offices are highly important to ensure on-time delivery.

To facilitate the same, it’s crucial for the logistic companies to use the right tools for internal communications which not only enables easy connectivity but also effective supervision on the same. 

Solution: Utilizing the WhatsApp API for Communication through mobile phones which facilitates call tracking can allow effective and real-time communication between frontline employees (delivery agents) and vendors and supervisors. 

3. Supervision of 3PL and 5PLs in the logistics industry

Problem: The proliferation of third-party logistics (3PL) and fifth-party logistics (5PL) in the logistics network has inevitably expanded in the recent few years. The owners have to associate with several 3PL AND 5PLs to ensure last-mile delivery. 

Herein, supervising the on-call communication between them and the customers is extremely significant for the prime logistics businesses, to ensure a professional and monitored interaction between both the parties.

Solution: Supervision of the on-call conversations can be efficiently managed through call center software that includes call recording feature, With proper call reports, the company supervisors can ensure that the third-party delivery agents abide by the timely delivery of the parcel.

4.  Automatic solution for COD verification 

Problem: Cash on delivery (COD) is highly popular in the logistics industry. But, it also is one of the leading sources of operational loss due to cancellations and bogus orders. It is important for logistics companies to confirm if the COD order is placed by the registered and legitimate customer. 

Solution: An automated outgoing call will be triggered when a COD order is placed to verify the order and number. The automated voice will ask the customer to confirm their order. Based on the customer’s input (press 1 to confirm, press 2 to deny, etc.), the order can be marked as verified in the CRM.

With this outbound calling solution, you can verify that a customer has legitimately placed an order or it is a fake one. By reducing the number of cancellations and bogus deals, you can reduce the number of failed attempts which in turn will reduce your expenses on potential attempted deliveries.

5. Automated customer feedback solution for logistics businesses

Problem: Taking customer feedback is highly important for any business to flourish. In a logistics company it becomes even more vital to take the customer’s feedback as the main delivery experience is rendered by the delivery agent. 

Logistics companies, however, can’t call each customer to take their feedback through manual methods. They need an automatic and effective solution.

Solution: You can collect your customer feedback in multiple ways:

1. Use automated IVR calls to take your customers feedback. They can rate your delivery experience from 1-5 basis their selection in the IVR menu.

2. Automated SMS can be sent to customers as soon as the delivery is marked successful, to obtain their feedback.

3. Ask customers to give a missed call on the misdial number to approve of the provided delivery experience

6. Outbound IVR solution to confirm delivery

Problem: It is indeed one of the biggest challenges of logistics companies to prevent their expense and effort incurred in failed delivery attempts. At times, customers don’t inform the delivery agents of their unavailability and the agents end up having a failed delivery attempt.  

A lot of resource saving can be done if the companies could be sure of a successful delivery. 

Solution:  Checking the availability of the customer prior to delivery will ensure no money is wasted due to customer unavailability. This can be done through automated IVR calls. On the day of the delivery, an outbound call can be placed to the customer taking the confirmation on their availability to receive the order. 

If the customer selects ‘no’ in the IVR menu (press 1 for yes, 2 for no), this can be updated automatically in the logistics CRM and delivery can be rescheduled for another day.

7. Live supervision and automatic updates for customers

Problem: Modern logistics systems require real-time monitoring and interaction with fleet vehicles to attain high fleet utilization and provide a fast response to customers’ needs. They need to ensure live supervision on the movement of delivery agents and update the customers accordingly.

Solution: Customers can be sent timely SMS on the current status and expected arrival time of the order. The business phone system can be integrated with the company’s CRM system, which ensures that the order status is updated on all endpoints in real-time. 

Customers who want to track their order and confirm if the parcel has been delivered to the address or not can do so on the basis of the IVR. They can call on the helpline number and select the option of order tracking in the IVR menu. The IVR will ask them for their order id and basis that it can tell them if their parcel has left for shipment or not. 

8. Call masking for customers’ privacy and protection

Problem: Customers often feel reluctant about sharing their personal number with the delivery agent. For customers’ safety and confidentiality, it becomes important for logistics companies to protect their customer’s data.

Solution: With call masking, delivery agents and customers can connect with each other through a masked number. This will safeguard your customer’s data and also eliminate the chances of misuse of their personal contact information. 

9. Cross verification of delivery status for Logistics business

Problem: Supervisors at logistic companies often face difficulties to verify the delivery/order status marked by the delivery agent. There are times when delivery agents don’t even contact the customer and yet mark unavailability of customers as the reason. Herein, it is important that supervisors have a solution where they can confirm the true order status.

Solution: With the proper recording of the conversation between the agent and customer, the supervisor can verify if the delivery agent contacted the customer or not. Also, cross-verification can be done on the basis the call reports and it can be verified if the call to the customer was actually placed or not regarding the order delivery attempt.

10. IVR solution for logistics companies delivery updates

Problem: Customers at times have to change the delivery date of their order or the given delivery address. Usually they have to do so by sending an email to the support team or by calling the toll-free number. 

This task can be hectic both for the customer as well as the frontline executive who has to look after these kinds of operational tasks. In case the change request is not updated on time, delivery agents end up reaching the wrong location. 

Solution: With IVR, customers can change the delivery date of their order basis the IVR menu/confirmation solution rather than visiting the website or sending an email. They can also change their delivery address by selecting the concerned option in the IVR menu. After that, an SMS can be sent to them asking for their new address along with Order ID and the customer can send those updates simply by replying on that SMS.

Also, customers can be notified about the expected date/time of the delivery and phone number of the delivery agent through SMS notification. This can enable the customers to communicate with the delivery agent directly in case they want to make some last-minute changes in time/location of the delivery. 

11. Effective employee training for logistics companies

Problem: During the training of new delivery agents, supervisors often find it difficult to show them probable situations that can arise during delivery. Real-life examples can help supervisors to train the employees in a better and more effective way. Also, delivery agents too would be able to understand the situations better and how to handle them. 

Solution: The supervisors of the company can hear and download the recordings of the delivery agents. This can be used for their performance monitoring as well as for employee training purposes. Things like their way of interacting with customers, probable challenges that can arise and how to handle them, all these points can be taught to the new delivery agents. 

12. Centralized helpline number for faster resolution 

Problem: With a basic mobile or landline number, logistics companies find it difficult to manage a high number of calls. Manual transfer of calls has to be done to connect the caller with their concerned department. Herein, most of these calls are usually regarding small and common matters which can be easily automated. And if they are automated that will significantly reduce the burden on business executives.

Solution: Routing calls directly to the customer’s nearest branch office with location-based IVR. A virtual number can be implemented by a logistics company with IVR menus like press 1 for complaints regarding an existing order, press 2 to track your order, press 3 to return your order, press 4 to talk to the executive. 

Customers can also give a missed call on the misdial number to connect with the logistics customer care department to report any issue. In fact, using contact-based IVR, only those registered clients can call on your customer care helpline number and not the new ones.

To know more about how MyOperator solution can help your logistics business to flouring, reach out to us on 92129 92129 or hello@myoperator.com. You may even sign up online for a 3-day demo of the IVR services.