On June 25th, DriverReach hosted its Drive Efficiency event in Oakbrook, IL, where industry leaders gathered to discuss strategies for enhancing efficiency in driver recruitment and compliance. A highlight of the event was a panel discussion, led by Brent Dorfman, which featured insights from Meleny Perry from Taurus Auto Group, Caleb Gee from Nussbaum, and Jason Douglass from Stokes Trucking. The panelists shared their experiences, challenges, and successes in the trucking industry, providing valuable takeaways for all attendees.
Here are the key takeaways from their experiences and expertise:
- Set and Communicate Clear Expectations: Attract drivers who aspire to meet high standards.
- Build a Desirable Brand: Create a brand image that drivers want to be part of.
- Leverage Technology: Use automated tools to streamline your recruitment process.
Read on to discover more valuable insights and how easy-to-use, simple features can transform your recruitment efforts...
Brent Dorfman, DriverReach CEO, kicked off the panel with a warm welcome:
"Welcome, everyone. I'm excited to have Caleb Gee, Meleny Perry, and Jason Douglass with us today to discuss not only their experiences with DriverReach, but their expertise as recruiters and managers in our industry. Let's dive right in."
General Role and Experiences:
Meleny Perry began her trucking career in data entry support for dispatchers and quickly advanced to a Driver Relations Specialist, supporting recruiters and drivers. She then became a recruiter and progressed from working with dry van to open deck trailers. Meleny has realigned all departments to focus on driver retention, a cause close to her heart. She continually seeks innovative ways to ensure driver satisfaction, fostering an environment where drivers enjoy their jobs and feel at home. A diehard Texan, Meleny loves the outdoors and travels as often as possible.
Caleb Gee is a dedicated family man, happily married with six children and another on the way. With seven years of experience in the transportation industry and a diverse background in other fields, he brings a wealth of practical knowledge and expertise to the table. Guided by a strong faith in God, he loves engaging in good discussions and is committed to providing valuable insights and advice to fellow professionals!
Jason Douglass is an industry leader in recruiting and retention. Jason is dedicated to driver satisfaction and well-being. With over 15 years of experience in transportation, including dispatching, safety, and recruiting, he brings extensive knowledge to our team. Starting in warehousing in 2007 and transitioning to dispatch in 2010, Jason personally connects with each driver monthly, addressing concerns with empathy, integrity, and respect. He also handles onboarding and assists with HR, ensuring the right drivers are in the right seats for mutual success. Passionate about people and networking, Jason has truly found a home in the trucking industry. He spoke about his initial steps in his role and the strategies he used to implement changes, focusing on tracking essential KPIs to monitor progress.
Adopting DriverReach:
Meleny recounted her experiences with other applicant tracking systems and how she found DriverReach to be a more proactive and supportive partner. She shared a humorous anecdote about discovering DriverReach through a YouTube video featuring Jeremy, where his mustache falls off while discussing outdated recruiting tactics. "It was fresh and I wanted to learn more!" She also shared her journey and her process in change management starting a new roles in career. She emphasized the importance of gaining leadership buy-in for necessary changes... most important is to STOP and LISTEN!
Meleny shared a specific example from a prior experience: "I was already working with a thorough vetting process as a recruiter. I focused on picking the right drivers for the right reasons, even if there were some incidents on their records. Moving up the leadership chain and setting processes for the whole company did bring friction. People struggle with new processes, especially if they're used to their own methods.
We encountered resistance when everyone had to use a unified system and follow the same procedures. We even parted ways with one recruiter who didn't want to adapt. However, this change also led to amazing growth. One of my recruiters blossomed, hiring faster and more efficiently, and became much more enthusiastic about her work because the new system made her job easier. It was incredible to see such a positive transformation."
Caleb Gee shared his experience on why Nussbaum Transportation chose DriverReach and how the platform has continually met and exceeded their expectations:
"There are a lot of great things. One of our concerns when we first switched was whether DriverReach was here for the long term. Initially, there were a couple things we couldn't do, so we held off, but we didn't see anyone else even close to having what we wanted. Three months later, Jeremy showed us that the system could now do those things, plus more. For the last six years, DriverReach has constantly added new features and improvements. If we have an issue or need a tweak, it gets addressed right away. The efficiency features like text blasts are great, and now with the compliance tools, it just keeps getting better."
