Navigating Forward: Accessible Shipment Visibility for Forwarders
Summary
Background
Goal
Discovery
Design
Development
Launch
Feedback
Next Steps
Key Takeaways
Summary
GOAL
To unlock more business and improve customer service of our forwarders
YEAR (DURATION)
2023 (1 month)
ROLE
Discovery, Visual Design, Interaction Design, Content Strategy
IMPACT
Got the Sales team excited to sell
Won 200,000 USD in deals within six months of launch
Background
In the competitive field of freight forwarding, exceptional customer service serves as a critical differentiator because it directly impacts client satisfaction and retention. To excel in customer service, forwarders must offer transparent and real-time visibility into the status and location of shipments, ensuring that customers feel informed and secure throughout the transportation process.
Additionally, by automating shipment tracking, forwarders can significantly reduce the time spent responding to inquiries about shipment visibility. This efficiency allows them to reallocate resources toward more strategic activities that enhance service quality and operational effectiveness.
When examining the market, we find that shipment tracking tools are often priced prohibitively high, making them inaccessible and impractical for small to medium-sized forwarders. This pricing barrier prevents these smaller entities from delivering the high-quality customer experiences that are commonly associated with larger forwarders.
At Expedock, we already extract data from freight documents and surface shipment insights to forwarders. We believe it is both logical and feasible to extend this service to shippers as well, enhancing value and convenience across the supply chain.
Introducing an affordable, intuitive, and powerful alternative for forwarders
Our objectives for developing this tool are:
Minimize the time forwarders spend on responding to emails and inquiries regarding shipment tracking, enabling a more efficient and focused use of resources.
Empower forwarders to deliver unparalleled customer service to their clients, enhancing satisfaction and loyalty.
Discovery
We looked at the top shipment visibility competitors and listed their features, pricing and differentiators. We identified what are the basic features forwarders would expect from a shipment visibility tool. This helped the team define the scope for our Minimum Viable Product (MVP). Then, we studied how each competitor implemented these features.
To build this tool, we need to think through:
How might we surface the most updated, critical, and accurate shipment information for shippers so we can free up time from forwarders?
How might we help forwarders look good towards the shipper?
Getting designs out in 2 days
Timing was crucial for this product. It was already at the tail end of Q3 and forwarders will be revisiting their contracts with existing visibility tool providers. We needed to get the MVP out as quickly as possible. With only a quarter remaining to design and build, the Product team scheduled an intensive in-person session where we ideated and defined a precise execution plan.
My experience in fast-paced startup environments proved invaluable in meeting these tight deadlines. I had to make quick decisions and produce a version good enough to ship. Within 2 days, I was able to present my designs to the Product team and iterate on the initial draft. This velocity allowed us to schedule a kick off early and allocated engineers to build this MVP.
Caveat: This time constraint made it impossible to validate my design decisions and it was an active choice for the team to validate as we start selling to forwarders.
Leveraging a hackathon for rapid development
This epic was originally supposed to be worked on the following week. However, an upcoming 24-hour hackathon presented a unique opportunity to accelerate development. We pitched the shipment visibility tool as a project for the event, and a dedicated team worked to transform our designs into a functional MVP within this compressed timeframe.
Quick launch, quick wins
The swift development and launch of the MVP allowed our sales team to begin upselling the new tool alongside our existing product offerings immediately. We were able to rally the sales team, get them excited to sell the platform, and generate $200K in deals within 6 months of release, demonstrating the market's demand for an affordable, efficient shipment tracking solution. Read more about our shipment visibility tool here.
By addressing critical market needs and executing swiftly, Expedock not only filled a gap in the freight forwarding industry but also set a new standard in customer service and operational efficiency.
Feedback from forwarders
As we were selling to forwarders, we asked the Sales team to relay to us any feedback about the shipment visibility tool. They usually either send it in Slack or add it as a note in Salesforce. I watched all calls and collated forwarder feedback in a spreadsheet for easier tracking. This allowed me to identify the most critical issues to fix and what’s missing with the MVP.
