Logistics and transportation companies have been forced to adapt to a world where online shopping has become a part of everyday life. As with many other industries, this has had an enormous impact on how freight and logistics enterprises interact with a rapidly growing consumer base and it’s no surprise that many have turned to omnichannel solutions as their communications channel of choice.

Reliable, global, and convenient, omnichannel has quickly become one of the most efficient ways of improving the service level of logistics and transportation. iCall omnichannel support offers simple, yet powerful solutions that make it easy for customers to engage with your business, where and when it’s right for them. Channels are connected so conversations are seamless, agents are more productive, and information can be shared across your company—all without losing focus.

Of course, positive client interactions are central to the longevity and success of the online shopping experience and today’s logistics companies use SMS to send real-time updates to customers about dispatch deliveries, delays, and customs or duty charges. As with most other businesses, the transport and delivery companies also benefit greatly from SMS in terms of promoting their business as well as incorporating mobile marketing to answer queries and engage with clients.

But, the real benefit for the transport and logistics industries lies in the operational use of SMS. Here we outline the top four reasons that SMS is one of the most effective communication channels for transportation and related industries.

Timely communication is the key to great logistics management. SMS provides a cost-effective, quick and reliable way to communicate with contractors, customers, or employees and can be easily integrated into existing company systems or processes. Transportation drivers are constantly on the move and SMS provides an incredibly simple and easy way of staying in contact and alerting them to changes in schedules, contact details or addresses with the simple click of a button. Freight and transport companies can also use SMS to send group messages to their drivers with important information regarding traffic updates and weather reports.

In an ever-evolving mobile landscape, SMS remains one of the most powerful ways of communicating with customers. Research has shown that 90 percent of SMS messages are read within three minutes of delivery and have a 98 percent open rate compared to a 20 percent open rate with email messages. In short, logistics and transport companies can contact customers, literally within minutes of any sudden or unpredictable changes in terms of service delivery. Sending real-time notifications to customers regarding the estimated time of arrival, proof of delivery or service updates serves to strengthen the customer relationship and promote brand loyalty.

With enquires about products, complaints, or delivery information requests, customer service centers are typically bombarded with service requests. SMS is a particularly useful tool to help customer service staff successfully deal with queries and provide a more streamlined experience for the customer. By simply using shortcodes, companies can ensure customers can talk directly with the appropriate customer representative to discuss their request and also at a time that suits them. For example, a customer could send an SMS with the word ‘DELIVERY’ to a dedicated shortcode or number to get an update about their parcel or shipment’s delivery status. Integrated with the companies CRM system, a simple SMS can alert the relevant customer representative to a client’s query.

SMS is not only a convenient and easy way of liaising with transportation vehicle drivers and tracking parcel locations but also a simple and effective two-way communication channel that allows drivers to stay in touch with the base of operations and alert representatives to any unexpected changes to their schedule.