How Does AI Improve Customer Support in Trucking?

Transportation Management Systems (TMS) — like TransPlus TMS — impact more than fleet and logistics operations for trucking companies. Innovative TMS solutions have the capability to enhance client-freight carrier communication, and in the end, improve customer service and satisfaction.

With the adaptation and implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications, TMS providers can take customer support to the next level with features that include AI-powered chatbots and voice applications. Freight carriers interested in providing unrivaled customer service and how AI factors into that equation may be asking — how does AI improve customer support in trucking? TransPlus may have the answers you need. 

Top 5 Benefits of AI for Customer Support in Trucking

Excellent customer service isn't just a bonus. It's a critical competitive advantage for trucking and freight companies. Traditional support models may struggle to meet the demand for instant information by users and customers, where a significant majority of customers expect immediate responses to service queries. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is stepping in to bridge this gap, transforming how carriers interact with shippers and brokers through sophisticated tools like intelligent chatbots and more:
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• Intelligent Chatbots: Uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) to resolve routine questions instantly without human support agents.
• AI Voice Agents: Speak naturally with callers using speech recognition, which eliminates hold times and phone menus.
• Sentiment Analysis: Scans text for emotional tone and context to automatically flag frustrated customers for additional support and escalation.
• Automated Triage: Classifies and routes tickets to the right support department based on keywords and intent.
• Agent Assist: Suggests real-time answers and resources to human agents during live customer interactions to speed up resolution.

By implementing these AI-powered features, trucking companies will discover top-tier benefits including near-instant customer support with zero wait times, enhanced freight visibility, streamlined logistics operations, significantly lower support costs, and personalized customer experiences.

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1. Instant Support and Reduced Wait Times

Nothing frustrates a customer more than being placed on hold when they need information about a critical load. AI tools have the ability to provide immediate, 24/7 responses to common queries like location updates or ETA requests without the need for a human support agent. This helps eliminate wait times for routine questions and frees up your human agents to handle more complex, high-value issues that require more personal attention.

2. Improved Visibility of Freight

AI has the potential to integrate with your Transportation Management System (TMS) and telematics data to provide customers with real-time, accurate visibility into the status of shipments. Instead of relying on reactive phone calls to identify truck locations, AI systems can automatically interpret data and proactively push status updates and predicted arrival times directly to the customer. This transparency builds trust and significantly increases inbound call volume for your support team.

3. More Efficient Logistics and Operations

AI does more than just answer simple questions. It connects customer service needs to operational realities faster than manual processes can. With the ability to provide fast analysis of incoming requests and the ability to instantly match them with available capacity, driver schedules, or route data, AI helps resolve potential bottlenecks before they impact the customer. This seamless flow of data ensures better coordination between customer support promises and operations.

4. Lower Costs for Freight Carriers

Maintaining a 24-hour human customer support team to handle spikes in call volume can be expensive. By automating a high percentage of routine, tier-one inquiries through chatbots and other AI solutions, carriers can lower their overall cost-per-contact. This allows trucking companies to scale their support capabilities more efficiently during peak seasons without a corresponding spike in overhead costs.

5. Personalized Customer Experiences

Automation may seem impersonal, but AI actually enables greater personalization at scale by instantly analyzing a customer’s shipping history and preferences during an interaction. When the customer is speaking to a human agent assisted by AI insights, the system has the context needed to provide personalized solutions rather than generic responses. This capability turns standard support transactions into opportunities to build carrier-customer relationships that increase long-term loyalty.
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READ MORE: What Is the Future of the Trucking Industry in 2026 and Beyond?

In the end, adopting AI-powered technologies is about more than just efficiency. It’s about redefining how AI improves customer support in the trucking industry to meet the demands of a 24/7 supply chain. The future of logistics belongs to carriers that can combine reliable freight movement with technology-driven customer service experiences.
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Contact TransPlus today to schedule a demo of TransPlus TMS and upgrade your freight operations!

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