Route forwarder emails to the right desk, held cargo first

Fields

• Subject
• Latest message, without the quoted thread
• Attachment file names (empty if none)

Questions

1. What does the sender mainly want from us in this email? Choice

   Pick the matter that most needs someone to act now, using the routing rules in the context. A second matter is recorded by its own question.

   • Quote request Asks for a price for a new shipment.
   • Booking or load offer Books a new shipment with us, or offers a load for us to move.
   • Status chase Asks where a booked shipment is or when it will move or arrive, including cargo that is held or delayed.
   • Documents sent Sends us a document, such as an invoice, packing list or bill of lading instructions, and asks for nothing else.
   • Documents requested Asks us to send or issue a document, such as a draft bill of lading, an air waybill or a certificate.
   • Amendment Asks to change a booked shipment: dates, routing, consignee, weight or cargo details.
   • Customs query Asks about duties, tariff classification, clearance or customs paperwork, when no booked shipment is being chased.
   • Pickup or delivery slot Asks for, confirms or changes a pickup or delivery time slot.
   • Damage or loss Reports damage, shortage or loss of goods, or gives notice of a possible claim.
   • Invoice question or dispute Questions or disputes a charge on one of our invoices.
   • Partner update A carrier, agent or haulier reports status, a schedule change or an event, and asks nothing of us.
   • Not operational Marketing, newsletters, spam, automatic replies or messages meant for someone else.

2. Which transport mode does the email concern? Choice

   Judge from the words, equipment and references in the email: a 40HC or 20DV container is ocean full container load, an air waybill is air.

   • Ocean, full container Whole containers booked for one shipper (FCL).
   • Ocean, shared container Cargo sharing a container with other shippers (LCL, groupage by sea).
   • Air Air freight, air waybills, flights.
   • Road, full truck A whole truck or trailer for one shipment (FTL).
   • Road, part load Part loads and groupage by road (LTL).
   • Rail Rail freight, including rail container services.
   • Courier Express parcels and documents.
   • Several modes or best option The sender asks for prices by more than one mode, or leaves the choice of mode to us.
   • Mode not stated Nothing in the email shows which mode it concerns.

3. How soon must someone act on this email, from what the sender says? Scale

   Rate the most urgent matter in the email. Do not compare dates with today; rely on words such as "yesterday", "tonight", "the vessel sails tomorrow" or "still not on board". The word "urgent" in a subject line is not enough on its own.

   • Routine No time pressure; an answer this week is fine.
   • Today Needs a reply today, but nothing is stopped or at risk yet.
   • Within hours A deadline today, such as a cut-off or a slot, is at risk.
   • Critical Cargo is stopped now, held by an authority, or a cut-off or sailing has been missed or is being missed now.

4. Does the email refer to a shipment already booked with us? Yes / No

   Count a booking or job reference, a container, bill of lading or air waybill number, or plain words about a shipment we are already moving. Yes: The email is about a shipment already booked with us. No: The email is about a new shipment, or about no shipment.

5. Does the email say cargo is held, selected for inspection or stopped by customs or another authority? Yes / No

   Count a hold, an inspection, an examination, a document check or a stop by customs, port health, police or any other authority, at origin or destination, even when the sender is not sure it is true. Yes: The email says cargo is, or may be, held or inspected by an authority. No: The email mentions no hold or inspection by an authority.

6. Does the email say a cut-off, sailing, flight or delivery slot has been missed or may be missed? Yes / No

   Count a cargo, documentation or customs cut-off, a vessel or flight the cargo is not on, or a slot that will be missed. Do not compare dates yourself. Yes: The email says one of these has been missed or is at risk. No: The email says nothing has been or may be missed.

7. Does the email mention dangerous or hazardous goods? Yes / No

   Count a UN number, a hazard class, "DG", "hazardous", "IMO", a safety data sheet, or goods often dangerous in transport such as lithium batteries, aerosols, paint, fuel or gas. This only copies the dangerous goods desk; it never clears anything. Yes: The email mentions dangerous goods or goods often dangerous in transport. No: The email mentions none.

8. Does the sender express dissatisfaction with our service? Yes / No

   Count dissatisfaction in any words: not being told, having to chase, delays we caused, mistakes. Pressure from the sender's own customer counts only if the sender is unhappy with us. Yes: The sender is unhappy with something we did or failed to do. No: The sender expresses no dissatisfaction with us.

9. Does the email raise a second matter that a different desk would act on? Yes / No

   Use the desks in the context. Count a matter only if a different desk from the one the main matter belongs to would have to act on it. Yes: At least two matters in the email belong to different desks. No: Everything in the email belongs to one desk.

10. Is information missing that the desk needs before it can act? Yes / No

    Consider the main matter: which shipment or booking it is about, what cargo, where from and to, and what the sender wants done. Do not check whether a reference or container number is valid. Yes: The desk could not act without asking the sender for more. No: The email gives enough for the desk to start.

11. Does the sender ask for a phone call or to speak to a person? Yes / No

    Yes: The sender asks to be phoned, to be called back, or to speak to someone. No: The sender asks for no call and no conversation.

Lens columns

request_type, request_type_probability, mode, mode_probability, urgency, urgency_average, existing_shipment, existing_shipment_probability, customs_hold, customs_hold_probability, cutoff_missed, cutoff_missed_probability, mentions_dangerous_goods, mentions_dangerous_goods_probability, complaint, complaint_probability, second_matter, second_matter_probability, missing_details, missing_details_probability, callback_requested, callback_requested_probability