He described specific pain points with old applicant tracking systems that led him to seek a better solution with DriverReach. The built-in communication tools have contributed to higher engagement and retention of potential hires at Nussbaum. The recruiting team can now handle leads more effectively, improving the time-to-hire ratio and enabling the company to grow its fleet with qualified drivers. He kicked off discussing key performance indicators (KPIs) that his team tracks, highlighting the challenges in recruiting and retention this year. He noted shifts in the labor market and the quality of applicants.
Lead Sources and Identifying Great Drivers
In the ever-evolving world of driver recruitment, setting and managing expectations is crucial for attracting and retaining top talent.
Meleny and Jason discussed their strategies for sourcing drivers, while Caleb explained how Nussbaum spends very little on marketing and instead relies on other innovative methods to attract drivers. See full explanation in this Nussbaum Case Study.
The panel also discussed the importance of protecting leads and avoiding high turnover by ensuring lead quality. They highlighted the tools they use to nurture leads and maintain a steady pipeline of qualified applicants using automation.
Caleb highlighted the importance of relationships and referrals in recruiting.
He elaborated, saying: "The big advantage is that we've been in business for 80 years, but we've doubled our size in the last decade. And so again, back to some of the other things that have been said, on relationship with drivers, because these drivers can talk to 30 other recruiters in a day. Who cares what you tell 'em on the phone, right? But if they have an uncle and a brother and a cousin and a friend, and a friend of a friend that all said, oh, this place is a good place to work. That's the place they're going to call. So a lot of ours is that it's relationship, it's referrals from other drivers. And then Jeremy touched on it earlier, using your database. So we've got, one of the big things when we switched over to DriverReach was that we had our own ATS in-house, and we were able to take the, I think at the time it was 67,000 leads you guys kind of purged 'em over for us. And Yeah, we used those a lot. And you get a lot of responses as far as retired, disqualified, whatever. But hey, no, I know you're a good company, but it wouldn't work three years ago. Well now it could, and one thing I can't speak to enough, we hear this all the time, is reviews. So same thing with talking to the drivers."
He continued, emphasizing the importance of reviews: "If they see you're on top fleets to drive for, well, okay, maybe they paid to get that spot. They go to one review site. Well, maybe they coerced 'em somehow to have all good ones. If you can send 'em to Glassdoor, Indeed, Facebook, Google, and everywhere saying the same thing. Now you've got somebody's attention. So if somebody's been with us, then we will ask 'em and say, Hey, if you're happy, would you go fill out the honest review? We don't give any rewards for doing that or anything like that. We want them to be honest. And then you also get some too that, yeah, Okay. We're primarily over the road, so you get, yeah, I'm home weekly, but I'm not super happy with the amount of time at home or something like that so that you can feel the genuineness and what as well."
Jason emphasized the significance of work history in identifying quality drivers and the role of engagement in retention.
Meleny shared her thoughts on setting high expectations for drivers, comparing it to the difference between a Coach and Chanel purse in terms of perceived value and commitment.
The Power of Building Expectations
During the panel discussion, Meleny Perry shared a compelling analogy and a real-life example to illustrate the importance of building expectations with drivers.
"I would say you build the expectations and when you build expectations, a funny thing happens. People either want to reach it or they disappear. And I'll speak to the ladies in the room for a second. It's the difference between an analogy we've used before, the difference between a Coach purse and a Chanel purse. It's the exact same leather. The only difference is how people look at Coach versus how they look at Chanel. So if you want to be Chanel, then expect Chanel level out of your drivers. So no, hey man, really great. You're disqualified. Yeah, we're a great company. Apply later. Do you know how many times they have applied? Again, I want to work for you. I told the driver the other day, you don't speak enough English, you have all these violations. I can't hire you. He called me back and he said, that was two years ago. Can you please put me through an English test? Because we already had created such an expectation that he wanted to reach it. And so it's a touchstone. That's a touchstone for you because you create something that now the driver wants to be a part of."
Caleb Gee and Jason Douglass shared compelling insights on the importance of building expectations with drivers as well.
Jason Douglass: "I've held out for the quality of driver, so the amount of applications or calls have came in, but I've been very, very specific understanding dispatch so they completely understand what they're going to do and they're okay with it. And then I won't hire 'em if I can't meet them. So I've been able to be selective within the 30 mile radius of where we live."
Caleb emphasized the importance of educating drivers: "I haven't had a load, so I'd like to come to your company. What's your cents per mile? I could pay you $2 a mile, but if I sat you for three days, you're still not going to make any money. So just trying to educate them into that and hey, great, whether you choose to come drive with us or not, maybe it's a fit, maybe it's not, but now you have some other questions you can go ask somebody else that might be a better fit if you drive with us."
