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What Isan ETA Alert?

ETA means Estimated Time of Arrival, a periodic update about when an item, person, or delivery is expected to arrive at its destination.

As far as an ETA text’s meaning goes, it is a term that has been around for a long time, primarily used in the transportation and logistics sectors. With the advent of digital communication, this concept has become commonplace in business messaging, serving as a crucial tool for businesses to keep their customers informed and satisfied.

What Does ETA Mean in Texting?

In terms of ETA’s meaning in text messaging, it refers to SMS notifications that companies send via SMS or MMS to inform customers about the estimated time when their product or service will be delivered. Commonly known as ETA Alerts, these notifications play an integral role in real-time tracking systems used by various on-demand applications.

The Importance of Estimated Arrival Alerts

Estimated arrival notifications serve more than one purpose. They provide customers with delivery updates, keeping them in the loop about the status of their orders. Besides enhancing the customer experience, this level of transparency also results in increased customer satisfaction.

In addition, estimated arrival messages help businesses with route optimization as well as managing delivery exceptions (delays in delivery). This enables them to meet their business needs more efficiently. By providing real-time updates, these alerts reduce the number of calls by concerned customers to a contact center, saving the company both time and resources.

The Role of SMS Notifications 

SMS notifications play a crucial role in delivering estimated arrival updates. They offer a high-reliability rate, making sure that the customer receives the information in an instant. SMS notifications also support two-way communication. This allows customers to reply to the text or ask questions about their pending deliveries if they need to.

With tools like messaging APIs, businesses can integrate estimated arrival messages into their existing systems to ensure seamless and efficient communication.

The Use of Estimated Arrival Notifications in eCommerce

eCommerce businesses make extensive use of estimated arrival alerts to inform their customers about pending orders. These alerts can include a picture, video, or map link, informing whether or not the delivery is en route. This omnichannel customer experience strategy boosts the number of return customers, contributing to the overall growth of the online business.

How to Send ETA Updates With Dexatel

As a business messaging provider, Dexatel offers ETA Alerts as part of its services. This feature is particularly ideal for online retailers who want to inform customers about the status of their purchases. You can send automatic estimated arrival notifications to your customers by following these steps:

  1. Sign up for an account with Dexatel and request a Sender ID

  2. Create an API key

  3. Integrate the Dexatel Message API with your backend based on your programming language

Once the integration and setup are done, your customers will start receiving alerts. You can send an initial alert when a customer places an order. Periodic notifications can then be sent once order processing begins. Finally, the customer would receive a delivery alert once the item arrived at its destination.