Most industries in the world have a
view of the importance of "customer service." To some, it’s lip service. To
others, it’s the absolutely single most important factor in success or failure. And
that’s true, to some degree, in the trucking industry.
But long before "customer service" became the grist for pop-management gurus,
forging close bonds with customers had been the cornerstone of the trucking industry.
After all, early in our century, trucking was the solution to the problem of moving
goods quickly, economically and efficiently. And it provided a competitive advantage.
Trucking people come face-to-face with customers on a daily, if not hourly, basis.
Properly tapped, that kind of exposure gives the carrier feedback on its performance, as
well as suggestions on how to add even more value.
Our industry has never been content to rest on its laurels. That explains why trucking
companies are continually searching for new and better ways to serve customers. One new
idea that seems to have a lot of merit is the effort by several leading fleets to empower
their drivers to make decisions on how to best serve the customer.
Certainly many other industries think of customer service as essential.
But not with the energy, enthusiasm, dedication and sincerity
of the people of the trucking industry.
Is our industry optimistic or pessimistic?
The people of trucking are unabashedly optimistic. Perhaps more than any other industry
in our country. You won’t find as many doomsayers and skeptics in trucking as you do
in other industries.
Instead, trucking people refuse to take "no" for an answer.
They started their business because they believed (and still
do) that no one can do it better. The world may seem gloomy
to some, but trucking people have a near-universal faith in
their ability to succeed. By their very nature, trucking people
are solution-oriented people. So, they will find a way to survive
and thrive, even in the worst of times.
In the face of today’s pressures, how does trucking maintain that
perspective?
Ogden Nash wrote that "progress is all right once, but it’s gone on too
long."
He must have had trucking in mind. Because the trucking industry faces an endless
stream of problems, obstacles and pressures—from inside and from outside.
Deregulation. Safety. Environmental regulations. Revolutionary technologies appearing
daily. Size and weight issues. Taxes. Logistics. International trade. Labor concerns.
Driver fatigue, retention and recruitment concerns. The list continues and there’s no
end in sight.
The forces of change and the pace of progress will come at us faster and faster.
For managers in many industries, these obstacles and pressures would prove
overwhelming. But it’s not overwhelming to trucking people. They have bounced back
from adversity time and time again. Instead of seeking excuses, they accept their
responsibility to solve problems. In the process, they have become deft and agile
catalysts for change, ready to accept new challenges.
Their attitude is proactive, not reactive. They have an old saying,
"If you do things the way you always did them, you’ll
get what you always got." Trucking people look to manage
change instead of be managed by it.
How does trucking lead change?
Unlike many industries that consider innovation disruptive to their comfort level,
trucking people welcome it. Demand it. Use it. Whether it’s incorporating a new,
unfamiliar state-of-the-art technology or forming a partnership with a competitor,
trucking people look for more efficient, innovative ways to operate, manage and do
business.
The reason is that innovation or "change" is not a threat. But an
opportunity.
Trucking people think "out of the box" that limits and restricts people in
other industries. And it has always been so. The truck that bears their name is the means
of achieving an end. Not an end in itself.
This is why they manage their business — and change — with
a decisiveness that reflects a sophisticated understanding of
what drives their business. They make a decision and move forward.
What are the basic values that distinguish trucking?
I’ve found that two values surface in just about every area I visit.
Trucking people care. And, trucking people are decisive.
Those in trucking know they are in a people business—whether it’s their
employees or their customers. And they know that despite all the new technologies and
equipment, people still drive trucks. People still perform maintenance. People still
manage assets. And people still work with people.
Truck executives never lose sight of that fact.
It is why they care — perhaps more than in any other industry
I've seen. That caring attitude springs from a solid ethical
foundation: They treat others as they would want to be treated.
What does this genetic code mean for trucking in the future?
Trucking people are so involved and busy that they often don’t have time to pat
themselves on the back. We are our own worst critics. So it’s all too easy to lose
sight of the individualism, resilience, optimism and entrepreneurial spirit that has built
the best transportation and distribution system in the world.
Total logistics costs represent 9 percent of the nation’s output of goods and
services, down from 11 percent in 1989 and from 14 percent in the late 1970’s.
The future is bright.
The need for high-quality, reliable, efficient and safe transportation will increase as
manufacturers and shippers — worldwide — look to trucking as the vital link in
the supply chain and in profitability.
In 7 short years, the nation’s freight pie is expected to increase to $544
billion, according to industry estimates. Of that, trucking is expected to be responsible
for $417 billion — a 23 percent increase. And that translates into an increase of 14
percent more trucks on the road and 34 percent more mileage driven.
Without the kind of values and determination I see in our industry, those increases
might be cause for concern. But with our unique character and enthusiasm, those increases
are opportunities to be seized.
And the industry will seize them.
I'd really like to hear from you about how you view the trucking
business. Please call me at 800-776-1246 ext. 6725. Or e-mail
me at tmoore@fleetowner.com.
