Logistics
SMS for logistics and delivery in Malawi
A wasted trip costs fuel and time. A short text before the truck leaves, or when a parcel reaches the depot, means the customer is ready and the driver is not left waiting.
Messages that save a trip
Your parcel BT4471 is out for delivery today between 10 am and 2 pm. Driver: 0888 000 000. Please keep your phone on.
Parcel MZ2093 has reached our Mzuzu depot. Collect it by Friday with your ID. Open 8 am to 5 pm.
Job 318: collect 12 cartons at Maselema at 7 am. Deliver to Kanengo before 3 pm. Call dispatch if delayed.
When to text along the way
| Stage | What to send |
|---|---|
| Booked | Confirm the pick-up date and the reference number |
| Collected | Tell the sender the parcel is on its way |
| At the depot | Tell the receiver where and when to collect |
| Out for delivery | Give the day, a time window and the driver's number |
| Delivered | Confirm, and give a number for problems |
You do not need all five. If you start with one, make it the out-for-delivery text, because that is the one that can stop a driver from arriving at an empty house.
One call from your dispatch system
Send when the status changes, and use the shipment and stage as the Idempotency-Key. If your system retries, the customer still gets one text and you pay once.
Set validity_period on time-sensitive texts, so a message about today's delivery stops trying instead of arriving tomorrow.
The SMS API page has the details, and the phone number guide covers messy numbers from booking forms.
POST /v1/messages/send
Authorization: Bearer yanu_live_YOUR_KEY
Idempotency-Key: BT4471-out-for-delivery
{
"to": "0888000000",
"text": "Your parcel BT4471 is out for delivery today.",
"sender_id": "YOURCOURIER",
"validity_period": 240
}Questions
Can messages go out automatically at each stage?
Yes. Your system calls the API when a shipment changes status, and the text goes out with nobody in the office having to do anything.
Can I include a driver's phone number?
Yes. Pass it in the message text. Because replies to a sender name do not reach the platform, a phone number is the best way for customers to reach you.
Does this work for customers in rural areas?
SMS needs only a basic phone and a network signal. If a phone is off or out of coverage, the network keeps trying for a time, and you can see the final status of each message.
Keep reading
Automate your delivery texts
Get a test key and connect one shipment status first.