Bots in logistics: communicating automatically

Bastian Späth, CEO/Vorstand EIKONA AG
Man with cell phone in hand gets a call

It's the perfect use for bots: recurring tasks that are required for day-to-day business but do not add value. They can extract structured data from unstructured texts and thus accelerate service processes.


To-do items and service requests often consist of identical texts with similar or identical content. They are a great use case for botsthat:

  • Read out order numbers.
  • Request and compile status updates.
  • Reply to messages automatically.

Artificial intelligence (AI) can help structure and streamline standard processes.


Status requests

Bots recognise patterns

Customer service employees answer status enquries by email every day. They receive messages with order numbers for orders that they have to look up in the production systems. They then have to collect all their findings and formulate a personal response. These tasks can now easily be handled by chatbots. They recognise number sequences as order numbers, perform the searches automatically and create response messages independently. This spares service departments the hassle of performing these routine tasks.


Notification

Voicebots make phone calls

When trucks deliver shipments to homes, their drivers are required to call recipients prior to delivery to verify someone is home to accept the delivery. However, if their first call attempt is unsuccessful, voicebots can continue calling while the driver is en route. Alternatively, they can get involved earlier in the process and place the first call. This is helpful in many cases, such as when the truck driver lacks the English language skills to handle a phone conversation.


Trip planning

Reserve time slot

When freight forwarders arrange transports for retailers or the automotive industry, the service often includes reserving arrival time slots for their vehicles. It is a manual process that can be highly involved, depending on the number of trips. Significant efficiency advantages arise when a bot automatically reserves the time slots in the consignee's system after the trip has been planned. It automatically recognises the slots that are the best fit for the route and the forwarding company's operational planning.

Conclusion

Automate effectively

Organisations that need to complete many routine tasks can effectively save time and reduce their costs by using bots. This technology can recognise patterns and then act automatically. It thus improves efficiency and frees up employees to do higher-value work.


Bastian Späth
Bastian Späth
CEO

As a college-educated computer scientist, Bastian Späth understands how IT solutions are developed from the ground up. For more than 15 years, he has spent every workday collecting requirements, finding ideas, developing designs, setting up projects and getting them safely across the finish line.


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