myDHLi Platform Increases Online Bookings by 56 Percent

(Bonn) DHL Global Forwarding, Freight, the leading international freight specialist of Deutsche Post DHL Group, today presented new features and improved functionalities for the digital customer platform myDHLi, which celebrates its first anniversary. Following the successful launch of myDHLi, the logistics expert has expanded the global availability of the platform from initially eight to now 62 countries. At the same time, online bookings increased by 56 percent (Q1/2021 compared to Q1/2020). This expansion is accompanied by improved functionalities such as the integrated “Save and Edit” option for saving and later editing transport offers, as well as new services like myDHLi Reports for increased shipment transparency. Furthermore, the platform is now also available to customers in road freight for the first time. The rollout is currently starting in Turkey. To highlight the rapid development of the myDHLi platform, especially the innovations along the digital transformation in logistics, the “myDHLi Digital Summit” has been established, which will take place once a year in the future. The format had its premiere today at the DHL Innovation Center in Troisdorf.

Translating Digitalization into Customer Orientation

“myDHLi translates digitalization into customer orientation. For this reason, we invest a lot of time and commitment into the rollout of the platform. Customers can book shipments very comfortably through the platform, which follows the latest design principles. A 360° transparency regarding their own shipments and transport offers is guaranteed. By the end of 2020, 1,000 customers were using the platform. Just four months later, we were already able to count around 3,000 users in 62 countries among our myDHLi customers,” said Tim Scharwath, CEO Global Forwarding, Freight. “Given the enormously successful market launch, we will gradually expand the platform, for example by adding more languages.”
The Quote + Book function offers improved user-friendliness based on an analysis of user behavior and modern application design. Customers can save the booking processes at any time and revisit and continue them during the offer period. This allows important information that was not available at the beginning of the booking to be easily added later. Additionally, the platform is equipped with a new functionality via myDHLi Reports that provides customers with full transparency over past and current shipment data, enabling further analyses.

Multi-Channel Approach
All expansions follow the guiding principles of the continuous development of myDHLi. This includes complete shipment transparency with its end-to-end information from pickup to final delivery. The multi-channel approach ensures that all information is available in one place, regardless of the channels the customer uses. Additionally, an alert function notifies which process requires the customer’s special attention. Integrated social media functionalities such as “Follow” and “Share” enable customers to exchange information with their customers, colleagues, and suppliers, thus simplifying communication along the entire supply chain.
“At myDHLi, the transport needs of our customers and the customer experience are at the forefront,” says Uwe Brinks, CEO DHL Freight. “Due to the high demand and positive feedback from myDHLi users, we have decided to open the platform to our land transport customers as well, so they can also benefit from the functionalities and services that have so far been available to our air and sea freight customers with myDHLi.”

Modular Structure

The customer portal myDHLi, successfully launched a year ago, set new standards in an industry that is still not very digitalized. It features a modular structure that allows users to customize the portal to their individual needs. Customers can choose to use only the Quote + Book function to compare available transport options and then directly book one of the logistics offers. Additionally, they can also utilize extra services such as shipment tracking, document management, myDHLi Reports, and myDHLi Analytics, and now gain insights into transit times and unit costs through the new update. As the portal is now also available for land transport, myDHLi is becoming a one-stop platform for all customers of DHL Global Forwarding, Freight. At the same time, myDHLi contributes to DHL’s sustainability strategy: Since January 2021, DHL Global Forwarding has been neutralizing the carbon dioxide emissions of all LCL sea freight shipments through the use of sustainable bio-fuels – at no additional cost to the customer. For all other modes of transport, an emission offset or neutralization of CO2 emissions through biofuels can be chosen upon request.
Digitalization is one of the strategic pillars of DHL Global Forwarding. To further advance developments in this area of the logistics industry, the annual “myDHLi Digital Summit” is being established today. The event aims to present innovations around the customer portal myDHLi and to discuss and actively promote the progress of digital transformation in logistics, in line with the corporate strategy of Deutsche Post DHL Group – “Excellence in a Digital World.”
Photos: © DHL / Image caption for the cover photo: from left: Uwe Brinks, CEO DHL Freight, and Tim Scharwath, CEO Global Forwarding, Freight