Qued, Inc., which deploys an AI-enabled smart workflow platform that automates load appointment scheduling for brokers, 3PLs and carriers, announced today it has launched a new feature which enables carriers and shippers to use a simple email request to automatically schedule and confirm load appointments.
The new feature supports small to mid-size shippers and receivers who typically do most appointment scheduling manually, and don't have access to a scheduling platform, noted Prasad Gollapalli, Qued's chairman and chief executive officer.
"With this new functionality, we are applying machine learning and natural language processing tools to generate request emails, read and understand an emailed response from the shipper or consignee, and then update the trucker's dispatch or operations management system with the scheduled appointment," Gollapalli explained. "It's a significant advantage that streamlines workflows and relieves Qued's customers from manually dealing with what can be dozens of emails daily."
"This feature has really helped free up time for our customer service team to work on more critical items, such as resolving exceptions and managing urgent issues or more complex requests," said Robert Engman, solutions architect at Xtreme Trucking, a refrigerated fleet operator out of Wisconsin with over 100 trucks. "It eliminates the busy work of manual appointment scheduling."
Engman noted Xtreme is working to convert all their customers to the Qued solution. "We want to broaden this to more of our customers so we will eventually have a fully automated process with no human intervention," he added.
Engman also cited Qued's ability to "learn" by taking historical data on when customers typically request appointments and building that into intelligence that further streamlines the process. "As soon as a load is entered into our TMS, it drops into Qued automatically. Qued then takes that request and based on knowledge of the customer's history and preferences, will select and schedule the appointment by itself. It's a time saver for the shipper and consignee that has been very well received," he said.
Leveraging clean data, email simplicity
Activation is simple, said Tom Curee, Qued's president. Current Qued customers can activate the email functionality like any other scheduling connection. No additional integration needed.
The time saving benefit is significant. Today, a dispatcher manually sends an email to the shipper or consignee requesting an appointment, then waits for an email reply, Curee explained. With Qued's automated email appointment scheduling activated, that manual work goes away.
With the automated email workflow, not only are dispatchers or operations personnel relieved of creating and sending what could be dozens of emails per day, shippers and receivers don't have to click into a separate portal or another website, they don't have to remember usernames and passwords, or learn and use a new process or workflow. "It's just email," Curee added.
All shipment detail information is already contained and validated in the trucker's system. Once the dispatcher has their list of stops for the day, that is sent into Qued, which digests the information, automatically generates emails to shippers/consignees, reads responses, confirms appointments, and automatically updates the dispatcher's daily plan in their TMS for their fleet deliveries and pickups.
In some TMS platforms, the dispatcher doesn't even have to trigger the process. As soon as a load is confirmed in their TMS, Qued will automatically recognize that, issue the appointment request email and complete the scheduling process. Requests typically go to a warehouse manager, logistics specialist, or shipping planner at the shipper's or consignee's location.
The enhancement, like Qued's other connections, allows users to live in their native TMS, and not require another widget, screen or tab to utilize the functionality. Since its launch, "we've seen very active adoption because there are so many of these appointment requests that are scheduled manually by email today," Curee added.
Among the benefits are reduced manual work from a simplified, automated process, fewer errors, and increased accuracy and certainty of appointments, pointed out Qued's CEO, Prasad Gollapalli. "That helps the carriers and 3PLs schedule and optimize routes better, and for the shipper/consignee, more effectively plan warehouse staffing to be ready for deliveries," he concluded.