Written by Shaniin Morales-Lewin, Event Marketing Manager at Alvys
It’s no secret. Drivers are necessary to move your load from point A to B – it’s not teleportation or rocket science. Amidst technological advancements, drivers remain a key vertebrae in the backbone of logistics.
The only thing more important than your drivers is communication with your drivers. At all times you need to know where your load is, and you need to reach your drivers quickly with ease.
An overarching problem dispatchers and brokers have is getting in touch with their drivers. We know it’s not easy for drivers to be behind the wheel for long hours and having to sift through a litany of apps complicates things more.
An Easy Way to Communicate
Drivers often show resistance to downloading another app. They have to remember logins and passwords, which can be annoying. The truth is your drivers don’t want to download another app.
What drivers need is a simple and easy way to communicate at any time of day whether they’re in a rural area or a metropolis. So, what’s the solution?
Brief, simple text messages are the most common way for people to digitally communicate today. We just released a new tech feature called Smart Text that allows drivers and staff to text as they normally would and still attach those texts to their corresponding loads. By adding this feature to our already robust platform, Alvys makes it easier to keep track of all load related correspondence.
The Case for SMART TEXT
“When I ran an asset-based brokerage, it was like text messages existed in a vacuum. There was often friction around what was communicated and when. We built this feature so all communication about a load is automatically recorded and attached to each load via AI. No more ‘he said, she said’ friction.” – Nick Darman, CEO and Founder of Alvys
Because of AI technology, this process is as easy as texting a friend. Drivers can sync their text messages without downloading anything. All text messages pass through the app and sync to our cloud-based software, so the back office can see a record of communication concerning each load. Whether accounting, dispatching, or safety all relevant parties are notified if the text pertains to them.
Here’s an example from a Carrier: six months after delivery, the shipper filed a claim blaming the driver for damaged product. This particular driver was no longer with the company, but she texted a picture of the shipment being loaded incorrectly. Without Smart Text, the carrier would have had to pay this claim. With Smart Text, the claims department saw all relevant texts sent regarding that load including the driver’s picture of the lacking load job. The carrier had the evidence needed to avoid paying for the damages.
Here’s why SMART TEXT is a valuable tool:
- 6 billion people use SMS
- People only read about 20% of emails
- People read 90% of texts within three minutes
SMART TEXT and Transportation
For the transportation sector, speed and availability are key factors in being competitive. Here are some examples of how SMART TEXT technology contributes to transportation efficiency:
- Companies can use SMART TEXT to track vehicle locations and update dispatch instructions.
- SMART TEXT can be integrated into scheduling and delivery applications.
- Automated texts reduce human error and provide easier record-keeping.
- SMART TEXT promotes driver safety by minimizing distractions. Unlike typical dispatch communication and phone calls, no immediate response is required.
Key Benefits of SMART TEXT
The new Smart Text feature is available for all existing and new customers at no extra cost. Most companies can easily integrate SMART TEXT into daily operations by adding a module to their existing CRM platform. Drivers can sync their text messages without downloading anything. All text messages pass through the app and sync to the cloud-based software, so the back office can see all communication concerning each load. Tracking down personal texts and notes is a thing of the past. This new feature offers cross-department communication at the level of texting!
Here are some additional SMART TEXT benefits:
- SMART TEXT keeps all communication regarding a load connected to that load.
- SMART TEXT is easy to use because it’s just texting—what your staff is used to doing.
- SMART TEXT improves driver satisfaction and retention. Drivers appreciate quick and clear communication.
The technology is remarkable. All the driver needs to do is text any relevant information the way they normally would. The Alvys system captures relevant texts and knows exactly what shipment to connect them to. All relevant parties are automatically notified. By the time the load gets to accounting, all messages sent and received about that load are automatically organized and attached to the file. When there are payment discrepancies, accounting can pull up each load’s data in Alvys and see all correspondence sent about the load. Because all relevant text messages are automatically sorted and stored on the Alvys platform, users can retrieve these records in the future as needed.
To sum it up, when implemented correctly, there are many ways you can use SMART TEXT to benefit your transportation or logistics company.
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