By now, you’ve probably read our blogs on recruiting drivers and driver retention. With topics like the “ZMOT”, and the unmentioned wicked problem of driver retention, we really hope that you gained some valuable insight from them. Now, let’s look at it another way….
With all this talk about recruiting drivers and driver retention, wouldn’t it be a plausible thought to say that retaining good drivers not only lowers your recruiting needs, but will also aid in the recruitment of good drivers? It’s human nature for people to talk about the good things in their life – that amazing dinner they had at a new restaurant, the promotion or raise they just got at work, the list goes on and on. The flipside to this coin, however, is that the same is true for negative experiences.
The key is to keep your drivers happy. By keeping your drivers happy, they stay with you longer. According to recent studies, the #1 reason drivers stay at a company is how much they feel their opinion is valued (driver pay was reason #5). This is what starts the whole cycle – retained drivers are generally happier drivers. Happier drivers will say more good things about your company. The more good things that are said about your company, the better your chances of a potential recruit having a positive “ZMOT”.
We could go on and on about the correlation between the recruiting drivers and retaining them, but the fact of the matter is this: with the driver pool as shallow as it is now, can you really afford not to focus on both? And if a side effect of doing something you need to do anyway can only improve your company, well, it sounds like a win-win!