Key takeaways
- One group per depot, route or customer account keeps assignments from getting buried.
- A fixed dispatch format (job, pickup, drop-off, window, contact) cuts back-and-forth calls.
- Drivers confirm with a reply, share location on arrival and attach proof-of-delivery photos.
- Voice notes let drivers report a delay without typing; never message while driving.
- Admins can audit and export group history for claims; direct messages stay private.
Dispatch is a constant stream of small decisions: who takes the 10 a.m. pickup, which driver is closest to the urgent drop, what to do when a dock is closed. When those decisions live in phone calls and personal texts, the dispatcher becomes the only person who knows the state of the day, and nothing is written down when a customer disputes a delivery.
Why driver dispatch breaks down without a system
Most small and mid-sized fleets dispatch with a combination of calls, SMS and a personal group chat. That works until the day gets busy.
- Calls pile up. A dispatcher on the phone with one driver can’t answer the next three.
- Details get lost in voice. Dock numbers, reference codes and customer names are easy to mishear.
- No proof. “I delivered at 2:10” is hard to verify weeks later without a timestamped photo.
- Personal groups outlive employment. Former drivers can keep seeing addresses and customer details.
The patterns here are specific to drivers; for the general approach to assigning work by chat, see dispatch and job assignment by chat.
The workflow in C Chat
Dispatch by chat follows five steps, each visible to everyone in the group.
- Dispatcher posts the job using the fixed format below, in the depot or route group.
- A driver claims it with a reply (“Taking it, ETA 40 min”). Others react to show they saw it.
- On arrival, the driver shares a location pin with location sharing, so the dispatcher knows the pickup started.
- Proof of delivery goes in the thread: a photo of the goods, the dock or the signed paperwork.
- Exceptions get flagged early. A voice note at the next stop (“Dock closed, waiting for security”) lets the dispatcher call the customer before the window is missed.
For urgent safety situations, such as an accident or a threatening encounter, the 🚨 alert sends a one-tap notification to the group. Drivers should still call the local emergency number first.
Group setup and message template
Structure groups around how jobs are actually assigned:
- Depot groups for drivers based at the same yard.
- Account groups for a large customer with its own rules (delivery windows, contacts, dock instructions). Pin those rules.
- A dispatch leads group for dispatchers and supervisors only.
Customer receiving staff can be invited as guests to an account group if you want them to see arrival updates directly. Keep their access limited to that one group.
Pin this template in each dispatch group:
JOB [ref] – Pickup: [address, dock] – Drop-off: [address] – Window: [time] – Load: [pallets/parcels] – Contact: [name, phone] – Notes: [access code, special handling]
Consistent jobs are easy to find later with search by reference number. Delivery-heavy businesses that also run field technicians can reuse the same pattern from home service businesses.
Roles, oversight and records
Make the operations manager the team owner and dispatchers admins. Admins add drivers on their first day and remove them on their last.
C Chat protects messages with TLS in transit and AES-256 at rest using per-organization keys. Its auditable model means team owners and admins can audit and export group conversations, which helps when a customer disputes a delivery time or a damage claim comes in. Direct messages between a driver and a colleague remain private and are not part of that audit. The security overview explains the model in full.
Free-plan limits matter for fleets: up to 50 members per team, 30 groups per team and 25 MB per attachment. A larger operation can split by region into separate teams, up to 5 per account. See pricing.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Dispatching in direct messages. Other drivers and the backup dispatcher can’t see the job. Keep assignments in groups.
- Asking drivers to type while moving. Set a clear rule: messages only when stopped.
- Free-form job posts. Without the template, critical details like dock numbers get skipped.
- One group for every driver and every customer. It becomes unreadable by mid-morning. Split by depot or account.
- Treating the chat as a tracking system. It records what people report; it is not telematics.
Warehouse teams that hand work over between shifts can borrow the format from manufacturing shift handover, and the industry pages for logistics and warehouses and transportation cover the wider context.
Getting started
Create a team for your operation, add a group per depot or key account, pin the job template and send drivers an invite link by SMS or WhatsApp. They sign up with their phone number in a minute. Start at getcchat.com/c; iOS and Android apps are coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Can a dispatcher see where drivers are in real time?
C Chat does not do continuous GPS tracking. A driver can share their location in a message, for example on arrival at a pickup, so the dispatcher gets a pin at that moment. If you need live fleet tracking, use a telematics tool alongside the chat.
How do drivers send proof of delivery?
They take a photo of the delivered goods or the signed paperwork and post it in the job thread. Photos, videos and files up to 25 MB can be attached, and the image stays in the group history for later reference.
Should drivers use the chat while driving?
No. Drivers should only read or send messages when safely stopped, following your company policy and local law. Voice notes are useful at a stop because they are faster than typing, not as a way to message on the move.
What happens to a driver's access when they leave the company?
An admin removes them from the team and they lose access to its groups, including route and customer details. Because the groups belong to the team, the history stays with the company.