We all know that as truckers our objective is continually to haul at capacity with reasonable rates creating a reasonable profit. The trick in being able to accomplish this goal is summed up in two words, “Customer Service.” But who are our Customers?

Are you a company driver? Are you leased to a trucking company? Do you run under your own authority? No matter what type of operation you’re involved in, each load has at least three customers—the shipper, the receiver and—yes, the trucking company or broker. (The only possible exception to this is a trucker with his own authority who hauls direct for a shipper or receiver, and he has at least two customers per load. 

So when you think ‘customer service’, you must consider shipper, receiver, and trucking company/broker when developing your customer service policy.  The manner in which you treat each of these ‘customers’ affects your relationship with the other two. The simplest policy is to have consistency in how you handle every load. Establish a routine that contains all the necessary steps to attain the very best hauling experience for all three customers. Rule One: All customers become the most important people in the world while you’re: preparing to load, loading, hauling, delivering, and completing post-delivery details of any shipment.

What are the steps to building a solid customer service routine?

The saying, “Walk a mile in another man’s shoes,” is the best way to approach the answer. Looking at what we would require of a trucker and trucking company if we were in need of their hauling services is the best way to determine what our customers need.

Like any workable plan, you must begin with a solid foundation:

The cornerstone of this foundation, or what a shipper is going to look for, is Communication. Without an excellent transmission of information from the trucker to the trucking company /broker, the shipper and the shipper’s receiver, everything else within your customer service plan comes to a screeching halt.

The next building stone in line of importance is Say what you’ll do; do what you say. Nothing can destroy a business relationship quicker than promising an action will occur: and then it doesn’t. The other side of this coin is, don’t promise more than you are capable of delivering.

No Surprises means the trucker doesn’t let the unexpected surprise the customer by not communicating. There are always situations and events over which the driver has no control. When one of these occurs which affects a promise, the trucker needs to immediately contact all parties concerned. They may not be happy with what’s happened, but it gives them opportunity and time to make necessary adjustments to their plan.

Anticipate potential problems and have solutions for these problems to be presented to your shipper if they should occur. Since we live in an unpredictable world, your best preparation is to be ready for worst-case scenario.

Honesty and Truth are virtues which will always work towards a win-win hauling experience. If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember what you said. No matter how bad it seems, when you explain in an honest and truthful manner what happened, a complete picture and accurate details will make the situation easier to handle and move more quickly to resolution.

To complete this rock-solid customer service foundation of routine, we must never forget Safety. Not much else can sour a shipper’s attitude towards a trucker and his company more than an avoidable, preventable mishap. Although the shipper may never see the driver doing a pre-trip or post-trip inspection, or constant and consistent in-transit load and equipment observations, or the vigilance in defensive safe driving habits, these activities insure the on-time arrival of the shipper’s product or goods in original condition to destination.

And we all know a foundation is nothing more than a base from which to build. To really build the proper customer service plan, you must continue placing stone after stone on this foundation, thus building the walls of success.

In next week’s Blog4Truckers I’ll provide you with the components to set you apart from the crowd, the activities necessary for a successful customer service plan.

Good loads and safe roads, everyone.

Timothy Brady
©2009