Product updates

Editing stops on a route, in Spoke Connect, or on the unassigned stops list was possible but not always easy. The level of detail associated with a stop can vary, and visualizing all stop details in a clear and usable design becomes difficult as the number of stop settings expands.

The redesigned stop details card, with its new streamlined design and tooltips for each element, makes it easy for users to discover all the stop editing actions available.

Occasionally, Drivers mistakenly deliver the wrong package to an address. This can be a difficult and costly problem to resolve, as it impacts two recipients.

Dispatchers can now prevent this by importing stops with barcode IDs. When a driver arrives at a stop with an associated barcode ID, the driver can mark the stop as delivered and is now given the option to scan the package barcode to confirm the correct item was delivered.

This feature is enabled by default, but Dispatchers can disable it in their account settings so that it is not visible in the Driver app.

How Drivers can scan barcodes at the point of delivery⁠

• Dispatchers import stops with barcode IDs into Spoke Dispatch
• Drivers attempt a delivery and mark the stop as delivered
• If the stop has a barcode ID, the barcode scanning view will automatically open on the Driver app
• Drivers have the option to scan the package barcode to confirm the correct item for that address has been delivered or skip this step

When dealing with large tables of delivery data, it can be tricky and time-consuming to find a specific driver, delivery, or unassigned stop.

Now, tables can be sorted chronologically or alphabetically.

You can sort your data by clicking the sort icon in the top right corner of a table. Order information in a way that works best for your needs, and find the information you’re looking for faster.

How to sort tables⁠

• Drivers, Unassigned stops, and Spoke Connect tables can be sorted
• Go to the table > Click the sort icon in the top right corner
• Choose the field you want to sort your table data by eg Name
• Select the order you want that field sorted in eg A-Z or Z-A

Managing multiple drivers in a single delivery zone can become visually confusing if it’s hard to differentiate between individual driver routes.

Dispatchers can now choose from 18 colors when color-coding individual drivers. This makes selecting contrasting route colors for drivers in the same delivery zone easier.

Once a color has been assigned to a driver, this color will persist unless the driver is paused or assigned to a new depot.

How to color code individual drivers⁠

• Go to Drivers > Select a driver to edit
• Click > Edit driver
• Go to Appearance > click the drop-down menu
• Select one of 18 available colors

Many courier companies use barcode scanning for various steps along the last-mile delivery journey. Our latest feature allows Dispatchers to upload unassigned stops via spreadsheet or the API and include package Barcode IDs.

Now, when a Driver creates a route, they have the option to scan the barcode label attached to a package, which will automatically move that stop from the unassigned stops list onto their route.

Barcode scanning was not previously supported, and this is the first step towards building more comprehensive barcode functionality.

How to import barcode data and scan barcode labels⁠

• Add Barcode ID numbers to the Barcode ID column in the spreadsheet or via your API integration
• If you are using a spreadsheet, import the spreadsheet data to unassigned stops in the Dispatcher dashboard
• On the Driver app, the Driver taps the viewfinder icon to add a stop to a route
• Select > Barcode and line up the package barcode label in the viewfinder to scan it

The complexity of delivery routes means that sometimes, certain stops need to take place before or after others for the route to be effective.

Now, Dispatchers can manually set an order for stops on a route and place them at a convenient point relative to other deliveries.

For example, it’s now possible to set a package collection stop to happen before that package’s eventual delivery stop later in the route.

How to manually order stops on a route⁠

• Go to the route you want to edit
• Click the dotted square 'select area' icon on the map
• Select the hexagon sections which contain the stops you want to order
• On the toolbar at the bottom of the map click > Edit > Manual ordering
• Click > + Set stop order
• Place selected stops before/directly before/directly after/after other stops
• Next select the stop you want the new stop order to relate to
• Click > Finish then preview and save the changes

It’s now possible to send recipient notifications via a mix of SMS and email.

Send important pre-delivery notifications by SMS for a higher chance of recipient awareness, and follow up with less time-sensitive post-delivery notifications via email.

Reach recipients using the most effective communication method for each stage of the delivery process.

Recipients can now also be notified when their stop is next on the driver’s route, and sending this timely reminder can increase the chances of a successful delivery

Previously, all team members were grouped and managed in the same way, with no distinction between operational and driver roles. Due to the number of drivers and the changeable nature of their role, drivers require more regular management, unlike operational roles.

Now, all drivers can be added, paused, or removed from a single Drivers page, and new profile pages make it easier to edit settings and monitor individual performance.

Driver settings and route overrides are also more accessible, and a snapshot of driver performance from the last seven days provides instant performance visibility.

How to use the new Drivers dashboard view⁠

• Go to the main dashboard > Drivers
• Add a new driver
• Click on an existing driver to view their profile
• Edit individual driver settings, route overrides, and monitor recent performance

With multiple clients, it can be difficult for courier companies to satisfactorily meet each client’s delivery needs. Some clients may require specific forms of POD to be collected, while others may be happy with a simple signature.

For example, a client who ships high-value items may not want delivery drivers to have the option to ‘leave the package in a safe space’ and may insist on capturing a signature and photo as POD.

It’s now possible to specify what delivery method is permitted for a stop and what type of POD needs to be collected for that method.

How to set POD and delivery method preferences⁠

• Go to > Settings > Operations > Proof of delivery
• Toggle on/off all the delivery methods you want to be available
• Select the type of POD you would like collected
• Use the drop-down menu to specify if POD collection is optional or not

Formerly, drivers who used navigation while delivering had to use the Spoke driver app along with a navigation app of their choice. Using two apps simultaneously isn't easy or stress-free for the driver.

Drivers can now navigate using Google Maps within Spoke Route Planner so that they can carry out every task along their delivery route with just one app.

How to select Internal Google Maps for navigation⁠

• In the Dispatcher dashboard go to > Settings > Operations > Driver Settings
• Under Preferences > Navigation app select Internal Google Maps from the dropdown
• In the driver app go to Settings > Navigation app > Select Spoke internal navigation