Courier Software: A Gateway To Customer Service

No, this isn't about a magic gateway to Shelob's web. A web portal, included in the package of most delivery software, is a popular and often essential component in customer service.

A web portal, also called a "links page," sends the customer who clicks on it automatically to a plethora of websites, all related to your business. In some cases, they may be websites of your company's own design, for instance, your delivery services may have links to GPS, to other delivery services, to the warehouse where you transact business with freight companies, or even the garage that services your delivery vehicles. Delivery software should definitely include this vital set of links in its software package.

Why is this important for customer service? Very few people get in the car with a list and spend the afternoon running to a dozen places doing their shopping anymore. Most of them sit at the computer, clicking from one site to another (you can, after all, visit a dozen sites in the time it took to visit one on foot or by car). And you want to be sure that they spend plenty of that shopping time in your proximity, because the longer they are there, the better the chance that they will buy from you.

Let's break it down a bit further. Customer A comes to your website, a delivery service, whose Delivery software has no Web portal. He places an order for a delivery to be completed using next-day service. Next day he has to log in to GPS, UPS, and FedEx because your site does not provide locations easily. The package arrives, in good condition, thankfully, but the customer doesn't know it. At the end of the day he calls you with that weary, "Did you guys deliver my package or what?" He only gets to say this after listening to elevator music on the phone, and you have to get back to him. He wants his $12.95 back.

Customer B comes to your website with the Web Portal in place. He places his next day order, and shops around a bit in the boutique of novelties you have on site. The next day he easily tracks his package on your system, hits several more of the websites you offer. He spends about $108 altogether.

Better than portalling to Shelob's, right? After all, she killed hobbits, and we're making customers!