When should a changing ETA trigger a customer update?
Would you notify customers after every vessel ETA change, or only when the expected delivery window actually moves?
All questionsShipments
7 replies
- I'd use the delivery window as the main trigger. Customers usually need to arrange people and stock, not track every small vessel schedule adjustment.
- A fixed-date delivery is different. Even a modest change may deserve a heads-up if it puts the appointment at risk, so give critical orders their own alert rule.
- Show what changed and what you're doing about it. 'ETA updated' on its own makes people open a dashboard and do the interpretation themselves. Something like 'the vessel estimate moved two days, our delivery window is still unchanged, and we'll recheck after discharge' is much easier to use. If the delivery window does move, say that plainly and give the customer the next decision or update time.
- Please keep the source timestamp visible internally. An ETA copied from yesterday's email shouldn't silently overwrite a newer carrier event.
- I'd have one owner send the update. Three well-meaning people passing along different dates can make a manageable delay feel chaotic.
- There is room for a quiet status page plus an important-change email. That gives curious customers detail without filling everyone's inbox every afternoon.
- If the new date is still uncertain, say what you're waiting on and when you'll check again. A specific next update time is more reassuring than a confident guess.
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