Next steps
We haven’t built all the critical features that forwarders expect in a short timeframe. Therefore, we have to continue building on top of the MVP.
Make sure forwarders are onboarded without any major blockers, so they can introduce this tool to their customers quickly.
Key takeaways
Unlock more business by looking at underserved sectors you can service.
Leading the conceptualization and design of this product line made me realize how a business can capitalize on its existing strengths and assets to customize products or services for the SMB market. This strategy enabled us to minimize risk by leveraging our current capabilities while also broadening our market reach.
Shipping fast and shipping quality work needs to be a balancing act.
Timing is equally crucial; launching too early may mean an incomplete or underdeveloped product, risking negative customer experiences and reputation damage. Conversely, delaying too long can result in missed opportunities, allowing competitors to gain a foothold. Working in the Product team allowed me to understand the importance of striking a delicate balance between speed and quality, ensuring that we ship a product that meets our standards while still seizing timely market opportunities.
Decide fast, validate later.
When we built the MVP, we made many assumptions and decisions without data support. Once the pressure is off, it's crucial to collect feedback and continually enhance our offering based on user input for long-term success. Our approach, which emphasizes actively seeking and incorporating forwarder feedback, highlights the importance of iteration in product development.
Navigating Forward: Accessible Shipment Visibility for Forwarders
Summary
Background
Goal
Discovery
Design
Development
Launch
Feedback
Next Steps
Key Takeaways
Summary
GOAL
To unlock more business and improve customer service of our forwarders
YEAR (DURATION)
2023 (1 month)
ROLE
Discovery, Visual Design, Interaction Design, Content Strategy
IMPACT
Got the Sales team excited to sell
Won 200,000 USD in deals within six months of launch
Background
In the competitive field of freight forwarding, exceptional customer service serves as a critical differentiator because it directly impacts client satisfaction and retention. To excel in customer service, forwarders must offer transparent and real-time visibility into the status and location of shipments, ensuring that customers feel informed and secure throughout the transportation process.
Additionally, by automating shipment tracking, forwarders can significantly reduce the time spent responding to inquiries about shipment visibility. This efficiency allows them to reallocate resources toward more strategic activities that enhance service quality and operational effectiveness.
When examining the market, we find that shipment tracking tools are often priced prohibitively high, making them inaccessible and impractical for small to medium-sized forwarders. This pricing barrier prevents these smaller entities from delivering the high-quality customer experiences that are commonly associated with larger forwarders.
At Expedock, we already extract data from freight documents and surface shipment insights to forwarders. We believe it is both logical and feasible to extend this service to shippers as well, enhancing value and convenience across the supply chain.
Introducing an affordable, intuitive, and powerful alternative for forwarders
Our objectives for developing this tool are:
Minimize the time forwarders spend on responding to emails and inquiries regarding shipment tracking, enabling a more efficient and focused use of resources.
Empower forwarders to deliver unparalleled customer service to their clients, enhancing satisfaction and loyalty.
Discovery
We looked at the top shipment visibility competitors and listed their features, pricing and differentiators. We identified what are the basic features forwarders would expect from a shipment visibility tool. This helped the team define the scope for our Minimum Viable Product (MVP). Then, we studied how each competitor implemented these features.
To build this tool, we need to think through:
How might we surface the most updated, critical, and accurate shipment information for shippers so we can free up time from forwarders?
How might we help forwarders look good towards the shipper?
Getting designs out in 2 days
Timing was crucial for this product. It was already at the tail end of Q3 and forwarders will be revisiting their contracts with existing visibility tool providers. We needed to get the MVP out as quickly as possible. With only a quarter remaining to design and build, the Product team scheduled an intensive in-person session where we ideated and defined a precise execution plan.
My experience in fast-paced startup environments proved invaluable in meeting these tight deadlines. I had to make quick decisions and produce a version good enough to ship. Within 2 days, I was able to present my designs to the Product team and iterate on the initial draft. This velocity allowed us to schedule a kick off early and allocated engineers to build this MVP.
