Driver appreciation WEAK? Give authentic thanks – Taking the Hire Road

In this episode of Taking the Hire Road, Jeremy Reymer, founder of DriverReach, is joined by an industry friend and leader in recruiting, Jason Crowell, director of recruitment at Custom Commodities Transport. Crowell was an adopter of internet and social recruiting long before it became the standard.

Throughout the course of his career, Crowell has found himself at the forefront of the digital recruiting revolution, watching the industry move away from old-school techniques and embrace high-tech options.

One of the most profound impacts of this shift has been the monumental increase in the amount of information both recruiters and candidates have access to before ever entering into a conversation with each other.

There are often discussions about the types of information recruiters can glean about candidates from their online presence, but the importance of a company’s digital footprint is frequently overlooked.

“Technology has got us into having candidates, having prospects and even having the general public better educated about what a company does,” Crowell said. “You have a flavor for what the company is before you even interact with them.”

DriverReach is actually one of the technologies Crowell utilizes in his own recruiting work.

“The way I use it is to communicate,” Crowell said. “We are able to talk to people who didn’t apply for a job last week; they applied maybe four years ago, but they still want to understand what we’re doing and where we are.”

DriverReach allows Crowell to reach out to people in every step of their job search — from considering their options to post-hire — without undertaking any complicated or time-consuming manual processes. In this way, the tool is a critical touch point for keeping lines of communication open.

Technology, however, does not take the place of building relationships and showing appreciation for both future and existing drivers.

“Even with the best technology at your fingertips, this is and always will be a people business,” Reymer said. “It is critical that we improve human interaction and experience whenever possible.”

On the heels of Driver Appreciation Week, Crowell challenged recruiters, HR staff and everyone who comes into regular contact with truck drivers to consider what authentic appreciation looks like on a day-to-day basis.

“Appreciation is a human need, and when we serve that human need, people are more fulfilled in their jobs,” Crowell said.

Everyday appreciation transcends cookouts and tchotchkes, working its way into the small moments of day-to-day business. Often, it looks like getting to know drivers and then recognizing their specific commitments on a regular basis. There are many ways to express this kind of appreciation, and most — such as a heartfelt note — are neither expensive nor time-consuming.

The benefits of creating an environment of appreciation stretch beyond simple driver satisfaction, extending to the company’s bottom line. Satisfied drivers stay with carriers longer, ultimately driving up retention. That is why it is so critical for companies — and especially for recruiters — to prioritize relationship-building from the very beginning.

“If recruiting is sales, then retention is the recruiter’s recurring revenue,” Crowell said. “If you’re holding on to good employees, it contributes to revenue generation and the bottom line.”

Click here to learn more about Custom Commodities Transport.

More from Taking The Hire Road:

Carriers level up communication expectations for driver results

Advocating for truckers is a full-time job

Solving the parking puzzle: Truck Parking Club’s win-win approach