Setting up customer notifications

Notifications are the single fastest way to cut down “where’s my order?” calls. Customers get told what’s happening without anyone having to pick up the phone.

Before you start

A customer can only be notified if the stop has a way to reach them. Make sure your imports include an email address for email notifications, or a mobile number for SMS and WhatsApp. Stops without contact details are simply skipped.

Choose your triggers

Notifications are sent when something happens on the route. The common ones are:

• Scheduled — the stop has been planned onto a route for a given day.
• On the way — the driver has started the leg towards this stop.
• Delivered — the stop was completed successfully.
• Failed — the driver couldn’t complete the stop.

Turn on only what your customers actually need. Two well-timed messages land better than five.

Pick your channels

Email is free to send and best for detail. SMS gets read faster and suits the “on the way” nudge. WhatsApp is available through an integration if that’s where your customers already are.

You can use different channels for different triggers — for example, email on scheduling and SMS when the driver is close.

Include a tracking link

Every notification can carry a branded tracking link. That gives the customer a live map and an updating window instead of a fixed time, which is usually enough to stop the follow-up call entirely.

Test before you go live

Add a stop with your own email address and phone number, plan it onto a route, and run it through on a driver device. Check the wording, the sender name and the tracking link before your customers see them.