Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has upgraded its e-business platform myMSC with the addition of a new online Instant Quote function, providing users with instant shipping rates for container bookings within the digital portal.
Currently, the majority of MSC’s bookings are carried out offline. The container carrier hopes to move more of its business on to its digital platforms in the future, with users now having the option to instantly complete a booking based on their automated quote. The quote can also be saved or forwarded to other contacts for booking at a later stage if required.
Instant Quote will initially go live on shipping trade routes from North America to Europe and from Asia to Europe. This should be expanded to more trade routes over the course of 2020, the company says.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the trend towards digitalisation within the industry and the importance of engaging customers through multiple platforms, including through e-business,” adds Andre Simha, Chief Digital & Information Officer at MSC.
“As such, this upgrade of myMSC is a clear illustration of our continuing efforts to invest in digital business transformation with the aim to improve efficiency and transparency, and to give our customers more options.”
Users will first need to log-in to the myMSC website to use the Instant Quote service. This can be done through a web browser or via the myMSC iOS and Android apps.
Once start and end points for the shipment and the equipment size are entered, the options for shipping rates with be displayed along with details such as the shipping window, estimated transit time, routing and the charges included in the quotation.
The tool can be used for bookings of standard-sized (20 and 40 feet) and High Cube (40 and 45 feet) dry containers. For locations where intermodal services are available, customers can opt for end-to-end rates from the origin to the destination.
