UPS (NYSE: UPS) is promising to amp up the control SMBs have over both inbound and outbound deliveries with two-hour estimates. The new UPS My Choice for business service is designed specifically for small businesses.
Small Business Trends got in touch with Melanie Alavi, director of Customer Technology Marketing at UPS, to learn more.
“UPS My Choice for business is about improving small business customers’ business processes. It focuses on shipping and receiving and customer service,” she writes.
“It provides a visibility tool enabling them to better monitor and plan their incoming and outgoing shipments. The service helps them react to and control their deliveries.”
Key Features of UPS My Choice for Business
There are a few key features like a web-based tracking dashboard allowing for day before and day of delivery notifications. For the majority of US postal codes, UPS My Choice for business will show estimated times of delivery within two hours.
Alavi explains the thinking behind the new service.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and supporting their growth fuels a strong economy,” she writes. “We’re helping SMBs easily access important visibility information that improves their business processes. UPS is helping them operate more efficiently, and focus on growing their business in a global marketplace.”
Mobile Friendly
The new product is also mobile friendly. There’s a self registration process allowing SMBs to monitor, plan and react to goods and services that are coming in and being shipped out. Small business owners can give access to others in their company. This allows them even more visibility and control.
Alavi stresses the service is simple to set up.
“Lack of easy access to tracking tools was a problem for small businesses. This online registration process allows the customer to sign up when it’s convenient to them. There’s no UPS sales rep required.”
The web-based dashboard also boosts customer service.
“With a quick glance at the outbound dashboard, users can find the exact status and location of all shipments headed to their customers,” she writes. “UPS My Choice for business can help users improve customer service by providing more accurate delivery timelines. And it allows them to proactively monitor shipment status before customers start calling.”
Reduce Inventory
There are other advantages to the UPS My Choice for business service. Small businesses will be able to reduce the amount of inventory and associated costs. With an improved inbound forecast, they’ll need to keep less on hand. Another domino effect includes reduced labor costs based on digitized inbound shipping forecasts.
The company has future plans for the new service. Alavi explains.
“Come October it will also provide a new delivery alert for commercial locations. It will let businesses know when a driver is within an hour of delivery and eventually up to within 15 minutes .”
Small businesses can learn more about UPS My Choice for business here.
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