Into the Clouds:
Running a transportation company requires a high level of organization, communication, and customer service. For many companies, a great deal of time goes into dealing with customer support calls, which are necessary but can also use up valuable resources. Whether customers are looking for shipment updates, ETAs, or help with issues, it can be challenging – and time-consuming – to stay on top of customer support when there are a million other things to coordinate.
Keeping customers satisfied and in the loop is a massive time commitment. Have you considered using trailer tracking technologies to maximize efficiency?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by having to continuously update customers on the progress and location of trailers, you might want to consider utilizing a trailer tracking solution to give you increased visibility and help simplify your processes. Trailer tracking solutions can give you the edge on the competition by providing practical location data as well as invaluable insights into the conditions inside your trailers.
Check out three features of a trailer tracking solution that will help you improve operational efficiency and increase customer satisfaction:
With a trailer tracking solution, you will have access to a plethora of data that helps to keep your trailers in sight and secure at all times. Real-time GPS tracking devices coupled with temperature, door, and cargo sensors, among others, provides both functional and actionable insights. With this information at your fingertips 24/7 via a web-based portal, you can automatically update your customers through email, SMS text messages, or voice calls while a trailer is in transit, and provide them with accurate ETAs. This leads us to the beauty of customized alerts!
Every customer’s shipment is unique, which is why customer support can be so time-consuming. Making sure that each customer’s individual needs are addressed can be difficult when you only have limited visibility into your trailer. If a shipment is being transported in a reefer trailer, for example, the customer may need to know when the temperature moves above or below a certain degree. With a trailer tracking solution, alerts can be customized to notify customers when predefined conditions have gone out of range, whether it be temperature, humidity, cargo spillage or load data. Automatic alerts save you valuable time and help ensure that quick action is taken if a problem arises.
That customer that needs constant assurance that a trailer is scheduled to arrive on-time can go from five painstaking individual phone calls to a quick automated alert sent straight to their mobile device.
You may be wondering how you will possibly be able to track and distribute the data from your trailer tracking solution when you’re already using other programs and systems. The good news is that you can seamlessly integrate the trailer tracking data with other systems like dispatch, TMS or maintenance software using Application Program Interfaces (APIs). Integration with APIs enables you to continue using your existing platforms while benefiting from the additional functionality and insights. For example, CloudHawk’s trailer GPS tracking solution can be integrated with FourKites, FreightVerify, C.H Robinson, Transplus, and other common industry systems.
A trailer tracking solution makes business operations simpler. Having valuable real-time insights about the location and condition of trailers at your fingertips will enable you to free up some valuable time and resources for other areas of your business. With location and sensor data collected several times per minute, you can more easily keep your customers informed through automatic alerts and notifications, helping to reduce support calls while increasing customer satisfaction. Any issues that arise are identified and actioned quickly, in many cases saving a shipment from spoilage or loss.
To discuss how a trailer tracking solution can help your business, contact CloudHawk today.