Configuring Customer Delivery Notifications
How to set up automated SMS and email notifications for customers in AskBiz POS — dispatch confirmations, ETA alerts, delivery confirmations, and failed attempt messages.
Key Takeaways
- Automated delivery notifications reduce inbound 'where is my order?' calls by keeping customers informed at every stage.
- Notifications are triggered by status changes — you configure which events send a message and what that message says.
- Personalised messages (including the customer's name, driver's name, and estimated time) feel professional and build trust.
Finding notification settings
Go to POS > Logistics > Settings > Notifications. This page lists all notification triggers — events in the delivery lifecycle that can send a message to the customer. Each trigger has a toggle (on/off), a message template, and a channel (SMS, Email, or both). Triggers include: Order Confirmed, Driver Assigned, Out for Delivery (dispatched), ETA Update (when arrival time changes significantly), Delivered, and Failed Attempt. Turn on the ones relevant to your operation and customise the message templates.
Writing effective notification messages
Message templates support dynamic fields in double curly braces: {{customer_name}}, {{driver_name}}, {{order_number}}, {{estimated_arrival}}, {{delivery_address}}, {{tracking_link}}. A good dispatch notification: 'Hi {{customer_name}}, your order is on its way! {{driver_name}} will deliver to {{delivery_address}} by approximately {{estimated_arrival}}. Track here: {{tracking_link}}'. Keep messages concise — under 160 characters for SMS to avoid splitting into two messages. Email notifications can be longer and include order details, but a clear subject line ('Your order is on its way') is essential.
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Start for free →SMS vs email notifications
SMS notifications have an open rate over 90% and are read within minutes. They're ideal for time-sensitive updates like 'Driver is 10 minutes away'. Email notifications have lower immediate open rates but can carry more information and create a paper trail. Best practice: use SMS for the dispatch notification and delivery confirmation (the two most time-sensitive messages), and email for the order confirmation and receipt. Customers who prefer a channel can update their preference in their profile.
ETA notifications
The ETA Update trigger fires when the estimated arrival time shifts by more than a threshold you set (e.g. 15 minutes later than originally promised). This prevents customers from waiting at the wrong time. The message: 'Hi {{customer_name}}, your delivery is running slightly late. Updated estimated arrival: {{estimated_arrival}}. Sorry for the wait.' Proactive honesty about delays dramatically reduces the number of angry calls compared to saying nothing and hoping the customer doesn't notice.
Post-delivery rating request
After a delivery is marked as Delivered, configure a follow-up message (typically sent 30 minutes after completion via email) asking the customer to rate their delivery experience. The rating request links to a simple 1–5 star form. Ratings appear on the driver's profile in AskBiz, giving you customer-validated performance data. Businesses with consistently high delivery ratings can use them as a marketing asset; businesses with low ratings use them as an early warning system before negative reviews appear publicly.