Takeaways from Caleb, Meleny and Jason: Your Recruitment Process
1. Establish Clear Expectations:
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- From the first interaction with potential drivers, set clear and high expectations. This will help filter out those who are not committed to meeting your standards and attract those who aspire to be part of a top-tier team.
2. Communicate Standards Consistently:
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- Use every touchpoint to reinforce your standards and expectations. Whether it’s through initial screenings, interviews, or follow-up communications, make sure your expectations are clear and consistent.
3. Create a Desirable Brand:
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- Just as the analogy between Coach and Chanel highlights, create a brand image that drivers want to be associated with. This involves not just high standards but also offering support and pathways for drivers to improve and meet those standards.
4. Encourage Improvement:
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- Provide feedback and opportunities for improvement to drivers who may not initially meet your standards but show potential and willingness to improve. This can foster loyalty and a sense of achievement among drivers.
5. Use Technology to Support Your Efforts:
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- Leverage tools like DriverReach’s DQ File Checklist and automated filtering to streamline your process and ensure you’re consistently applying your standards across all applicants.
Setting high expectations is not just about filtering out unqualified candidates; it's about creating an aspirational goal that drivers want to achieve. By building a brand and a process that drivers respect and want to be part of, you can attract and retain top talent who are committed to meeting your standards.
Recruiting and Compliance Go Hand-In-Hand
The DQ Checklist integrates into the DriverReach platform and is designed to capture all vital documents, communications, and driver information. This unified approach simplifies access for team members, regardless of their tenure or role, creating a reliable source of truth – a digital snapshot of your driver with a 360-degree view of their records. It allows you to build the DQ file as you hire, so you're capturing important information as you're bringing new drivers on board. Meleny shared her take on using and implementing the DQ Checklist during the event.
“We use the DQ compliance file. We use it non-stop. We use every single part of it... That’s something you wouldn’t get with any other standard ATS.”
Driver Retention
Jason emphasized the importance of engagement and culture in maintaining a low turnover rate at Stokes Trucking which is currently at 5.3%. "We do it by engagement, culture and implementing driver friendly policies."
Meleny shared her approach to retention and the importance in
ease of use, focusing on cross-training and fostering a driver-centric mindset across all departments.
Caleb discussed the value of maintaining strong relationships with drivers and how the use of tools like DriverReach's DQ file management and expiration date tracking helps in managing compliance and retention effectively.
Using the DriverReach Platform
Brent: "What are the parts of the DriverReach platform that you find most useful?"
Top of the list was:
- The Paper Airplane button
- Custom Views
- Bulk Texting
The panelists shared their favorite features of the DriverReach platform. Jason highlighted the Paper Airplane button, which simplifies application updates with just one click, and the automated filtering of applications into custom views. "So easy!"
How the Paper Airplane Feature Works:
The Paper Airplane button allows recruiting teams to send application updates to drivers with just a click. Here’s why it’s a revolutionary tool:
- Seamless Communication: Recruiters can instantly update drivers on their application status. All the driver needs to do is click a link in their text or email and approve the changes. This eliminates the need for back-and-forth communication, reducing confusion and saving time.
- Increased Efficiency: By streamlining the update process, recruiters can focus more on engaging with potential candidates and less on administrative tasks. This leads to a more efficient and productive recruitment process.
- Enhanced Driver Experience: Drivers appreciate the transparency and ease of the process. Knowing where they stand in the application process helps build trust and keeps them engaged.
Caleb and Jason discussed how these features save time and improve efficiency in their recruitment processes.
They also talked about the use of automation, such as automatic responses and bulk texting, and how these tools help manage communications with drivers effectively.
Interested in seeing how the Paper Airplane feature, Custom Views, and MORE can transform your recruitment process?
The Discussion Panel at DriverReach's Drive Efficiency event provided valuable insights into the challenges and best practices in driver recruitment, compliance and retention. The panelists' experiences with DriverReach underscored the platform's effectiveness in streamlining processes and enhancing efficiency. As the industry continues to evolve, events like these are crucial for sharing knowledge and fostering innovation. Stay tuned for the location of our next in person event!
And come back for more updates and insights from DriverReach as we continue to drive efficiency in the trucking industry!
About DriverReach
DriverReach is a cutting-edge recruiting and compliance management system designed for the transportation industry. By streamlining the recruiting process and simplifying compliance management, DriverReach helps companies quickly find qualified drivers while ensuring regulatory compliance, thereby improving operational efficiency and safety.
