Product updates
What’s new in Spoke Dispatch
Feature updates and improvements to make last mile delivery more dynamic
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Feature updates and improvements to make last mile delivery more dynamic
Not having end-to-end visibility into each package's location can leave Dispatchers without the information they need to answer incoming delivery queries. Significant gaps in tracking can also lead to extra requests for updates from recipients, who need more thorough delivery details.
Users on Spoke’s Premium and Expert plans can now benefit from detailed proof of custody information for packages that have barcodes.
Any package with a barcode can be scanned when it is added to a route, loaded onto a delivery vehicle, and delivery is attempted. Time stamps are now recorded at the time these events occur, providing Dispatchers with specific, chronological information about a package's progress and custody status.
Recipients also benefit from more detailed tracking information, as proof-of-custody timestamps are shared with them in real time on their tracking link page.
To maximize route efficiency, dispatchers need to balance adding as many items as possible to a route, without exceeding the legal weight limits for the vehicle carrying out those deliveries.
Vehicle capacity lets you set a maximum weight limit for each vehicle type.
This will override any maximum stops settings for drivers, and Spoke will use this weight limit to create routes that do not exceed any vehicle's maximum load capacity.
When an incorrect address format or location is added to a route, it can be hard to spot the error. The knock-on impact can be that drivers are sent to the wrong location, causing confusion and delays.
Spoke now automatically flags addresses that appear to have an unclear location or where the address number cannot be found, so that you can easily spot and correct any errors.
Potential address issues are flagged on the Dispatcher Dashboard and Driver App, giving both dispatchers and drivers the opportunity to fix incorrect details before they impact routes.
Occasionally, Drivers make mistakes, and previously, it was hard for Dispatchers to correct the delivery status of a stop that was marked incorrectly.
Now, Dispatchers can edit the delivery status of a stop from the Dispatcher Dashboard, ensuring that any errors are easily rectified and that recipients receive the latest, accurate tracking information.
Previously, requesting cash-on-delivery was not possible using Spoke Dispatch, and couriers had to find their own way to request, collect, and record any cash received at a stop.
Now, any cash on delivery requirements for a stop can be imported into Spoke via API, spreadsheet, or manually added.
Recipients are notified of any money that is due on their delivery tracking link.
Drivers are prompted on their driver app to select the payment type, confirm that the amount has been received, and collect the recipient's signature. At the end of every route, they are shown a breakdown of the payments collected.
Dispatchers can edit, view the live status, and export a cash on delivery summary in the Dispatcher Dashboard.
Previously, copying or moving existing stops between routes could be a complex process.
We’ve streamlined this workflow to make copying or moving existing stops between routes even easier, which saves Dispatchers time when they need to quickly and efficiently reallocate stops between various routes.
Moving stops can now be carried out in a dedicated pop-up, keeping the Dispatcher in the context of the route they are editing. Finding the route you want to move stops to is also simpler with the calendar selector and filtering options, making it easy to find individual routes by name or date.
The ability to select multiple stops has also been streamlined to look and work more efficiently, and a new confirmation message has been introduced to reduce accidental errors by requesting verification before any changes are discarded.
With Spoke Connect, couriers can invite their clients to upload, track, and manage their orders in real time. It provides a live delivery dashboard that connects couriers with their clients.
Previously, clients only had the option to upload orders manually or via a spreadsheet. Now, they can link their Shopify store with Connect to directly import orders that are ready for delivery.
It’s also possible to set permissions that enable the automatic updating of order status, and trigger customer notifications in Shopify, as deliveries are completed in Connect.
Spoke's in-app navigation is powered by Google Maps, which provides functionality such as live traffic disruption alerts, satellite map views, and turn-by-turn directions which all help drivers successfully handle the challenges they face on the road.
When driving conditions become difficult in the dark, drivers can now also benefit from automatic theme changing, which switches the theme of the driver app between light and dark depending on the time of day on their phone, making the map view more visible and reducing battery consumption.
Previously, drivers could scan the barcode on a package to add that stop to their route, and scan the barcode again at the recipient’s address to confirm delivery.
The latest update to barcode scanning also lets drivers scan the package barcode as they load their vehicle, to confirm they are loading the correct item.
This latest update also lays the foundations so that soon scanning a package’s barcode will be able to provide proof of custody details from the point that it is loaded onto a vehicle until it is delivered to the recipient.
Knowing how long it takes a driver to deliver an item at a stop helps couriers accurately manage operations and workforce performance.
Users on the Premium and Expert plans can now benefit from the latest ‘time at stop’ feature, which automatically records the time a driver arrives at and departs from a stop.
This feature is on by default for Premium and Expert plans and works when drivers use Spoke's internal navigation on their driver app. The actual time each driver spends at a stop is logged and displayed in the dispatcher dashboard.
When importing your delivery data into Spoke, don’t forget to include package weight information for each item so that this can be used to calculate the total vehicle capacity for a route.
This will trigger an updated recipient notification to be sent.
Your stops will now be added and visible on your route.
A hexagonal grid pattern will now be overlaid on the map view.
They will then be redirected back to Spoke Connect, and their Shopify store will be linked with Spoke Connect. They will now have the option to Import orders from Shopify.
