Reindeer AI increased 3PLs CSAT by half a point in just one quarter
Reindeer AI helped a 3PL boost CSAT from 3.5 to 4.0 and cut escalation time from 3 hours to 2 minutes by automating track-and-trace with AI. Results achieved in 11 days, freeing millions in shared services spend.
This 3PL’s shared services team couldn’t escalate errors fast enough
This 3PL handles fulfillment from start to finish, including inventory management, picking, packing, shipping, and any other related services. They offer track-and-trace capabilities as part of their shipping.
They would process customer policies, manage access to carrier messaging systems, and integrate with their customers’ TMS, allowing them to update information and escalate issues. But the process deteriorated last year as they expanded into new geographies that required new carriers.
Their customer satisfaction scores dropped to 3.5 out of 5; errors kept piling up, and when shipping problems occurred, customers weren’t being notified quickly enough. Too often, clients called about shipping issues before the 3PL even knew there was a problem, which damaged their relationships.
Why their shared services team couldn’t move quickly
They knew their shared services team (which was running track-and-trace operations) meant well and that the escalation process was complicated, but they couldn't turn their declining CSAT around. The process was broken and slow because:
Carrier messages come from many places. This 3PL works with hundreds of carriers globally, ranging from small mom-and-pop operations to giants like DHL. Each sends updates however they prefer (text, email, TMS updates, or something else). There was no way to standardize them.
The documented SOPs rarely match real-world practice. Their shared services team supported 50 different customers, but in reality, what happens often differs significantly from the original SOPs. This makes training new employees extremely difficult.
The staff was churning quickly. 40% of their 30-person team left every year. Hiring and training were difficult; most never stuck around long enough to gain meaningful experience.
Humans have natural limitations. They get tired, make mistakes, and have a learning curve with new policies. It's just hard to keep up when everything's constantly changing.
All this ended with this 3PL's average escalation time growing to three hours over the course of a year.
How this 3PL increased CSAT and reduced escalation time with Reindeer AI
Their human-led approach had clear limitations, and while they could make incremental process improvements, they knew they wouldn't move the needle on customer satisfaction and escalation speed without technology.
They partnered with Reindeer AI, which builds custom AI models for logistics and operations teams. For this fulfillment 3PL, we developed a solution to solve their track and trace challenges.
The implementation started with quick proof of value. Afterward, they were able to rapidly integrate across their tech stack, connecting messaging systems, TMS, and ERP. Once fully implemented, AI would work to receive incoming carrier updates, confirm which loads they applied to, and automatically analyze the latest email communications.
Based on the content of the latest update, the system determines whether to take action. It updates the status of the load and records its reasoning.
Then, it takes action accordingly. It’ll take one of three actions: email or update the TMS to escalate an issue, email or update the TMS with a status update, or do nothing if no action is necessary.
These actions occur automatically, regardless of how the carrier sends updates on shipments, the system they use, or the latest policy. Reindeer AI can instantly grasp this information without any latency or learning curve.
The impact of AI on CSAT and escalation time
This AI-driven approach produced fast results for this leading fulfillment 3PL. Their customer satisfaction score increased from 3.5 to 4.0, a 14% improvement, while their escalation time decreased from three hours to just 2 minutes, a 97% reduction.
This dramatic improvement happened quickly. In just 11 days, across four testing iterations, using only 20 sample shipments, Reindeer AI completely transformed their time to escalation, which drove the improvement in CSAT.
This impact extended beyond just CSAT and time-to-escalation metrics. Now that AI is handling routine tracking and escalation decisions correctly, the 3PL was able to redirect millions in shared services spending toward more strategic initiatives.
Team members previously stuck in the endless cycle of manual track-and-trace work can now focus on higher-value activities that directly improve customer experience and strengthen relationships.