Businesses, especially those with a mobile workforce like trucking, frequently have communication breakdowns where senders and receivers interpret things said or unsaid differently.
Whatever the cause of miscommunications, the impacts can include shipment delays, many other inefficiencies, driver dissatisfaction, and turnover. This last item could be the most costly of all.
According to a recent study by Drive My Way, better communication and listening by management are the top reasons (second only to pay) drivers seek new work opportunities. The study found that drivers with one to two years of experience reported significantly lower happiness than drivers at other experience levels and were frustrated with not getting the information they needed to succeed.
Drivers are not asking managers to spend more time with them on the phone or in person. Instead, they want better access to information when and where they need it. This blog shows how fleets use custom driver apps to solve three of their most common communication challenges.
1. Getting Critical Information to Drivers in Real-Time
Challenge: As they should, in-cab communication platforms and electronic logging devices (ELDs) restrict drivers from responding to messages while in motion. Yet they also do not deliver messages to drivers while outside the cab. This creates gaps in communications that lead to driver frustrations.
A custom driver app is as mobile as the driver with centralized access to load information, messages, documents, and other content where and when drivers need it. Urgent messages can be prioritized with specific notifications and utilize an app’s text-to-speech function to relay messages to drivers, hands-free, while in motion.
Additionally, a custom driver app, like Knight-Swift Transportation built on the Eleos platform, can provide a document library so drivers can locate specific information any time they need it without going to dispatch.
“[With a custom app, drivers] can get the information they need, when they need it, without it being in some cryptic macro message system that’s not formatted very well. The Eleos app has a nice visual format and has been a real game changer for our drivers,” said Jim Field, former VP of Mobile Communications for Knight-Swift.
2. Supporting and Engaging Young Drivers
Challenge: Drivers who are new to the industry often feel unsupported, contributing to higher turnover rates. In fact, according to the Drive My Way survey, 75% of drivers with two years’ experience or less looked for new employment in the last three months because they felt like they were “set up to fail.”
Only 40% of these respondents said they were getting the necessary information to succeed. For tech-savvy millennials, traditional in-cab systems often fall short of their expectations for modern tools of the trade.
Solution: A custom app on a driver’s smartphone facilitates constant communication. Real-time updates improve work-life balance, streamline payroll and other HR processes, and boost workplace satisfaction.
Central Oregon Truck Company (COTC) reduced turnover from 94% to 76% by adopting Eleos and Geotab, offering an intuitive app for in-cab tablets and smartphones. Drivers use the app for better communication, and it assists them with scanning documents post-delivery, accident reporting, and digitally accessing all their permits.
“[The Eleos app] really worked. It’s just fantastic, just a better experience. The feedback has been positive, even from older people scared of the technology. The drivers love it. They are over the top with how the experience they used to have compares to what they have now,” said Braid Aimone, director of driver safety and services for COTC.
3. Ensuring Drivers Stay Productive
Challenge: Driver wages are negatively affected by supply chain inefficiencies, resulting in fewer miles, more dwell time, etc. Having to manage load information across multiple tools adds to the problem.
Solution: Custom apps, like the one Ryder Integrated Services developed with Eleos, consolidate workflows and enhance the driver experience. Notifications for training, to-do lists, HR updates, and company news improve efficiency. Ryder developed 23 different workflows that can be customized to meet unique customer needs and simplify documentation and deliveries.
Prime, Inc., another long-time Eleos customer, built a custom mobile driver app that drivers use on personal electronic devices, whether Android or iOS. By tailoring it to drivers’ needs, Prime achieved a 98% voluntary adoption rate for the app and enhanced customer service.
“Our competitive advantage is listening to our drivers and having a flexible app that can be molded to how our drivers want to work. We make sure that our drivers’ daily work life is as easy as possible,” said Brianne Madura, assistant director of technology at Prime, Inc.
Why the Eleos Custom Driver App is the Right Choice
By embracing custom driver apps, fleets like the above have transformed how they communicate with drivers. More excellent and efficient access to information improves driver satisfaction and retention, among other benefits like customer service, compliance, and safety.
The success stories from these industry leaders underscore the value of choosing the right custom app partner to achieve:
- Efficiency Gains: Knight-Swift reported efficiency gains for drivers and back-office staff with Eleos. The easy-to-read visual format of the app, its document library, and centralized information contribute to better-informed and more productive drivers.
- Versatility and Scalability: Eleos ensures integration with existing IT systems to automate processes, reduce costs, and enhance driver satisfaction.
- Client Success: With Eleos, fleets get results that matter. Central Oregon Truck Company attributes reduced turnover rates to drivers having a better work experience with a custom app that supports diverse communication formats like video messaging to foster a sense of connection.
Schedule a demo with Eleos to explore how a tailored mobile solution can reshape your trucking operations by addressing mission-critical communication challenges.
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