Caveat: This time constraint made it impossible to validate my design decisions and it was an active choice for the team to validate as we start selling to forwarders.
Leveraging a hackathon for rapid development
This epic was originally supposed to be worked on the following week. However, an upcoming 24-hour hackathon presented a unique opportunity to accelerate development. We pitched the shipment visibility tool as a project for the event, and a dedicated team worked to transform our designs into a functional MVP within this compressed timeframe.
Quick launch, quick wins
The swift development and launch of the MVP allowed our sales team to begin upselling the new tool alongside our existing product offerings immediately. We were able to rally the sales team, get them excited to sell the platform, and generate $200K in deals within 6 months of release, demonstrating the market's demand for an affordable, efficient shipment tracking solution. Read more about our shipment visibility tool here.
By addressing critical market needs and executing swiftly, Expedock not only filled a gap in the freight forwarding industry but also set a new standard in customer service and operational efficiency.
Feedback from forwarders
As we were selling to forwarders, we asked the Sales team to relay to us any feedback about the shipment visibility tool. They usually either send it in Slack or add it as a note in Salesforce. I watched all calls and collated forwarder feedback in a spreadsheet for easier tracking. This allowed me to identify the most critical issues to fix and what’s missing with the MVP.
Next steps
We haven’t built all the critical features that forwarders expect in a short timeframe. Therefore, we have to continue building on top of the MVP.
Make sure forwarders are onboarded without any major blockers, so they can introduce this tool to their customers quickly.
Key takeaways
Unlock more business by looking at underserved sectors you can service.
Leading the conceptualization and design of this product line made me realize how a business can capitalize on its existing strengths and assets to customize products or services for the SMB market. This strategy enabled us to minimize risk by leveraging our current capabilities while also broadening our market reach.
Shipping fast and shipping quality work needs to be a balancing act.
Timing is equally crucial; launching too early may mean an incomplete or underdeveloped product, risking negative customer experiences and reputation damage. Conversely, delaying too long can result in missed opportunities, allowing competitors to gain a foothold. Working in the Product team allowed me to understand the importance of striking a delicate balance between speed and quality, ensuring that we ship a product that meets our standards while still seizing timely market opportunities.
Decide fast, validate later.
When we built the MVP, we made many assumptions and decisions without data support. Once the pressure is off, it's crucial to collect feedback and continually enhance our offering based on user input for long-term success. Our approach, which emphasizes actively seeking and incorporating forwarder feedback, highlights the importance of iteration in product development.
Navigating Forward: Accessible Shipment Visibility for Forwarders
Summary
Background
Goal
Discovery
Design
Development
Launch
Feedback
Next Steps
Key Takeaways
Summary
GOAL
To unlock more business and improve customer service of our forwarders
YEAR (DURATION)
2023 (1 month)
ROLE
Discovery, Visual Design, Interaction Design, Content Strategy
IMPACT
Got the Sales team excited to sell
Won 200,000 USD in deals within six months of launch
Background
In the competitive field of freight forwarding, exceptional customer service serves as a critical differentiator because it directly impacts client satisfaction and retention. To excel in customer service, forwarders must offer transparent and real-time visibility into the status and location of shipments, ensuring that customers feel informed and secure throughout the transportation process.
Additionally, by automating shipment tracking, forwarders can significantly reduce the time spent responding to inquiries about shipment visibility. This efficiency allows them to reallocate resources toward more strategic activities that enhance service quality and operational effectiveness.
When examining the market, we find that shipment tracking tools are often priced prohibitively high, making them inaccessible and impractical for small to medium-sized forwarders. This pricing barrier prevents these smaller entities from delivering the high-quality customer experiences that are commonly associated with larger forwarders.
At Expedock, we already extract data from freight documents and surface shipment insights to forwarders. We believe it is both logical and feasible to extend this service to shippers as well, enhancing value and convenience across the supply chain.
