Promise to Deliver, Deliver on Promise

When I first starting operating on my own independent authority, it seemed the norm with a lot of brokers I would start hauling loads for, that my level of service was not something they were used to receiving.  My rates were by far not the cheapest, yet I had more calls back for repeat work than I could handle by the end of my first month or two.  Several brokers told me that it was not my pricing that was bringing them back, but rather that it was my ability to schedule the loads efficiently, promptly, and continually exceed their expectations during every point of our interactions.  They did make it clear on several occasions that I asked more questions than their usual carriers.  I simply explained that it was necessary for me to properly plan without surprises, to better deliver on my projected transit times for shippers and receivers.  In the end, it was being informed enough to make exceptional promises on service and then being able to deliver on those promises that had me looking for a second driver within the first year of hauling for myself.

Now that my second driver has been running with me for almost two years and I have even gone as far as to sign on my third driver, I tend to try and keep my finger on the pulse of what makes these great drivers want to keep driving for me, when it seems everyone else is having a hard time finding good drivers.  The answer is simple from their end, but falls in line with the same set of principles I have been practiced for dealing with my brokers and direct customers.  The fact that I properly plan ahead and let them know just what to expect, then proceeded to meet or exceed those expectations, keeps them happy and satisfied with running for me day in and day out.  There has never been a “signing bonus” or “minimum cents per mile guarantee” that came along with pulling for my company.  Rather it is adhering to saying what I do first, then doing more than what I say I will do in the end that has continued to keep me at a 0% turnover.

There are a lot of people in the trucking industry you will meet that will not have quite the same desire to follow through on what they say they will do.  In fact, you may meet some folks out there whose mission it seems is to take advantage of you by doing just about the opposite of what they promise.  This is true whether you are a company driver, leased owner operator, or independent carrier.  One thing that remains true is that by following this rule of “promising, then over-delivering”, you can quickly build a reputation as being the best choice.  In the end, it may not be the cheapest truck that gets the best loads, but rather the most dependable!  Being able to say what you do and actually finish by doing more than what you say in all parts of your business can only lead to more success in the long run!  After three years on my own authority as a growing carrier and various awards, usually reserved for larger carriers than myself, I have learned a very important rule...Promise and always over-deliver every time, your reputation could be riding on it!