On 11/1/2018 we updated the dispatch software to version 2.0.1.  With this update we made many UI (user interface) and UX (user experience) improvements and added new features including but not limited to: feature rich right sidebar, helpful tooltips on input labels and page descriptions, dispatch notification options including voice notifications, operator specific permissions (page permissions, teams and locations), rich and robust analytics, API Connect dashboard with JSON request/response code view, customer feedback direct reply, enhanced route management options and driver path tracking.

Create Routes For Delivery Drivers Using the Dispatch Software

Dispatch operators can easily create routes using any location from the locations manager as the starting and ending location.  Choose the AtoZ route method to end the route at the last stop of the route or choose Roundtrip to end the route at the starting location.  Choose the manual route option to create the route by manually clicking on the markers on the map to build the route or choose the automatic option to let our smart algorithm find the best route using the shortest distance between stops.  You are now allowed to add up to 200 stops in a single route. Drivers can have multiple routes assigned to the driver and can choose between routes within the drivers app (this is only available in version 1.3.9 of the drivers app).

Manage Delivery Routes

From the left sidebar, you can view all routes for all drivers or using the route management right sidebar, you can edit a driver’s route or view a specific route.

Follow a Delivery Driver

Track the location and location history of a delivery driver in real time as the driver navigates from delivery destination to delivery destination.

Delivery Status Notifications

Receive status update notifications as your team of delivery drivers update the status of delivery tickets.  Notifications will appear as text notifications that popup toward the bottom right of the screen and they will be represented by a badge toward the top right of your screen. Clicking on the bell icon lets you view all of the status updates from all drivers for the current day.  Click on a notification from the notification list to pull up the delivery ticket for the associated status update.

Easily Search Delivery Tickets

Easily search delivery tickets by keyword and filters that include: ticket ID, driver name, customer name, delivery time and delivery address all without having to leave the dashboard.

Voice Notifications

Enable voice notifications to optimize your multi-tasking abilities.  Enabling voice notifications will convert all status updates that arrive into voice notifications that will play audibly.  Choose your preferred accent and talent from a list of multi-national voice talents for all future voice notifications.
Voice notifications is considered an add-on and the pricing is available on the Zippykind pricing page.

Dispatch Operator Groups

Assign your dispatch operators to groups to restrict operator access to locations, teams/drivers, delivery tickets and features within your Zippykind account.  Easily setup specific permissions for your accounting, sales and fleet management teams.

Enhanced Analytics

Analyze the performance and delivery history of your fleet of drivers.  Delivery history data can be represented in a line chart, pie chart, polar chart and bar chart.  Choose your default chart preferences and filter between drivers and date ranges to view specific sets of data.

Add Sticky Note to Customer Accounts

Add notes to customer accounts to keep track of special instructions and customer notes.  Adding a sticky note will allow your dispatch to easily add a note to a delivery ticket while filling out the Add New Ticket form.

Reply to Customer Feedback

When a customer leaves feedback good or bad about one of your delivery drivers, it’s important to be able to easily communicate with that customer.  Now you can easily send the customer an email which can help you improve your drivers performance and help reinforce your customer care program.

API Connect

Zippykind’s API connect includes powerful features that makes it easier than ever to connect your platform to your Zippykind account.  Enable API testing to direct all incoming newTicket, newCustomer and cancelTicket requests to the API Testing console.  Using the API Testing console excludes your account from being charged for “test” tickets while integrating your platform into Zippykind’s API.

View API request and Webhook logs to identify issues during the integration.  API requests and Webhook logs will show the header, request and response in JSON format.

If you are a health nut or just enjoy the convenience of having healthy food delivered to your doorstep then you’ve probably heard of HelloFresh.  HelloFresh, a Berlin-based meal delivery company operating out of the United States has recently announced its plans to take the company public on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

A few factors could help shape the way we look at the potential success of failure of HelloFresh as a public company.  A rival of HelloFresh, Blue Apron took its company public last June and has seen a bearish response from investors.  Another important factor to consider is Amazons recent acquisition of Whole Foods.  Whole Foods as a healthy food delivery alternative to HelloFresh could threaten the market share of HelloFresh.  Additionally, Albertsons, another potential competitor of HelloFresh recently acquired Plated, a “chef prepared” meal delivery service for $200 million dollars.  The meal delivery space is getting crowded, but does HelloFresh still have a fighting chance?

There is no doubting the United States fascination with healthy food and meal delivery is definitely on the rise, but I think HelloFresh will need to expand into more foreign markets to see a bullish response from investors.  HelloFresh says that it wants to raise 250 million to 300 million euros from its offering.  The raise could be used by HelloFresh to enter new markets and establish itself as the go-to healthy meal delivery service in these markets.

Fast Growing Demand for Home Delivery

CEO Dominik Richter has said that taking the company public is the next logical step and I would have to agree.  HelloFresh has been increasingly burning through money the past few years on marketing to new customers.  HelloFresh is just one of many meal delivery services in the United States and their fate as a public company is still undecided, but there is no doubting the fast growing demand of home delivery.  Zippykind, a Saas delivery software company operating out of the United States provides a software platform for delivery drivers, dispatch operators and customers to communicate effectively and for deliveries to be dispatch automatically and with ease.  Learn more about the Zippykind Delivery Software platform.