Introducing an affordable, intuitive, and powerful alternative for forwarders
Our objectives for developing this tool are:
Minimize the time forwarders spend on responding to emails and inquiries regarding shipment tracking, enabling a more efficient and focused use of resources.
Empower forwarders to deliver unparalleled customer service to their clients, enhancing satisfaction and loyalty.
Discovery
We looked at the top shipment visibility competitors and listed their features, pricing and differentiators. We identified what are the basic features forwarders would expect from a shipment visibility tool. This helped the team define the scope for our Minimum Viable Product (MVP). Then, we studied how each competitor implemented these features.
To build this tool, we need to think through:
How might we surface the most updated, critical, and accurate shipment information for shippers so we can free up time from forwarders?
How might we help forwarders look good towards the shipper?
Getting designs out in 2 days
Timing was crucial for this product. It was already at the tail end of Q3 and forwarders will be revisiting their contracts with existing visibility tool providers. We needed to get the MVP out as quickly as possible. With only a quarter remaining to design and build, the Product team scheduled an intensive in-person session where we ideated and defined a precise execution plan.
My experience in fast-paced startup environments proved invaluable in meeting these tight deadlines. I had to make quick decisions and produce a version good enough to ship. Within 2 days, I was able to present my designs to the Product team and iterate on the initial draft. This velocity allowed us to schedule a kick off early and allocated engineers to build this MVP.
Caveat: This time constraint made it impossible to validate my design decisions and it was an active choice for the team to validate as we start selling to forwarders.
Leveraging a hackathon for rapid development
This epic was originally supposed to be worked on the following week. However, an upcoming 24-hour hackathon presented a unique opportunity to accelerate development. We pitched the shipment visibility tool as a project for the event, and a dedicated team worked to transform our designs into a functional MVP within this compressed timeframe.
Quick launch, quick wins
The swift development and launch of the MVP allowed our sales team to begin upselling the new tool alongside our existing product offerings immediately. We were able to rally the sales team, get them excited to sell the platform, and generate $200K in deals within 6 months of release, demonstrating the market's demand for an affordable, efficient shipment tracking solution. Read more about our shipment visibility tool here.
By addressing critical market needs and executing swiftly, Expedock not only filled a gap in the freight forwarding industry but also set a new standard in customer service and operational efficiency.
Feedback from forwarders
As we were selling to forwarders, we asked the Sales team to relay to us any feedback about the shipment visibility tool. They usually either send it in Slack or add it as a note in Salesforce. I watched all calls and collated forwarder feedback in a spreadsheet for easier tracking. This allowed me to identify the most critical issues to fix and what’s missing with the MVP.
Next steps
We haven’t built all the critical features that forwarders expect in a short timeframe. Therefore, we have to continue building on top of the MVP.
Make sure forwarders are onboarded without any major blockers, so they can introduce this tool to their customers quickly.
Key takeaways
Unlock more business by looking at underserved sectors you can service.
Leading the conceptualization and design of this product line made me realize how a business can capitalize on its existing strengths and assets to customize products or services for the SMB market. This strategy enabled us to minimize risk by leveraging our current capabilities while also broadening our market reach.
Shipping fast and shipping quality work needs to be a balancing act.
Timing is equally crucial; launching too early may mean an incomplete or underdeveloped product, risking negative customer experiences and reputation damage. Conversely, delaying too long can result in missed opportunities, allowing competitors to gain a foothold. Working in the Product team allowed me to understand the importance of striking a delicate balance between speed and quality, ensuring that we ship a product that meets our standards while still seizing timely market opportunities.
Decide fast, validate later.
When we built the MVP, we made many assumptions and decisions without data support. Once the pressure is off, it's crucial to collect feedback and continually enhance our offering based on user input for long-term success. Our approach, which emphasizes actively seeking and incorporating forwarder feedback, highlights the importance of iteration in product development.
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Let’s work together.
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© 2024. Designed and developed by Laura Ang
© 2024. Designed and developed by Laura Ang
