WISMO Calls Killing Your Delivery Team? Real-Time Tracking Software Helps

If your support team is drowning in “Where’s my order?” calls, you are most definitely not alone. Thankfully, there is an easy answer to this problem: route optimization and real-time tracking software.

But first, let’s look at what WISMO calls really are, and the type of damage it can do to your delivery business.

What are WISMO Calls?

WISMO stands for “Where is my order?” It’s the most common type of support call in delivery, and also the most avoidable (thankfully).

Picture this: A customer places an order for same-day delivery. The dispatch goes out, but there’s no ETA or update; it’s just a generic “out for delivery” message.

Your customer is excited to receive their order, but hours pass. Their tracking link (if you even have one) still says the same thing.

So, what do they do? They call. Not once. Not twice. Sometimes three times. Just to ask where their order is. This is why we say WISMO are easy to prevent.

WISMO calls might seem harmless, but they add up fast. One delayed ETA or one vague tracking link there, and suddenly your whole support queue is clogged with frustrated customers.

It is annoying and expensive because every WISMO call costs your team time, drains morale, and clogs up lines for customers who actually need help.

Now, let’s look at the real cause behind getting WISMO calls and how to fix it.

What’s driving WISMO calls?

One might assume that WISMO are about angry customers, but that is not really the case. They are just anxious customers. And that is understandable, when you stop to think about it.

When people don’t know where their delivery is (or worse, don’t trust that it will arrive at all!), they reach out. They want clarity and confirmation. They might be frustrated, but anger is the driving force here.

That’s the gap you need to close.

Here’s what usually triggers WISMO calls:

• Delays without explanation.
• Missing / outdated tracking info.
• No proof of delivery or confirmation.
• ETAs that keep changing without notice.

It is, in fact, very rarely the delay of the delivery itself that makes them call. It’s the lack of communication or the silence surrounding their delivery.

RELATED: Why Your E-Commerce Business Needs Route Optimization Software

WISMO calls cost more than you think

Let’s talk about the numbers.

Every support call takes a few minutes, at the very least.

Now multiply that by hundreds of orders per day. Suddenly, your customer service team becomes its very own logistics department and not in a good way.

And unfortunately, it won’t stop there either. Because high support volumes of those WISMO calls will also mean:

• Longer wait times.
• Burnout and higher turnover.
• More refunds or compensation payouts.
• Poor CSAT scores (Customer Satisfaction Scores).

In short: You’re spending money just to clean up a mess that shouldn’t have happened in the first place. And it’s costing you time, effort, and your staff’s mental health in the process.

What real-time tracking software does

This is where the right tools (such as real-time tracking software and route optimizaton software) can make all the difference. Because customers don’t want to call. They just want to know.

If you implement real-time tracking software, you won’t have to guess where your drivers are. And your customers won’t have to guess where their parcels are.

They can see it via the link you’ll send them, complete with a pin on a map and an estimated time (or exact arrival time, depending on the software you use) of when the driver will knock on their door.

In short, you are giving your customers full visibility.

With the right real-tracking software, you should be able to:

• Share ETAs with minute-by-minute accuracy.
• Send live tracking links that update in real-time.
• Provide proof of delivery with photos and signatures.
• Let customers see the driver approaching (no more “we missed you” notes).

When you do this, you will cut the panic off at the source. Customers? Happy. Drivers? Clear overview of their routes. And your support team can finally breathe!

How route optimization fits in

Real-tracking software can fix most of the issues for you, but unfortunately, WIMSO calls aren’t just a tracking problem. Unrealistic delivery routes can also be an issue.

In many instances, poor planning or outdated methods start most of the WISMO chaos. When drivers are overloaded or zig-zagging inefficiently, delays happen.

When delays happen, promises are broken, customers get anxious, and those WIMSO calls start coming in again. This is where route optimization software comes into play.

The right route optimization software will help you:

• Update routes dynamically in case of delays.
• Avoid bottlenecks, traffic jams, missed windows.
• Plan smarter routes that match your team’s capacity.

When you stop putting out the fires that poor route planning ignited in the first place and start optimizing your delivery routes better, everything else falls into place.

Including customer support.

ALSO READ: Common Route Optimization Myths That Waste Your Budget

Real-time tracking software is the solution

Don’t think of WISMO calls as merely a customer service problem.

Think of it as a delivery problem in disguise. Think of real-time tracking software and route optimization software as the answer to that problem.

Sending a live tracking link for your deliveries will reduce those dreaded WISMO calls, while also giving your customers peace of mind and less anxiety. And it gives your support team a well-deserved break.

Your customers will know when to be ready to accept their parcel, and you’ll field fewer support requests. Your office and/or support staff will thank you for this!

So, if you’re tired of watching your support team sink under questions they shouldn’t need to answer, just fix the root cause:

• Give customers visibility with real-time tracking software.
• Give customers accurate ETAs with route optimization software.

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