Time is precious and in short supply for both you and your drivers, so you need to save it where you can. On top of that, you don’t need the added financial stress caused by driver turnover and fines, or the extra effort to resupply your pool of applicants when a bunch of them fizzle out or fail to make it through the entire hiring process.
Multiple tabs, systems, spreadsheets, and paper make for a management nightmare: driver recruiting, compliance, and safety should be in one place!
There are many systems out there, but only a few are designed specifically for the professional driver. The goal is streamlining the recruiting, compliance, and training processes for the sanity of both you and your drivers. You need software that does all of the work, and a system that can tell you exactly what needs to be done each day. 90% of your applicants will apply on a mobile device, so it only makes sense to start digital and stay digital.
Having everything in one place should not be a wish list; it should be your expectation.
But how do you know which system is best for you? There are a few things that a platform should have. Combined with your own specific needs, these aspects can help point you to the most useful system to get for your money:
- Mobile friendly. 90% of our clients candidates applied on a mobile device last year. You need a system that can work on a mobile browser to enter information, submit documents and take training courses. Sometimes drivers can’t finish an app all in one sitting so it’s necessary to have the option that they can come back and finish later. Plus, if they start, you will have ways to contact them to keep them interested (email, text, call) and on track to continue the hiring process.
- Lead generation. You should expect that your platform has a way to generate leads of prospective drivers to your door. Integrations with jobs board is a start but that just makes the spray and pray method more efficient. Look for a system that generates leads with your qualifications - don’t waste your recruiters time with people who don’t fit your target profile.
- Performance reports. The best platforms have reporting tools to help visualize the real numbers you need to know to run an efficient team. Reports can help you identify KPIs such as:
- Out-of-compliance records
- Upcoming expiring records
- Cost- per-hire for each lead source
- Lead-to-hire conversion ratio for each source
- Safety meeting attendance
- Online course completion / safety bonus eligibility
- Efficient background screening. Ensure your platform will have either a third party partner integration to your background screening vendor so you can order with a click and the results will automatically be submitted back to the system, in case of a DOT audit. Be sure to calculate the time you need to invest for each screen to calculate your total cost - not all integrations are created equal.
- Effective training. Clicking a button to enroll a driver in training is a great convenience. The question to answer is if that training actually moves the needle on safety results or just checks the box? Do your experienced drivers walk away saying they learned something new or is it a waste of their time?
The digital age has made a lot of people see the light regarding technology as a means to do your job efficiently. Once you discover that paper-pushing sucks a tremendous amount of time in the day, you’ll never go back.
For those on a system, are you able to advertise, recruit, manage compliance and facilitate online and in-person training from one system? Are all your systems integrated and talking to each other? Having everything in one place should not be a wish list; it should be your expectation.
