C.H. Robinson, a logistics management company, is revolutionizing communication with shippers through an automated email system powered by artificial intelligence and large language models (LLM). This technology allows customers who use email to receive the same level of speed-to-market and cost savings as those who are digitally connected to the company.
The AI technology classifies incoming emails, reads them, and takes the necessary steps to fulfill a customer’s request. For instance, many shippers still prefer to send an email requesting a price quote rather than logging into a digital platform. On an average day, the company receives over 11,000 emails from customers and carriers seeking pricing information for truckload freight.
Mark Albrecht, the vice president for artificial intelligence at C.H. Robinson, explains that while customers can receive instant price quotes through the company’s digital platform, some still opt for email due to convenience. The generative AI technology now allows for automated responses to these email requests, providing quotes in just over 2 minutes. This automation frees up employees to focus on more complex customer needs.
C.H. Robinson has already trained its LLM model to differentiate between quote requests for various types of freight such as truckload, less-than-truckload (LTL), intermodal and air freight. The company plans to expand this technology to other email transactions that shippers and carriers commonly use such as load tenders, pickup appointments and shipment tracking updates among others
