Date: July 14, 1999
To: moving@avatar-moving.com
From: "Annie" <jvlack@net1plus.com>
Subject: AMS-Forum driver profitability
X-Hosted-By: http://www.avatar-moving.com
X-Legal-Notice: Please review the LEGAL NOTICE at the end of this message
X-Sponsors: Our sponsors make this possible

[ Return To The Hall of Fame ]

Voted Message of The Month!

I couldn't agree more, the drivers should know what they get paid. It is too bad that some organizations don't honor the agreements. Last summer our office had problems with getting debris pick ups done. They were sending crews up to Vermont (from Boston) for the contract rate of $91, then they get 80% of that. Needless to say no one wanted to go. So the van lines decided that there would be a $125 minimum. The difference between contract rate and 125 would be picked up by the booker. To make a long story short they didn't pay the minimum. When I questioned this, I do statements for drivers, I was told that they have to REQUEST the minimum. Operations Managers and GMs wonder why they can't get and keep quality drivers. If they get shafted at every turn, why bother. I could go on and on about the way drivers are paid. I challange each of you to go back to basics. Do you truely know all of the ins and outs of how your drivers are paid? Is it fair? We measure return on investment, are the drivers, your drivers, getting a reasonable wage and a decent return on the investment they have made in your company? If we are to fix the problems of the moving industry we have to go back to the basics of what we do. Bacis Management 101. Treat your employees and contractors as valued people. They are truely the face that the customer is going to remember. The person that the customer sets the move up with, the customer service professional, the salesperson, they can promise them anything, but it is the packer, the driver, the person who is in the home, toucing their most precious things that make or break a move. Let the contractor make a decent living, they are out in the snow or in the heat DOING the job, not sitting behind a desk in the comfort of the office reading e-mail trying to decide what to do about the industry as a whole. They take it one move at a time. One customer at a time.

I'm not being simplistic. When we deal with a customer they should be the only one on our minds. If our drivers are happy, knowing that they will be compensated well they will be more apt to do the 2000lb after hours pick up, just because you asked them to.

A very wise man once told me that if you take care of your people, they will take care of you.

Annie

LEGAL NOTICE: Avatar Relocation Inc. may, but is not obligated to, monitor or supervise statements made by third parties on this Moving & Storage Discussion Group ("AMS-Forum"). Users or other third parties may post statements or information to this forum from time to time. Avatar Moving Systems Inc. makes no representation as to the accuracy, appropriateness, legality, ownership or other aspects of such statements or information and EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS any liability for such third party statements under criminal or civil laws relating to defamation, intellectual property infringement, privacy, obscenity, or other areas of law. Also, at times, this forum may contain links to web sites maintained by other companies, individuals, or agencies. Avatar Relocation Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy of information on such sites. Avatar Relocation Inc. does not monitor or review the content of such third party sites and therefore advises you that your access by link to third party sites is at your own risk.