Feature: Messaging Platform (for customers)

On CitizenShipper, a lot of activity occurs within our Messaging Platform. Bids are won and lost there, quotes are negotiated, and drivers are booked.

The system is easy to understand and use for those familiar with popular instant messaging services such as WhatsApp, iMessage, or Google Hangouts. Here's a brief summary of what our Messaging Platform brings:

• A fast, mobile-optimized messaging experience keeps your conversations flowing smoothly no matter which device you're on.
• No-surprise price overview tells you exactly what you pay and when - right on the offer screen.
• Understand driver ratings better with the new rating distribution widget.

For those interested in knowing more, we can also go into details. Here's a screenshot of a typical message exchange you might have with a driver on the platform: 

As you can see, the screen is divided into multiple sections. Let's look at each of those in turn: 

Reviews (Bottom Right)

Because drivers are rated by previous customers, the new driver reviews section lets you quickly see their rating distributions. 

In the example shown above, this driver has received forty '5-star' ratings, ten '4-star' ratings, and one '1-star' rating. This section helps you quickly find the drivers who have overall great ratings from their past customers. 

Summary (Top Right)

At the top right of the new messages page, you'll see a picture of the driver you're speaking with, their company name, and their average star rating, as well as a brief summary of the experience section of their profile. 

Offer (Mid-Right)

One convenient new feature of the chat section is the Offer section. This illustrates what the driver's quote is (in this case $700), what the CitizenShipper Success Fee is, and what the total amount is for the shipment. 

When you're ready to book the driver, just hit the "Book now" button. 

Active Conversations (Left Panel)

As your shipment attracts more bids, you may have several conversations with drivers going on at the same time. You can easily switch between conversations by clicking on the message tab for each driver:  

Next to their profile pic and name, you'll also see a summary of their most recent message. 

Main Conversation Screen (Central Panel)

As you switch between driver conversations, the main conversation will appear centered on the screen. Conversations update in real time so there's no need to refresh the screen during the conversation.

Other Features

You'll notice two other features on the page. If you have more than one shipment listed on CitizenShipper, the following drop-down menu lets you quickly switch to your active conversations for each unique shipment. 

Also, if there are details of your current shipment that you need to modify (like the pickup date for example) just click the Edit Shipment button. 

We're excited to bring you this new upgrade and we believe that this will make finding the perfect driver quicker and easier than ever before!

What to read next

For advice on staying safe while messaging transporters, see our articles on Background screenings (2-min read) and Secure communication (1-min read).

 We also recommend the Dealing with drivers section of our Help Center.