Automated DHL shipment tracking bot for web forms and email inquiries

This n8n template automates responses to customer inquiries about DHL shipment status, handling requests from both web forms and emails.

Use cases

• Automate Customer Support: Provide 24/7 instant answers to the common "Where is my order?" question without human intervention.
• Reduce Support Tickets: Decrease the volume of repetitive tracking inquiries by providing customers with immediate, self-service information.
• Enhance Customer Experience: Offer a consistent and rapid response across multiple channels (your website and email), allowing customers to use their preferred method of contact.

Good to know

• DHL API Key is required: You'll need to register on the DHL Developer Portal to get your API key.
• This workflow requires Gmail credentials (OAuth2) to monitor incoming emails and send replies.
• The webhook URL must be configured in your website's contact or tracking form to receive submissions.

How it works

1. The workflow is initiated by one of two triggers: a Webhook (from a website form) or a Gmail Trigger (when a new email arrives).
2. A Merge node combines the data from both triggers into a single, unified flow.
3. The "Extract Tracking Number" Code node intelligently parses the tracking number from either the form data or the email body. It also extracts the customer's name and email address.
4. The HTTP Request node sends the extracted tracking number to the DHL API to fetch the latest shipment status.
5. The "Format Response Message" Code node takes the API response and composes a user-friendly message for the customer. It also handles cases where tracking information is not found.
6. An If node checks the original source of the inquiry to determine whether it came from the webhook or email.
7. If the request came from the webhook, a Respond to Webhook node sends the tracking data back as a JSON response.
8. If the request came from an email, the Gmail node sends the formatted message as an email reply to the customer.

How to use

1. Configure the Triggers:

   • Webhook Trigger: Copy the Test URL and set it as the action endpoint for your web form. Once you activate the workflow, use the Production URL.

     Webhook URL: https://your-n8n-instance.com/webhook/dhl-tracking-inquiry
     

   • Gmail Trigger: Connect your Gmail account using OAuth2 credentials and set the desired filter conditions (e.g., unread emails with a specific subject).

2. Set up the DHL API:

   • Open the "Get DHL Tracking Status" (HTTP Request) node and navigate to the "Headers" tab.
   • Replace YOUR_DHL_API_KEY with your actual DHL API key.

     {
       "DHL-API-Key": "YOUR_DHL_API_KEY"
     }
     

3. Configure the Gmail Send Node:

   • Connect the same Gmail credentials to the "Send Gmail Response" node.
   • Customize options like the replyTo address as needed.

4. Activate the workflow.

Requirements

• A DHL Developer Portal account to obtain an API key.
• A Gmail account configured with OAuth2 in n8n.

Customising this workflow

• Add More Carriers: Duplicate the HTTP Request node and response formatting logic to support other shipping carriers like FedEx or UPS.
• Log Inquiries: Add a node to save inquiry details (tracking number, customer email, status) to a Google Sheet or database for analytics.
• Advanced Error Handling: Implement more robust error handling, such as sending a Slack notification to your support team if the DHL API is down or returns an unexpected error.